Greetings, travelers. Our journey through the Otherworld today brings us to an amazing world of fantasy by an author who is as passionate about the genre as the fans he brings his work to. If you’re looking for the kind of magical fantasy that ignites that part of you that is awash in childlike whimsy, you’re going to love today’s feature. Read on to learn more about author S. A. Montagueo and his debut title, Whisper of The Owlen’s Instrument.
Tellest: Hello there, Solomeen! I wanted to start off by thanking you for introducing me to your debut book, and for taking the time to let us draw back the curtain and see the wizard at work in his study, so to speak. It’s always great to get a chance to talk to a hard-working storyteller, and I’m eager to learn more about you, and to get your voice out to additional readers and fans of fantasy.
A Montagueo: Well first off, I’d like to thank you for giving me the opportunity for this interview! I’m very excited to share my work with the world and platforms like this that help indie authors like me make it so much better.
I was born and raised on the southside of Chicago, Il, by a single mother of six children, me being second from the oldest. Growing up, I’ve always loved fantasy in any form, whether it be anime, books, video games, music, and anything in the outside world that reminded me of it. Fantasy even brought me to the woman I’ve loved since high school, who’s currently my fiancée.
It wasn’t always easy enjoying fantasy for me though, especially growing up in a rough neighborhood where it wasn’t particularly the “cool thing.” I think that was always a choice for a lot of kids like me growing up where you had to decide if you loved something enough to get made fun of or give it up to be accepted by those victims of the circumstances around us, and my love for fantasy was too great to do such a thing. Which brings me here, releasing a fantasy novel that brings me joy, and paying homage to all the fantasy works that shaped how I see life to this very day.
T: I’m a little bit older than you, and I absolutely remember the stigma of being a “nerd” back in the playground days. I’m glad that it feels like we’re turning a corner on that culturally, and I’m especially glad that you didn’t turn your back on something that brought you joy!
SAM: Yeah, I think one of the biggest mistakes adults make when transitioning from a child is letting go of the things that made everything magical for them, in my personal opinion. Trading all that in for the perception of an “adult” when life is about having fun. One day you’re not going to be here. The least you could do is hold on to the things you loved. Balance your inner child and adult.
T: I feel like sometimes that may not be intentional, however. You’re absolutely right when it comes to people who kind of want to “grow up faster” and leave childhood behind. But I also think that some folks may have a hard time harnessing the imagination they had when they were in their childhood. How would you recommend people cling to those sorts of things? Is it simply letting go of the notion that just because you’re older, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the things you did when you were younger?
For instance, I have no compunctions about watching X-Men 97, or ATLA, whether it’s the cartoon or the live action. I’ve never given up on videogames, or even just being silly with my wife to make her laugh.
Do you have any other recommendations for adults to keep that spark of innocence, wonder, and joy alive?
SAM: I think maintaining individuality is where most people can start. Be okay with not having everything in common with the common crowd. Just like you said, it is a little easier nowadays with “nerdy” hobbies being more mainstream, but some people get wrapped up in the idea of acceptance, especially starting in their teenage years where the process of “outgrowing” starts. Hold on to those hobbies you had as a child, because when you reach adult years, especially after 30, that’s all you may have to cling onto when things start to get a little dry in life.
T: Every time I start one of these interviews, I ask a question that sets the stage for not just the interview itself, but for the concept of how you got your start as a fantasy writer. When you were growing up, what was it that first lit a spark for your creative journey? Did you have a favorite author, or a piece of media that spoke to you more than something else?
SAM: It all started with stories like The Monkey’s Paw, John Henry, and The Cat in the Hat. Reading stories like that in grade school classrooms always left me with a feeling I couldn’t quite explain, like I’d just stepped into a world, and when the story ended, I’d just teleported back in my classroom seat. That was just the beginning, but when I first laid eyes on anime like Inuyasha, and the Harry Potter books, there was no going back for me.
