Runes of Lakkara was inspired in a big way through my time playing role playing games online in my teenage years, talking to my friends and going on grand make-believe adventures. Runes of Lakkara carries that adventure in to my adulthood in an almost reminiscent way.
Travelling back a few years now, almost 16 years ago, I was a big fan of the online role-playing game Runescape. This was my first real engagement with a fantasy world, the vast scale was truly something to my younger self. I had many friends at the time both in person and online, we would complete quests, battle monsters, complete the most mundane tasks (Only time you'll catch me fishing...). These friendships were a major inspiration for my novel Runes of Lakkara. The heroes and their real-world counterparts were inspired by them all.
Roleplaying as a noble night, setting off into the wilderness to quell the terrible monsters hiding in the dark. Side by side with strangers with nothing but our usernames, often becoming our names, Jetthehawk6 was mine and often would be referred to as Jet. Wandering aimlessly to find the best spot to train your melee skills, chatting endlessly about what the best equipment was, what drops you shared from the fallen creatures. The chaos of getting it all wrong, which happens a number of times of Runes of Lakkara, because nothing goes right when you don't prepare!
Thinking back, the conversations I would have sat around the cafeteria tables, wandering the school yard talking our adventurous plans for the afternoon when we got home, the adults depicted in the novel are somewhat inspired by these friends. Sorry team. Obviously, life keeps moving forwards and everything changes, but all this only continued to inspire the novel to become the story it will tell to you come release day. From the threat of job losses, to moving home, relationships, it became a real novel of how things in my own life have moved on to where they are now. As I type, I have to laugh that for my stag do before my wedding, I had my friends come round to my house and play Runescape and play a few games of Castle Wars. . . oh, the memories.
Well, I feel like that's enough for now, but don't forget that pre orders are available now, so head over to your preferred online store to reserve yours now!
CP.
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