Welcome to BookView Interview, a conversation series where BookView talks to authors.
Recently, we talked to Daniel McKenzie about his writing and his recently published historical novel, Wolf of the Aegean: Book One of the Seafourthe Saga, an authentic and often moving sea story rooted in history. (Read the review here).
Daniel McKenzie is a writer of short stories, prose, and poetry drawing from education and life experiences. He listened to his Lipan Apache grandmother’s tales and myths of her American Indian Matricircular Tradition and history. Thus, tales of ultimate resolution.
Daniel’s poetry has been published in San Francisco, and his writings were included as a chapter in an Anthology of his dear late friend Jan Kerouac.
Wolf of the Aegean draws from the history of the Ottoman Empire for its setting, characters, and story. What about the Ottoman Empire and that period interested you to the point you knew you had to write your own story in that setting?
All Empires must be at war, constantly expanding to maintain power but doom themselves. When the first antecedents of humans desired the water hole, they killed and took feeling they were the stronger and thus entitled. Never considering to share and work for the common good with the considered rivals.
I’ve been fascinated by history my entire life and when the story came to me I saw the entirety as the archetype of the constant Now. Thus, I chose the Ottoman Empire, the scourge of the Christian Empires, and the perfect antagonist with Allah’s approval. The Ottoman were viciously virulent as the Spanish Empire, evidenced with Iberian’s destruction of the Caribbean and Mexico, the Roman Church sanctioning with God’s approval. I realized the Church and State are in cahoots and responsible in keeping the Empire amassing for survival, whilst the conquered common were tread underfoot, and the vicious Ottoman was very good at maintaining that cruel reality under horrific threat.
How did you go about creating a setting that was authentic to the Ottoman Empire’s history, yet felt real to the reader? Did you have to do a lot of research? If so, what did your research process look like?
As a lad, my close friends were cosmopolitan: Armenian, Lebanese, Egyptian, and the foreign exchange students. They were raised tribally, as was I, and we melded wonderfully. This is where I learned the beauty of other cultures.
Having a general understanding and knowledge of the Ottoman Empire and knowledge of the area and the principalities dotting the Mediterranean Sea, I still researched including the languages and had a huge stack of printed incidentals atop my printer concerning the Empires.
From the Caribbean to the Aegean, Constantinople, Russia, and the Sea of Azov I moved writing the voyages. I garnered information concerning the Orthodoxy, Islam, and studied my notes inclusive with my knack at inviting the readers into understanding survival and motivation to live under oppression and death. Bon Jour Freedom Fighters and Pirate outlaws.
Before writing Wolf of the Aegean, you have written short fiction and poetry. What did you learn from writing shorter works like that that you carried into writing this novel-length work?
I can elaborate but learned to enjoy short and sweet Haiku and Zen poetry. The Seafourthe Saga when finished was at about a million words. I’ve shortened it to five hundred thousand words. Thus, I also learned to not bore readers with reiterations. The Saga moves as if at sea under full sail.
Who (or what) are your writing inspirations?
I’m inspired by all the great writers of fiction, especially historical circumstances. Robert Graves, the Bronte sisters, Mary Renault, Charles Dickens, Victor Hugo, General Lew Wallace, and the such.
Which of the characters in Wolf of the Aegean do you hold particularly close to your heart? How did you develop these characters?
I’ve enjoyed the protagonists, my old friends, but I wrote a little of myself in the characters of Theron Kahlil, assassin and scribe, and Robur Andre Morel du Arles, premiere Highwayman of France that the Wolf saves from the Corsaire and invites aboard the Vengeance.
Wolf of the Aegean is the first book in the Seafourthe Saga. Can you give us a sneak peek at what to expect in the next book?
Book Two: Wolves and Empires: Directed to France by the Orthodox Church, the men and women of the Vengeance are now privateering for Cardinal Richelieu. After The Wolf survives a duel at the Chateau-Versailles, the Red Eminence Richelieu directs Capitaine Dumaine sail to the Spanish Main in the Caribbean to meet with the Holy Trinity, the Wolf’s partners, off the Yucatan Peninsula. The Wolf of the Aegean with the Holy Trinity joins with the infamous Brethren of the Coast at the Isle of Tortuga and the Wolf known for his cunning strategically presents a plan to heist taking Spain’s major shipping port at Vera Cruz, Mexico.
The Privateers return to France and Capitaine Lucien Dumaine meets Lady Lynden Seafourthe. Both are struck by love at first sight and realize it is not a myth. Lady Seafourthe is owner of the Joyful Widows, most fashionable apparel salon in Paris presents the Wolf a sailing contract voyaging unto the Japan Sea of Seppuku Skies, to garner silk and corner the market in Europe. He accepts what will be a harrowing voyage which leads into Book Three, Dragon Silk.
‘The Captain, standing with Lady Seafourthe and Mistress Nanciene at the rail of the castle deck, shouted to his partner, Ariel ben-Denyen, “Ariel, we will venture the vast unto ocean’s far verge, until sea and sky vanish. For there is not sea enough, nor time enough, nor world enough to fulfill what we must accomplish, but we shall sail beyond the edge of the world seeking.”
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