T: It sounds like you’ve got a lot of love for things that are a bit of a portal fantasy or an isekai. Whisper of the Owlen’s Instrument is more of a traditional fantasy though, right? Did you ever consider looking at it through more of that kind of contemporary portal fantasy lens?
SAM: Yeah, I for sure had more traditional fantasy in mind when writing this novel, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have any inspiration from other works I loved as well. I was very tempted to add a mixture of both, but I think a focused direction on a traditional sense is what I passionately loved more.
T: And there’s no rule that says that you can’t explore that in a future project, of course. That’s part of the joy of storytelling, is that you can always start a new story and venture off in new directions.
SAM: That’s one of the great beauties of storytelling. You have thousands of ways to tell one story combined with thousands of options for another. But I will say, it could be a writer’s greatest enemy, because it makes those first drafts a nightmare having so many options.
T: Since we’re here to talk about Whisper of The Owlen’s Instrument, your first book in the Tale of Girithiens series, let’s get to it! How long have you been refining this book, and what can you tell us about the journey to get you to release? It looks like once upon a time, there may have been another book in the series, Gates of Arcadia, but it may have moved along to leave room for this “true” debut of your series.
SAM: It’s definitely been a long journey to this debut novel, and it’s quite funny that you mention Gates of Arcadia, because that’s exactly where it all began. Gates of Arcadia was the original name of the novel I was writing about twelve years ago and even got to the point where I released it, but there was something I didn’t like about it, and honestly, it may of been the fact that deep down, it felt like I was putting something out just to call myself an author. It was something I wrote when I was fifteen and decided to release at nineteen, but to me, the work you share with the world represents you, so I recalled the novel when I was twenty two, and eight years later at thirty, that story named Gates of Arcadia has transitioned into Whisper of the Owlen’s Instrument, my true debut novel. A couple of people bought the novel back then and if they ever read this version of it, they’ll see a lot of fun similarities and easter eggs I give to the old version.
T: I don’t think that there’s anything wrong with recalling the early version of a book and refining. I’ve got my own book that we jokingly state doesn’t exist, but we’ve got it linked into the legacy of the world in some fun ways. Being a writer is about growth, and you’re growing all the time!
SAM: It was tough for me to do at the time because lots of people were saying it was good enough, but it wasn’t something I felt I could take pride in if someone asked me about it. Even if that version of the novel would’ve made more money, I’d take the current version.
T: That is certainly part of growth as a storyteller. Now, do you think in ten years, or twenty, you’ll look back at this one and say, time to start another take on this? I feel like as writers we always look at the work we’ve done and say, I could do better now.
SAM: It’s definitely something I’m looking to explore again. Maybe I’ll rework the story by changing the character names and plot, or something. But if I don’t, its place in history has served its purpose by laying the groundwork for my current novel.
T: You used fantasy as a bit of an escape growing up, as a consumer. You dove into things like Avatar, the Last Airbender, Harry Potter, and video games. How did these contribute to you as a creator, now that you’re on the other side of the creative aisle?
SAM: That’s one of the beauties of inspiration, the things you loved growing up subconsciously shaping the things you create in the future. From Harry Potter’s magical world building, Avatar: the Last Airbender’s character development and storytelling, to the visual art and music of works such as Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy and many others. There was so much to take in all those years growing up leading up to this moment. It honestly makes me appreciate every movie, book, anime, show, video games or anything someone created because they took the time to put that work in front of my eyes, whether it’s good or not so good, it still does something for me. It’s an honor having the opportunity to do the same thing for someone else.
T: And as you said, art leads to things beyond just inspiration. It leads people to find one another, to connect on agreeable cultural things, to develop fandoms and so on. The fact that you’re aware that you’re bound to get a spectrum of responses is a very mature take on creative output as well. If there was something that ideally you would want a reader to take away from your book though, what would it be?
SAM: Aside from inspiration morally and creatively, it’s a feeling I want to evoke in readers—a magical feeling that sticks with young readers for the rest of their lives. And for older readers, a feeling of magical rediscovery. But hey, even if it’s neither of those things, I just wanted to add another work to the fantasy space that readers who love this genre could enjoy.
