A.D. Solomon
Author Interview - A.D. Solomon
Author of Twin Moons of Eldradune
At its heart, the book is about two ordinary people, Lex Anders and Mara Thorne, who discover an ancient box and are suddenly pulled from Earth into Eldradune, a world filled with magic, history, and forces far beyond their understanding. What begins as a desperate search for a way home becomes something much larger, especially for Lex, as he starts uncovering powers, visions, and a connection to Eldradune that changes everything he thought he knew about himself.
The story is really the beginning of a much bigger saga. It explores friendship, identity, destiny, and the idea that sometimes the world you are thrown into is the one that finally reveals who you truly are.
Author Interview - A.D. Solomon
Author I draw inspiration from:
The author I draw the most inspiration from is J.R.R. Tolkien. I know that is a common answer for fantasy writers, but for me, the inspiration comes less from trying to imitate his story and more from the way he built a world that felt ancient, complete, and separate from our own.
Tolkien had a remarkable ability to remove modernity from his world. Middle-earth does not feel like our world with fantasy placed on top of it. It feels like its own living place, with its own histories, languages, cultures, legends, and conflicts. That kind of worldbuilding has always inspired me.
There is also an interesting parallel in the structure of my first three books. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings was published in three separate volumes, The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers in 1954, and The Return of the King in 1955. That was largely due to practical publishing reasons, including cost and the difficulty of releasing such a large work as one book.
My first three novels, Twin Moons of Eldradune, Sacred Oaths of Eldradune, and Astravyn Stones of Eldradune, were also originally intended as one story. But a 1,500-page fantasy novel is not exactly practical in today’s market, so it made more sense to separate it into three books. Like Tolkien’s work, it was always meant to feel like one larger tale, even though it is presented in separate volumes.
Author Interview - A.D. Solomon | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
Nowhere fancy. In a dark, cool quiet room, without noise of the modern world around me.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
If we are talking about a character from a book, I might go with Tyrion Lannister from A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin.
But if we are opening it up to television characters, then it is absolutely Ron Swanson from Parks and Recreation. No hesitation.
Author Interview - A.D. Solomon | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author came from something heavier than just wanting to tell stories. I have known too many friends who died because of war, or because of the aftermath of war. Some of them were far too young to finish their own stories or leave behind the kind of legacy they deserved.
That stayed with me.
I would find myself thinking about it while hiking, or on those long, lonely motorcycle rides where it is just you, the road, and your thoughts. There is a certain kind of solitude that lets your mind build entire worlds around a single feeling, memory, or moment. I started thinking about legacy, about sacrifice, about what people leave behind, and eventually those thoughts became stories.
That was when I knew I had to start writing. I wanted to create something that lasted. Something with meaning behind it. And then, like a lot of people, Covid gave me the time and the excuse to finally sit down at home and start typing.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
I am definitely a physical book kind of guy. Hardback or paperback, I like holding an actual book in my hands. There is something about seeing it on the shelf, turning the pages, and feeling like you are actually spending time with the story. A hardback feels more permanent, almost like something you are collecting. A paperback is easier to carry around and beat up a little, which has its own charm.
Ebooks are convenient, and I completely understand the appeal. They are easy to transport, easy to read at night, and dark mode is a wonderful invention. But for me, they can also feel a little disconnected. You download a book, read some of it, delete it, move on to the next thing, and sometimes it feels like there is less investment in the author or the series. I like the sense of commitment that comes with owning the book and giving it space in your life.
Audiobooks are a different thing altogether, and I think they are great. They let you experience the same story in a new way, outside of your own head. A good narrator can bring out details, tone, humor, and emotion that you might experience differently when reading it yourself. It is almost like the difference between reading the book and watching a performance of it. Same story, different delivery, and sometimes that gives the book a whole new life.
The last book I read:
The last book I read is actually kind of funny, because you would probably expect me to say it was some massive fantasy epic or a huge, manly series I had invested years into.
Nope.
The last book I read was Trouble Afoot, The Three Hounds Bakery by Julie Titterington. It is a murder mystery with dachshunds, and honestly, three dachshunds and a murder mystery? What is not to love?
