The Briefest of Introductions
My name is Andrew Gentles. I author works of Grimdark Fantasy and Speculative Fiction. Through my writing, I like to explore power dynamics, rich and tactile settings, intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, plotlines with depth, and imperfect characters. I believe that introducing the supernatural elevates all stories, but the core of any tale needs to feel human.
Background
I hold a Bachelor’s of Science in Physics. I’m 30-some years of age. Working a white-collar job in middle-management highlighted my need for a sense of purpose unrelated to a conventional career. Corporate-centric spreadsheets were something I excel at. I’m not proud of that fact. Yes, that pun was intended. I’m not proud of that fact either. I can hear you yawning through my ethernet cable.
The Monday to Friday workweek grind is a thing I’ve been accustomed to for the better part of a decade. A guy has to eat after all. I’ve come to understand that you can only sit in the car for so long—with the transmission in neutral and your foot on the gas—before the uncanny feeling that you are going nowhere creeps in. So, I’ve left the office and my ‘respectable’ existence for the uncomfortable task of exploring something new. My writing is a big part of that. I hold no literary accolades to brag of. However, I am the proud owner of a humble book collection and a library card with an accrued debt of a dollar-twenty-five in late fees on it. Hopefully, the public library’s interest rates aren’t too high.
The thing is, I love to write.
There are a scant few hours every evening where I get to disappear into a craft I revel in. Minutes where I can explore my mind and create stories from nothing. Seconds where I think what I’m writing might just be saying something.
Should you find some time for me, I’d love to share my work with you.
Writing Philosophy
I believe fiction is a sandbox for the human condition.
What does that mean in terms of my creative approach?
Take the characters, make them believable, make them flawed and relatable. Then put them through adversity and see how they change and react, both physically and spiritually. I want to create a human experience that resonates with readers. One where the stakes and characters feel genuine and grounded in reality, but where the environment is supernatural. I want to write fantasy that makes you feel the human parts of your reality, and the supernatural of your own imagination.
That’s the intent. That’s the promise I try to deliver on at every turn of the page.
Goal
The goal is to create high-quality, engaging reads for the enjoyment of as many people as possible. If that ends up being just one stranger, to whom I sell a single copy—well, goal achieved. I hope they enjoy it!
Current Projects and Aim
The Derivations Trilogy and the Chronicles of the Usurper Series are my current focuses. I’m spreading myself too thin, you say? Perhaps. My coffee pot would agree with you. I would not.
I aspire to have the first instalment of Chronicles out for consumption winter of 2026, followed in spring by the first book of The Derivations Trilogy. Following this, I will publish the concurrent novels in each series until such a time as both works are complete.
In my downtime, I’ll be couponing aggressively for caffeine products. Check out the Status Board for insights as to where I’m at!