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Jaleigh Johnson is the author of numerous Forgotten Realms novels, her most recent of which is Unbroken Chain: The Darker Road. She sat down recently to talk about darkness, emotional trauma, and ferocious battle—all the good things that come from writing about the shadar-kai.

Q. The Darker Road is the sequel to your novel, Unbroken Chain. Without any major spoilers, can you catch up those of us who haven't read the first one in a while? What's the peril?

I guess you could say Ilvani is the peril—she’s both in peril and she is the peril—heh, enigmatic enough? Ilvani came late to the story in Unbroken Chain, so almost as soon as I’d gotten confirmation that there was going to be a second book, I knew it would be hers. The shadar-kai witch comes face

READER: “How do you write dialogue and make it sound real?” 

Ed Greenwood (author of Elminster Must Die): Avoid anachronisms and anamundisms, first and foremost (no medieval-era characters saying, “Cool” or “Yep”). Then, keep it as simple and unpolished (except for truly formal moments, with pedantic speakers) as real conversation usually is. Then, read it over for pace and flow; it shouldn’t sound abrupt or halting unless the situation warrants.

Erin Evans (author of The God Catcher): My favorite part of writing! I think what makes the biggest difference is LISTENING. Eavesdrop on everyone, frankly, and get really used to the patterns of people’s speech. If you’re getting all your speech patterns from movies,

READER: “In a fantasy story, what historical inaccuracy has most made you grind your teeth?” 

Ed Greenwood (author of Elminster Must Die): An inaccuracy I’ve read several times, from different modern American writers, who in their various medieval-era castles, swords, and dragons settings, have had things bought and sold (and assassination contracts arranged) in . . . DOLLARS. Presumably good old greenbacks. Wince.

Erin Evans (author of The God Catcher): I’ll mostly swallow historical innacuracies—it’s a fantasy world; I can buy that they have language/tech/culture that real world medieval societies didn’t---but anthropological illogicalities drive me bonkers.  Cultural decisions have repercussions. Landscape and resources

READER: “What sport do you follow? Or which sport at least holds some interest for you?” 

Ed Greenwood (author of Elminster Must Die): Football (both North American kinds, plus “Australian rules”), hockey, polo, and cricket. Plus “Huntdown/Dangerous Game” (the sort of across-bush-country manhunt seen these days in such television shows as MANTRACKER), if you consider that a sport. Caving/spelunking, which I did a lot of in my younger days, if you count that as a sport.

Erin Evans (author of The God Catcher): Football. I don’t really watch it regularly, but it’s the only sport I know all the rules for and I can watch without getting bored. It’s like ritualized warfare. (Friend Erin)

Christopher Rowe (author

READER: “What other author(s) do you most seek to emulate and how?” 

Ed Greenwood (author of Elminster Must Die): Wodehouse for humor, Pratchett for satire, Zelazny for style (when appropriate), Kay and May for breadth of vision and making the setting seem real, and McKillip and McKinley for focus.

Erin Evans (author of The God Catcher): For an assignment once, I had to bring in examples of three authors I just love and would give anything to write like . After a lot of consideration, I showed up with The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon, and The Opposite of Fate by Amy Tan (this being the only Amy Tan book I apparently owned). Willis, I brought for her flow—I  cannot put her books

READER: “If you were the DM and I was a PC, what could I expect in our adventure?” 

Ed Greenwood (author of Elminster Must Die): It depends on the context (tournament adventure or for charity at a convention, or my own “home” campaign). I always encourage ham acting, and “playing out” conversations and confrontations in-character. In a tournament adventure, there’s usually going to be a linear plot (task/mission to be done), but in the original Realms, with my original players, it’s all about intrigue and the unfolding of endless complex subplots, not monster-bashing.

Erin Evans (author of The God Catcher): Puzzles. Lots of Skill Challenges. Very deep world.  Coordinated monster attacks. Me yelling at you to look

How well do you know your FR Authors? Every week you can expect an update to the author roundtable, featuring many of our best Forgotten Realms authors’ answers to the world’s most important questions, right here on this blog. Submissions for new questions welcome through private message. 

READER: “What sort of characters are your favorite to write, and which ones challenge you?” 

Ed Greenwood (author of Elminster Must Die): In serious scenes, I most like timid, unsure, naïve, or young characters “coming into their own,” stepping forward under pressure to become themselves or blossom into heroes. In comedy, I like giving comeuppances to arrogant characters who misuse authority. Challenges for me are characters who change

READER: “Do you go to any Cons? Which is your favorite?” 

How well do you know your FR Authors? Every Monday you can expect an update to the author roundtable, featuring many of our best Forgotten Realms authors’ answers to the world’s most important questions, right here on this blog. Submissions for new questions welcome through private message. 

Ed Greenwood (author of Elminster Must Die): I go to half a dozen cons in a given year, these days (in my younger, more globetrotting days, the annual number was higher). I love a lot of cons for different reasons, but my most frequent favorite, year in and year out, is GenCon. I get to visit with most of my gaming friends there, once a year.

Erin Evans (author of The God Catcher

How well do you know your FR Authors? Every Monday you can expect an update to the author roundtable, featuring many of our best Forgotten Realms authors’ answers to the world’s most important questions, right here on this blog. Submissions for new questions welcome through private message. 

READER: “Do you listen to music while writing—what kind?” 

Ed Greenwood (author of Elminster Must Die): Years ago my answer to this would have been all sorts of music, from Gregorian chants to roots folk through symphonic rock, ragtime, blues, and full-on symphonies. However, some years back I discovered that the mood of the music wasn’t getting onto the page, but was instead starting to make my writing spartan and flat. So now I listen