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2 June 2021

On Wednesdays on social media, people use the hashtag #WriterWednesday to chat about all things author, book and writing, including authors promoting their own work. As we love to support self-published authors, we thought we’d join in and we will be featuring a UK self-published author every Wednesday on the website.

This week, we met Dael Sassoon to find out more.

Please tell us about yourself; when did you first become interested in writing?
I’m Dael Sassoon and I was born in Switzerland in 1995, and I grew up in Milan, Italy. I moved to the UK in 2014 to undertake my studies at The University of Manchester and during my spare time I have always tried to keep my creative flare alive. While studying to become an environmental researcher, I would write short stories, articles and my novel “The Lightbringer” as a means of self-expression. Thanks to my job, I have explored diverse environments, from the depths of the Amazon rainforest to the frozen terrains of Iceland. Each one of my travels has been memorable and has shaped who I am, teaching me valuable lessons in life and about our beautiful planet. Initially, I came up with the idea for “The Lightbringer” when I was only fifteen years old, and since then, the story has evolved from various short versions into a fully-fledged novel. I also had to transcribe the original version from Italian into English.

Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
My first memory of a story I wrote goes back to when I was about eight or seven years old. It might have been inspired by the movie “Monsters & Co”., because it was about a kid running around a house and opening different doors, and entering different worlds. My fascination with portals and alternate realities goes back quite a long time!

What genre/genres do your books fall under?
Fantasy, Travel, Adventure, Young Adult.

What is your latest book called, what is it about and what was the inspiration behind the book?
“The Lightbringer: Through the Elder Stone” tells the story of photographer Jason McAnnon, who finds himself thrown into fantastic world of Valkadia after his ship sinks off the shore of Greenland. He meets a mysterious man in the woods from whom he acquires the legendary Flare and is subsequently found by the eccentric Alamor Eklund, who teaches him how to use his newfound power to become a Lightbringer. Before he can go back home to London, he must travel across Valkadia and save the enchanted kingdom of Erythya from evil tyrant Emperor Darkstrom and his disciple, Lok the Shadowcaster.

Much of what I write is inspired by nature and travel, grounded in my background in geography and conservation, but I’m also deeply drawn to the myths and legends of ancient cultures. The book introduces readers to a new and richly detailed fantasy world, in which you journey with cast of characters discovering its secrets along with them. Aside from the magic and mystery of the story, my book also seeks to show how the excessive use of nature and thirst for power can irreparably damage the environment. In the story, humans had arrived in the land 600 years ago and since then Valkadia has suffered. As a consequence of Emperor Darkstrom’s rise to power, much of Remara (the human inhabited lands) and its nature have been destroyed, and the power-hungry tyrant wants to do the same to the enchanted land of Erythya (home to all of Valkadia’s other creatures), in order to expand his territory. Lightbringers therefore function as protectors of nature, as well as paladins of justice.

Besides your current book, do you have any new projects coming up?
“The Lightbringer: Through the Elder Stone” is only the first half of the story, so the second part is my next project.

Where can people find your books?
Everywhere – Authorhouse, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Waterstones, and all other major sellers. It’s available in paperback and e-book.

What has been the greatest moment in your writing career?
The Lightbringer is my debut novel, so holding the first copy in my hands was a really special moment! After many years of writing, being able to physically flick through the pages was pretty special.

Besides writing, what hobbies or interests do you enjoy in your spare time?
Besides writing, I am a photographer, graphic designer, rock climber, and play bass for my band Indigo Iris! I am also a very avid hiker and love to travel.

Which novelists do you admire?
J.R.R. Tolkien, Neil Gaiman, George Orwell, John Wyndam and George R.R. Martin have been very influential.

What has been the best piece of writing advice you’ve received?
The best piece of advice I received was to not over-choreograph scenes. Include just enough detail about a character’s movement and their actions to make the reader follow the story, but leave the rest to their imagination and allow readers to form scenes in their mind. It’s the key to creating a truly immersive story.

Do you have any tips or advice for other indie authors?
If you have an idea for a great new story, go for it! It’s easy to doubt yourself and wonder if your book will ever be good enough, but sometimes the best thing to do is let other people see what you’ve created. After ten years of writing, I took a chance and wrote an email to AuthorHouse. Two months later my book was published. The whole journey, from the inception of the story to the moment my author copies arrived home has been truly great. I recommend everyone who’s got an idea for a book brewing in the back of their mind to take the red pill and see what happens!

You can find out more about Dael on his website or via Amazon, Instagram or X (Twitter).