FAQ

How long have the authors known each other?
Derek was at Jon’s sixth birthday party, and bought Jon his very first Star Wars action figure — a brand new Obi-Wan Kenobi from Episode IV: A New Hope. That should give you enough information to do the math, but needless to say, it’s been a long time.

At what age did the authors start writing?
Jon and Derek started drawing their own comic book characters at eight years old. Then they started writing comic book stories by the age of 12, and finally, fantasy novels at 14. Then stopped writing in college, and didn’t start back until they turned 28 years old. Jon and Derek believe that it’s never too early or too late to start.

What kind of grades did you get in school and where did you go to college?
They both got mostly A’s and B’s. Jon went to Arizona State University, and Derek went to a small school in Michigan.

What’s going on with the Grey Griffins movies?
The movie has been optioned by a producer who is working hard to find the right studio and director for the Grey Griffins film properties. Unfortunately the process can take a long time, but they are hopeful that production will begin soon.

When will the Round Table Trading Card Game be released?
There is no hard date connected to the release of the Round Table Trading Card game.

Are going to make a video game based on the Grey Griffins series?
Though there have been talks about Grey Griffins video games, the authors are holding off until the movie rights have been finalized.

Where do the authors get all of their ideas from?
The authors get their ideas from a vareity of places, including books, movies, television, and most importantly, from the actual experiences of their own childhood. Their influences include J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Maurice Sendak, Stan Lee, Walt Disney, and George Lucas.

Are any of the characters in the Grey Griffins books based on people the authors have known?
Many of the characters have traits of people that both Jon and Derek grew up with, as well as traits of some of their favorite characters from history, literature, television, and movies. But soon those characters take on lives of their own.

How can I learn how to draw comic book characters?
Jon and Derek started out drawing freehand, but then got frustrated because their characters didn’t look the way they wanted them to look. So they started tracing. Yep. They cheated. But that was okay, because it taught them to carefully look at the form they were drawing and to pay close attention to perspective and proportion. Once they got decent at tracing, they pulled the paper away and tried to draw exactly what they saw. Then, once they could mimic what they saw, they started drawing what was in their heads. Basically it just takes lots and lots of practice.

What do the authors like to do in their spare time?
Derek: I play the piano, the guitar, I read A LOT, I collect comic books, play video games, mountain hiking – I always have to be doing something.

Jon: I love to go to movies, read books and watch documentaries about World War II (my grandfather fought in the Battle of the Bulge, was captured by the Germans and then placed in a detainment camp — he survived, but would never tell me any stories — the memories were too painful), watch football (Minnesota Vikings and ASU Sun Devils), play Madden football on my XBOX 360, read comic books, hang out with my friends, and spend as much time with my family as I can.

Is J.S. Lewis related to C.S. Lewis?
“J.S.” stands for “Jon Samuel”. Though there is a slight chance Jon is related to C.S. Lewis, he doubts it very seriously. Evidently his middle name (Samuel) comes from a distant relative who was a wild west outlaw named Sam Bass, from Denton, Texas. Jon hopes that Sam patterned his life of crime afer Robin Hood, robbing from the rich to give to the poor.

Are you rich, and how much money do you make?
The idea of wealth is entirely relative. Though Jon and Derek couldn’t afford to buy a shack next door to Bill Gates, they haven’t had to miss a meal, either. Both authors feel very blessed that the Grey Griffins books have sold as well as they have, and they hope to continue to write books for many years to come.

If you had a Bounder Faerie, what kind would it be?
Jon: Tundra Troll
Derek: Gargoyle