R.M. Tembreull is an author, an artist, and a twenty-six-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force. His life experience and love of the natural world informs his writing and led to the concept of telling his stories through the eyes of a sentient planet. Fractured State in the Blighted Earth (Atmosphere Press, September 2024) is Raymund’s debut eco-fantasy novel and the first of a nine-book series. Look for him on his website TheBlightedEarth.com, on Instagram and his Amazon author page.
What would you like readers to know about the story you tell in Fractured State?
From my lens, we are currently facing a convergence of extremes — of thought, ideology, emotions, climate, violence, etc. — which present a complex set of asymmetric conditions. One could think of it as a synthetic virus, but at the very least, an affliction challenging human existence. One might say this collection of extremes is humanity’s blight. So, I would ask my readers to ponder the following questions as they read Fractured State in the Blighted Earth: Are homo sapiens not the dominant species? Is it not our duty to address this multi-source affliction on behalf of the planet? If you looked at Earth Mother as one living body as she is described in Fractured State, She is hemorrhaging, and who would be in the best position to staunch the bleeding if not Her most gifted children?
By reading Fractured State you are starting a journey into a fantastical world which largely exists outside our known reality and beyond the limits of human perception. I sincerely hope the journey brings you as much entertainment and enjoyment as it did me in the creation of it. While giving you opportunities to think critically about our world, it challenges, and what you could do to cure the blight!
When you began writing this novel, what did you hope to accomplish?
Fractured State is only the beginning of an epic journey in a series which is currently planned to be nine novels. Book one is very much a stage-setter for a supernatural saga, introducing the reader to a world within a world, establishing a primary story arc, and introducing characters; some of whom will not play major roles until later books. As with all world building endeavors, I hope my story keeps the reader engaged, and I make a plausible case for how we could arrive at a continent on the environmental brink and a once proud nation becoming the “Fractured States of America.” I aspire to accomplish this through an artful blending of real-world events and science-backed facts combined with the actions and influences of powerful supernatural beings and timeless universal entities. Some of the feedback I have received from reputable review agencies since release would suggest I was successful in my goals, but whether I can successfully reach a wider audience (and my stories and messages resonate with readers out there) remains to be seen.
Who are your main characters, and what hurdles are they trying to overcome?
Some of the main (enduring) characters for the series are only introduced in Fractured State because they have expanded roles in the story arcs of future books. I also want to highlight that all the characters (except for the Texas-based ones, e.g., Arden, Daryn, Mack, Komkom, Dóatn, etc.) were either prominently featured or referenced in the stories of my first book (Stories, Legends, and Truths from the Blighted Earth). Here is the “short list” for Fractured State:
- The Mothman: In general, the Mothmen are an ancient alien race, the Inani, whose existence can be traced back to the early universe. The Mothman reference ties them to Earth lore, but they live on a world on the “dark side” of the universe at the center of the cosmos. The Inani are governed by a technocratic society where citizens are organized into hierarchical task classes. The Inani must consume matter from the living side (our side) of the universe to sustain their way of life.
- Kieran “Arden” McBride: Arden is a disabled Iraq combat veteran who suffers from Traumatic Brain Injury, among other things. He was homeless for a time until he was taken in by the Daryn, the Archdruid of the Druids of Hearthstone Grove in Austin, Texas. Arden serves as his grove’s protector, and with Daryn’s help, has become aware of and is beginning to understand and develop the special abilities of the “Hate-eater.”
- Ithilbor Moonfist, the North American Guardian Spirit: Guardian Spirits occupy the highest rung on the Hierarchy of Sentience, short of Earth Mother Herself. Guardians are aligned with the Epoch in which they serve. Epochs are distinguished by the planet’s dominant species, and Guardian Spirits are created to blend in with and live among them. The current Epoch is that of humankind.
- Nilch’i, Sentient Wind: Nilch’i is Chaos’s top field general and commander of the Formless Column of his army, the En’troop-EE (“EE” = Effector Elements). Though Chaos is a powerful entity whose existence can be traced back to the beginning of the universe, he cannot directly impact any world. Thus, he must work through the sentient denizens of a planet to achieve his destructive aims by corrupting them to his cause. Chaos indirectly wields the wind and fire elements through his Corrupted Formless.
- STEM, the displaced Earth Elemental: STEM is an elemental who suffered a “Dislocation event,” which typically happens when an elemental is transiting their meta’en absent form. Their spirit essence becomes entrapped in some variant of the Manmade; such as urban environments that are constructed from a host of unnatural, human-manipulated materials, or in STEM’s case: the Internet.
