MADISON TOWNSHIP — Madison graduate Gaven Remy has dipped his toe into the waters of authorship, and found it to his liking.
Remy recently completed a fictional novel titled “Tall Tales of Vallenfar.” It’s a collection of smaller stories that meshed to represent one thing — “how good overcomes evil.”
“I knew I had to make all my stories about good vs. evil,” Remy said.
His work features three different novellas: “Gadaene,” which focuses on themes of fate and how one has both a choice and a predestination. “Montebanc’s Treasure” is full of mystery and betrayal. “Wicked Wines” is about the perseverance of love and its conquest over power.
Remy said as a child he had a creative bent, it began to dissipate as he matured.
“I fell out of love with it until my sophomore year,” Remy said.
At such an influential point in life, Remy felt as though it was important to venture out of his comfort zone, explore new, and in this case, old hobbies. He fondly remembered his English teacher being his greatest inspiration, the person that pushed him to rekindle his love for writing.
She told him, “you write like you tell stories,” which inspired him to delve into the fictional world of storytelling.
This passion for writing became a creative outlet for Remy, and also a means of self-discovery and expression. Building a fantastical world and immersing himself into the lives of its characters allowed him to better understand the essence of being a writer.
After graduating from Madison, Remy set off to continue his studies at North Central State College. While working to obtain his Associate Degree in Business Administration and Management, he allocated time for tutoring at college, substitute teaching, and interning.
“In-between doing my homework and tutoring others, I was secretly writing my book,” he said.
He dedicated at least two hours a day to his composition. Remy drafted, wrote, and published his debut novel, “Tall Tales of Vallenfare” in about seven months.
“If people are looking for new digestible stories, this is it,” he said.
The novel dives into themes that resonate with its target audience — the new adult community.
“There is no terrible content, so it can be enjoyed by a younger crowd as well,” he said.
Remy’s exploration into the fantasy genre enables readers to explore morality in imaginative ways, as new adults are often questioning right and wrong in a different, sometimes more innovative fashion.
“I really garnered a lot of inspiration through everyday life — the people I saw and spoke to, the places I visited,” he said.
Being in a university environment, big or small, allowed Remy to harness his perception and interactions with others and put those experiences into his writing.
He said he hopes to continue to evolve as a writer, and create an impact that will extend across a broad spectrum of readers and communities.