I had the great opportunity to interview my friend and author, Scott Reintgen!! Continue reading to find out about his books!!
About Scott:
Scott Reintgen is an author of science fiction and fantasy books.
He wrote the Nyxia trilogy, as well as Saving Fable, Escaping Ordinary (Fall 2020), Ashlords and Bloodsworn (2021). He began his career as an English and Creative Writing teacher in North Carolina. He strongly believes that every student who steps into the classroom deserves to see themselves, vibrant and victorious and on the page. It’s his hope to encourage a future full of diverse writers. He currently lives in North Carolina with his wife Katie and his two boys, Henry and Thomas.
Thank you so much for agreeing to do this with me!
Scott: Always happy to chat!
Let’s start off with an easy question, who or what first got you into reading/writing?
Scott: I think the biggest source was video games. I grew up playing with my brothers, and every MMORPG we played was full of stories. My very first writing was basically fan fiction of World of Warcraft. I owe a lot to the creativity of video games for sparking my own stories.
Which came first your love to read or your love to write?
Scott: Technically, I think writing wins here. I had a moment in 4th grade where I “published” a book with my class. It was such a big deal to me. Later, in 7th grade, I became a big-time reader by finding the right book for me.
If you could explain The Nyxia Triad in only three words for the rest of your life what words would you choose?
Scott: Three is tough! I’ve only ever been able to shorten it to four: Hunger Games in Space.
How have people or events in your life influenced your first three books The Nyxia Triad?
Scott: I had a lot of students put time and energy into the first reading of Nyxia. Their advice really guided me on a lot of what I wrote. I’ve also got my wife and family to thank for being supportive along the way.
If you had the chance to go back and revisit (i.e. write a book from another perspective) any characters or scenes from The Nyxia Triad what characters or scenes would you like to go back and flesh out?
Scott: I wouldn’t mind digging into more of Longwei’s perspective. I’d also like to cover a little bit of what comes after the series concludes.
Jumping away from Nyxia into the pages of Saving Fable, how did this book and series come about?
Scott: Saving Fable actually came before Nyxia. I had this first image of a girl jumping in a puddle and vanishing. A lot changed from that version to this one, but I just wanted to tell a fun story about the world of books.
Have you ever thought how a movie or book series based on these stories play out? Like who would you want to direct or star in?
Scott: Of course! I’m not sure who I’d want to direct or star, but I’m absolutely certain these books would make wonderful movies. In part, because I write in a cinematic style. I grew up watching movies, so my own work is always action-based and fit for the screen.
If you had to choose ONE character from any of your books to be the only person you are to be quarantined with who would it be and why?
Scott: Wow. Haven’t ever been asked this question. I think I’d take Bilal. He makes great tea and is the kindest person in the story.
Thank you for doing this interview with me and I can not wait to see what the future holds for us and your stories!
Scott: Thank you so much for your time!
Visit Scott’s website at https://itspronouncedrankin.com/
What would you be willing to risk for a lifetime of fortune?
Emmett Atwater isn’t just leaving Detroit; he’s leaving Earth. Why the Babel Corporation recruited him is a mystery, but the number of zeroes on their contract has him boarding their lightship and hoping to return to Earth with enough money to take care of his family.
Forever.
Before long, Emmett discovers that he is one of ten recruits, all of whom have troubled pasts and are a long way from home. Now each recruit must earn the right to travel down to the planet of Eden—a planet that Babel has kept hidden—where they will mine a substance called Nyxia that has quietly become the most valuable material in the universe.
But Babel’s ship is full of secrets. And Emmett will face the ultimate choice: win the fortune at any cost, or find a way to fight that won’t forever compromise what it means to be human.
Getting to Eden brought Emmett and his crewmates one step closer to their promised fortune. But surviving Eden may be the biggest reward of all.
Emmett Atwater thought Babel’s game sounded easy. Get points. Get paid. Go home. But it didn’t take long for him to learn that Babel’s competition was full of broken promises, none darker or more damaging than the last one.
Now Emmett and the rest of the Genesis survivors must rally and forge their own path through a new world. Their mission from Babel is simple: extract nyxia, the most valuable material in the universe, and play nice with the indigenous Adamite population.
