An Interview with Nick Gibbons

Nick Gibbons is a neurodivergent writer and former biomedical scientist with a PhD in pigmentation biochemistry who is ethnically English & Jamaican. He spent years working in protein modelling, structural bioinformatics and molecular dynamics research before turning to creative writing during the 2020 pandemic. His epic fantasy series, The Aufeisia Chronicles, explores identity, transformation, and mythical equines in a richly imagined world.

Nick was adopted as a child and raised in Bristol and Barnet before his mother Jean and his late father Stuart moved to Kent to be close to family, before Stuart passed away in 1986 due to terminal lung cancer. He still lives close to his mother and brother Mark. A lifelong animal lover, he has volunteered with horses and ridden for many years before the pandemic, and dreams of one day loaning or owning a horse of his own. He now lives on his own in Edenbridge in a housing association flat where he writes, world builds, and shares life with his ginger queen cat, Parsley.

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What inspired you to start writing this book?

It began with a love for mythical equines — not the polished, classical unicorns of legend or the pastel charm of My Little Pony, but something wilder, stranger, and entirely my own.

The real spark came from two sources: discovering the lyrical, haunting work of Meredith Ann Pierce, and immersing myself in the Firebringer Trilogy fandom. I began turn-based roleplay with friends across Europe, Australia, and the U.S., sharing stories, characters, and worldbuilding ideas through the community I founded — IFAS (The International Firebringer Appreciation Society). UoTV – Unicorns of the Vale, our home on MSN Communities, became my first pasture — the place where ideas roamed free and Mythequines first took shape in my imagination.

Around 2003, with IFAS thriving in the wake of the books’ republication, I realised I wanted to follow in Meredith Pierce’s footsteps. I’d been utterly enthralled by her vision and worldbuilding and wanted to craft something that could stand as my own contribution to the genre. Even then, I knew I had to aim for originality. Mythological equines — especially unicorns and pegasi — were already a popular subject, so I set out to create something different: new species, new cultures, and an entire realm with its own logic and lore.

My first focus was on the lore and gods of my realm. I imagined a trio of equine gods — all siblings — created by a single, all-powerful progenitor stallion. Two of them, Equinara (the eldest) and Luminaron, emerged clearly in my mind; the others began more nebulous, waiting to be shaped by story and time. From there, the foundational mythology of the universe began to take form — a celestial narrative that gave rise to my main world. That realm is currently named Equinara, though even now, I’m refining both its name and the deeper layers of its lore.

The divine pantheon expanded and the first species followed. Two — the Frostequines and Ionaequines — took on elemental roles tied to ice, light, and harmony. Others, like the Serpequines and Gorgequines, embodied a more reptilian, ancient power. The youngest of the gods, Caliganara, eventually claimed her place as a shadowed, complex figure. Their father — first known simply as the All-Sire — evolved through many incarnations before becoming Protiaron, and finally Protyrinaron, god of truth, judgement, and balance.

At first I focused on the Ionaequines and Luminaron, and their mountainous homeland — imagining them as underground dwellers residing in the six highest peaks of the realm. As the details grew more intricate — such as the idea that the Ionaequines suffer a generational curse tied to their electrokinetic powers, resulting in widespread barrenness — I began to see not just lore, but story. Characters, histories, and emotional arcs started to emerge.

There are two kinds of equines in my realm. Mythequines — who were created and favoured by one of the gods — and normal equines, although I’ve tried to make these distinctive too. One race, the Pelagequines, have coats that change with the seasons. Because of the events of creation, the non-myths have the latent potential to become Ionaequines, and Ionaequines can either reproduce naturally or adopt non-mythequines. At first, I planned to explore this as a unique transformation concept.

To develop these early ideas, Plaid and I created an Ionaequine couple who were barren, building out their family histories and cultural dynamics. Two other dear friends, Bryn and Spirit, also became involved. Together, we began shaping stories that explored inter-species relationships and divine rivalries, especially the tensions between gods whose followers sometimes “converted” — altering species, allegiance, and fate.

One such story focused on an Ionaequine filly named Lanthria, a character who would eventually become a proto-Tempestequine — one of the corrupted forms of the Ionaequines. This roleplay featured characters Plaid and I had developed earlier, such as Lithri, Halan, and Lindri, and included Bryn’s portrayal of Serion, an Ionaequine elder and Lanthria’s guardian. Although Rohilorion (Rohon) — a latent foal living near the borders of Caliganara’s dark lands — was intended as a protagonist in a separate tale, his plot remained in early stages at that time.

This creative exchange was both fun and formative — a collaborative space for testing lore and character dynamics — with the long-term hope that the more developed threads might evolve into a novel. I still have notes and fragments from those early days, and some of those characters may yet find their way into The Aufeisia Chronicles. Sadly, my correspondence with Plaid faded after 2011, and our shared roleplays entered permanent hiatus. A brief reconnection in 2018, shortly after I moved into my own flat, gave us one last opportunity to expand on Aufeisia’s past and sketch potential plotlines — including a character who would later appear in the novel itself — before we lost touch again.

