Photograph by Mary Reising ©1998
I have spent my entire life on the high seas of fable, “fairy stories,” and fantasy literature. After an early introduction, in elementary school, to the definitive works of the genre’s master—J.R.R. Tolkien, I spent many years in search of equally satisfying authors of fantasy but with less-than-satisfying results. This increasingly disappointing adventure eventually compelled me to embark upon a quest of my own—to raise anchor from the established waters of published works and set sail for a magical realm of my own discovering, one in which I might encounter mythical creatures, knightly heroes, and damsels in distress; there, I would slay my own dragons, fight my own battles, and rescue my own princesses from base beasts and seditious sorcerers.
The enchanted lands I came to explore were the Four Realms of Ĭndrēl, central to a world not wholly unfamiliar to anyone who has journeyed to Middle Earth. Yet, it has its own highly-developed mythological framework of Celtic-like legendry and medieval familiarity. There, I found High Ĕlves, Low Dwärves, wizards and clerics, Drăgōns and Ōgres. Castles dominate its landscapes and labyrinths of catacombs run crisscross beneath its ancient ruins.
The Hero Sagas comprise two a fully completed series of novels. The first written by Michael R.R. MᶜLaughlin was The Herore's Bloodline, commencing with Book One, Rüneglaive: Sword of Heroes, a 220,0000 word introduction into the world of Ĭndrēl, its rich histories, unique languages, and heroic characters. In Rüneglaive, Young Mītăk of the Oakwood Forest sets out on an epic quest in which he must join forces with a wizened wizard, an immortal Ĕlf, a cantankerous old Dwärf, and several other classic fantasy companions in order to conquer the malevolent magic user, Ăzmadüs the Augur, and rescue from him the fair princess, Kitfīr of Ärqüāvēă.
Written next series written by Michael R.R. MᶜLaughlin is The Herore's Armaments hexalogy, wich goes back a generation and follows the adventures of Mītăk's father, Lĕgĕndil, during his own formative years growing up in Ärqüāvēă Towne before hunting Three-headed Drăgōns and sailing the high seas of Ĭndrēl.
Like Columbus of old, I hope now to bring back from my “New World” this already personally rewarding and entertaining tale, one which I have—almost like an impassioned archeologist—vastly enjoyed exploring, excavating, and expounding upon, word-by-word and page-by-page, for this past many years.
I'm also a screenwriter and director. Check me out on IMDb.
I grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, went to Newport Harbor High and then Del Norte High School, before attending film school from 1993-96, where I shot several short films, including the Student Emmy® award-winning The Fourth Trimester, and a feature
length version of that film. Believing that one learns by doing something rather than just by reading about it or being taught it, I also wrote, directed, shot, edited, and sometimes acted in a scene on video every week outside of class, as well as watching fifteen classic films outside of class a week. Of course, since then I have been trying to unlearn everything taught to me in school, (mostly formulaic clichés), and rediscover myself as an artist.
Just before graduating, I came back to Los Angeles and formed a production company to shoot an independent film. The company was MRM Productions; and the film was Of Love & Betrayal, a simple story I intended to shoot in 16 mm on my own sailboat with some friends from film school. The project snowballed into a 35 mm project shot on a 76' schooner on location in the Bahamas. There were several tropical storms, hurricanes, dealings with drug dealers, DEA agents, two murders, and the usual cast & crew love affairs along the way; and they weren't even in the movie we were making. What fun!
Although I love directing film, I do a great deal of writing. I have finished several feature scripts, in addition to Of Love & Betrayal, and have several more spec. scripts in development. When I completed my Director's cut of the film, I did a novelization entitled Pieces of Eight: A Story of Love & Sex, Trust & Betrayal, wich is available in print as well as eBook formats.
E-mail me at mrm@mrmproductions.com!
Check out Rüneglaive
by Michael R.R. McLaughlin