- Komkom “Kwin” Akwini, the Tree Spirit: Komkom is a subspecies of Earth Elemental, who has chosen to permanently manifest within a tree form. Kwin’s assigned protectorate encompasses the whole of Sam Houston National Forest in Texas. After Texas violently secedes from the Union and begins to hunt down non-Christians, Kwin provides sanctuary to the druids of Hearthstone Grove.
- Parim, Earth Elemental: Parim, a subspecies of Earth Elements known as a Sand Spirit, is assigned to protect what humans call the United States’ desert Southwest. Because the Guardian Spirit Ithilbor is fully engaged in dealing with Formless-driven wildfires up and down the West Coast, he has charged Parim with organizing a holding action in the Southwest to blunt any aggression and violent expansion activities by the seditionist “Lone Star Nation.” Parim and Nilch’i are long time nemeses.
What is the main setting of the book? Why is it the perfect place for your story to unfold?
To set the table for the storyline, I needed the right set of conditions for Chaos to exploit in His relentless pursuit to initiate the Great Cascade and bring about the Discordant on Earth. In the United States, the makings of environmental catastrophe (extended drought, wildfires, natural habitat erosion, human over-settlement, etc.) have been present and worsening for some time with climate change driving more destructive weather extremes. Additionally, the novel was written during the trials and tribulations we all endured during the COVID pandemic and the unfortunate events in the aftermath of the 2020 Presidential election. When coupled with all the global threats, conflict, and uncertainty which have emerged in the last few years, along with their corresponding negative effects on our collective state of mind and emotions, the real world itself provided all the drama and necessary ingredients for ruinous potential on a continental scale. The final step was to inject the enduring struggle of otherworldly entities and supernatural beings into volatile mix—and viola—I had everything needed to create the “fractured state.” During the writing process, very little changed in the overall national setting, but local places, encounters, and characters within Arden’s story arc evolved as I achieved greater fidelity on the Druid’s supernatural powers and the overall impact I wanted him to have in the series. These considerations drove the choice of settings and locations within the state of Texas.
What was the most difficult aspect of world building for the Blighted Earth series?
The most difficult aspect of world building was developing the rule set which governs my fictional world. Without them, the story has no guideposts or structure, and even fantasy needs rules. If anything can happen without any corresponding cause-and-effect or impact, then nothing really matters. That makes it hard for a reader to become invested in the story and the characters. In Fractured State, the Earth-born characters all possess an immortal spirit essence or soul gifted to them by a sentient world (Earth Mother). Consequently, all life on earth progresses through many lives, and ideally, each of us can earn the privilege of becoming a High Sentient in service of the Natural Order by living well during our life chain. I even had to develop my own universe creation myth to explain everything from the origin of the alien race; to how life in our galaxy came to exist; to how the cosmos is structured and functions, etc. Fortunately, for me, the heavy lift for my world building and character-type development occurred in the writing of my first collection of stories. So, Fractured State, for the most part, just had to follow the rule set and employ character types that were already developed.
How did the book come together?
Strangely enough, other books in the series were written first. In fact, the first four books were originally intended to be one book, but it would have been far too long (especially for publishing as an indie author, where you must do a lot of the work yourself). Most of the formative writing happened during the lockdown associated with the COVID Pandemic in 2020. Fractured State was primarily written after the drafts for Books 2-4 were finished.
In terms of project timelines, it probably took about six months for the first draft. I signed a contract with Atmosphere Press in July 2023. After developmental editing, proof editing, interior and cover design, and pre-release promotion work (with multiple reviews/edits in between), the book was released on September 1, 2024. So, in total, I estimate the whole project took over a year and half, excluding gaps associated with work obligations and other projects.
What was your favorite part of putting this project together?
I think my favorite part of this or any other writing project is the beginning: the process of initial, raw creation when you have a concept and need to add the literary “meat on the bone” from idea to actual story. When I am in that creative flow, ideas can come from anywhere, at any time. I have lost more than my fair share of genius thoughts, so I always carry a notepad or some way to capture story ideas, potential research sources, etc. I just love being in the flow. I sometimes get lost “in there” for a couple hours and come out on the other end with 10-15 rough draft pages of potential greatness. Few things in this world drive you to be present in the moment inside your head like writing!
Explain what eco-fantasy is and why Fractured State fits in this genre.
