Tyrell Johnson grew up reading his older brother鈥檚 fantasy novels.
But when trying to write a fantasy novel of his own, the format didn鈥檛 quite fit.
鈥淲hen I was getting my master鈥檚 of fine arts degree in creative writing I was attempting to write these fantasy novels and it wasn鈥檛 quite working out,鈥� said the 30-year-old 麻豆精选 resident.
Johnson鈥檚 first novel, The Wolves of Winter, is set in a post-apocalyptic world. A young woman and her family survive in the Yukon, wondering if they are the only humans left on earth.
The novel was released Jan. 2 with a signing scheduled for Jan 6. from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Mosaic Books downtown.
After turning to the post-apocalyptic genre, Johnson found he could create his own worlds while keeping his voice in the present tense.
鈥淢aybe there鈥檚 something romantic about not having (materials) and finding each other again outside of all the technology,鈥� he said.
Moving around B.C. and the US could have had an influence on his draw to the genre.
鈥淢aybe it鈥檚 every time we moved so often, I look at the stuff and say 鈥榡ust get rid of it all, I don鈥檛 want to lift it again,鈥欌�� he laughed. Johnson lived in 麻豆精选 before, then moved back to Washington and then to Langley before settling in 麻豆精选 again.
He immersed himself in the genre for his book by reading Station Eleven, the works of Margaret Atwood and Dog Stars.
He compiled the first draft for the book in four months, working at his mother-in-law鈥檚 office in a horse barn as he juggled freelancing, writing the novel and family life with his wife and two children.
鈥淚 sort of write obsessively and I have to get it all down on paper. If I鈥檓 excited about an idea I want to write about it and use that excitement and momentum,鈥� said Johnson.
Ideas for characters came from his own mind.
鈥淚t鈥檚 sort of a conglomeration of people I know and people I鈥檝e read, I wasn鈥檛 too worried about what came before, I didn鈥檛 want to get bogged down about what came before,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut there are definitely elements of my novel that people compare to the Hunger Games which I鈥檓 fine with.鈥�
Writing in the barn also allowed for peace and quiet 鈥渦nless the donkey starts acting up, then it gets kind of loud,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f I鈥檓 in the house and the kids know I鈥檓 in the house it gets chaotic for everyone.鈥�
While the draft only took a number of months, preparing for publication was a two-year process. Johnson鈥檚 goal was to write the best book he could.
The author hails from Bellingham, Washington and has a Master of Fine Arts from the University of California.
The novel can possibly be turned into a series, he said, but also works well as a stand-alone.
To report a typo, email: edit@kelownacapnews.com.
<>@carliberry_
carli.berry@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
