Tim Ahrens, author of "Dark Creatures: A Simple Game"

THE AUTHOR

Name, age and occupation: Tim Ahrens, 54, retail supervisor.

Where and with whom do you live? I live alone.

If you could co-write a book with any author, living or dead, whom would you choose? Edgar Allen Poe.

Why do you write? I enjoy crafting characters and worlds.

Where do you write? My study.

What do you collect? Anime and horror collectibles.

Your superhero alter-ego: Green Lantern.

Favorite board, card or video game: Neverwinter MMORPG for PC.

THE BOOK

Title, genre and length? Dark Creatures: A Simple Game, Dark Fantasy, 310 pages.

When and where does it take place? Two worlds, one is the town of Millten, Wisconsin, the year 2020. The second is a world of Dark Creatures, Year unknown.

How did you come up with the title? One of the places I write about in the book is the world of dark creatures. The second part of the title is a secret.

What inspired you to write it? I used to play Dungeons and Dragons when I was a kid. That started my storytelling. 

Is there a sequel in the works? Yes.          

Where, how can you get it? At my web domain, www.thedarkcreatures.com. Also available via Amazon under Author Tim Ahrens or Dark Creatures: A Simple Game. Or at Barnes & Noble Book Sellers under the same names.

Describe your book in one word that most people don’t normally use. Exciting.

Who would you choose to write the musical score? The sound track to the movie The Ninth Gate. John Williams.

What’s your most interesting chapter title? Life is a Song Well Sung.

Who would want to ban it? Anyone who would call Stephen King’s or J.R.R. Tolkien’s works “demonic.”

To whom did you dedicate it and why? To Jean and Eric Turman as well as James Reich (who provided the illustrations), for believing in my writing.

THE HEROES

Names, ages and occupations: Their are three. The first is William J. Donovan, 16, high school student. Second: Augury Pars, age unknown, Wraith. The third is Llica Travilan, age 20, bard or traveling entertainer.  

Where and with whom do they live? Will lives with his parents. Augury and Llica live together on the road.

What real-life person would be your protagonist’s hero, mentor or role model? Will’s would be his father; Augury’s and Llica’s would be the Lord Protector.

What’s his or her celebrity crush? Will: Scarlett Johansson.

What’s her biggest fear/phobia? Will’s is failure. Augury’s is failure to complete her mission. Llica’s is being parted permanently from Augury.    

On what TV show would he/she appear as a special guest? Will would be on The Orville. Augury and Llica would be on Criminal minds. 

Weapon of choice (gun, knife, intellect, magic, manipulation, etc.) Will has no weapon of choice. Augury’s is La Mia Morte. Llica’s is a secret.

At the beginning of the book, our hero (Will) is …  Unaware that his actions are about to turn his world into a living hell.

Worst habit (Will)? Believing that nothing he does will ever change the world. 

Best feature (Will)? He’s a hero deep inside.