A Spotlight with RJ Parker to promote his latest novel in the Requiem series.
Russell Parker was born in Bountiful, Utah. As his father was safety manager he had to move around until his senior year of high school, when he came to Cache Valley, Utah to stay. He married the most wonderful woman in the world and they are the parents of four fantastic kids, with one crazy dog. Russell played all kinds of sports and was an outdoorsman until an accident brought him to writing. A writer since high school, encouragement brought his stories to life.
Writing the Requiem series
Requiem came to life by a strong left turn in my life. Who thought a book would come about through the fires of life? My life was typical for a while, good job, good home, family and community. Then it all changed when I crushed my back. With surgeries and procedures being done to me and unable to get out of bed for months, I read everything I could get my hands on. Each one I read, I wished I could change a little. While the last bit of sanity left me because of cabin fever, I started to write. When I finished, I was ecstatic, the story was perfect except for one thing, it stunk. I poured over it again and again, changing it and managing each character. Until it became what it is today.
I wanted to write a story that I wished I could read. I studied the success stories of my favorite authors and what they liked about their stories. I built on them in the wish I could bring fantasy to our reality. I wanted to write a story that people could see happen when they looked out their windows and walked out their doors, or they could see bashing through their doors.
Things I like about dragons
I have to be honest I have never seen a dragon. But I would love to have one. Not a Smaug or a toothless type. I would to have one like Elliot! One who is generally nice but one I can still sic on those people who keep coming to the door selling things. If I had a dragon I would take down the, “no solicitor sign” and give the dragon something to eat. I’m crazy like that.