But Emmett and the others quickly realize they are caught between two powerful forces—Babel and the Adamites—with clashing desires. Will the Genesis team make it out alive before it’s too late?
In the highly anticipated Nyxia Triad series finale, Emmett and the Genesis team must join forces with a surprising set of allies if they’re ever to make it home alive.
Desperate to return home to Earth and claim the reward Babel promised, Emmett and the Genesis team join forces with the Imago. Babel’s initial attack left their home city in ruins, but that was just part of the Imago’s plan. They knew one thing Babel didn’t. This world is coming to an end.
Eden’s two moons are on a collision course no one can prevent. After building eight secret launch stations, the Imago hoped to lure Babel down to their doomed planet as they left it behind. A perfect plan until the Genesis team’s escape route was destroyed.
Now the group must split up to survive the hostile terrain and reach another launch station. As both sides struggle for the upper hand, the fight leads inevitably back into space, where Emmett, his crewmates, and their new allies will fight one final battle for control of the Genesis ships. Win this time, and they’ll survive Babel’s twisted game once and for all. As the Imago world falls, this is the last chance to rise.
Side characters can be heroes too in this charming and fast-paced adventure that is The Land of Stories meets The Phantom Tollbooth!
Indira has been a character-in-waiting her entire life. So she can’t believe her luck when she’s finally chosen to travel to Fable and study at the renowned Protagonist Preparatory, a school known for producing the best heroes.
But Indira’s dreams of achieving hero status don’t exactly go as planned. A failed audition lands her in the school’s side-character track, and her best efforts to prove advisors–famous characters like Alice from Wonderland and Professor Darcy–wrong are constantly sabotaged. Indira is starting to feel like an evil antagonist might be to blame.
As the danger spreads, Indira discovers all of Fable is under siege. With her friends Maxi and Phoenix by her side, she pieces together clues that will reveal who is behind the dark magic threatening them all. But the more Indira uncovers, the more doubt she feels about her place in this world of stories. After all, can a side character really save the day?
Red Rising meets The Scorpio Races in this epic fantasy following three phoenix horse riders–skilled at alchemy–who must compete at The Races–the modern spectacle that has replaced warfare within their empire.
Every year since the Ashlords were gifted phoenix horses by their gods, they’ve raced them. First into battle, then on great hunts, and finally for the pure sport of seeing who rode the fastest. Centuries of blood and fire carved their competition into a more modern spectacle: The Races.
Over the course of a multi-day event, elite riders from clashing cultures vie to be crowned champion. But the modern version of the sport requires more than good riding. Competitors must be skilled at creating and controlling phoenix horses made of ash and alchemy, which are summoned back to life each sunrise with uniquely crafted powers to cover impossible distances and challenges before bursting into flames at sunset. But good alchemy only matters if a rider knows how to defend their phoenix horse at night. Murder is outlawed, but breaking bones and poisoning ashes? That’s all legal and encouraged.
In this year’s Races, eleven riders will compete, but three of them have more to lose than the rest–a champion’s daughter, a scholarship entrant, and a revolutionary’s son. Who will attain their own dream of glory? Or will they all flame out in defeat?
In this action-packed sequel to Saving Fable perfect for readers of The Land of Stories and The Phantom Tollbooth, Indira finds herself thrown into a quest full of dragons, unlikely allies, and high stakes.
It’s been a year since Indira rescued the city of Fable and landed a starring role in a story of her own. Now Indira’s ready for a well-earned vacation.
Too bad her advisors have other plans. In preparation for her story’s sequel, Indira has been enrolled in the Hero’s Journey tutorial, a quest designed to teach her how to be a team player. Indira’s assigned crew is a mix of familiar faces and new friends, each hoping to follow in her footsteps into a story.
Indira is ready for this new challenge–until someone crashes their quest. The intruder is more powerful than anyone she’s faced before and begins transforming Ordinary into a giant video game. Indira’s team will have to level up and outplay their opponent, or else the world’s most beloved stories might be lost forever.
YA Books are Epic 