I was lucky to get an interview with Frank Borrelli, the author of Reign of Extinction, one of this year’s #SPFBO9 entries.
Please, tell us a bit about yourself…
I was born and raised in New York State, and have been honored to teach (and learn a lot from) at-risk youth for the past twenty-eight years.
“ The main character of Reign of Extinction is based on some of the significant struggles and successes of the young people I have been privileged to meet throughout my career as a teacher.”
Why should I buy your SPFBO9 entry?
Well, in the tradition of the original Star Trek, I wanted to tell an exciting story that also deals with some important contemporary issues. The main character of Reign of Extinction is based on some of the significant struggles and successes of the young people I have been privileged to meet throughout my career as a teacher. The book is a fantasy adventure with heroes, monsters, and magic, but it is really about how one finds hope and healing after experiencing tremendous loss.
Subgenre: Dark fantasy
Pages: 400
Self-published: 2022
What got you into writing? And how long have you been doing it?
I have been writing one way or another ever since I was a Dungeon Master in my teens. I wrote a LOT of adventures for Dungeons and Dragons and really learned how to outline stories that way. When everyone I played with grew up and on to other things I started using those outlines to write Reign of Extinction, the sequel, and other stories.
Have you participated in the SPFBO before and where did you hear about the competition?
I really can’t remember where or when I heard about the competition, but this is my very first time participating in SFBO, and I have really looked forward to taking part in it for several years.
Why did you choose to write fantasy?
Fantasy chose me! I was always inexplicably drawn to Dungeons and Dragons and later moved on to I.C.E.’s Middle Earth Role Playing game (M.E.R.P.) which has my all-time favorite combat system. The realism and specificity of that M.E.R.P. combat system really helped me construct fight scenes and influenced me to write gritty, dark fantasy fiction.
Which other author has had the biggest influence on your writing?
I’m sure it’s no surprise that Tolkien had the biggest influence on me and so many others as a writer/creator, because he sparked my imagination and continues to do so every day. Others may not consider her to be a fantasy writer, but Mary Shelley has also been an enormous inspiration to me with her wonderful novels, Frankenstein and The Last Man. Tolkien’s Gollum and Shelley’s Creature are really two of the greatest creations in all literature.
If you were to win the SPFBO, what impact do you think this would have on your writing career?
I will keep writing no matter what, but I would certainly welcome the opportunity to share what I’ve written with as many people as possible.
What challenges did you face during the writing or publishing process, and how did you overcome them?
Being a public school teacher has been my “other” full-time job, so not having enough time is by far my biggest challenge of all. There is simply not enough time to write, and edit, and write, and promote, and write, and teach, and write, and live, and write…
Do you have any tips or an author app, tool, or resource that you can really recommend we try?
I know this is nothing new, but write, write, write! And every time I do, good old Thesaurus.com is right there with me. Canva, Flexclip, Book Brush, and Fiverr have each been a big help too.
And now it's time to yank out your Palantir! Let’s talk about the future. What new projects are you working on?
Right now I am editing Reign of Extinction (Book Two), which will wrap up that main storyline. After that, I plan to begin writing “a horror story about the last superhero,” which has been on my mind for some time.
Apps that are based on artificial intelligence (AI), such as ChatGTP and Midjourney, along with apps aimed specifically at authors, have caused quite a stir. Do you expect these new technologies will make your life as a self-published author easier or harder, and do you expect that they’ll mean you’ll earn more or less?
I have never really thought about this before. AI will never replace people and their ability to be empathic, thoughtful, insightful, and wise. AI cannot understand how water dripping off the edges of leaves on a rainy day can be so beautiful. Human artists have nothing to fear from AI.
“I would like my book to be able to communicate and spread more compassion and awareness for all at-risk kids and inspire as many people as possible to work together to give them the love and help they so desperately need. ”
Do you have any dreams you’d like to share?
If I could wish for one thing, I would like my book to be able to communicate and spread more compassion and awareness for all at-risk kids and inspire as many people as possible to work together to give them the love and help they so desperately need.
Anything else you would like to say before we close?
Thank you so much for this fantastic opportunity to share a little bit of myself and my book.
That was some interesting answers. I wish you the very best in the SPFBO. I hope a lot of readers discover your writing. Thanks for doing the interview.
