An Interview with Dan Sams

I was raised in a small town in Dorset, England, and have been writing since as long as I could hold a pen. I write everything mostly on my phone or laptop now of course. At thirty-six years of age, I have finally completed my first full novel, the other two that came before it were just practice runs and will most likely never see the light of day. Writing has been the best tool in my life to deal with all the troubles and strifes and worldbuilding is an incredibly therapeutic way to cope with stress and anxiety. In my downtime I enjoy gaming both in tabletop and video format and I am always up to date with all the nerdy movies and TV shows.

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

I used to write silly comic strips all the time as a child. I was a big fan of the Beano. But it wasn’t until I first discovered Neil Gaiman’s Sandman and subsequently the first novel of his I read, Neverwhere, that I wanted to be a proper writer, or at least be considered one.

What inspired you to start writing this book?

A great many number of things, mostly my love of Norse mythology, world history, worldbuilding, Dungeons and Dragons, and fantasy.

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

I’m still undecided on it, but The Oathrune Artificers has stuck so far—the act of ‘Oathruning’ in the story is how the magic is performed; the Artificng part comes from the skilled craftsmanship it requires to perform.

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

So many to choose from. I have a playlist of the characters’ favourite songs, however. Everything from Viking metal, folk, epic score, alt pop and a dash of melancholy vibes.

Describe your dream book cover.

A Norwegion-inspired landscape with wolves and ravens, in a forest with large mountains in the background.

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

I have been stuck in retail hell for most of my adult life with a brief stint as a salesman.

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

She-Wolf by Dan Smith, American Gods by Neil Gaiman (again) and Norse Mythology (also by Gaiman).

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

I want my readers to really find comfort within the main core cast of characters ‘the Party’ of adventurers, as each of them have something that makes them relatable, they are dealing with past traumas, anxiety and coping with being thrust into a narrative of a post civil war society that has spanned for generations and they are still young. But through a lot of courage and determination. I want the reader to be rooting for them for every step of the journey.

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