Spirit and I continued to explore Lanthria’s arc, especially how a Frostequine might intervene in her story — either independently or at Equinara’s urging. I had early inklings that Equinara might favour birds as sacred animals and imagined Lanthria being displaced by divine design, teleported by Caliganara and left vulnerable near Tempestequine territory. In that moment of rescue, Aufeisia was born.

She began as a scout from the boreal tribes, but her backstory soon deepened. Born into the northern tribes, she had left after pressure to mate with a politically advantageous suitor — a character who’d once rescued her sibling and earned favour with her kin. I imagined her taking her siblings out to play, only to face danger — prompting the suitor’s intervention — a scene that existed only in fragments until years later.

It wasn’t until 2020, during the pandemic, that I truly committed to the story. I signed up for NaNoWriMo and, of the three project ideas I considered, The Aufeisia Chronicles resonated most. Given advice to start from scratch, her tale — the one with the clearest emotional voice — rose above the others.

Aufeisia’s struggles echoed my own: navigating a fractured world, seeking identity, and trying to reconcile inner truth with external expectation — all themes rooted in my neurodivergent experience. What began as an experiment became something much deeper — a series filled with myth, emotion, and transformation. It’s a tale that feels like it waited a long time to be told — and I finally had the time, and the courage, to begin telling it.

Tell us the story of your book’s current title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

It’s been a journey — and like many of my characters, my titles have migrated across landscapes, changed form, and occasionally doubled back on themselves.

We began in the small settlement of Aufeisia: A Time of Choosing — a modest, one-volume destination. But as the world expanded, so did the map, and the name grew into The Aufeisia Chronicles. I camped for a while in Legacy of Bloodlines, when I realised her parentage would be at the heart of the tale.

Then came the Great Word Count Flood. Once the story passed 200K words, I had to split it — the literary equivalent of building two towns where there had been one. That sent me wandering for new titles. Inspired by the StarCraft II trilogy, I decided each arc would explore one of the great Mythequine factions of Equinara.

From that point, the route was clear: the prelude became Enigmas of Emberhaven, the first main stop Songs of Change on the Frostwinds. The second wandered through several waystations — Legacies of the Owlwing Tribe, Whispers of the Tytolline Forests — before finally settling in Legacies of the Tytolline Forests.

And now? With Protyrinaron joining Luminaron, Caliganara, and Equinara, there are whispers of yet more factions to explore — and my titles may well keep travelling. After all, the map of Equinara is still being drawn.

Describe your dream book cover.

I’ve explored a few ideas already by creating some mock-ups using AI image tools — it’s been a helpful way to visualise the tone and imagery I want.

One concept that resonates is a scene of Aufeisia and her companions standing in the tundra, with caves in the background, frozen rivers, and the Northern Lights shimmering above — something that captures both the harsh beauty of the Frostlands and the mythic undercurrent of the story.

Another option would be more intense: Aufeisia facing off against Eisrindin, the tension between them framed by icy wind and elemental energy. For a later volume, I’ve imagined a cover showing a Nocryoequine — a corrupted reflection of Aufeisia’s kind — to explore the themes of distortion, loss, and transformation.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

There’s a winter stillness and emotional undercurrent running through Songs of Change on the Frostwinds, and I often imagine a soundtrack that blends haunting instrumentals with emotionally resonant lyrics.

A winter-styled version of Darling Violetta’s Angel theme would set the tone — eerie, atmospheric, and full of mythic tension. “All the Kings Men” by The Rigs and “Web of Lies” by Mike and the Mechanics both echo themes of lost trust and manipulated truths, while “Separate Ways” by Journey captures the pull between loyalty and freedom.

“Beggar on a Beach of Gold” adds another layer — a sense of inner searching beneath outward calm, which fits Aufeisia and several characters struggling to find their path.

Finally, I’ve written an equine-themed adaptation of John Bell’s 1987 Hymn “The Summons” — reimagined as a hymn from the gods of Equinara. Each deity speaks a verse in turn, calling the soul of the listener to transformation. It’s a central theme of the series: the idea that change begins with a choice, and a summons no one can ignore

I’m still working on this as a concept, to probably be featured in the series or even as a song piece, but here are a couple of verses as it stands:

Verse 1 – Unified Invocation:

“Mother, Father, Lady, Lords

When you but call my name

Let your sacred bond accord

And never be the same

Will you let your voices blend

As the ancient ways transcend

Let your wisdom comprehend

In you and you in me?”

Verse 8 – Final Affirmation:

“In your presence I will run

Till your truth and mine are one,

Let me gallop, prance, and grow,

Where your love and hoofsteps show.

In your company I’ll be,

Finding strength and harmony,

As your winds and whispers flow,

In you and you in me.”

What books are you reading (for research or comfort) as you continue the writing process?

I try to read as much equine- and mythical-creature-related fiction as I can, both for inspiration and worldbuilding research. Some recent favourites include The Guardian Herd and Riders of the Realm by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez, which offer rich equine-centred storytelling. A.F. Steadman’s Skandar series is another standout, with its unique spin on elemental unicorns.

