# Please introduce yourself and your book(s)!
I’m Ioan Will, a Ukrainian-born fantasy author now living in California. My four-book series, Artifacts from the Fallen Stars, begins with The Undead Boy:
The priests burned him with the dead. He kept breathing.
Kael is an undying mercenary trying to save the companions who raised him. Far away, Eryan lives in a city hidden among an ancient forest’s immense trees. When the Godwatch awakens beneath his guardian’s roof, he and three friends must carry it away to protect the children sheltered there.
One needs the empire’s protection. The other carries an artifact its hunters are searching for.
It’s dark epic fantasy about friendship, conflicting loyalties, and the consequences of extraordinary power. All four books are available, and readers can try the opening free at ioanwill.com.
# What is/are the real-life story(ies) behind your book(s)?
Health problems during childhood meant I spent a lot of time inventing fantasy worlds. Those imaginary places gave me an escape, and creating stories grew naturally out of that experience. I began writing around twenty-five, giving those worlds a more lasting form.
# What inspires/inspired your creativity?
I’m drawn to difficult choices and the consequences that follow them. Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables stayed with me because a single act of kindness or cruelty can change the course of a life. In fantasy, I can explore those human questions in a world where extraordinary power makes the stakes even greater.
# Do you tend towards personal satisfaction or aim to serve your readers? Do you balance the two and how?
I start by writing the book I would want to read myself—something I would want to return to. But spending so long inside your own story can give you tunnel vision. Feedback helps me see where something that feels clear in my mind hasn’t reached the reader. I want to stay honest to the story while making it clear and compelling for someone discovering it for the first time.
# What are your plans for future books?
The main story of Artifacts from the Fallen Stars is complete across four novels, but there is more to explore in its universe. I definitely want to return to it and develop a continuation in the future. For now, I’m bringing more of the existing series into audiobook form.
# Tell us some quirky facts about yourself
I’m a little obsessed with vertical-jump training. At home, I have two cats, lots of plants, and fish, and I love having them around.
Links
Author website and book links: ioanwill.com