Author Interview with Isaiah Burt
- Vicky Peplow
- Sep 22, 2023
- 6 min read
Isaiah is a writer who loves fantasy. He was enchanted by the Dragonlance Chronicles when he was a kid, and started playing Dungeons & Dragons when he was just ten. He also adores Bionicle, and still follows its lore and stories. From reading lots of books and playing many games, he developed his own storytelling skills, and created his own world of demons, wizards, dragons, and kings. This is the world of Diabolical Ascension, where Isaiah tells the story of Zeraga Baal’khal, his antihero. He mainly writes in the dark fantasy genre, and he is inspired by Elric of Melnibone, the Death Gate Cycle, Warhammer, and Planescape.
Isaiah Burt
Author Name: Isaiah Burt
Author Website: https://talesofvalorandwoe.wixsite.com/zeragabaalkhal
Author’s social media links (Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
Authors Series and list of books.
Legacy of Flames (high fantasy novella)-
Diabolical Ascension (dark fantasy/grimdark short story series)-
Darkness & Glory (dark fantasy/grimdark short story anthology set in the Diabolical
Ascension mythos)- https://www.lulu.com/shop/isaiah-burt-and-victoria-
Tell me a little about yourself. Where do you live, family, hobbies?
I’ve been writing for about twenty years. It’s my biggest passion in life. My wife and I
live together in Washington, U.S.A., and we love sharing books to read, painting
miniatures, and playing D&D. I also have good-sized collections of Warhammer
miniatures and Magic: The Gathering cards.
What got you into writing?
The beginning of my writing journey had to be shortly after I discovered Bionicle
when I was about six years old. For those of you who are unfamiliar, Bionicle is a
franchise of action figures that was made by Lego from 2001 to 2011, then rebooted for
a short second run around 2015 or so. The term “Bionicle” is short for Biological
Chronicle and tells the tales of bio-mechanical beings with elemental powers. It set my
mind ablaze the way nothing else did. Legos were already a fact of life in my
household growing up, but Bionicles were my particular obsession, and I loved
learning everything there was to know about the world and the lore. When I wasn’t
playing with the figures and building my own, I could often be found drawing comics
about them. My first attempt at a novel was at the age of eight after seeing the
Bionicle: Mask of Light movie, grabbing a composition notebook, and recording every
detail I could. Since then, writing has been my biggest passion in life.
What’s the main thing you love and hate about writing?
The process of coming up with a plot. One of my favorite things about finishing a piece
is being able to brainstorm ideas for the next, and that’s really cool because anything
can happen. The downside, however, is that anything can happen. It can sometimes be a
chore to separate the good from the bad, more so when there’s an idea that I want to
have happen but know won’t be good for the story overall. It’s a balance.
How do you select the names of your characters?
I use a combination of names from stygian figures in mythology, selections from name
generators for demons and devils, and names of my own devising.
What is next on your list to write/publish?
The next piece on my publishing list is a novella I’ve been working on for Concept
Moon Studios for the last few years. I can’t talk about it just yet, but stay tuned to my
author Facebook page!
Other than that, I’m also working on my third novelette for Prudence Games’ post-
apocalyptic sci-fi setting called PostScript, and I am perpetually working on my
Diabolical Ascension mythos. The 11th chapter of Zeraga Baal’khal’s saga is in the
works, as is the rewrite of my serialized novel Razos of Mephzaaryk (featuring the same
protagonist as Darkness & Glory).
What is your favorite childhood book?
Tale of the Toa by C.A. Hapka. It is the first Bionicle novel, and it was so cool to be
able to read stories about my favorite toys.
Who is your favorite author, and why?
It has to be Michael Moorcock. Elric of Melniboné has influenced my work directly and
has also served as an influence on my other sources of inspiration (notedly Warhammer
and to a lesser extent, Planescape, as Moorcock was one of the first authors to write in a
multiverse setting). To me, Elric is the epitome of antiheroes because he is
unapologetically self-interested, and that is his basis for wanting to make the multiverse
a place (group of places?) where everyone is free to advance to the fullest extent of their
abilities. Additionally, when not in battle, Elric doesn’t revel in his relationship with
Stormbringer, instead viewing the sword as a useful tool and a necessary evil.
