Sarah J. Maas and Brandon Sanderson both inspired me to a great degree. Both of them have written several masterpieces in my opinion, and their writing styles in general helped me guide myself toward my own voice. They showed me that you can show the reader an entire world, rather than just a simple story, and that was what ultimately helped grow my passion for writing.
Nick Stitle – 31 May 2023
The Back Flap
The story takes place in Auris, a world of storms and chaos where seven violent Tempests rule the land, wreaking havoc across the continent. This first book in the series follows three heroes who walk the threads of fate, weaving an epic tale of magic, war, love, and loss. Together these individuals will forever change Auris’ future. Empires will shatter and Tempests will be Unbound, but destiny will prevail as the protagonists face their fated ends.
Castien Varic is a soldier and a Stormless – someone without magic – on an expedition for the King. He battles with intense anxiety and panic attacks while striving to complete his mission. Prince Faelyn Titansworn disagrees with his father, the King, about the dangers Auris is facing and must decide where his loyalty lies. Meanwhile, two years in the past, Asteros Silverglade is uncovering secrets behind the mysterious Vanishing that wiped out the Ancient Sects and created the Tempests. The paths of the three protagonists converge in an exciting cliffhanger, setting the stage for the next book in the series.
More than one character in Stormless struggles with mental health issues, and Stitle does not shy away from the subjects of depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. He hopes his readers can see themselves in his characters and realize they are not alone. Stitle’s heroes are not perfect, implausible personalities but complex, flawed individuals.
About the book
What is the book about?
Stormless takes place on a world where seven violent Tempests rule the land. These storms fuel Crystals, which are used by the Summoners of Auris—who bear magical powers. The story begins when a Summoner from a Sect that was thought to be extinct appears on the capital city’s doorstep, setting several events in motion.
There are three main storylines in this book. The first follows Castien Varic, who is one of the “Stormless,” meaning he has no magical powers. He embarks on a quest with a group of powerful Summoners to uncover the truth behind the resurfacing of the Ancient Sect.
Meanwhile, Faelyn Titansworn, Prince of the capital city and heir to the throne, uncovers his own conspiracy at home. This storyline also heavily centers on Faelyn’s dysfunctional family relationship with his father—the King.
Finally, we have Asteros Silverglade’s storyline. Asteros is a Shadow-swift, and therefore one of the most powerful people on Auris. He—along with the other five members of his Sect—begins a quest to uncover the secrets of Auris’s past… and of course, he ends up discovering far more than he ever expected.
When did you start writing the book?
I started writing this book in the fall of 2021.
How long did it take you to write it?
The first draft took me many months to write. I began writing in the fall of 2021 and finished in May of 2022. I went through the editing process for about 10 months, and now I am finally finished!
Where did you get the idea from?
I have actually been writing stories since about sixth grade, and this book is essentially a culmination of my favorite ideas from all of my books. I definitely got some inspiration from the entertainment that I have enjoyed over the years, but this book was largely inspired by a story that I started and never finished from my freshman year of high school (2020-2021).
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
In all honesty: not really! I was fortunate in that I never really struggled with any parts of this book. The Shadow-swift storyline took me a few tries to get right, but other than that, most of the writing came fairly easily to me.
What came easily?
Castien’s storyline and the fight scenes came most easily to me. I have always had a lot of fun writing fight scenes, and Castien is essentially a fictional reflection of myself, so he was fairly easy to write.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
My characters aren’t entirely fictious primarily because I consider many of them to be reflections of me, or different aspects of my personality. For example, I consider Castien to be a lot like me as a whole. Faelyn, on the other hand, is like a younger, more naïve version of me, and Asteros is an older, less fortunate version of myself with an amplified sense of ambition. I could go on for almost every character in the story, though there are some that are vastly different from myself, only possessing trace qualities that I like to think I have (General Surge, for example).
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
Sarah J. Maas and Brandon Sanderson both inspired me to a great degree. Both of them have written several masterpieces in my opinion, and their writing styles in general helped me guide myself toward my own voice. They showed me that you can show the reader an entire world, rather than just a simple story, and that was what ultimately helped grow my passion for writing.
Do you have a target reader?
My target reader is honestly just people like me. I enjoyed Brandon Sanderson and Sarah J. Maas’s books more than I could ever put into words, but I simply felt that I didn’t quite see myself in the characters as much as I would’ve liked to. I set out writing Stormless because I wanted people like me to finally have a voice that they can relate to. On a broader level, I hope that any fans of fantasy, anyone in the LGBTQ+ community, and anyone who struggles with mental health will enjoy my book! I think Stormless would be a fantastic fit for anyone in those categories.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
My writing process for this book was very regimented. I got up an hour and a half before school each morning and just sat down and wrote (spending the last half hour eating breakfast and getting ready for the day). I would also write after school if I didn’t have too much homework, but I primarily stuck to this schedule.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
I outline a bit. I outline by part and by storyline. For example, I write each storyline all the way through until the storylines cross over, and then I go back and catch the other ones up. Essentially, when I get to a new “segment” of the book, I outline each chapter with a title and a few sentences (these “segments” are anywhere from 3-15 chapters long).
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I do not edit as I go most of the time. I usually write a first draft all the way through and then go back and edit.
Did you hire a professional editor?
I did hire a professional editor! I actually hired two, both of which proved to be very helpful.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
I always listen to music while writing. Some of my favorites to listen to while writing are Ludovico Einaudi, Ramin Djawadi, and Roberto Cacciapaglia (so mostly instrumental music).
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
I submitted to about fifty agents, and consequently met with fifty rejections…. which led to me self-publishing!
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
It was definitely a gradual process that led to me self-publishing. Querying agents proved to be a very challenging process, and I realized pretty quickly that if I wanted to publish Stormless anytime in the next couple of years, I would likely need to self-publish, which ended up being a fantastic decision!
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
We had the cover done by a professional cover artist that we connected with through Reedsy.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
I do have a marketing plan! We also connected with a marketing team through Reedsy, and they have helped us put together a plan.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
My advice would be to keep writing but also to set your expectations realistically. Most importantly: make sure you are enjoying the entire process. Your first book will likely not be a bestseller, your tenth book may not even be a bestseller, but if writing is what you love to do, then you are doing exactly what you should be.
About You
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Carmel, Indiana with my mom, dad, and older brother.
Where do you live now?
I still live in Carmel, Indiana!
What would you like readers to know about you?
The main thing that I want readers to know about me is that I am 17 years old. While this is a young age to publish a book, I love reminding readers of this fact simply because I want to add credibility to young authors. Many people pass off young authors as too inexperienced to write a good book, and I want to be able to prove them wrong. Not only that, but to any readers out there that are my age, I want to remind them that anything is possible if you put your mind to it!
What are you working on now?
I am working on the sequel to Stormless. After that, I will continue working on the Stormless series until it is finished!
End of Interview:
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Get your copy of Stormless from Amazon US or Amazon UK.