Nathan Keys and I tried to get this posted last year, but communication errors led to that plan going out the window. But after the Treasure Valley Book Faire a couple of weeks ago, we brushed this up, updated it, and now I’m happy to bring this to you. Hope you enjoy.
Before we get into things, why don’t you give the reader a brief introduction to you and your work.
Hello there! I’m Nathan Keys, author of the epic fantasy adventure series, The Epic of Marindel. My mission is to write captivating stories that will bring readers hope and purpose. I believe every person has a story, and every story is a part of something Greater. My faith in Christ is central to everything I do.
I have three books published as of this interview. Chosen and Redemption are Books I and II in The Epic of Marindel series. I also have a companion study guide called The Great Story of Marindel that offers the Marindel gospel allegory as a stand-alone tale, with guided questions after each chapter for those who would like to dive into the symbolism and Scripture references behind the story. Currently, I’m writing Books III and IV in the fantasy series.
You can find me on Facebook and Instagram @nathankeys23. Below are links to my website, YouTube, Goodreads, and Amazon page.
https://nathankeys.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@nathankeys23
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19341586.Nathan_Keys
https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B07V5CCZWQ/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=c113121d-7d33-402f-8bb4-e29c353973fc&ref_=pe_1724030_132998060
What brought you to Idaho in the first place? What is it about Idaho that keeps you here?
I was born and raised in the Southern California town of Rancho Cucamonga. I moved to San Diego for college, where I lived for ten years until the pandemic hit and I lost the means to afford the big city. My parents had been looking to move out of state for years, but the way the pandemic was handled in California pushed them over the edge, and they bought a property in the Treasure Valley. When they invited me to come with them, what was I going to say, no? We’ve been here for over three years now, and I have no regrets!
My favorite things about Idaho are its abundant natural beauty, the existence of four seasons, and the friendly neighborhood feel that I so rarely encountered in Southern California.
Are you tied into some sort of local author/bookish group/culture? If so, tell us about it and how it helps you as an author. If you’re not, is there a reason for it?
I’ve been part of a Christian writing group called the Kingdom Writers Association (KWA) for several years. I encountered them when I was just finishing the first draft of my first book, and they provided me with valuable information about how to publish, and connections with editors and illustrators. Though it was initially founded in San Diego, KWA has since expanded globally, including a local Boise chapter called Sacred Scribes, which I now help lead. We meet once a month to encourage one another in our writing, just like CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien did in their writing group, the Inklings.
Oh, great! Yet another writing group in the area—I keep finding new ones every time I turn around. Tell us a little about Sacred Scribes—how big is it? How active? Is it more of a mutual encouragement group, or do you critique each other and so on?
Sacred Scribes meets once per month, usually on the first Saturday. We’re pretty small for now, but slowly growing – our average attendance is between 8 and 15 people per meeting, with 65 people in our Facebook group (look this up if you, reader, are curious about joining). Our major focus is encouragement of the writer, though we also do regular writing prompts and critique circles. I’m the point-person for getting more of our published members involved in events like the Treasure Valley Book Faire!
What kind of events in the area do you attend—either to sell/promote your books or to network with authors? Are there any outside of this area that you hit regularly and wish we had something like it here?
Being relatively new to Idaho, I’m still learning about all the events that are possible to attend. I’m very pleased to see the local author/bookish community in the Treasure Valley growing so quickly. I was worried there would be fewer opportunities here than there were in San Diego, but it seems like each library in the TV is trying to put on an event at least annually. I’m also curious to discover which craft/community fairs will allow book tables. I’m sure there are more opportunities here than I’m aware of, so I’m open to suggestions!
If there are community/craft fairs that don’t allow them, I haven’t heard of any. I’m always getting tips from friends who attend more of them than I can.
What’s the breakdown of your audience—do you have a strong local base, or are your readers from other parts of the world?
I have a growing local fan base, which I’m very thankful for. Word-of-mouth is my favorite way to market! However, through my connections with the Kingdom Writers Association and as I grow my social media following, I have fans popping up all over the country. I’ve even gotten a few sales internationally. A library in the UK recently stocked my first book!
I have to imagine that hearing about that UK library had to be a great encouragement. Do you have solid plans for how to grow your social media following? I’m just curious about how authors experiment with these kinds of things. Have you tried some things previously that haven’t worked out?
For now, consistency is key. I’m not willing to allow social media to drain me, so I set realistic goals that I know I can accomplish, even if it’s less than what some other authors are doing. Right now, my goal is posting consistently twice per week. As for things that haven’t worked, I haven’t seen much luck with paid ads, though I think it may require more experimentation on my part.
Do you think there are particular challenges or advantages to being a writer in the Treasure Valley? (possibly both)
For advantages, the community-forward culture of the Treasure Valley makes it easier to connect with people through word-of-mouth. Getting into events at libraries, bookstores, etc. is also much less competitive than what I experienced in California with my first book release (2019). Here, I feel it’s much easier for indie authors to make connections and find their fan base. As for challenges, all I can think of is the lack of bigger writers’ groups and writing conferences that bring in renowned field experts. A TV writer will have to travel to take advantage of those!
You mentioned finding your fan base here. A couple of weeks ago, we were both at the same event, and I talked to someone who was so excited that their “favorite writer” had a table there—you. So you’re at least finding some fans here—has there been a strategy behind that, or is it just happening?
It’s happening by me showing up, being present, and talking to people! At every event I attend, networking is the most important objective. I don’t stress too much about sales, at least not in the short-term sense. Personal connection and brand familiarity often precede sales.
Do you bring Idaho (or some sort of Idaho-sensibility, assuming one exists) to your work? Whether or not anyone else sees it, can you look at some aspect of your writing and think, “That’s Idaho” or “I would do ____ differently if I was a Kentuckian or from Illinois?”
In my WIP (Marindel Book 3), I’ve introduced a tavern called “The Hardy Bluebird,” which is an intentional reference to Idaho’s state bird. The tavern’s entrance sign depicts a flying bluebird clutching a sage branch in its talons. The setting is more or less a ghost town (as much as a fantasy realm can delve into the wild west genre), and it’s very exploratory at the moment, but I’m enjoying the world-building so far!
One final question, is there a book (or two…or 18, if you get really carried away), that embodies Idaho/the Idaho spirit to you to recommend to my readers?
This is a question I’d like to turn on everyone reading this. I love both history and historical fiction, and I’m still getting familiar with Idaho’s story. Any recommendations?
Readers, feel free to give him some recs! I have a couple of ideas, but I’d love to hear yours.
Thanks for your time and participation! Hope you enjoyed it!
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