An Interview with Cal Logan

A full-time personal trainer and competitive powerlifter, Cal started writing seriously in 2017, drawing inspiration from history, his time spent practicing mixed martial arts, and of course, books. Cal lives in Chicago with his wife, Taylor, and his dachshund, Rizzo.

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

I’ve loved reading and writing for as long as I can remember. Even as young as six or seven, I would constantly write stories inspired by whatever book or video game I was most interested in at the moment. Most of these didn’t make it more than a handful of pages, of course, but the desire to write has always been there. I finished my first book when I was eighteen, and it was an absolute disaster that shall never see the light of day, but it got me in the habit of writing consistently, which has been its own reward.

What inspired you to start writing this book?

One night, I had an extremely vivid nightmare where demons were attacking our home. It was one of the most intense, terrifying experiences I’ve ever had, despite it only being a dream. I woke up to my dog howling and barking at our door—he was going absolutely insane.

I got out of bed and checked the house, thinking someone might have tried to break in. The house was quiet, so I went back to bed. Our dog settled back in laying his paws and head on my chest, staring intently at the door for over an hour. He has never done that before or since. That, more than anything, creeped me out.

So the initial basis for ShadowBane was “a guy and his dog hunting demons,” though of course that evolved into “two twins and their 800-pound pet tiger hunting demons in feudal Japan.” After a few days of furious brainstorming, the rest came together pretty smoothly.

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

I’m lucky in that titles come to me pretty naturally. I knew I wanted “Shadow” in the title, and I like playing with common roots and phonetics if there are multiple books in the series. So all the titles in this trilogy will be “Shadow” with a one-syllable word attached to it. The other two titled will both rhyme with “Bane,” and each title will hint at a core aspect of the book.

In this case, ShadowBane refers to the twins being the sworn enemies of shadow, which is often used to thematically represent demons.

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

Uh-oh. I’m a big rock and metal fan, so my taste in music might scare some folks. I’ll spare your eardrums.

Describe your dream book cover.

It’s the one I’ve got. Andrei Bat is a genius, and he brought the story to life with his incredible artwork and vision.

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

I’ve been in the fitness industry my entire adult life, working as a personal trainer and competing in powerlifting. I also spent a good few years training in mixed martial arts. I always joke around that I started writing so people wouldn’t think I’m such a meathead. I enjoy operating in two completely different worlds, one being extremely physical in nature and the other being intellectual.

What books did you read (for research or comfort) throughout your writing process?

I read two books on Japanese folklore to get a feel for it, then I also read the entire contents of yokai.com and sengokudaimyo.com, which were enormously helpful. I wouldn’t have gotten the book done without those resources. I also read Sword of Kaigen and Poppy Wars to get a grasp on the other Asian-inspired fantasy out there. Between that and a thousand Google searches like “what types of trees are native to Japan,” I managed to develop an understanding of Japanese history and mythology that allowed me to portray things authentically while taking some creative liberties that felt appropriate for the story.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

At the end of the day, I’ll be happy if ShadowBane earns me some loyal fans. As a debut author, I can’t ask for more than that. In a way, ShadowBane is a promise to readers—here’s what you can expect from my books, and if you like what you see, stick around. I’m just getting started, and there’ll be plenty more to come.

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.