Zachary Hagen
ZACHARY HAGEN is an Albuquerque based author and teacher. Writing has always been a passion for him since he was little kid when he put together little books from scrap paper. The earliest story he remembers writing was about a dragon who gave flowers to children. He also teaches creative writing to his students and loves to see their talents flourish. When he isn’t working hard at his two passions, he enjoys spending time with his wife and dog and making music any way he can.
Marina Raydun: Besides crafting your own stories, I know that you also teach creative writing. Does one ever inspire the other?
Zachary Hagen: So far it really hasn’t, but I won’t say that it’s not a possibility. I have only taught high school and middle school so far, so often I’m focusing on basic craft type things. However, I think it’s entirely possible for teaching to inspire because it has done so in other electives I’ve taught.
MR: Why fantasy?
ZH: People tend to look down on fantasy in some circles, but for me, magic and fantastical ideas are the realest things we can write about. Our world is full of unexplained things, so I like to lean into that.
MR: Is it also your favorite genre to read?
ZH: Much of the time it is, but I will say I’ve branched out more as I have begun writing more fantasy. I like variety.
MR: If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
ZH: “Finishing a book is 90% showing up. You have ADHD, so if this is important to you, you don’t get the luxury of feeling like writing every time you need to write.”
MR: What does literary success look like to you?
ZH: Ideally, writing and the stuff around it will provide me with enough income to only have a day job if I’m 100% passionate about it. I don’t want to show up to work and think to myself, “I’d rather be editing” or something like that.
MR: What’s your favorite childhood book?
ZH: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. I love that story, and C. S. Lewis was a master of storytelling.
MR: What are you currently reading?
ZH: The Dark Prophecy by Rick Riordan. I have always been fascinated with Greek/Roman mythology, and I’ve learned a lot of obscure things by reading Riordan’s work. I’d love to chat with him about his research methods sometime.
MR: What book do you wish you had written?
ZH: I think, as a fantasy author, the obvious answer would be Harry Potter, but I wish I’d written the Hunger Games. It took me a while to pick them up, but I devoured them. It was the first time I remember staying up all night to finish reading something.
MR: Is there a thing you’ve written that makes you cringe now?
ZH: I’m so glad it’s lost to the annuls of digital history and lost in a forgotten hard drive. I tried to write a story about a magical pencil that transported the MC into Disney cartoon land. Looking back, it was truly awful.
MR: Who is your literary hero?
ZH: C. S. Lewis. There are so many interesting things about that man that I can’t help but admire him.
When you lose family, friends, and country, how far is too far? Elior watched as his twin brother, the only real family he had left run into a building as it disappeared. Nyx, a cursed merman, watched as his father and best friend were killed in front of him. Opal’s father died leaving her with a legacy to live up to and a throne to protect. When they join forces with a wise professor to find the Well of Eternity, can they find answers to their problems? Can the ancient evil lurking in the shadows of society be stopped before it’s too late, or will blood be spilled killing their hope and dooming Lux Terra forever? Eternity’s Well will hook you from the very beginning and take you on a spellbinding, breathtaking journey through a new world where anything is possible.
Read Zachary’s books here