Tim McKay! Welcome to our blog, and thank you so much for accepting, or rather, choosing this interview with us. It’s a pleasure to have such a great writer with us. Can you please introduce yoursel to our readers?
Yeah, for sure, and thanks for having me! This is actually my first interview for Rise of Dresca, so with any luck you’ll get to have that as a claim to fame down the road!
Well, as you said, I’m Tim McKay. For those who haven’t seen me around social media (Twitter), the most curious thing about my life is that I used to be a pastor. People always have tons of questions about that: how I got there, why I left, how I went from ministry to writing fantasy… tip of the iceberg. And there are a lot of fun stories to tell.
But as for who and where I am now, I love it all: I’m based in Ottawa, Canada (beautiful city) and I work in marketing when I’m not busy with writing and editing. Editing was my strong suit for years in academia before I switched into professional writing and marketing – that second one surprises some people, but honestly, it doesn’t feel that different from being a pastor!
And I love the idea of marketing done right: creating something of value and using persuasion to share that value with others. Which, I suppose, ties perfectly into my writing. I’m all about creating a meaningful, intense, evocative reading experience you can dive into and lose yourself in. And a lot of authors create something of value like that, but then have no idea how to share it with others (or they hope their publishers will do all the work for them!).
Tim, I have a weird question: How is it like to be a preacher and write at the same time? And above all, how can a preacher write such a merciless book like Rise of Dresca?
Hahaha, well, “ex-preacher.” But sometimes I do feel like a real-life version of Dominic Cooper from AMC’s “Preacher” (great show).
I’d say anyone surprised by how intense and “savage” my writing can get clearly never went to Bible College 😅
We used to play Cards Against Humanity. A lot.
I could tell you quite a bit about pastors behind the scenes that would make how my life has turned out a lot less surprising 🤣
And there are some passages in the Bible (lots actually) that make my book seem pretty PG.
But actually, I’d say my life in ministry did a lot to prepare me for writing fantasy. I spent years thinking and preaching about the nature of good and evil, and at its heart my fantasy series is all about that struggle to recognize and push back against evil in a world where nothing is as it seems.
When did the book start? When did you hear that little voice that said: “let us release chaos to the world, his name will be Dresca and he’ll have a dragon” ?
Oh boy, we’d have to go way back. I was ten, actually. Parts of this story have been stuck in my daydreams on repeat for over twenty years.
Fantasy has been a huge part of my life, and not just as an escape. I grew up in very mixed environments, some wonderful, and some pretty bad. Stories for another time. But when I was stuck in those bad situations, even as a kid I knew what I was seeing wasn’t okay. And I saw other kids who didn’t know better getting convinced this was just how the world had to be. But I refused to believe that – daydreaming and fantasy were my ways of not just escaping but of trying to understand on the one hand and reminding myself that the world can and should be better on the other.
So funny enough, I don’t see dark fantasy as a statement about how tough a place the world can be. I see it as a call to action, a rallying cry to stand up and make a difference, you know?
But as for Dresca in particular, I know the name Drascar was one I was using back in early high school (that’s over 15 years ago now). His name was Polaris Drascar originally, so the switch to Valdaris Drascar was one big change I made while writing the book. Your daydreams take on a life of their own when you finally commit them to paper.
Elzar Kanaris was another character dating back as far as I can remember – I always chose variations of that name as my character name in video games 😅
For those who are a little confused, can you talk a little about the book, Rise of Dresca, and what is it all about?
I’d love to. Rise of Dresca is first and foremost an origin story. It’s the first book in what I expect to be a much longer series.
When I really got hooked on reading fantasy, I started with shorter books that you could read in a night (granted, I’d be up until 2 or 3 in the morning until I finished!). They were intense, action-packed, fast-paced, vivid, and easy to follow. I wanted to write something like that.
As you said, Rise of Dresca can get pretty “merciless” 😅. It’s clean and crisp, violent but not grotesque, and packs a heavy punch. I’d call it a mid-point between fantasy and horror, which is how I meant it to be.
You’re ultimately following a few key characters who are discovering new forms of magic in a fantasy world where a hidden, parasitic evil influences and controls events from the shadows.
Oh, and as you said, there are dragons. And monsters. Lots of both, and more to come.
Tim, Rise of Dresca is a banger of a book for many, many reasons, (my favourite being utter chaos of course), but as a fantasy book, it has one of the most popular elements: Dragons. BUT there’s one special dragon that we will be spending a lot of time with. Can you talk a little about it?
