Tell me about yourself. What inspired you to write?
Symphony of Crowns and Gods (as a series) started as a video game that I was programming on my computer. Programming an RPG (role-playing-game) takes a lot of time and effort, especially as a solo developer, and my ideas were growing faster than I could create the game. Long story short, ~500 hours later, I decided novelization was the next best route to take since it would probably take me half a century to create the game I had originally imagined. The scale of all the characters, locations, and storylines in my head would need a dedicated and experienced team to develop and, by shifting to book format, I felt as though more people could experience the essence of the SoCG universe.
Describe your desk / writing space.
I keep a neat desk—Otherwise, random, useless clutter tends to subtly stress me out.
Do you have a writing routine or do you write when inspired?
I don’t have a specific writing routine, but I visit something related to my books every day. Consistency is key, no matter what I’m working on, whether it be creating marketing ads, collaborating with other authors, designing graphics, or writing. Projects themselves comes with different seasons—depending on where I’m at with each, I spend my time outlining, writing, or self-developmental editing.
What was the hardest scene for you to write? Which scene was your favorite to write?
Any scene involving a main character death is always tough, because I know that character could have had potential to do something more. Still, if situations in the series calls for it, nobody has “plot armor” or is invulnerable from death.
What are you working on next?
My “ideas notebook” for the Symphony of Crowns and Gods series still has a lot of content. I can’t say definitively how many volumes it will go, but there’s enough for at least five books so far without anything running dry or feeling bare.
What inspired your book/series?
I grew up a huge Star Wars fan, but I felt there was more (creatively) I could do within the sword and sorcery realms. That said, I wouldn’t rule futuristic type stories out in the future.
What authors or books have influenced your writing?
E.E. Holmes, author of World of the Gateway is one I can name off the top of my head. J.K. Rowling is perhaps the most well-known. Carissa Andrews is another one that I’ve drawn inspiration from, and Tracy Lawson’s Resistance Series, is perhaps the biggest influence theme-wise.
If you could live anywhere, in this world or fantasy, where would you live?
What’s the monthly rent to live in a Hobbit-hole?
How do you come up with the title to your books?
I aim to capture a central idea or theme relevant to that particular book in the series.
What is your favorite meal?
It really depends on my mood, but I would never turn down Taiwanese style beef noodle soup or Vietnamese Pho.
Coffee or tea? Wine or beer?
Coffee is my lifeblood, but I enjoy tea more so when I want to relax. If I feel I’ve had enough caffeine for the day, then I break out the wine.
About The Author
Brian Mendonça is a writer, reader, and tech geek at heart. He’s always looking for new ways to get better at his craft, and he has traveled the world to see how the world is a melting pot of stories and cultures around us. He feels most at home when sitting in front of his computer, with a cup of coffee, and writing stories. When he’s not writing, he’ll be relaxing at home with his video games or watching re-runs of Friends or the Big Bang Theory. He often takes long walks outside while listening to podcasts. Brian is laid back, easy-going, and he loves helping people out. Brian is a native resident of the greater San Francisco Bay Area.
Saving the princess was only the start of events that would change his life forever…
Kaine was down on his luck. The former merchant struggled with losing his job and now must make ends meet. Too bad he doesn’t know how. Frustrated, he sets off into the nearby forest to gather mushrooms. The woman’s screams were the last thing he expected. Kaine must act quickly to rescue the young woman before a monster that should not exist kills her.
His life only gets crazier from there. Kaine returns with Lydia, the daughter of the king, to her father’s castle where he unexpectedly finds himself in the king’s good graces. Confused and leery, Kaine reluctantly agrees to remain and help with Lydia’s younger siblings. Life could not have thrown him more.
Kaine is plunged into a world of magical intrigue, unrest, and political maneuvering. Each new event leaves him feeling out of place and, worse, dangerously exposed to a growing threat. The Darian Kingdom stands at the crossroads. Lydia’s upcoming wedding to the prince of the Throatian Kingdom will soon become the defining moment in Kaine’s life.
With the threat of war looming on the horizon, it is going to take every ounce of guile, cunning, and willpower for Kaine to survive, and, if he is fortunate, prevent the fast approaching storm from burning his world to the ground.
Wedding of the Torn Rose is a fast-paced fantasy adventure with mystery, action, and magic. Journey with Kaine as he attempts to prevent a war and save a kingdom in the first volume of the Symphony of Crowns and Gods series.