Scott S Colley

For me, writing is a labor of emotive expression. Every page, every story, every chapter is imbued with the essence of whatever it is I am trying to convey to a reader. In my opinion, it is those authors who can make a reader cry, or see red with anger, or feel their heart rate quicken with adrenaline as battle is engaged between foes -- those are true masters of the craft. That is what I strive for.

That is what makes me different. I cannot simply churn out a story because it sounds good. For me it has to FEEL good, or it never leaves the proverbial shelf. I immerse myself so completely in the story that I become the characters I write about. I can hear their voices, feel the wind on their faces. I share in their sadness, their pain, their joy. Every story is more than just a collection of nicely flowing words; it's a piece of my soul. The characters are a part of me; the story is the story of my life. As I explore the concepts that make us human and the nature of the universe, I expand my own understanding.

In investing so much of myself into every work I produce, I like to think that others will find it easier to relate to, that they will glean some new deeper vision into themselves for having read it. Battle scenes aren't new. Tragedy isn't new. Adventure isn't new. Romance isn't new. There truly are few original ideas left in the world. So why do people keep coming back for more? I think it is because they want to be reminded of that part of them that doesn't get to be exercised every day in today's world. For some it's the warrior inside, eagerly awaiting the clash of swords. For others it's the villain in them, waiting patiently for release, or the thrill of the romantic pursuit, or the child inside still looking under the bed for the monsters.

We all have these pieces of ourselves that desire recognition, and a good book feeds those parts of us and keeps them alive, makes them grow stronger, makes us whole. That is what brought me to reading in general and fantasy specifically. I think there are many readers out there who feel the same, whether they consciously recognize it or not.

I became a writer because I wanted to create that; I wanted to explore that deeper emotional part of ourselves and at the same time have a good old-fashioned sword and sorcery adventure. More often than not my creations take on a life of their own; characters evolve in ways I didn't think they would or could. My stories take twists and turns that I could never have imagined. The writing of a story itself is an adventure, a learning experience, a growing experience.

Scott Colley was born in Utah in 1979 and currently lives in in the Rocky Mountains with his wife and two children.