Q&A With J.M. Shaw 

Mickey Mikkelson was kind enough to connect me with J.M. Shaw who’s the fantasy author of the Calum Walker series. The books are Calum Walker And The Ascension, Calum Walker And The Convergence, & Callum Walker And The Fractured Veil. The Callum Walker Series – J.M. Shaw (jmshawauthor.com)

 Q: J.M. would you please give a brief description of each of your books in the Calum Walker series starting with book one?

A: THE ASCENSION

A magical war is brewing. While humankind is blissfully unaware, two evil brothers, a sorcerer and a necromancer, are marshalling deadly supernatural forces and armies of mythical creatures in a bid to destroy one another. The triumphant warlord will be free to impose their dominion over Earth’s natural world and a coexisting magical realm concealed from human knowledge behind an ethereal veil.

Meanwhile, Callum Walker is an introverted young man born with gifts that he struggles to understand. As monsters begin wreaking havoc in his city, Callum is compelled to use his unmastered arcane abilities to combat the growing menace. Unfortunately, the scheming warlords notice his vigilante escapades, and both see Callum as a potential threat.

Before coming to terms with his extraordinary powers, Callum discovers a cryptic prophecy that proclaims he will end the pervasive warfare now breaching the veil. However, Callum soon finds himself pursued by the agents of both factions, plus those seeking personal sanctuary or offering to help.

Ultimately, Callum Walker must overcome his fears and doubts if he hopes to survive, let alone bring the conflict to an end.

THE CONVERGENCE

The Winter War is over, but another battle has begun—the tug-of-war between the darkness and the purveyor of light. Theia, The Goddess of Light, steward of goodness and life, must square off against her counterpart, Omus, The Eternal Darkness, fomenter of corruption and death.

Following the ravages of warfare, Esme, the elven queen, is desperate to maintain her hold on her kingdom. Desiring uncontestable power to maintain her reign, she sells her soul to The Eternal Darkness, Omus. This spirit of darkness tricks Esme into becoming his vessel, dominating and suppressing her in his own pursuit of ultimate, unchallenged authority over The Goddess of Light, the warlock, and the world at large.

After narrowly escaping death, Callum Walker has reluctantly accepted his destiny as a warlock, but he struggles to understand and manage his arcane power. Attempting to regain some normalcy in his chaotic life, Callum leaves the magical realm, crossing the hidden veil and returning to the land of humans. Soon after, he is begrudgingly dragged into another conflict. Guided by Theia, The Goddess of Light, Callum commits to using his magic to ensure that the light will prevail over the darkness.

Confronted by orcs, harpies, and other obstacles, Callum forges on, seeking to discern who his true enemies are, who will betray him, and who will aid him in saving the world from damnation.

THE FRACTURED VEIL

Callum Walker triumphed over the darkest of evils but, in doing so, the veil separating humankind from the magical realm was damaged. To protect humanity, Callum patrols the border to prevent malicious vagrants from wreaking havoc. Realizing his self-assigned task is impossible and, after failing to garner support from his elven allies, Callum sets out to repair the fractured veil…alone.

After the veils near collapse, Neola, the goddess of the veil, calls upon her demigod son, Jax Foster, to determine if the responsible one poses any further threat to the barrier. Jax finds Callum and accosts him for answers, seriously injuring him in the process. Learning that they are both protecting the veil, Jax atones by forcing Callum to accept help, and their friendship develops.

Meanwhile, the Harpies resent the warlock’s previous escape from their clutches. They manipulate the goddesses of vengeance and retribution, the Furies, into effecting their revenge. As Callum begins to heal, the Furies abduct and pronounce him guilty of the Harpies’ fabricated crimes. While the warlock endures gruesome tortures, Jax seeks to rescue Callum and risks punishment for past misdeeds.

Callum’s deliverance carries a heavy cost, and his experience leaves him broken. Recovery takes time, but the warlock now has a valuable friend in Jax, and the demigod harbors a hopeful secret for their future.

Q: Where did the idea for the Calum Walker series & the characters in the series come from? How long does it take you to write each book in the series?

A: I’m a very “what if” type of person, and my muse for this series was sparked after asking myself “what if fairy tales were more than stories, and monsters were flesh and blood?” 

Being a big believer of good triumphing over evil, I started my story with the idea that my protagonist would strive to do good in the world, whether they wanted to or not. During the writing process, I was inspired by the Arthurian myths about the great wizard, Merlin.

I can write a rough draft for each of my novels in about one to three months, but editing, formatting, and proofreading can take at least three times that long. Every book is published in a mammoth process, requiring patience, determination, and courage.

Q: Are you writing the next book in the Calum Walker series, a spin off series, a new series or a standalone novel with different stories and characters?

A: I am currently finishing up the fourth novel in my series, which I plan to release in early 2025, and the fifth book is also in the works. While I know where this series will end, I’m unsure how many books it will take to get there.

As for other projects, I am toying with the idea of working on a standalone novel, something more sci-fi that fantasy, as well as branching off and exploring the backstory for some of the other vital characters my protagonist has met along his journey.

Q: If Hollywood were to get the rights to your Calum Walker series, who would be your dream cast to play Calum and the other characters you created?

A: My dream cast for those major characters that have appeared thus far in my series would be as follows:

Callum: played by young Ewan McGregor

Agis: played by Zachary Quinto.

Frey: played by Ginnifer Goodwin

Esme: played by a young Julie Roberts

Orelia: played by either Meryl Streep or Glenn Close

Jobella: played by either Jennifer Garner or Drew Barrymore

Jax: played by either Chris Pine or Chris Hemsworth

Tess: played by Gal Gadot

Lantia played by Angelina Jolie

 Q: What emotions & lessons do you hope readers feel & learn after reading the Calum Walker series?

A: The over lying theme in my series is acceptance and belonging. As my protagonist advances his abilities, he slowly gains confidence in himself and learns to trust in those friends he finds along the way. His self-journey is a lesson we can all embrace, realizing that family and friends are of utmost importance and should be cherished.