Eco-fantasy, like any good fantasy, involves intricate world building but the created world does not involve one that is separate and distinct from our own. In achieving this, eco-fantasy authors must look inward vice outward. However, because this genre has ecological underpinnings, the world is centered in the natural world even though it involves supernatural forces and beings. Technically, I would describe eco-fantasy as speculative fiction which melds dystopian climate-change, the supernatural, and mythology and folklore to create a world within our earthly world. Finally, on a more serious note, eco-fantasy also seeks to highlight and engage readers to think critically about global challenges in the interests of preserving our planet through maintaining healthy biodiversity and a balanced relationship with nature. When assessed against this criteria, Fractured State in the Blighted Earth exemplifies the very definition of this new genre.
Your 2023 book Stories, Legends, and Truths from the Blighted Earth is a collection of short stories from the same universe as your 2024 novel. What were you trying to accomplish with these stories, and should readers read this book alongside (or before) the novel?
My 2023 story collection progressively knits together the world of the Fractured State with stories that feature everything from a universe creation myth to stories revealing the different character types to how the supernatural world imbedded within our own works. Every world-building exercise needs to establish a set of rules that governs the world. The story collection accomplishes this complex task by unveiling the hidden world through presented artifacts which are intended to draw the reader in. Stories, Legends, and Truths is a diverse collection in which there is something for everyone regardless of preferred genre. Reading the collection first will provide additional insight and enrich the experience of reading Fractured State, but the novel was designed to stand alone.
Tell us about your writing process and/or your writing routine.
I can say I am most productively creative in the morning so that is when I try to carve out time for “real” — initial draft — kind of wring. Ideas seem to flow the best then; probably because I have not allowed myself to get bogged down with the day’s tasks and stressors. I reserve later parts of the day for more tedious activities, like reviewing/editing manuscripts, working on promotions activities, updating websites, etc. I typically work on illustrations and social media posts at night, because I can work on that stuff while the TV is on, etc. I still work full-time, so I must work all this in around my professional obligations.
Do you have a message or a theme that recurs in your writing?
I explore several themes in Fractured State, and to me, some of the more important ones are: human belief systems and the huge impacts they have had on the environment and biodiversity of world; adverse impacts of our technology; rise of incivility in human civilization; storytelling being co-opted to insidious ends; and the process of radicalization and the rising threat of ‘homegrown’ violent extremists to our American democracy.
What writing projects are you working on now?
I am working on the second book of the series, Long Leg from the Blighted Earth, which will unveil a new story arc and more amazing characters. The Long Leg manuscript is completely knitted together, and I am about 50 percent complete on what I call a fine editing run. Like Fractured State, my second novel will also be illustrated so I am concurrently working on the artwork as well. I plan to have the book published in late 2025. I am also working on a heavily illustrated novella entitled Green Girl that follows a character who was introduced in my story collection. However, the novella has been set aside for now so I can focus on getting Long Leg finalized and handed off to my publisher. Besides the art for books, I am always working on content for my website, Instagram posts, etc. Additionally, some of my art will be featured in an anthology published in early 2025 through the Armed Services Arts Partnership.
Is there anything else you’d like readers to know?
Many of the themes of Fractured State may seem daunting, even overwhelming, because they are tied to daunting and overwhelming threats and challenges that we face in our world today: climate change, global warming, the rise of incivility and intolerance, and the fall of truth. However, I want readers to understand that the concerning “state of things” did not happen overnight. It happened over years, decades, and centuries, and it was the result of individual choices. Making the right choices, such as changing our imbalanced relationship with nature and starting the movements that convince others to do the same, are what is going to get us back on a good path and heal our world.
My perfect reader is open-minded and not stuck to one genre. They love good nature-centered, speculative fiction with intricate world building that is rooted in real events, places, and people. They love surprising and unique characters and want to be entertained as much as they want to be challenged to think critically.
KL Wagoner loves creating worlds of fantasy and science fiction. Her current work in progress is The Last Bonekeeper fantasy trilogy and short stories in the same universe. A member of SouthWest Writers since 2006, Kat has worked as the organization’s secretary, newsletter editor, website manager, and author interview coordinator. Kat is also a veteran, a martial art student, and a grandmother. Visit her at klwagoner.com.
Su Lierz writes dark fiction, short story fiction, and personal essays. Her short story “Twelve Days in April,” written under the pen name Laney Payne, appeared in the 2018 SouthWest Writers Sage Anthology. Su was a finalist in the 2017 and 2018 Albuquerque Museum Authors Festival Writing Contest. She lives in Corrales, New Mexico, with her husband Dennis.
