»Building something of your own – characters and their personalities, places, countries, whole worlds – is such an intensive feeling that there’s nothing quite like it.«
Michael S.V. Preis, born in 1984, lives with his wife and two children near Wuppertal in the middle of the countryside. “Fantasy worlds have captivated me ever since I was a child. So it was only a matter of time before I put the first fantasy ideas of my own down on paper,” says the Rhineland-Palatinate-born author. Having already published two classic fantasy novels, Splitterkristall marks the start of his first youth fantasy series.
“My children always read my stories first because their feedback is especially important to me,” says Michael, whose hobbies, besides writing, include reading, drawing, painting, and gaming.
“I’m generally very enthusiastic. When a book, series, or computer game catches me, I can become a real nerd and fanboy. That’s why I also wanted to take elements of everything that fascinates me and make them come alive in Splitterkristall. It’s a project very close to my heart and I’m very excited to share this universe with my readers.”
When asked about life as an author, Michael says, “I love being creative. Writing always gives me the chance to engage with my internal dialogue too. I relish developing characters and storylines. The community in the book world is also an important support for my work. Sharing and exchanging is an incredibly enriching experience.”
Anastassia Schitz is a self-employed digital design artist. Having emigrated from Estonia to Germany in 2007, she went on to do her Master of Arts at the University of Kassel, focusing on Illustration and Comics. She started freelancing as an artist in 2012 while studying.
“I have always been fascinated by fantasy stories and have read a lot of Ray Bradbury, Terry Pratchett, and the Strugatsky Brothers. I’m really excited to be working with Michael on the Splitterkristall Universe,” says the artist, who you can find on social media under @cottonyart.
