Leave My Ashes on Blackheart Mountain by Dave Matthes

In regards to the history and the foundation of the book “Blackheart Mountain” itself, I purposely didn’t go terribly in depth with the history of how the world “fell” in my book, because how the world ended is really not what the story is about, and it would just seem like unecessary info to detract from what was going on in the story. There was a lot of time and research put into Native American history, Manifestation Destiny, and the historical figures having lived during that time period. What were some challenges you set for yourself as a writer with this book? Most of my research for the stories I write is done on my personal time. I can say that many people I met in college influenced some of the characters I’ve written about, but that’s where it ends. There isn’t a shred of my formal educational background that I can say helped with my writing career. Has your familiarity with these subjects helped you write your books?Īctually not at all.

I understand that you have an educational background in computer engineering, automotive science and criminal justice. So there will most likely be four books total for Mahoney and the world he lives in. About halfway through finishing the first draft of “Blackheart Mountain”, I came up with a story for a third book, to take place after “Mercy”, and just before finishing “Blackheart Mountain”, I came up with an idea for another story for Mahoney. While writing “Mercy”, it started off as simply another run of the mill post-apocalypse story that I began writing out of trying something new, since I don’t really dabble too much in either genres of westerns, science fiction, or post-apocalypseness, but as with everything I write, and I’m sure as it happens with a lot of writers, the story and the subject nature just kind of evolve on its own.

“Mercy” was so well received that it got me thinking about writing more for the character of Mahoney.

“Blackheart Mountain” is actually a prequel to a novella I wrote last year, titled “Mercy”, which was only supposed to be a one-shot story. Did you start writing with this in mind, or did this happen organically as you were writing? Leave My Ashes on Blackheart Mountain is a genre-crossing novel with elements of a western, action, and science fiction as well.

Leave My Ashes on Blackheart Mountain by Dave Matthes