Beyond that, I also appreciate Moorcock’s no-nonsense approach to putting words on
1210/), and this inspiring quote of his: "I think of myself as a bad writer with big ideas,
but I’d rather be that than a big writer with bad ideas."
Who encouraged you the most to write?
Two of my teachers: Ms. Fields, who taught me from 3rd - 5th grade, and Mrs. Mygatt,
who was my 9th grade English teacher. Ms. Fields was the first teacher I had who gave
lessons on the craft of fiction, and I still adore the passion with which she did so. She
made me excited to write stories. When writing on regular notebook paper, I skip every
other line like she taught me so that it is easier to revise and edit. This has paid off a lot.
Mrs. Mygatt focused more on essays, but I would be remiss if I didn’t give her many
thanks for how she helped me improve my expository style and voice. I’ll never forget
how I got a D on my first essay for her, and she decided to let me redo it because she
knew I could do better. As such, I was very proud when I got a 97% on my final paper
for her class. Additionally, Mrs. Mygatt did read one of my earlier Diabolical Ascension
stories (before it was even called “Diabolical Ascension”), and I truly appreciate how
she gave me words of encouragement, especially now that I can see just how many
warts there were on that piece. So, nine-fold thanks to both Ms. Fields and Mrs. Mygatt!
Are you as avid a reader as a writer?
I am now, but it took a lot of effort to get better in that regard. Last year, I read about 70
books, many of them grimdark fantasy and science fiction, and reading how other
authors cover similar subject matter as I do has definitely helped improve my work. I
haven’t read nearly as much this year, partially because I’ve been doing more writing
and publishing than I was last year, but I’m working my way through the complete
collections of H.P. Lovecraft and Conan the Barbarian. My friend and fellow author
Neal Litherland refers to one’s reading as the equivalent of a diet for writing; that has
helped me read simultaneously for pleasure and seeing what I can incorporate into my
own work.
What’s your favorite genre?
Dark fantasy all the way! That being said, with the way the definition of dark fantasy
has shifted to include more overt romance, I suppose I would fall more cleanly into
grimdark, though my preferred works for both reading and writing are literally dark
fantasy: they’re fantasy, and they’re dark.
Do you listen to music when you write? If so, what type? Or can’t you stand
background noise when writing?
I sometimes listen to music when I write; it depends on my mood. When I do, it is
typically heavy metal of some variety. My favorites include Black Sabbath, Iron
Maiden, and Electric Wizard, but one of my hobbies is finding new bands to listen to. I
recently listened to Rainbow’s first album for my first time ever, and I loved it.
What is your writing Kryptonite?
I make an effort to stay off Facebook during my writing time. It sucks my brain out.
Tell me a secret that none of your fans know! Do you like to cook or perhaps only
wear a certain color sock!
When I first heard Guns ‘N Roses, I didn’t like them because I thought they were too
soft and emotional. Now, having listened to their catalogue with a matured ear, I find
their first album Appetite for Destruction to be full of bangers, and I love, love, love
their cover of Sympathy for the Devil.
Tell me what your main character would say about you!
Truth be told, my main characters would have pretty dim opinions of me. Zeraga would
view me as nothing more than grovelling, spineless mortal; Razos would likely view me
with condescending curiosity at best. Gnav, the protagonist of Legacy of Flames, would
probably be the nicest, and he would still tell me to go away.
How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
I would say I have between three and five works in progress. I’ll get around to all of
them, eventually…
What is your motto in life?
Ever forward!
Does your family support your career as a writer?
My wife loves that I am a writer, as she likes to write, too. My family (wife included)
won’t read my work because of how often I use the words “blood” and “gore,” but they
appreciate the amount of effort I put into my writing given that I also work full time.
Finally, any words of advice?
Motivation is like a faucet. You need to turn on the faucet before water starts to run.
I’ll send you a link as soon as your page goes live and you’ll be able to view the page a
week in advance, the page will be hidden from public viewing until it’s your turn. If you
have any questions, please add them at the bottom of this page.
Great interview. Following the author on FB now.