T: One of the very cool things that you might get to experience is one day reading and enjoying the work of someone you inspired!
SAM: I’d love to live in a world where my work could be someone’s inspiration, and reading something from an author that’s inspired by me would be a dream come true.
T: As fantasy was a bit of an escape for you, when it comes to being a viewer or player, what does it feel like now being the one providing such opportunities for readers? Was there a moment of satisfaction when you realized you were able to do for others what the older generation was able to do for you?
SAM: That’s one of the very things that inspired me to become a storyteller, whether it’s one or millions, the thought of someone out there reading my work and taking in something—a lesson, an idea, or whatever it may be—brings me joy alone. I believe as people, we’re all trying to find our way back to that feeling we had as children when everything was magical and I want to be one of the storytellers that contributes to that.
T: That sense of escape is sort of a fundamental part of who you are, as it’s even made its way into your author bio. Do you think it’s translated into your fiction at all as well, or do you try to keep that separated?
SAM: It’s definitely something included in my work, and something I also keep with me in my everyday responsibilities and hobbies. It just makes life so much more fun. This may sound a little cheesy, but you’d be surprised how many fantasy elements you could apply to the world around you. It’s our world, so we’re used to it, but there’s a saying that the truth is stranger than fiction.
T: I find that some of the best fantasy does seem to flow into the “waking world” so to speak. You’ll be looking at relatively mundane surroundings and thinking to yourself about what the characters would do if faced with this part of the world. It happens when playing games too—a Tetris effect, of sorts. Playing too much Skyrim? You look at every plant and weed and see the “Harvest” pop-up. Around a lot of old buildings? You can’t help but think of how Ezio Auditore will scale these ones to get to a spot to see the whole city.
When it comes to your characters and your world, do they bleed into our reality? Do you get a sense of what they would do in our situations?
SAM: That’s a funny question because the first thing that came to mind was my character’s working at Walmart. But, if you mean if there’s similarities in my world to this one then yes, but I’d say my goal with writing this book was to get as much away from this world as possible. Not that I don’t like my world, but I wake up and see it every day.
T: When it comes to your writing process, what kind of way do you see yourself building out your story? Do you envision yourself weaving the story as a divine creator, or are you discovering the history of this world you’re developing like you’re an archaeologist, brushing away bits of sand with a toothbrush?
SAM: What I’ve learned over the years of writing is that there’s a beauty and curse in telling a story one way, compared to the other thousands of ways it could’ve been told. I believe the author Brandon Sanderson said something similar to this years ago, and having written two versions of one story, Gates of Arcadia being in first-person, and Whisper of The Owlen’s Instrument in third person, I think about it every single night how the destinies of those stories could’ve unfolded. It sometimes drives me a bit crazy.
T: The cool thing about them both existing is that you can kind of get into the head of the character in a few different ways. Or, if you want, you can even treat them as different twists on the same character. We are very much in the multiverse era of storytelling right now!
SAM: The superheroes movies and the trends they created—or recreated if I’m being straight forward—you’re definitely not wrong about this being an era of multiverse storytelling, because I’m starting to see it in video games. But for me, I like having one world and consistent versions of characters to focus on. It makes things a bit easier to keep up with. I honestly can’t even imagine keeping up with twenty different versions of one character. I think I’d go crazy while writing.
T: And there’s nothing wrong with doing it that way! One cohesive story used to be enough, and it still is. We need more talespinners who are willing to keep things grounded and interesting on their own, without opening up portals to different dimensions. Not that there’s not room for both kinds of story, mind you.
SAM: Another thing that bothers me a little about the multiverse concept is that the stakes seem to dip for me because there’s a good chance some kind of time or space manipulation will just fix everything. Not saying it can’t be cool sometimes, especially when it’s done right, but that’s rarely the case.
T: When you write your stories, who is the person that you envision you’re writing the story for? Are you writing to a metaphorical younger version of yourself that would have enjoyed your world? Or are you writing a story that your fiancée would love to read? Or is it a pull at the back of your mind that tells you it’s something that needs to be written?
