Alexander Blakeley is a writer of speculative fiction. He has a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Ancient, Medieval and Early Modern History and loves to immerse himself in the worlds of the past.
Bitten by the travel-bug as a young boy, Alexander has been lucky enough to journey to Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, North America and Japan. He draws on his encounters with the people, history and cultures of the lands through which he’s travelled to enrich the worlds he creates.
He first started writing as a DM for tabletop RPGs in his teens and never looked back, and still enjoys tabletop games of all kinds.
As a Senior Secondary Teacher, Alexander has spent well over a decade fostering a love of the stories of the past and the wonderful world of books amongst his students. He has completed a Master of Philosophy in Creative Writing from the University of Queensland, under the careful tutelage of Kim Wilkins, and has been an avid member of the Queensland Writers Center for over a decade.
What inspired you to be a writer?
I fell in love with books at a young age, especially Fantasy and Mythology. I quickly exhausted my library's supply of stories and have been writing my own ever since.
What prompted you to write 'Blade of Light'?
I grew up reading Spider-Man, and the classic catchphrase of "with great power comes great responsibility" has always struck me. As I studied history at University I found that the question of what obligation do the people with power have to use it well and wisely kept coming up over and over again. So, with Blade of Light I set out to explore both sides of that idea: what responsibility do those who inherit power have to question how they received it and what they do with it, as well as the actions of those who are marginalised but suddenly have power thrust upon them.
Also, I love sword fights, creepy monsters and magical duels.
Do you have any more books in the pipeline?
I've always got several pots on the stove (have to keep the muse happy...or else!), and Blade of Light is only the first part of Aletta and Belisarius's story.
What is your professional background?
I like to keep busy (or I'm insane, depending on who you ask). I work full-time as a High School teacher, where I specialise in creative writing and history. I also work part-time as a travel agent.
Thankfully, this all flows together. I get to meet interesting people and see a lot of personalities, learn about cultures and places and histories around the world, and then bring all that into my writing.
Any advice you’d like to give to aspiring writers?
Embrace the "suck". Accept that your first draft is always going to need more work and rather than have that dishearten you, wield it as a weapon. Try new things, experiment with scenes/characters/concepts and see where they lead you. If it doesn't work, that's great because you'll learn something along the way. If it does - that's even better!
Consistency is essential once you've committed yourself to writing. I set an achievable word length I need to meet every day. I don't leave the keyboard until I’ve got it, and soon enough the rhythm of doing that becomes habitual.
Finally, thoroughly edit your manuscript prior to submission. Get objective help and advice from an editor and from readers who are going to tell you the truth.
Who/what inspires you?
People and places. I know it's cliche, but it's true. There are so many wonderful stories out there in the world, and so many fascinating places. All I need is a line from a song, a picture of a windswept mountaintop or compelling ruin, and a touch of historical information, and my muse is hammering at my window demanding to be let in.
What are your hobbies, interests and favourite books?
I'm an avid roleplaying gamer. Whether it's tabletop with friends or in video games, I'm always up for a game. I've been somewhat stuck in the role as a forever-dm, but as most writers will agree - it's where we thrive anyway.
I love hiking and getting out into the wilderness as well. Being able to leave the city and go enjoy a deep forest or a mountain takes a weight off my shoulders. Just don't ask me to go to the beach...
Favourite books - yikes, that's a nightmare of a question to answer. There are so many that I've found deeply moving, and others I keep coming back to. I reserve the right to change this opinion at a moment's notice, but right now I'd have to say Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser stories, Garth Nix's Old Kingdom series, and I've recently fallen in love with Foz Meadows's A Strange and Stubborn Endurance.
How can readers contact you?
Facebook: alexanderjblakeley.writing
Instagram: alexanderblakeley
TikTok: alexanderj.blakeley
Website: alexanderjblakeley.com
