Award-Winning Author Of The Crossover Series And The Thomas Berenford Chronicles
Joseph Schwartz discusses his fantasy worlds inspired by the American West, his passion for storytelling, and the family ties that drive his characters.
Joseph Schwartz brings a bold and immersive voice to the world of fantasy fiction, weaving epic narratives that traverse dimensions, test loyalties, and challenge the very fabric of reality. From the windswept plains of Montana to the sun-drenched sprawl of Phoenix, his life journey has shaped the rugged and evocative backdrops of his novels. A seasoned English teacher by trade and an adventurer in prose by passion, Schwartz invites readers into realms where family, fate, and fire collide. In this exclusive interview with Reader’s House Magazine, he reflects on his writing process, his award-winning Crossover Series, and the mythic origins of the Thomas Berenford Chronicles.
A confident, imaginative storyteller with a unique take on classic fantasy and thrilling supernatural elements.
How did your upbringing in Montana and subsequent move to Phoenix influence the settings and themes of your novels, particularly “The Crossover Test”?
The influences come from the American West, with all the mountains, lakes, rivers, fields, and roads provide the setting. More importantly, this majestic landscape calls upon the man and women courageous enough to answer the question; are you ready for adventure? Finally, the novel explores family relationships: the troubles, the bonds, the love.
The Crossover Series explores the premise that this world is populated by secret crossovers from another dimension. How did that idea come to you?
Stephen R. Donaldson writes several epic fantasy novels about a man transported to a realm called The Land. I flip that premise on its head; what if two talented brothers, James and Rory, both from a fantasy realm, were transported to this realm? How do they fit in? How do they survive the threat of a shapeshifting assassin? The result is the Crossover Test and the sequel, the Crossover Brand.
“The Crossover Test” won the silver medal at the Global Ebook Awards. How did this recognition impact your writing career and future projects?
The recognition was like a cattle prod to my ego! With that surge, and some new confidence, I wrote the sequel, “The Crossover Brand”.
Can you discuss the development process of the sequel, “The Crossover Brand,” and how it expands upon the original story?
“The Crossover Brand” begins tree years later, with brothers Conrad separated. The story places the focus more on Rory, the talented but troubled younger brother with the power to rend apart the fabric of the universe. Two major characters are added, as well as more development for the Censorum, the chief protagonists and arbiters of hatred, judgement, and discord.
As an English teacher since 1998, how has your teaching experience shaped your writing style and approach to storytelling?
I teach my students to write with power and precision. Do I practice what I teach? Read my stories and find out!
Your current project is the Thomas Berenford Chronicles. Who is this protagonist and what is that character all about?
Thomas Berenford is the father of the two main characters in the Crossover Series, James and Rory, who are yet to be born. Berenford lives in the Outer Realm, a fantasy setting that mirrors this world: same mountains and valleys, same bodies of water. Legend has it that even the blades of grass are the same. Unlike here, magic and power rule. If you can swing a sword, you may prolong your demise. Thomas wants none of that hot mess, but of course, he will never escape it.
The Thomas Berenford Chronicles currently include three novellas: “Wilder Fire”, “Blood Daggers”, and “The Broken Coil”. What ideas, themes, and styles run through these stories?
The series is a callback to classic swords and sorcery from authors Fritz Leiber and Robert E. Howard. For a template of motif and structure, I called upon film genres: detective noir, mob movies, and classic westerns.