Yeah for sure. Fun note: Dresca was originally my name for the dragon you’re asking about, not the character Vald. I never actually use the word Dresca in the book, though I don’t think readers will have trouble realizing who we’re talking about here (Valdaris Drascar, a character who goes through some heavy transformation and whose growing power we’re only beginning to understand in this book). But as anyone who takes the time to read my copyright page will realize, I also have no issues whatsoever having a little fun with my readers. So if I keep you wondering at times, well, either the answers are coming in future books, or I’m here having a laugh!
But back to the dragon: I really like the concept behind the main dragon in this book. We don’t even realize it’s a dragon at first – just an eyeless, decrepit creature hunting Vald through ancient ruins. You find out later that this creature is a “reject” dragon that failed to develop, cast aside by the swarms and left to suffer in its caves. But, like Vald, the reject is transformed by an experience in those ruins that will shape the future of entire worlds.
So don’t worry – you’ll see much more of that dragon in books to come.
For those who read the book, (review here ), we have noticed that there’s a special connection between the dragon and Dresca. Without spoiling any future secrets, can you let us know a little more about this connection and what it represents?
Absolutely. I love the nature of their connection in my series because of its origin. The dragon and Dresca get their link from the evil that shaped both of them into what they are now. That’s a key concept in my books: evil often forges and thrives on connections between those it infects. What makes Dresca and the dragon unique is that they are freed from evil’s grasp while retaining the connection and powers they were granted while under its spell. The huge underlying theme of my book(s) is that evil often sets events in motion while losing control of the outcome.
That’s where the tagline for Rise of Dresca comes from:
“What evil intended to harm you… can become something far more terrible.”
Weird question #2: Did you, while you were writing think: “ah well, let me put all the brutality on this dragon so people don’t judge me” ? Because that creature has no mercy at all, lol.
Oh, I’m just getting started 😅
Gosh, if people judge me for how savage the dragon gets in those early chapters, they’re going to think I’m the devil himself when Vald really hits his stride!
But it’s a fun point you bring up: How much do characters in a book tell us about an author? I think the obvious answer is “a lot”! People who know me well will see hints of me in almost all my characters (I don’t think you can avoid that as an author, depending on the story you’re trying to tell). And they’ll probably be surprised by some of what they discover.
But here’s a little fun nugget for you, something I’m not sharing widely: Not many authors make themselves the villain of their own story.
I’ve worded that carefully to avoid spoilers, but you’ve read the book already. If I’ve done my job well, your head should be spinning!
Besides the dragon, Tim, which characters did you love to write?
Rhynwhen was my favourite character to write, hands down. Kanna and Jedda, too, who we meet around the same time. But Sevora and Dain were pretty high up there as well.
Rhynwhen’s opening chapter was just a ton of fun to write – getting into the mind of a scatter-brained, carefree, hyperactive child was hilarious, limitless, and a really entertaining change of pace.
Sevora, on the other hand, I thought I would hate writing, but the more I got into her chapters the more fun I was having and the richer a character she quickly became. I’m really excited for the direction her character will take in coming books.
Talking about characters, I have to ask: the little girl (no spoilers), how was it like to write her? She’s spetacular in many ways, ahhahahhaha.
Hahaha oh yeah, she’s so much fun, and like I said, she was my favourite to write by far. I really let myself go as a writer with her, because the rules just don’t apply to her. That’s a huge part of her character, actually.
She’s one of those rare people in life who evil just glances off of – not just innocent, but in a way immune – her mind is so scattered that evil can’t grab hold. It makes her hard to predict and at times hilarious. But there are huge reveals about her coming early in the next book. For now, I’ll just say she’s pivotal to the story in ways that readers won’t see coming.
Crystals and magic are major things here. Where did you take inspiration from to write them? What is your idea behind their meaning, specially with the dragon and Dresca?
Funny enough, when I was a kid we visited the Nature Museum here in Ottawa and they had a crystals and minerals exhibit on display. An assistant took out a bunch of samples for us kids to feel, and I was hooked on the spot. To this day I still find gems, rocks, and minerals fascinating – so much variety and beauty hidden all around us, right beneath our feet.
As for the magic in Rise of Dresca, I tried to draw my inspiration from experience. Seriously: my life has been full of deep and meaningful experiences that have shaken me to my core, changed me, or made me feel alive, fulfilled, transcendent – however you want to describe it. Some of that comes from my years in ministry, and some comes from experiences before and after. I wanted the magic in Rise of Dresca to be something readers could feel for themselves. Something vivid, evocative, charged… both intense and peaceful, consuming and liberating.
