An Interview with R.M. Tembreull

R.M. Tembreull is a devoted husband and proud father. He is a combat veteran with twenty-six years in the U.S. Air Force and an accomplished career professional in the disciplines of law enforcement, physical security, and antiterrorism. In his travels and endeavors, he has experienced the best and worst of humankind. He is also an avid scuba diver with a lifelong passion for experiencing the planet’s natural wonders, employing his skill as an artist and creator at every opportunity. His love of writing is only matched by his respect for nature. He has distilled the whole of himself into his literary works. His passion is nature-themed literature encompassed within his world of “The Blighted Earth.”

During his military career, some of Tembreull’s professional writing has been previously published in professional journals. His military-themed art was recently featured at the Armed Services Arts Partnership’s (ASAP) “Armed with the Arts” event in Washington, D.C., and will be published in ASAP’s “Partnership” Anthology this fall. His first book was published in 2023: a story collection entitled Stories, Legends and Truths from the Blighted Earth, and his first novel of a planned series, entitled Fractured State in the Blighted Earth, was published on September 1st, 2023 through Atmosphere Press. Fractured State has received both critical acclaim and was recognized with Literary Titan’s “Silver Book Award.”

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

I have to say my book named itself. To “set the table” for the Blighted Earth series, I needed the right set of conditions for Chaos to exploit in His relentless pursuit to initiate the Great Cascade and bring about the Discordant on Earth. The makings of environmental catastrophe (extended drought, wildfires, natural habitat erosion, human over-settlement, etc.) have been present and worsening for some time, with climate change now driving more destructive weather extremes. When the novel was written—during the trials and tribulations of the COVID pandemic and the unfortunate events in the aftermath of the 2020 Presidential election—also played a significant role. When coupled with all the emerging threats, conflicts, and uncertainty of recent years, as well as their corresponding negative effects on our collective state of mind and emotions, the real world itself provided all the drama and necessary ingredients for ruinous potential at continental scale. With the final injection of warring otherworldly entities and supernatural beings into volatile mix, the “fractured state” was inevitable, referencing both the current “state of things” as well as the “seditionist state” of Texas.

How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?

I was amazed! In a visual sense, it perfectly captured the essence of my story. The cover is a stunning first impression to capture the attention of would-be readers. My novel stands out in a sea of content like a beacon in the night thanks to Ronaldo Alves and his talented team. No “Titanic” for me!

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

I started writing seriously after I retired from the military. My wife and I were taking care of her dad while struggling through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. I was grappling with huge life changes and stressors, and I started writing as a means of processing my emotions and feelings at the time. Writing became my primary outlet, and my life experiences from the military and travels to remote parts of the natural world informed my writing and fueled my storylines. Once I arrived at the concept of a sentient planet as a lens through which I would tell my stories (and hopefully change how people perceived our world), everything took off from there.

I was a visual artist first and have loved art and good stories since I was a child. That is why I was drawn to comic books. Some of my biggest influences come from that genre: Frank Miller, who brought a gothic edge to the medium and somehow managed to make violence of action its own character; Neil Gaiman’s ability to fuse diverse sources of myth, folklore, and legend in single storylines; and of course, J.R.R. Tolkien’s expansive and immersive fantasy worldbuilding … just to name a few.

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

I completed a wonderful and fulfilling twenty-six-year career in the United States Air Force in 2018. I loved every minute of serving our great country and still miss it today. Currently, I am a civil servant with the Federal Government where I continue to work in the law enforcement and physical security arenas. Knowing this, most people would naturally assume that I have very conservative values and belief systems, but quite the contrary. I am very open all kinds of beliefs and values, as well as to all the different kinds of people who belief and practice them. My open-mindedness is firmly “rooted” in a personal spirituality connected to the natural world.

What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?

Two aspects were equally rewarding. The first was working with a publishing team who collectively were all just as excited about bringing my project to print as I was. The other was the positive and meaningful feedback from reputable reviewing agencies, and even an award, to give me encouragement to keep going by letting me know that I am on the right track.

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

If my book had a soundtrack, it would be a pretty diverse collection of music to match the themes and characters in the book. The theme music for the Guardian Spirit, Ithilbor Moonfist, would be Cat Steven’s “Moon Shadow.” For the elemental, Parim, it would likely be Bob Dylan’s “Masters of War.” For Arden, the damaged veteran and Druid, his song would probably be Five Finger Death Punch’s “Wrong Side of Heaven.” Finally, for the overall theme music, it would be Korn’s “Wake Up Hate,” since hatred and incivility within human civilization were underlying drivers that brought about the “Fractured State.”

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

On their face, many of the themes of my book may seem daunting, even overwhelming, because they are tied to daunting and overwhelming threats and challenges that we face in our world today: climate change, global warming, the rise of incivility and intolerance, and the fall of truth. However, I want readers to understand that the concerning “state of things” did not happen overnight. It happened over years, decades, and centuries, and it was the result of individual choices. Making the right choices, such as changing our imbalanced relationship with nature, and starting the movements that convince others to do the same are what is going to get us back on a good path and heal our world.

My perfect reader is open-minded and not stuck to one genre. They love good contemporary fiction with intricate worldbuilding that is rooted in the real events, places, and people. They love surprising characters and want to be entertained as much as they want to be challenged to think critically.

What new writing projects are you currently working on? Or, other projects that are not writing?

I am working on the second book of the series, Long Leg from the Blighted Earth, which will unveil a new story arc and new, amazing characters. I am also working on a heavily illustrated novella entitled Green Girl, which follows a character introduced in my first book, Stories, Legends, and Truths from the Blighted Earth. I am always working on art from my books, website, Instagram posts, etc. Some of my art will be featured in anthologies published this fall.

How was working with Atmosphere Press? What would you tell other writers who want to publish?

Atmosphere Press’s claims as an “Author-First” publisher were all validated with high marks during my experience with their talented and dedicated team. I was snakebit after a bad experience on my first book with a different publisher, and Atmosphere did a marvelous job at every stage of my second publishing journey. They have earned my trust and respect by delivering first-rate service throughout, and I definitely plan to work on future projects with the Atmosphere team!

I would tell other writers looking to publish that every writing journey, just like every writer and every written work, is unique. Thus, it is important to find a publisher who can tailor your experience to your personal desires and goals, because writing is a very personal thing for an author. This makes Atmosphere a great choice for a true “Author-First” experience which will stay true to you throughout!

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