When did you start writing?
I started writing when I was 16. I was a junior in high school at the time.
What inspired you to write?
I was inspired by Brandon Sanderson’s The Hero of Ages. The hard magic system and the way the complex plot threads all came together blew my mind. Even though I was only in 7th grade, I knew I had to write a fantasy book of my own. Now, I’m writing a trilogy.
Where did you get your ideas for The Fallstreak Arsenal? What do you look at now?
I moved a lot when I was younger, so I never really fit in. Imagination was an escape. Greek mythology, fantasy, and science fiction were all a big part of my life, so Avenshra’s an amalgamation of a lot of different things.
Now that I’m older, most of my ideas come from science, HEMA, and religion/philosophy.
How much do you write/edit a day?
It really depends. At my most productive, I can write 20 pages or edit 30-100 pages in a day.
Are your characters based on real people?
No, my characters are entirely fictional. If you’re one of my friends (or enemies?) and you’re poring over A Sound of Steel to find your cameo, you’re going to be there a while.
Do you write anything other than fantasy?
I write philosophical poetry. I also write science fiction and short stories in a variety of genres.
What’s your involvement in HEMA?
I’ve done HEMA for 6 years, competing in multiple tournaments. I was president of the HEMA club at my university, Lost Arts Historical Fencing (LAHF), for one-and-a-half years (July 2020-January 2022), and I competed in CombatCon 2021 and Salt Lake Open 2022, which really deepened my love for the sport. I mainly fight longsword, but I’ve also fought with a variety of other weapons. I’m most experienced in the fencing of Fiore de’i Liberi, Joachim Meyer, and Paulus Hector Mair.
Why isn’t there more HEMA in your work?
Before I got into HEMA, I knew very little about sword-fighting. A Sound of Steel looks totally different from what it looked like at the beginning. That said, fantasy weapons and fighting are a lot of fun, so my book isn’t strictly historical, nor does it claim to be. Fantasy wouldn’t be fantasy if it was the same as real life.
Why haven’t you credited an artist for your illustrations?
I haven’t credited an artist, because I am the artist.
What content will I receive if I sign up for your newsletter?
You’ll receive early access to chapters from A Shadow of Blood and A Blaze of Light once I start working on them.
How can I get in touch with you?
I don’t have an agent, so shoot me an email at nicholas.roudas@gmail.com
Personal Questions
What are your hobbies?
I have a million hobbies, including HEMA, writing, drawing, painting, weightlifting, calisthenics, bodybuilding, reading, boxing, taekwondo, muay thai, arnis/escrima, mindfulness, iron shirt and iron fist kung fu, cold meditation, freediving, Magic: The Gathering, cooking, Ripstik, bonsai, whistling, and beading. Phew.
What’s your ethnicity?
I’m half Greek and half Polish.
What’s your religion and/or philosophy?
I’m an agnostic, an existentialist, and a non-punk follower of the straight edge movement.
Do you know any foreign languages?
I’m fluent in Greek and Spanish. I also know some French.
What’s your favorite:
book?
Thus Spoke Zarathustra-Friedrich Nietzche
quote?
“Ice is better once it melts. How much better if it had never been frozen.”
-Liu An
movie?
Artificial Intelligence
band?
Lorn
song?
Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake Op. 20
TV show?
Netflix’ Daredevil
painting?
Wanderer above the Sea of Fog-Caspar David Friedrich
Nicholas Roudas 