There’s a great line in the movie X-Men: First Class about true focus lying somewhere between rage and serenity. In my writing I try to let readers feel that “focus,” that magic of pure awareness, for themselves.
Fights, destruction, lava spewing flying monsters, raptors, swords, and voice magic, Rise of Dresca has a LOT to give readers, so we have to ask: how are your readers reacting to the book so far?
Honestly, most of them are begging me for the sequel. It’s awesome. I open up a lot of questions and people are begging me for answers and hungry to find out what happens next. Which means I did my job.
One surprising comment I’ve gotten from almost everyone is how much they like the vivid descriptions and worldbuilding. One trend in the fantasy genre I tried to break was thick walls of text offering endless descriptions without always being relevant to the plot. I still wanted to create a world that you can lose yourself in, and I still give lots of detail, but I try to sneak it in when it ties to the action or the characters’ thoughts.
So I expected some pushback (and I’ve gotten some, from 2 or 3 literary critics who were maybe a little too focused on genre norms and not focused enough on what readers will actually enjoy). But for the most part people have told me again and again how much they love the pacing of the book and how rich in detail it gets. That’s exactly the balance I wanted to strike, so I couldn’t be happier with these early reviews.
What was the best comment you got from a reader? Be it beta or otherwise?
Oh, credit for best comment goes to you, without question. I believe you said “He’s a Fucking SAVAGE!!!!”
I consider that the highest praise.
Best. Review. Ever. (click here to read)
What was the scene of the book that readers love the most, in your opinion?
I think by far people’s favourite scenes have been the two major sword duels. I’ll avoid spoilers here, but both scenes really suck you in and make you feel the intensity and sensations of the battle. And heck, these were just a warm-up, testing a muscle so to speak before I go really nuts in the next few books. Even as I wrote them, I worried both duels were too short, but again, I didn’t want to make the opposite mistake and give readers walls of text at the expense of action or staying true to the story. But needless to say, many more epic duels and battles are on their way.
An aside: If the book does even moderately well, I’m commissioning a real-life mockup of the “korossa” swords from Rise of Dresca. I’ll post pics on my socials accounts for everyone to enjoy.
What was the scene you loved to write the most?
Oh, that’s a tough question. And it’s really hard to answer without spoilers. Hmm.
I’d say it’s a tossup between four scenes, even split. I’m particularly fond of the prologue and chapter one. The prologue hits you in the face with action and questions. And then chapter one hits you with my first twist, and that ending is one of the most intense scenes in the book.
But two more scenes deserve mention: I loved Rhynwhen meeting Kanna and Jedda for the first time, especially the banter between the two old men. And then the ambush scene in Chapter 14 (which is literally titled “Ambush,” so hardly a spoiler) – that scene was surprisingly difficult to write. I mean that on an emotional level – I actually had to step away from writing for a few days after writing that scene and the first chunk of the next chapter. When you write something intense or traumatic, as the author it feels like it happens in slow motion, but for the reader these are actually very short, quick scenes, so I’ll be curious to see how people react.
So, for those who are curious about reading Rise of Dresca, (review here), what would you tell them to convince them to give it a sneak peek?
I’d say to just read a few pages and you’ll know it’s for you. The intensity and pacing I set in the prologue I never let up, and if you’re looking for a fast-paced roller-coaster fantasy experience you can blast through (it’s not a long book) you’ll be hooked on the spot.
We know that the book is just coming out, but it’s so awesome that we want the follow-up book, hahahhaha, so, is it in the works or will it take a while to be written?
Hahaha like I said, you’re not the only ones!
And oh, it’s definitely in the works – I’m about 5 chapters into the sequel. I took a break from writing it to focus on getting this first book out and to get a feel for how people are responding. But I’m going to be diving back in soon enough. My best guess: you can expect the next book, working title “Seas of the Zovah”, in February 2024.
Tim, before we go, do you want to leave a message to your supporters and fans?
Honestly, the best part of all this has been how many awesome people I’ve already connected with and how many friends and family have rallied behind me to support this book. I’m beyond grateful, and I can’t wait to share this experience with you all.
Thank you so much for being here with us Tim, it’s a pleasure to have great authors like you on our site. See you on the next one. 😀
Thanks so much for having me, and yeah, can’t wait to be here with you again soon!
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