Richard A. Knaak Q&A - War of the Ancients: Well of Eternity book

The new book explores the society of the Highborne Elves and their Queen Azshara; and the corruption of their magics as they accept Sargeras’s offer by opening a portal that would allow him to enter the world of Azeroth.  Knaak explores the love triangle of Tyrande, Furion and Ilidan. The betrayal of Deathwing. The sacrifice of the Ancients. The intro to the origin of the Satyrs and the Naga. And the conspiracy of the Old gods.

Blizzard signed a deal with Knaak to write a trilogy series starting on April 2004.  It takes 3 books to explain the whole history of the first invasion of the Burning Legion.  But how will timetravel affect what we know?  Will the present and history itself change?

Richard
Glad to be here!

Medievaldragon
we are here to talk about your new book War of the Ancients: Well of Eternity

Richard
The book is due for release in April and is the first in a major trilogy involving the past and present of Warcraft

Medievaldragon
before starting to talk about the book I wanted to make some questions about you. Can you tell the fans about yourself?

Richard
I’ve been an author some 17 years. 24 novels, over a dozen short piece. I’ve done Dragonlance, Warcraft, Diablo. My own series, the Dragonrealm, and several standalones. I’m from Chicago, but spend my time in the south, too. I Were an avid gamer, but the writing demands all time now.

Medievaldragon
Thats a long career. Blizzard chose indeed the right person to write about their universe.

Richard
I thank you. Blizzard has three well-defined worlds and I get to play in two of them

Medievaldragon
I think I read you are spending time living in Arkansas, or visiting.

Richard
Yes, a lot less snow than Chicago or New York

Medievaldragon
1. Could you tell us how did you stumble upon Blizzard for first time?

Richard
Actually, they stumbled on me.

Medievaldragon
Did they contact you?

Richard
Chris Metzen is a fan of my Dragonlance work. Specially the Legend of Huma. And when it came time to put together the series, I were one of the top names on the list. They wanted me for both Diablo and Warcraft, which I took as a great compliment.

Medievaldragon
Question 2 was covered

Medievaldragon
Did you approach Blizzard with the idea of writing Day of the Dragon, or did Blizzard contact you to write it based on your fame for Fantasy writing?

Richard
Blizzard only said that they wanted a story in a certain time period. They hoped that I would create one that would be a good opening shot for the series

Medievaldragon
3. Can you tell us when and how you discovered within yourself that you were a writer and that Fantasy was your forte?

Richard
I had always enjoyed reading and creating my stories and fantasy just fit from the start. I enjoyed other types of reading, but always came back. It was ingrained in me. I could no more stop doing it than breathing. There was no choice. Fantasy was me.

Medievaldragon
Did you write the story from the game handbook? Or they just brought it to you to write based on a pre-made story?

Richard
The story was original by me. I used the handbook and other material (which no one else has seen), as reference, but that was it. They wanted true fantasy novels by actual authors.

Medievaldragon
4. What events in real life: TV shows, Comic books, novels, etc.; influenced your imagination to write Fantasy books for first time?

Richard
I used to watch all the SciFi shows, saw the movies like Sinbad and stuff; and read about dragons whenever I could. I read all the comics DC and Marvel comics issued and picked up novels by Roger Zelazny, ER Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, and others. That was the beginning.

Medievaldragon
I love Marvel comics too. My favorite is XMEN. I have 1,500 comic books. When I saw timetravel in your new book I got fascinated

Richard
I’ve been a full-time author since 1988. It is not something that will make you rich, but I’ve enjoyed myself. It is great doing something I love. Xmen is great. The time travel is an element, but not the point.