I’ve also really enjoyed Katherine Rundell’s Impossible Creatures, Jennifer Bell’s Magicalia, Lee Newbery’s The Last Firefox, and Linda Chapman’s Moonlight Riders. Cerrie Burnell’s The Unicorn Seekers has also been a charming and thoughtful take on unicorn lore.

Each of these books offers a different way of engaging with magical creatures and alternative worlds — and I love seeing how other authors build empathy, tension, and wonder through non-human perspectives.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

Although I’ve had a strong interest in writing since my mid-teens — over 30 years now — my academic background is actually in science and I have very little literary qualifications beyond secondary school basic GCSE English. I hold a BSc in Biomedical Sciences and a PhD in Pigmentation Biochemistry, and have worked in areas including protein structural biology, molecular modelling, bioinformatics, molecular dynamics and also protein docking. I’ve co-authored multiple scientific papers and still maintain some connections in the academic world, mainly through collaborations from my time in Bradford. My last formal university affiliation was as a Visiting Research Fellow at Middlesex University around eight years ago – I realised I need to look at career alternatives as I never really managed to find a serious possibility of an academic position.

I’m also neurodivergent — officially diagnosed with Autism and Dyspraxia in 1998, when I was 23 (I’ve recently turned 50). Given how poorly understood neurodivergence was when I was growing up, school was often a struggle. I’ve likely also lived with ADHD/ADD, OCD, and heightened sensitivity (HSP), though these remain unofficial. Despite early challenges, I’ve come to embrace both my scientific and creative sides, and I often weave biology and science into my worldbuilding as a result.

Beyond science, I’ve volunteered in IT, helped compile memoirs for escaped Italian POWs, and worked part-time in online booklisting. It wasn’t until NaNoWriMo 2020 that I finally took the leap into serious writing — and now I’m committed to building a writing career.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

Some of my earliest influences came from the fantasy writers I grew up reading. Meredith Ann Pierce was a major one — her Firebringer Trilogy showed me how emotionally rich and mythic a story centered on non-human characters could be. Mercedes Lackey was another; elements of my Boreal Owlwing tribes are partly inspired by a blend of her Tayledras culture and the psychic bond between humans and horses found in her Valdemar Companions.

More recently, I’ve found great inspiration in the work of Jennifer Lynn Alvarez, especially her Guardian Herd and Riders of the Realm series. It’s been encouraging to see books that centre mythical equines and explore herd dynamics with emotional nuance.

Across all these influences, what’s stayed with me is the sense that creature-based fantasy can be just as profound, layered, and emotionally resonant as stories with human protagonists — sometimes more so.

Where is your favorite place to write?

My main writing space is my desk in the sitting room — it’s chaotic, but cosy, and filled with character. It’s where I do most of my writing and worldbuilding work. I also keep my phone near my bed and occasionally draft scenes or roleplay story snippets with AI chatbots late at night — even if that’s not ideal for sleep routines!

Sometimes I write while visiting my mum’s house, where I lived until late 2018. I had to move out because I didn’t have tenancy rights there — it’s a United Reformed Church property reserved for ministers’ widows. Living on my own has its challenges, especially the isolation, so writing in familiar or comforting spaces helps me stay grounded. One day, I’d like to share that space — and the journey — with someone. Until then, writing helps me stay connected, imaginative, and hopeful.

What advice would you give your past self at the start of your writing journey?

Allow yourself to write — even if it’s messy. That’s one of the biggest lessons I learned during my first NaNoWriMo. I used to think that everything needed to be perfect from the start — that I had to have the world fully built and the plot perfectly mapped out before I could begin – in my role playing days, I got very fixed out on planning every detail of our plots, and probably annoyed my fellow rper’s by being an extreme planner. I don’t think I could pants a story completely but I’ve now learned that it’s refreshing when characters take things into their own hand (or hooves in this case) and get ideas of their own.

I’ve learned that worldbuilding, planning, and outlining are all part of the process — not prerequisites, but tools you develop as you go and that it all counts as progress even if you’re just planning and brainstorming worldbuilding details some nights

I’d also tell myself to stop being so critical, and to believe in my voice. It’s okay to grow slowly. Every stage — even the uncertain ones — helps shape the writer you become. The main person, Max Gorlov, that I’ve been taking writing classes from keeps saying that we are all students of the craft, and still learning all the time.

The final revelation for me has been that I’m a non-linear writer and prefer scene hopping instead of the direct route from A to B.

What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?

I hope readers walk away with a sense that identity is something we shape — not something handed to us. That you can be defined not by bloodline, expectation, or even destiny, but by the choices you make and the relationships you nurture.

Like me, Aufeisia is shaped by a complex heritage — and a search for belonging in a world full of tradition, rupture, and divine dysfunction. Her journey mirrors the struggle to find one’s place in the world, not just through ancestry, but through courage, belief, and connection.

More than anything, I hope The Aufeisia Chronicles feels mythic yet deeply personal — like a legend echoing with truth. This is only the beginning of her story — and of mine. As I continue collaborating with future editors and coaches, I look forward to uncovering even more of what the story has to say.

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