Thomas Locke

Posts Categorized: Legends of the Realm Series

Why Book #3 in Legends of the Realm Series is on Hold

I realize that some of you may be expecting book #3 in the Legends of the Realm fantasy series, following up on the events in Emissary and Merchant of Alyss. Instead, my publisher, Revell, is launching an entirely new Young Adult Sci-Fi series, Recruits. The team at Revell and I had a series of long…

Q&A with Thomas Locke: How to Pronounce Milantian

A reader of Merchant of Alyss writes: I have enjoyed Merchant of Alyss. I have a question that didn’t bother me when I read Emissary but does in Merchant. How did you pronounce Milantian in your mind when you made up the language? I have thought through three different pronunciations: My lan teean Mylanshun, like…

Why stories set in different worlds are popular

Q: Why do you think that stories set in different worlds, like much of sci-fi/fantasy, are so popular? Thomas Locke: I believe the same reasons have been in place through the ages. People love fantasy and science fiction because it offers them an opportunity to reach beyond the limits of their reality. They come away…

Readers join the quest while reading ‘Merchant of Alyss’

Merchant of Alyss reviews continue to come in! Today, we’ll hear from: Robin Bunting Jeannette Conver Edward Arrington Mary Arndt “What a truly satisfying story. Locke’s use of vocabulary paints such a great picture, I felt as though I was really taking part in this quest. Magic, enchantments, dragons, good vs evil are all in…

An Analytical Review of ‘Merchant of Alyss’

Reviews that point out a book’s flaws are painful for authors to read. But, wow, I certainly learn a lot from my readers! In this analytical review of Merchant of Alyss, Emmanuel Boston says, “My goal here is to help you understand in which ways you will be influenced by this book (in addition to…

Q&A: How I grappled with using magic in ‘Merchant of Alyss’

Q: There’s magic in Merchant of Alyss. What do you hope readers take away from the “magic” element in the story? Thomas Locke: The issue of using magic was something I grappled with for some time. I found immense guidance from the works of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. Four thousand years ago, when the…

‘Emissary’ hits #1 on CBA Bestseller List!

News Flash! I just learned that Emissary hit #1 on the CBA bestseller list (January 2016) for Fiction Books: Fantasy/Sci-fi. Wow! That is amazing, especially since the novel was released over a year ago. Emissary is currently #2 on the February CBA bestseller list, keeping company with classics such as: The Screwtape Letters, by C.S….