Meet Alex McHaddad, Author of Fallen Blades: Unwelcome Dreams

As part of the Indie Author Highlight, I’m happy to introduce you to Alex McHaddad, author of the recently published Fallen Blades: Unwelcome Dreams. McHaddad has already published two other novels and a civics primer.

Alex, tell me a little about yourself.

By day I have a rewarding career as a rural city manager. I unwind by writing. A lot of what is see in my political work makes its way into my stories. Yes, politicians are drama queens.

Tell me a little about your current book.

My second novel, published in November, is Fallen Blades: Unwelcome Dreams. The tale follows a teenage girl in the mountains who finds a dormant dark lord’s mystical talisman, whisked away to a magical city for protection with her childhood friends, an enigmatic constable, a powerful wizard with his apprentice, and a washed-up elf ambassador.

Check it out on Amazon

Does the cover art have particular meaning or symbolism? Please explain.

The cover art shows a young lady facing a dragon. This is a worry posed by characters early on that makes it way into the dreams of the protagonist, Hope Defoe. Will she escape them? Will she meet them? Could she survive an encounter? The dreams are most unwelcome.

What project are you hoping to work on next?

My third fantasy novel will be released in 2024.

Awesome! Where do your ideas for new stories come from?

Many ideas come from the drama in the political world I encounter at work, whether that is squabbling county supervisors or historic legislative initiatives. All tell stories that can easily be rewritten as battles between wizards and goblins.

Ooh, I’m guessing you have a much better grasp of political maneuvering and power dynamics than the average writer, if only because we don’t get to see behind the curtain. I love that!

How do you approach planning a new story? Do you develop outlines, timelines, journal notes, character profiles, etc.? Do you free write? Somewhere in between?

I always go with an outline first, but it is rarely very granular. I make a list of where I want to go. The story is how I get there. I spend a lot of time keeping track of when and where characters and concepts are introduced.

Who inspires you to write? Who inspires your style?

I hope to write some moral lessons based on my own struggles in life. Hopefully someone who has experienced what I have experienced can learn to fight their own proverbial dragons.

I love the source of inspiration. Writing really is a way of baring your soul to others: the things that scare you, that free you, that matter to you, and I think that’s part of why it’s so personal when someone tells you they love your story.

I write to analyze my thoughts and feelings about my life and the world around me. And because killing dragons sounds cool, but alas they don’t exist!

How have you changed as a writer since you first began writing?

I started writing in elementary school, primarily by rewriting existing stories with my own characters. Now I strive to be as original as possible.

What advice would you give to a new writer?

Don’t be discouraged if your work is taken differently than intended. I once wrote a scene I thought was dramatic that made all the readers laugh. Playing to that reaction in editing made the scene way better. Also, do not be afraid to start out by copying someone else’s plot as an exercise. That is a great method for learning the mechanics of storytelling.

What is the worst writing advice you’ve received, and what did you learn from it?

Most of the formal writing styles I learned in high school and college has never found a use in any of my adult writing, as an adult or in my professional career.

If that ain’t the truth!!!

What was the most difficult challenge you’ve faced as a writer, and how did you overcome it?

Editing! I have an English degree so editing is not difficult, just tedious! I just have to keep in mind that if the book is not edited, it will never be read.

What are some of the most useful tools you’ve found that make writing/publishing easier?

Grammarly! There’s a lot it will not do for you, but the service provides a great path for dissecting and rearranging as you go through and review spelling and grammar errors.

How do you balance writing with the rest of life? Any tips?

Find regular time that works for you. Find gap times during the day when it is appropriate. Do not pressure yourself with progress. Make it something you look forward to, not something you dread.