When I discovered Atlantis, I was 16, and hungry for answers. I wanted to find a way out of the “Plato’s Cave” of life in America. I remember the feeling I had when I read about Atlantis, as if a spark went off in my brain that ignited an unquenchable fire in my soul. It made sense that nature could utterly decimate any amount of human advancement, leaving behind nothing but a myth. It launched me on a 30-year inquiry that led me on a quest through endless research while wandering the earth like Kane in Kung Fu. My journeys led me over land, air, and sea all in search of Atlantis whether I knew it or not. Even if Atlantis was the furthest thing from my mind, it would somehow find me.
It was at Burning Man, that infamous festival in the desert where I had “the awakening.” I was in search of the ultimate pirate Utopia and felt as though I had been spinning my tires in fun and revelry, much like how you find my character D’Vinid at the beginning of the book. I couldn’t participate in the world unless I had something to contribute. But what? All I had was my Atlantis research. And music. And writing. I didn’t want to host the pointless party anymore, so I stepped away from my life as an event producer in Los Angeles and turned my quest inward.
I deconstructed myself, even cut my hair off, and moved to New York in the dead of winter. I spent a lot of years trying to cope with my need to wander, while forcing myself into the role of author, rooted, and patient. These things are against my nature. I always say that to become a better person, you must first challenge your nature, and learn to do something you are not good at.
Being an author is a solitary path. Any author will attest to the phobia that develops after being locked in the expansive world of one’s own imagination. When the time comes to share with the world, it can be pretty scary. It got to where I grew into being an author, and the more that happened, the more I sank into the role. To top that all off, when you go the route of the indie author, finishing the book is only the beginning of the journey, and the invisible route up the giant mountain is harder to find. But I am stubborn, and I don’t give up. Whether it be for better or worse, I have been committed to bringing this story into the world.
There are two ways to approach the study of Atlantis, one is through secular subjects which are often considered “alternative.” The other is through the dazzling world of the esoteric. I find the latter reads like a science fiction novel. In choosing fiction, I could use these fantastic stories, and I didn’t need to back them up with hard facts. I just had to read and be inspired. To that end, I could also weave in my wider research on metaphysics, sociology and philosophy, as well as story-craft, a sprinkling of Jungian Psychology, and Joseph Campbell’s heroes' journey.
There are many aspects of my life experience woven into my pages. Struggles with addiction, abusers and sexual assault serve as a lesson for those who may have the same problems. The madness is based on the time I spent living in downtown Los Angeles near skid row watching the homeless epidemic happen around me. It is also a vehicle to demonstrate my theories about evil being an actual disease based on separation from unity consciousness. Hover Tricksters are my ode to the time I lived in Venice Beach where the skateboarders have achieved a level of fame. The conclaves are based on my time in the rave world and the festival circuit. The royal courts are based on the Renaissance reenactment world, otherwise known as SCA.
Writing these books has been a grand adventure, and so has publishing them. I hope to share that adventure with you!
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