Hello! I’m Alani Santamarina, and I am the author of The Villain’s Reason. I think my descent began with a thought that has no doubt crossed the minds of many fans of Tolkien, Sir Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, J. K Rowling, etc. etc. etc.

We read them and we think, “This is awesome. I want to make something this awesome.”

I mean, of course we’d think that. Authors brought us so much meaning, and laughs and stolen moments, hiding in the bathroom at one in the morning, that I wanted to be one of them. I wanted to create something that brought someone, anyone that same sort of joy, the same sort of escape from the limitations of reality that any of those authors gave to me.

Eventually, most realize that that is a crazy thing to devote your life to, and move on to more sensible, tangible, worthwhile life goals.

Uh, I didn’t do that.
Instead, I started to write, and write more, and then more after that. When I was twelve, I published a little children’s book on Amazon.

That did not satisfy the hunger. I always knew since the time I was five years old that I wanted to write a fantasy novel, and come hell or high water, that was what I was going to do.

So I started it. Knew I could do better. Wrote it again, and again, and again, and again. I don’t consider myself a precise person.

I don’t have a clean desk. I don’t have a clean mind. I don’t have a clean conscience, but when it comes to my work, I am a perfectionist.

My creative process involves a lot of pacing, the more drums in the complementary music, the better.

I have worn down carpets in the name of this book. I wore down a lot more of me. It doesn’t matter. Because I did it. It took me years of dogged obstinance, but I have finished my piece of joy, and if it can instill in you a fraction of the enthusiasm I had when writing it, or even better, inspire you to invent your own, I’m doing my job. Please let me do my job, and read my books.