Author Chat: D. Ertug, Writer of “The Children of Eberen”

This is B.C. Johnson, your friendly neighborhood indie author, and today I’m starting a series of author chats with other authors. That’s three “authors” in one sentence, but hey, I’m not an editor.

Let’s begin with this week’s guest, D. Ertug, author of The Children of Eberen fantasy series.

About the Author

My name is Diler Ertug and I’m a Turkish author who grew up in America. For all intents and purposes I consider myself to be bi-cultural. I’m a former English/English Literature teacher who is now a tattoo artist. I run my own small shop. When I’m not inflicting beautiful bodily harm through tattoos I write fantasy novels where I inflict harm upon my characters. I aspire to success in the years ahead.

I’m currently working towards wrapping up my first trilogy, collectively entitled “The Children of Eberen.” 

The Questions

1. Do you have a writer you idolize?

Tolkien. All day, and twice on Sunday. That might be a bit of a cliche but I don’t aspire to copy or mimic my idol. We should all embrace our own styles. I merely hold Tolkien in the highest esteem.

That being said, a very close second is Alexander Dumas.

2. What are you reading right now, and how is it?

When I’m working on my writing I don’t like to read much as it has a way of seeping into my subconscious and I start emulating the writing style of the author. A few weeks ago I finished THE MASTER AND MARGARITA. It was fabulous in a deranged ‘I’m missing something’ sort of way. Recommend!

3. Top three favorite fantasy books?

THE SILMARILLION, THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO, THE KALEVALA.

4. Who is the character you’ve had the most fun writing in your career?

Currently it’s the main character of my trilogy, Bredikai Cronunham.

5. How do you juggle writing and marketing (I ask because I’m terrible at it)?

I don’t. I’m learning marketing as I go and, while it’s difficult for anyone and everyone who is self-published, it’s that much harder for those of us who don’t live in the West (but publish in English) because social media algorithms haaaate us. I cannot stress that enough and do a great deal of ranting about it on Threads.

I try to be as genuine as possible when on social media and interact with (online) friends as often as I can. I do get burned out a lot. It’s a lot of alternating back and forth between writing and marketing but I can rarely do both at the same time. 

6. Has your writing process changed over time?

Indeed, it has, because I sat my ass down and finally finished my books!

Writing is not for the faint of heart. I don’t care if you’re working on the next great 5,000 page epic or a set of instructions on how to operate your kitchen sink. It’s hard. To finish something is an achievement in and of itself. Getting too bogged down by world-building and/or details was what snuffed out my prior projects so I decided to start lighter and work my way towards increasing detail. It worked.

I’m looking forward to the day I can say that I’ve completed my first trilogy.

7. What advice do you wish someone had given you before you published your first book?

Make peace with at least one social media platform and get cozy with it because you’re going to need it.

8. Have you ever had a character or plot twist surprise you as you were writing?

I had an idea for a story in my college days (nigh twenty years ago now!) that started off very lighthearted but grew out of control to the point where I had to stop because I was hitting every dead end imaginable. The concept exceeded my writing abilities at the time. It’s only now that I’m starting to see the greater picture and hope to publish the first part of that work within the next few years. 

9. If your book became a movie, who would be your dream director or dream casting for your MC?

The current trilogy demands it be Guy Ritchie with a sprinkling of Peter Jackson.

I don’t know who’d want to sign up to play my zany characters but, hey, if we’re putting fantastical ideas out there, I certainly wouldn’t mind playing my MC. I’m not saying I could. Then again…

Who Would Love Your Books?

I’d really love to plug my debut novel THE KILLSMITH OF ETHERDEIGN (Part 1 of The Children of Eberen).

I know we all love a good romantasy these days but this is not it. Ideally I’ve written it for the Millenials. Being one myself, I have a soft spot for the fantasy/sword and sorcery tales I grew up with in the 80s and 90s, most of which were simply abandoned with the changing of the times.

I’d love for people who have a sense of humor, are not intimidated by a dash of cussing, and have an open mind to find my work. And there are dragons! If you enjoy my first novel then I’m confident you’ll invest in the sequels. Here’s hoping I find my niche!

Where to Find the Author

I’m active on Threads, but if you’d like to DM me, you can reach me through my Instagram account. I’m not as active there as I’d like to be but one thing at a time. My handle is the same for both: @dertug_author.

---

Next Week: More Authors, More Chats, Same Blog

This is BC again, thanks for stopping by! Please check out D. Ertug’s work if it sounds even mildly up your alley, we indie authors exist on your word of mouth and support.

I had quite a few author chat signups, so I’m planning to make this a twice-a-week feature if the timing lines up. You can subscribe to my blog to get updates as they arrive, or follow me on Threads where I’ll be posting them as well.

Author Chat Series

Author Chat: Henry Neilsen, Writer of “Sunward Sky”

Author Chat: Kala Godin, Writer of “Graveyard Heart”