Interview with Tim Wahl Author of "Heaven's Wars"

Can you tell us a little bit about Heaven’s Wars?

Heaven’s Wars is not simply a story of good versus evil, it is the story of good versus evil. It is the story of Lucifer’s fall with a fantasy world woven within it. Dragons, griffons, mermaids and many other mythical creatures exist. In the first book, there is a war between the angels and the dragons. While this is happening, Azrael, the pupil of the Seven, goes on a quest to solve three trials in order to gather the soil from the earth to create the first human. Azrael also has a forbidden love for another angel named Amy. It’s filled with action, romance and massive battles. This is a story that has attracted people young, old, male or female. There is something for everyone in this tale.

What's your background with writing?

In high school, I liked writing poems and my senior year I decided I wanted to be a screen writer. I loved the original Star Wars trilogy and I thought someone had to write those stories. I like writing, I’ll do that. Little did I realize how difficult it is to get into that industry. At that point, I started to come up with the rough concept of Heaven’s Wars for a screenplay. Since that point, I completed five scripts for Heaven’s Wars and started two more. I also wrote another screenplay called the Cleansing. When nothing was happening through my contacts in Hollywood, my friends encouraged me to write Heaven’s Wars in book form. I have written three books and started the fourth called Children of the Angelic. In truth, the real story of Heaven’s Wars is only beginning.

Who are your inspirations/influences?

When I was a kid, I loved dragons. It was tough to find cartoons or anything with dragons. So I liked Godzilla movies, Flight of Dragons and The Hobbit. As I grew older, I liked Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. I am a huge Tolkien fan and I also love R.A Salvatore’s Drizzt series. With Tolkien, I think it’s the history and vastness of the world he created. I would love to have a conversation with him about his thought process in making such a world with different characters.

Who was responsible for the cover/book design?

The designs for all three covers were mine. The artist for the first 2 was Daniel Negrete. The third cover was penciled and inked by Jason Metcalf and colored by Ronald Calica. The first cover was intended to make a big statement. I wanted a dragon and an angel on the cover because that is a focus of book 1 and I have never seen a book cover featuring them. I had Lucifer’s shirt removed because I was worried people may think he is a she because of his long hair. The second book is dark and the cover needed to reflect that. I also wanted an angel versus angel because again I have never seen a book cover like that. Even the bolt of lightning that appears to be passing through the angel is meant to be symbolic. The last cover was, again, supposed to be dark. I wanted Lucifer to have a bent knee as well. I know what I want to see for each cover, from the color tones to how the characters should look.

What are you doing in terms of marketing/publicity?

I am going to local comic conventions and I have hopes of going to others across the USA. I have been using facebook to post in various groups and advertising my page. I was featured in local book stores for a few months too. I’m doing everything I can think of and do within my limited budget to get Heaven’s Wars out there. I have had great success at a local comic book store called I.E. Comics. It was the first place I did a signing and I will never forget them.

Do you have any stories from book signings/radio interviews/etc.?

I think some of the best things that have happened to me are at conventions. I have had people ask to shake my hand and take a picture with them. They said they were honored to meet me and shake my hand. They would tell me this is going to be big and why isn’t it a movie? As a writer that intended this to be a movie, I love hearing that. It humbles me when people ask for a picture, autograph or hand shake. I’m not a

person that craves being the center of attention, so it surprises me when people do that, but warms my heart too.

What is the name of your blog and what can readers expect to find there?

The best place to find out what I am up to is here. I post pictures of the events I attend. I let people know what I am doing with the books and my progress on future books.

What projects do you have planned for the future?

My future projects are books for Heaven’s Wars. I also plan on putting out short stories for the series to give a small bridge for book three and four. I have ideas for another fantasy series, however, Heaven’s Wars is my biggest priority at this time and I am going to keep writing this story. I love what it is and I love talking about it with fans.

Is there anything else about you we should know?

The fourth book entitled Children of the Angelic is going to vastly expand the world of Heaven’s Wars. The focus will shift to the nephilim (beings born from angels, demons and/or humans). Everyone will understand why Lucifer and Azrael were at the center of the first three books. They will also discover the answer the answer to an unanswered question, who is Ekael.

You can pick up your copy of "Heaven's Wars" here.

Interviewer Bio:
Walter Rhein is the author of "The Reader of Acheron," "Beyond Birkie Fever," and "The Bone Sword."  He is also the editor of "Nine Heroes."