Hello, and welcome to another author interview here at Cover to Cover. Today, we are asking questions from Terry Bartley as he’s celebrating paperback release of …. Happy Bookish Birthday of I’m a Princess that Ran Away to A Magical World, a young adult fantasy featuring bi and lesbian characters. Terry says his writing has very, very little spice.
Terry, let’s start with the basics, tell us a bit about yourself.
Hi! My name is Terry Bartley, and I’m a fantasy author. I’ve been writing for much of my life, but I’ve only been seriously writing for the past five years or so. I do incredibly outside-the-box promotional strategies, including driving across the USA in two months to visit bookstores, attempting to write 100 short stories in a year, and creating fantasy-themed parody music videos for TikTok.
As a high school English teacher, and thinking back to when you were on the other side of the classroom yourself, what are the major differences you can now see when it comes to English, reading, literature…
I think that these days, writers try much harder to meet the reader where they’re at. It feels like there was a pressure in classic literature to be really challenging and, ya’ know, “literature.” I feel like modern books do a much better job of capturing the moment we live in a very real way. Even in my fantasy, I try to write in a way that will feel conversational to my readers.
What can readers expect from your stories? Do you have a message you hope to get across, a moral of the story?
I have two big goals when I write. First, as a bisexual man, it is really important for me to include authentic representation of people in the queer community. Tyranny of the Fey has three main characters, and each of them are in a same-sex relationship at some point in the story.
A famed Elven researcher is worried about her home. When she discovers a new realm with massive magic potential, she believes she has found the answer. Will the Seasonal Fey Courts allow her to continue her research without interference, or do they have more nefarious plans?
An Elven princess runs away from her arranged marriage to a parallel world. Will she be able to find the adventure she seeks? While she is in search of battles with dragons and quests to obtain sacred artifacts, she finds that what she was looking for may have been a true connection with someone that understands her.
Two childhood friends, an orc and a goblin, have long dreamed of adventure. When a magic school dropout stumbles into their lives, they jump at the chance to realize their ambitions. This found family realizes the world of Galevyn is a much bigger place than the jungle they grew up in.
Days are getting shorter, nights are getting darker – do you have a favorite brew to go with the books that we read long into the night?
I actually write the vast majority of my work in coffee shops. I love a hot mocha, but I’m a sucker for seasonal favorites. I know everyone loves Pumpkin Spice, but I can never wait until we get past Halloween and peppermint starts getting put in everything.
Peppermint! You and me both! I love peppermint tea and peppermint hot chocolate! Yum. But speaking of Halloween, still fresh in our heads. If you had to dress up as one of your favourite characters from a fantasy book, who do you go trick or treating as?
The obvious answer is Simon Snow, and it would be fun with the wings and the wig I’d have to wear. If only I could find my Baz.
Do you read as much as you write? And who would be your fantasy inspiration?
I definitely read at least as much as I write, if not more. My two favorite fantasy writers are Rainbow Rowell and Patrick Rothfuss. I try to make my characters feel as tangible as the characters in the Simon Snow Trilogy, and I try to make my world as deep as The Kingkiller Chronicles.
Let’s talk about pet peeves. As a reader and a writer what are the major pet peeves that really grind your gears?
As a writer, I hate it when people say that you need to write every day. I have ADHD and I’ve never been able to successfully do this. I think being a writer is all about consistency, and that can be whatever works for you. I consistently write once a week. I sometimes write more than that, but having that consistency is important.
As a reader, I especially hate it when people try to decide what is and isn’t reading. Holding a physical book is reading, using an ebook reader is reading, audiobooks are reading. Let’s not gatekeep this hobby we love from people that don’t enjoy stories the same way we do.
I mean, yes to this! I see one of those ebooks versus paperbacks threads online heating people’s emotions, and my reaction is: HARD PASS! I go and read a book instead, in whatever form it is.
We’re well into autumn now. Summer feels like a distant dream… Which inspires you more? The gloomy, foggy, eerie autumn days, or the bright sunshine of the summer?
I like them both for different reasons. I like the feel of the fall. I love wearing sweaters and cardigans. I love the autumn colors. I love the hustle and bustle of starting a new school year. But I love the summer for the freedom it gives me. I like not having a set schedule, and the hot days are also inspiring.
We can’t get past this… Artificial Intelligence. What’s you take on it? As a writer, reader, teacher…
I actually have a pretty nuanced take on AI. Obviously, I don’t think it is something we should be using to replace real writing. There is nothing I hate more than running one of my student’s essays through an AI checker, and it comes back with over an 85% likelihood that it was written by AI. With that said, I think we’re having this conversation all wrong, from all sides. AI should not be used as a writer replacement. AI writing tools should be used as an aid to assist in writing. It can inspire you, give you ideas, help you get started. It should be a tool, the same way we use Microsoft Word or Scrivener. This idea that AI is going to take the place of writers is fundamentally misunderstanding the point of it. That’s not to say there’s no fear; corporations are not exactly known for their commitment to fair labor practices. But I hope that we can all move to a place where we can use AI to assist us, not 100% rely on it.
Tyranny of the Fey is out. What can your readers expect next from you?
The next two releases are going to be light novels that break up the stories of Tyranny of the Fey into smaller pieces. They will be called, I’m a Princess that Ran Away to a Magical World, and “Me and My Best Friend Became Adventurers in a Fantasy World!”
It’s not always easy being an Elf in a Human world. They never use enough seasoning on their food. It feels like all of their cultural traditions revolve around money. They keep saying things like “life is short” when it just isn’t for me. They just grow old too fast. When someone says they’ll love you for the rest of their life, you like to think that they’ll be around for the rest of yours.
I’m a Princess that Ran Away to a Magical World – Terry Bartley
I’m really excited for these because I think they’re going to open up the stories from Tyranny of the Fey to a new set of readers.
Then I’ll be releasing two more light novels with fully original stories. Finally, in August of next year, I’ll be releasing my first full novel, which I hope will be the start of a new fantasy book series. I’m going to be writing in the world of Galevyn for quite some time, and I can’t wait for readers to visit it!
An Elven princess runs away from her arranged marriage to a parallel world. Will she be able to find the adventure she seeks?
While she is in search of battles with dragons and quests to obtain sacred artifacts, she finds that what she was looking for may have been a true connection with someone that understands her.
About the author:
Terry Bartley is a journalism, literature, and English teacher at Scott High School and writer of the upcoming collection of short stories, Tyranny of the Fey. Terry is the host of the podcast “Most Writers are Fans,” about the intersection between writing and fandom.
Terry has professionally written for the Coal Valley News and Screenrant. He has won awards for writing and broadcasting from the West Virginia Associated Press, the National Broadcasting Society, and MarCom. He has a B.A. in English from the University of Phoenix and an M.A. in English Education from Western Governor’s University.
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Interesting. I love reading about authors’ writing experiences. 📘
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