I welcome to the blog Army Veteran, Florida State University grad and former police officer Arthur Butt. A native Long Islander now living in Florida with his spouse, two puppies and one adored SnoopyCat, this confirmed coffee drinker devotes his artistic energies to conjuring fantasy fiction.
You have a wide and varied resume. What prompted you to write?
Reading. If you read enough you want to write also.
Tell us about the genre you work in. What draws you to fantasy?
I don’t work in just fantasy, but whatever genre I write in I like to use a blend of science, history and romance in a realistic way.
I have to ask: did you read/watch Game of Thrones? If ‘yes’ care to weigh in on the dragon sub plot?
Don’t watch a lot of TV. Mostly history channel.
As a veteran what in your opinion stands out most in modern portrayals of warfare/policing in literature and visual mediums?
Most of what you see on the television or read is for the masses, more action/adventure than real life.
Tell me about your book(s). Your protagonists are brave, self-assured females. Are they based on anyone you know?
No one I know, however in a male dominated world, brave, self-assured females (and none of us are self-assured, right?) are often overlooked. GAIL IS GAEA is based on the legend of Nyabinghi, Mother, warrior-goddess of Africa. In ROD OF REALITY and GOBLIN WAR, the MC’s are male and female, neither one self-assured, but knowing they have a problem to solve and trying their best to solve it. Nevertheless, if you look for brave, iron-willed woman you can find them from Boudicca to Margaret Thatcher.
You have dogs and a cat. Was this a compromise to please the house? Are you a cat person?
Cat person, have had cats (Siamese) for 30 years. Wife and I got dogs for the grandchildren.
I’ve spent some time down in Florida and I love it more every time I visit. How does it compare to Long Island?
I’m in the panhandle of Florida, totally different from the Florida you think of (like Disneyworld). Country life, have to drive a half an hour to go to the store. On Long Island, you’re still rural, but you have the convenience of nearby shopping areas, NYC if you prefer, or wooded areas.
What’s next?
Next? Working on MS “CAITLYN” Not a nice story, based on a murder mystery that happened in the 70’s and discovered in the 90’s. Basically, it goes – Boy meets girl, boy kills girl, boy marries her sister, boy turns into alcoholic, wife wonders why her marriage is falling apart, boy is arrested for murder. Not a nice story.
Some of Arthur Butt’s published works include:
B.E.V. – Clean Reads Pub.
Valley of Shadows – Clean Reads Pub.
The Rod of Reality (Book 1 of Fairyland series) Clean Reads Pub.
The Goblin War (Book 2 Fairyland series) Clean Reads Pub.
(in edits now – World’s End (Book 3 Fairyland series) Clean Reads Pub.
Dragonkiller – Solstice Pub.
The Girl Who Rode Dragons – Solstice Pub.
Gail is Gaea – Solstice Pub.
A short excerpt from GAIL IS GAEA:
Pontus, Typhon, and Chron crowded around her. “I thought you did not want to be called the spirit goddess?” Pontus said, a puzzled look on his face. “Now you are calling yourself that.”
Gail shrugged and looked grim. “They’re already doing it, so I might as well use the fact.” She gave each a stern look in turn. “But if I hear it out of any of you three, I’ll take this sword and paddle you good, understand me?” She touched her short sword for emphasis. “That goes for our men too, I don’t care what they think, but they’d better not call me spirit goddess where I can hear it.”
Pontus grinned and said, “Yes, Gaela, as you will.”
“It’s getting dark.” Gail said. Her legs felt weak, sweat and dirt covered every inch of her body. I would love a hot bath, she thought with a sigh, but I can’t put this off any longer. I have to do this so the men can see me – know I’m not afraid.
“I’m going to walk in the battlefield,” she said, tugging on Amber’s leash, “and see if there is anyone I can help that we missed.” The tribesmen parted as she and the oslo left.
In the building darkness, crows and vultures flapped into the sky, disturbed by the passing of Amber and Gail as they strolled among the dead. A few warriors were still busy stripping the bodies of weapons, a low rumble of distant thunder echoed behind her from their voices. As Gail wandered across the battlefield, she heard the hunters whisper, “Spirit Goddess.”
She said nothing.
The Girl Who Rode Dragons
All Jackie wanted was equal treatment and a chance to ride a dragon. When her cruel brother-in-law takes over as head of the household and makes her quit school, she is forced to do all the chores and collect wood in the forest. Jackie finds a dragon’s egg, and although law forbids girls to ride dragons, she secretly hatches the egg, and dons boy’s clothes. After she brings the gift of fire to the dragonriders, she becomes an accepted member of their band.
Civil wars break out, dragonrider against dragonrider. Jackie leads the loyalist faction against the rebels. The stakes – the fate of the kingdom and the life of her and the man she has grown to love.
A. B. Funkhauser, Author 