I bought it a while ago because Julie is an acquaintance of mine, and I finally had time to sit down and read it. It was a fun change of pace, and I enjoyed that it was different from the heavier fantasy stories I usually spend time with. Sometimes you do not need a thousand-page war between realms. Sometimes you just need weiner dogs, a bakery, and a suspicious death.
Author Interview - A.D. Solomon | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
I usually start with pen and paper, then move to a whiteboard. For me, the early part of writing is not really about sentences yet. It is about building the texture of the world. I like to map out the setting, the history, the cultures, the conflicts, and all the little details that make the world feel lived in before I ever start writing the actual manuscript.
After that, I move into the characters. I will use the whiteboard to work through who they are, where they come from, what they want, what they fear, and how they connect to the larger story. Once I have that foundation, then I go to the computer.
On the computer, I type out character bios, background pieces, and sometimes short stories about specific people or moments in the world. A lot of those may never appear directly in the book, but they help me understand the characters before they walk onto the page.
So my process is a lot of background work before the draft ever begins. By the time I actually start writing the manuscript, I want the world and the characters to feel like they already existed before chapter one.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
You would never get bored with him. He is brilliant, strange, funny, unpredictable, and famous for his love of all things food, especially spicy soup and any stew. That alone tells me we would probably get along.
But what really makes Zedd stand out is that beneath all the riddles, odd behavior, and unexpected uses of magic, he is deeply loyal. He might test your brain with some impossible question just to see how you think, but when things get dark, he is the kind of friend who stands beside you.
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
I would probably be a permanent traveler, which sounds suspiciously like retirement.
Since I am semi-retired, I have already had quite the career, so I do not think I would be looking for some brand-new nine-to-five life. I would want something with movement, quiet places, long trails, and enough solitude to let my mind wander about darker things from the past. Hiking has always been one of those places where ideas show up when you are not trying too hard to find them.
I would probably add some forensics and research on the side, because I still like digging into details, solving problems, and figuring out how things connect. So maybe the answer is: part-time researcher, part-time nomad, full-time person trying to find the next trailhead.
Favorite decade in fashion history:
My favorite decade is the 1980s, and I know people love to argue about nostalgia, but the 80s earned it.
It was a decade where pop culture felt big, weird, loud, and completely unafraid of itself. Movies had this perfect mix of adventure, humor, danger, and imagination. You had The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Back to the Future, Ghostbusters, The Princess Bride, The NeverEnding Story, Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, The Terminator, Aliens, and Top Gun.
And now to your question, which is about fashion and not the fun stuff of the 80’s. I still remember walking into middle school wearing a jean jacket, aviator sunglasses, converse cons, acid-wash jeans, and somehow looked utterly ridiculous doing it. Even when it went over the top, it had personality. And my Nana’s shoulder pads were so in style for most of the decade, I think.
Place I’d most like to travel:
Alaska and Nova Scotia are on my list. Because they are spots for motorcycle trips… and places me and my wife hadn’t been before.
My signature drink:
Hot Chocolate… Don’t judge.
Favorite artist:
Soundtracks done by Hans Zimmer, artwork painted by Van Gogh, anything Slash plays on guitar, and any Twilight Zone episode written by Rod Serling.
Number one on my bucket list:
Build a house in the country and help my wife start an animal rescue.
Anything else you'd like to add:
The biggest thing I would add is that I plan on staying busy. Book 7, Shadows of Forgotten Paths, is scheduled for release in December, and Books 8, 9, and 10 are planned for publication in 2027.
I am also working on a science fiction series and a horror series, while beginning the background work for a crime series as well. So, there is a lot going on, but that is how I like it. I have more stories to tell, more worlds to build, and apparently no real interest in relaxing like a normal person.
Find more from the author:
https://www.youtube.com/@adsolomonbooks
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About A.D. Solomon:
A.D. Solomon
A.D. Solomon is a fantasy author hailing from a small town in the Tennessee River Valley. After serving in the military, he continued his career supporting Special Operations before founding his own consulting business upon completing his studies. Now a full-time writer, A.D. has previously ghostwritten books and short stories and has embarked on crafting his own series. When he’s not weaving tales of fantasy, he enjoys hiking, playing music, riding motorcycles, training dogs and helping with the Veteran community. He’s happily married to the love of his life, who continues to be his greatest support.
