From Solitary Adventures to Literary Landscapes

A Journey into the Realm of Author Brett Comeau

PHOTO: Author Brett Comeau delves into the realms of imagination,
crafting tales that transcend boundaries.

In the world of literature, there's an undeniable allure to the minds behind the tales we lose ourselves in. They craft worlds, build characters, and unveil stories that captivate our imaginations. In this issue of The Reader's House magazine, we dive into the creative realm of Author Brett Comeau, a storyteller whose journey from solitary childhood adventures to the vibrant realms of fantasy and science fiction is as intriguing as the narratives he weaves.

Brett's origins trace back to Boston, Massachusetts, where the seeds of storytelling were sown during moments of solitary play. An upbringing with a significant age gap from his siblings led him to create his own adventures, a catalyst for his lifelong love affair with stories. It was a box of old Tom Swift adventure books that his mother bestowed upon him that truly ignited the fire of imagination, leading Brett to discover new worlds within the pages.

His love for fantasy solidified when a friend introduced him to the realms of the Forgotten Realms series. From that moment, Brett's journey through literary landscapes expanded exponentially, delving into the worlds of Dragonlance, Lord of the Rings, and beyond, encompassing both mainstream epics and self-published gems.

Yet, beyond the pen and paper, Brett's passions extend to diverse pursuits—poker games, martial arts like Uechi-Ryu, Iaido, Kenjutsu, and teaching kickboxing at the local YMCA, a testament to his multifaceted interests and energy.

In our exclusive interview, Brett shares insights into his literary influences and personal favorites, from Stephen King's versatile storytelling to the unconventional heroism of Madmartigan from the movie "Willow," a character who embodies an unrefined and authentic heroism—a trait that resonates deeply with Brett.

Reflecting on his childhood reading habits, Brett humorously recalls a summer consumed by the entire Tom Swift series, an event that marked a turning point in his life, solidifying his commitment to the written word. His recurring returns to Stephen King's Gunslinger series highlight the profound impact a narrative can have on one's life, becoming a constant companion through the years.

With candid honesty, Brett shares his journey to becoming a writer, acknowledging the twists and turns that led him to discover his true passion later in life. His forthcoming series, born from a desire to spotlight the often overlooked sidekick, promises to offer readers a fresh perspective on heroism and storytelling.

In the realm of writer's block, Brett's methodical approach to outlining coupled with his incessantly curious mind keep the creative juices flowing, ensuring that his narratives flourish without the hindrance of creative droughts.

Join us as we delve deeper into the creative cosmos of Brett Comeau, exploring the genesis of his stories, the essence of his inspirations, and the imaginative landscape he invites readers to traverse.

This interview promises not just a glimpse into the mind of an author but an invitation to embrace the unexpected and celebrate the power of imagination. Welcome to the world of Brett Comeau—a realm where heroes emerge from unexpected places, and stories transport us to uncharted realms.

Author Brett Comeau was born in Boston, Massachusetts and makes his home in Harrisburg PA with his wife Linda and their cat Chirp

Growing up there was a large age gap between him and his older brothers and sister. This led Brett to being alone a lot growing up, he started creating stories and adventures with his toys, when his mother give him a box full of old Tom Swift adventure books and encouraged him in reading. Brett had new worlds opened up to him with these new books. Later on when his Friend Matt R lent him his copy of the Forgotten Realms the Crystal Shard the rest was history Brett found his one true love, Fantasy. 

Ever since then Brett has been a fan of fiction stories especially sci fi and fantasy from when he was kid he started with the forgotten realms books, the dragon lance books,  lord of the rings and comics. He later moved onto more adult books like Game of thrones, the Gunslinger series by Stephen King and independent self published books.

Other than tellings stories Brett loves to play poker and practice martial arts Including Uechi-Ryu, Iaido and Kenjutsu He also teaches kickboxing at the YCMA in his area.

Which writers — working today do you admire most?

There are 2 big names that pop into my head the first is Stephen King. He has crossed genres but his writing voice seems to always deliver, and the stories I read always speak to me. The second is a writer I admire for a different reason James Patterson, I don’t think I have ever seen a writer that has more of a business mindset when it comes to his writing. You can hate his writing style but you can’t argue against his success. 

Who is your favorite fictional hero or heroine? 

This isn’t a book hero but Madmatigan from the movie Willow is the hero I always come back to, he was my first example of a hero that just cut loose. He wasn’t proper and polite he was gritty and real (and honestly seems like a fun guy to have a beer with). 

What kind of reader were you as a child? 

Kind of obsessive lol I will never forget the summer my life changed forever. My mother brought be a box of books, it included the entire run to the Tom Swift inventor books, my summer was officially cancelled Haha! I read the entire 40 book series in like 2 months, that summer changed my life. 

What books do you find yourself returning to again and again?

I am drawn back to Stephen King’s Gunslinger series over and over. It had such a huge impact on my life, I was heartbroken when I finished series that I had been reading for over 20 years. Every time he got ready to release the new book in the series I was so excited. 

What books are you embarrassed not to have read yet?

The lord of the rings I have read the hobbit a bunch of times but every time I tried reading the trilogy I just couldn’t connect with it. And then they made the movies and I don’t know I just didn’t want the books to ruin the movies for me, I know that is sacrilege but it’s true. 

Did you always want to be a writer? 

God no! in fact I wish I had, the simple truth is it took a long time for me to get there. If I could have a tag line for my 20’s and 30’s it would have been “wow! That did not work!” I tried so many things but didn’t really love any of them so I failed alot. I wasn’t until my mid 40’s that I realized I wanted to become a writer. 

What was your inspiration to write this story? 

I have always connected with the sidekick characters, I don’t know what that says about me as a person but when I was reading comics for example I would much rather read about Robin than Batman. So I wanted to create a story where the sidekick is the hero and the hero is the sidekick. That was the inspiration for my story. 

Is this a one off or the start of a series? 

It’s a series, it will either be 5 or 6 books. Not totally sure, In fact it started as a trilogy but it was my writing coach that convinced me the story needed more room to breath and once I relaxed and opened my mind to the possibility I was really excited about going longer. 

Do you have a lot of writers block? 

No not really for two reasons first I am a huge outliner. I outline the story, every scene, the character arcs, the conflict in every scene what each character wants to accomplish in every scene etc. so when it comes to writing the actually first draft all I need to do is connect the dots. The second advantage I have is my total ADHD brain, so even when I am working on something else my brain is working on the problem in the background. Eventually the idea comes to me.

PHOTO: Join the thrilling battle as 'Nameless Vs The Army of the Dead' unfolds
—an epic saga of unexpected heroes and relentless darkness, penned by Author Brett Comeau.

*Praise 

Being a first time author I didn’t have many testimonials but I received one the other day from my ARC team for my upcoming book 

Brett Comeau’s Characters are well fleshed out and fully believable – not to mention amusing and endearing. However, this is not done at the expense of the plot which has more than enough twists and turns to keep you reading. Drawing on well-loved themes and reinterpreting historical idea this book also keeps you thinking (in a good way) and guessing, which is something I want from a book. 

This one, “nameless vs the Army of the Dead” stands alone as a great read but you will want to follow these people on their further adventures as well. I know I will. 

To say that this review made my day would be an understatement! 

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