Hello all!
Here is an interview I took of one of my favourite fantasy indie authors, who goes by her pen name, Cully Mack. She is the next guest on this blog.
Her series, Voice That Thunders, is on Amazon now; five books are out and sixth coming up. Of them, one is a sort of a filler book, so really, four books are out. Anyway, I’ve read three of these books and have found them so unique, creative, and fantastic! It reminds me of Lord of the Rings books when I was reading them and the imagery she gives us is spot on!
Without wasting any more time, here is Cully Mack on the hotseat! Welcome, my friend!
Ananya: Please describe your writing/author journey.
Cully: I started writing in 2012 when I joined a local creative writing class. I remember filling in a character profile where I created Ammo. Right from the outset, he was cocky and confident. He’s a flirt, a risk taker, does the jobs no one else can or will, morally grey, but has a code. He jumped right off the page. It was the first time I’d experienced a character coming to life. He never left my head.
You could say I’d got the buzz but didn’t know how to write. I did what I thought was right and returned to university to study English Literature and Creative Writing. As a mature student, I had a blast. I stayed on and completed my Master’s in Creative Writing. Ammo is one of the characters in my books. He will always have a place in my heart. Even though he is a rogue!
Ananya: How did you write your first book? (Published or otherwise)
Cully: During my English Literature and Creative Writing course, I began my first fantasy novel, A Voice That Thunders. The series follows Mirah and Gabe (siblings) who are at the centre of the conflict between conquering immortals who rule as terrifying gods. It’s epic fantasy. Think epic battles with Immortals and beasts of all kinds, throw in some elemental magic, huge plot twists, portals and unique worlds, intense romance and an ever-growing number of characters trying to save their world. If you like character-driven fantasy, you’ll love my books. I warn you now; I don’t go easy on them…
I’m a discovery writer, so I had no idea how the first book might end. I didn’t even know what characters would turn up on the page. I had a conflict—immortals conquering the realm with their armies of gigantic sons and a character who would somehow become involved in their downfall as my start point. The whole world, characters, and everything else expanded from there.
Since then, I have published the fourth book in the series, entitled A Vow That Clashes and I’m currently writing the fifth book.
Ananya: Why did you choose to write about Mesopotamian mythology? Is there something in specific that attracts you towards it?
Cully: I love myth. It has a way of embedding truths in a non-confrontational way. I’m very interested in mythological texts from Ancient Near East, in particular myths from Mesopotamia. Identified as the Fertile Crescent, the area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers is known as the cradle of civilisation. Many cultures dwelt in the region from the Sumerians, Akkadians, Semites, Babylonians, and Assyrians. Their texts offer an abundance of creation myths, heroic epics, and insight into everyday living. I’ve researched many, but texts like The Epic of Gilgamesh, Enuma Elish, the Book of Enoch (written later but discusses the mythos of the Watchers) and The Descent of Inanna into the Underworld are a few.
Mesopotamian texts differ on many topics. For example, how the world came into being and names of deities. But all agree on one thing… the gods came, slept with human women, and created giant hybrid offspring. Yes, those Titans, Nephilim, gods, and beastly monsters from Greek, Roman, and Biblical myths were known to older civilizations! Some saw these gods in a positive light, others as negative. It makes for great conflict.
In the Voice that Thunders series, I’ve tried to capture an essence of these ancient cultures, what it was like thousands of years ago, and set it in a framework loosely based on their customs and beliefs. My series is filled with ancient myth, the kind that is buried in soul waiting to be reawakened.
Because ancient cultures influence my work, I researched geography relating to the Levant region, spreading into Egypt and beyond. I’ve attempted to not only recreate culture and industry, but to create a vivid world which captures the landscape, flora, fauna, and wildlife from that period.
Names, places, etc, all have meaning behind them. For example, the Isten Baba (First Gate in Sumerian) is one of several portals between worlds, and the Taphas (to wield in Hebrew) is a sect of female Elemental Wielders.
Ananya: Was there someone in your life who encouraged your writing? Why or why not?
Cully: I don’t think anyone influenced me when I began writing. If anything, I had a negative educational experience and grew up believing writing was something ‘the professionals’ did.
I have always been an avid reader. Stories and language have been in my blood for as long as I can remember. I honestly thought writing them down was beyond me.
My belief system changed when I realised how flawed it was. Everyone has a passion and a dream. Some may not even remember it. Some may have given it up. Life has a way of knocking you off your destiny. What I’m trying to say is hold on to your dreams, follow them, and don’t let anyone or anything drive you onto the wrong track. If you find yourself far off the path it’s never too late to turn back.
I now have several people from my family to other professionals in the writing world who are very supportive towards me. My family are 100% behind me and have sacrificed their time with me so I can continue to write.
If you would like to know more about the Voice that Thunders series, you can follow Cully on social media:
To begin the epic adventure, start here: Cully Mack’s Amazon Author Central Page
Ah, that was very enlightening! The way she built her world and weaved her words, I thought she always wrote since she was a kid!
Thank you so much for appearing on my blog, Cully! I’m sure readers of this blog will love your work! I hope you finish your fifth book; I’m yearning to begin on the fourth book and see how the story panned out!
You can also read other guest posts by Dr. Watson, Sylvia N Gould, Natasja Eby, and Crystal Kirkham.
See you all in my next post!
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