Author Accent by Lucid Style

So, who is Tim Ahrens, anyway? A brief biography of Tim, and the inspirations that led him toward writing are revealed herein...

When Tim Ahrens tells a story, he writes in a way that allows the reader to intimately experience the characters' lives and their adventures in the story. For Tim, this is the most enjoyable aspect of writing. That and, of course, his readers' enjoyment of his creations.

Tim Ahrens grew up in Madison, Wisconsin. He has always enjoyed good stories, comics, books, games, and movies. Often, he enjoyed these diversions as a way of escaping the difficulties in his own life. In his early years he would watch B sword and sorcery movies and found that his imagination was really inspired by them. Tim remembers one occasion as a young teenager having just seen a movie with two very good friends, and after the movie critiquing the film together. Tim had explained to his friends how he would have changed details of the film and corrected the plot in some areas to make it a better movie. One of the friends then invited Tim to write a short story with him. Starting a pastime he would continue to work on and develop for more than thirty years, and one that would also foster his creativity, Tim agreed.

Tim's use of characters is the momentum behind his stories. Because his stories rely on solid characters, it is crucial for Tim to be able to think and live in his characters' worlds as he writes about them, letting himself get into the mood of the story and the emotions of the characters. Writing within the realms of fantasy and horror allows Tim both to accomplish this without being forced to strictly adhere to scientific rules, as well as to liberally apply his vivid imagination.

Tim is a huge fan of older style films from the 50s through the 70s. Many of the lower-budget films from those decades did not have a lot of special effects and instead relied on the story to pull the audience along. Tim has seen several of these movies that took a series of short films and made them into one cohesive movie. Tim has always wanted to apply this technique to his own works, and when he decided to write The Salvation of Tanlegalle he was immediately drawn to that format.

One author whose works have had a lasting effect on Tim's writings is Piers Anthony, bestselling author and renowned creator of the Xanth fantasy series (which has seen, and continues to see, enormous success throughout the world). Piers Anthony is another writer who has the gift for launching readers into new and provocative worlds, and populating those worlds with memorable and entertaining characters. The characters imagined by Piers and the situations and conflicts they experience leave his readers with a lasting impression; even the occasional presentation of somewhat difficult subject matter is done with tact, honesty, and straightforwardness.

Tim has read and admired the creations of Piers Anthony. Having Piers's words as the foreword for Tim's first published work is an astounding accomplishment that Tim feels reflects positively on his book, and on his career as a writer. “Having grown up reading the works of Piers Anthony,” says Tim, “I can only say that I am overwhelmed that someone of his stature would consider writing a foreword for me. I can only hope to live up to his trust and confidence in my work.”

The short stories contained within Tim's debut are what inspire its central theme. The variety of short stories presented in Tanlegalle will give Tim's readers maximum exposure to the myriad voices he creates and the numerous worlds that those characters inhabit. At the same time, readers have experienced a complete story by the time they arrive at the end of the book. Upon publishing this work, Tim is looking forward to hearing feedback from his readers, to learn which stories of the book will have left the largest impression, and the nature of that reaction.

On the precipice of releasing his first published book, Tim can say that many people have helped him arrive at this position in his writing career. Tim wishes to thank, chief and foremost, his best friend in the entire world, Timothy Atkinson. “If it were not for him,” Tim says, “I would not be writing at all. It was he who first motivated me to put pen to paper.” Another helpful friend along the way was Tim's first cowriter, Jason Yapp, who, Tim says, “got me interested in writing something longer than a paragraph.”

Tim continues, “There are a lot of people, and to those I will always be grateful; some of whom are Neil Riebe, Bernie Schloemmer, and Eric and Jean Turman. And of course my parents, who never lost faith in me.”

Keep up to date on Tim Ahrens's world and writings by following the Lucid Style Mewsings blog!