SAM: It’s that younger version of me that serves as the catalyst for my storytelling. Even though my fiancée loves my writing (or at least she’s good at pretending to), the person I envision writing for is that child in everyone who just wants a world to escape to. The world I escaped to that shaped me as a person. Even though it’s a story that can be enjoyed by any reader, I believe it’ll best serve those who want to recapture the magic of their childhood, and those who enjoy remaining a child.
Tellest: That’s ultimately fantastic, because you can base everything about your writing on that one ideal consumer niche. I imagine your book will resonate with tons of fantasy fans, but it is great to be able to find that focus. This might be too personal, but do you imagine being able to share this story with your kids one day, or do you have other family members with young children that you’re excited to bring to them as well?
SAM: I don’t think there’s a child out there who wouldn’t want a good bedtime story from a father that happens to be a storyteller, so sharing a story of mine to my future children and grandchildren is definitely something I’m looking forward to.
T: How do you imagine you’ll handle things when your child or grandchild doesn’t like a part of your story, or wants to change things on the fly?
SAM: I’d probably at that point ask them to write their own story concerning the specific change they’d want to make and ask them if I could hear that story. If they ask why, I’d tell them if you want something done your way, sometimes you have to do it yourself.
T: With this first book nearly upon us, it may still be too early to spill any bit details, but do you have any other books in the series that you’ve been working on? Are you getting ready to begin work on anything else in this universe?
SAM: I can say right now that I’m planning a series of six books, maybe a prequel. If it goes seven then I probably sold my soul. I think one of the challenges of writing the first book was how much you should include in there. With so much to dive into, I think the first book should serve as a good introduction to a series, introducing the world, the main characters, “Magic,” and simple conflicts that brings those elements together, with future releases expanding on more of the story so the first won’t feel bloated.
T: That’s incredible, and it should end up getting you a robust foundation for your world. Do you imagine you’ll have spinoffs itching to be told as well?
SAM: I’ve maybe thought of a prequel or a distant sequel if I feel like loose ends aren’t tied up when the original story ends. I don’t want to overdo it though, even if money’s evolved, because I think a story that sticks around too long creates fatigue within the fans invested in its world. When a story ends at the right time, it transcends itself through its fans rather than artificially from more books.
T: With this book dropping soon, fans of your brand of fantasy are no doubt going to want to be able to find out more about you whenever they can. Is there a website or social media handle that you would recommend they follow in order to stay up to date on all things S. A. Montagueo?
SAM: Man… Me and social media don’t get along very well, with everyone around hammering the idea of me being more involved in it as a modern-day author, even though I personally think it’s one of the things hurting art only in a creative way. But you can follow the new Instagram, S.A.Montagueo, I created just a week ago, or my Facebook, Solomeen Montagueo.
T: Solomeen, I wanted to thank you once more for sharing some of your time with me as we learned more about you and your new and enhanced debut. It’s always great to be able to talk to someone who is passionate about their work, and about finding that imaginative spark in general. I’m very excited to see more people get a chance to familiarize themselves with you and with Whisper of The Owlen’s Instrument.
SAM: Yeah, I think it’s going to be a great fantasy novel for readers who love pure fantasy. I love fantasy and I like it, but then again, what creator doesn’t love their own work. If readers in the genre are looking for something that’s a little different, I think it’ll be right up their alley. I’ve
been working on this for about a decade so hopefully the book speaks for itself. Thanks again for giving me this opportunity to talk to my potential readers out there.
T: Once again, I’d like to thank S.A. Montagueo for sharing some of their time with us. It’s been a great pleasure learning about his book, his world, and his experiences, and I’m sure that it will translate to a spectacular piece of reading for those who are certain to become fans. If you enjoyed what you read here, now is a great time to read Montagueo’s new book. Check out Whisper of The Owlen’s Instrument on Amazon today!
Michael DeAngelo
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