Fantasy author Robert J Marsters knows his books probably won’t make him a fortune but he explains why writing them brings treasures of a different kind

And Black Country author Robert J Marsters loves it when his words can leave a smile on someone's face.

Two instalments of his fantasy trilogy have so far been published with the third due out later this year and a prequel also in the works.

So far The Ascension of Karrak and The Bane of Karrak have been well-received by readers, attracting a string of five-star reviews on Amazon.

"I've always loved fantasy and magic. There is so much horror in the world, who hasn't wished they had a magic wand to wave to make all of the horrible stuff in life go away? For me fantasy is all about fun and escapism.

"When someone, who has read one of my books, says to me 'I love the bit when' and they go on to tell me their favourite part, it feels absolutely brilliant," he says.

But Robert, who lives in Dudley, never planned on becoming a writer. It all started as a way to keep his wife Jane's spirits up while she was receiving treatment for breast cancer in 2015.

Having left his job as a bed store manager to care for her, he would try his best to keep her smiling as she faced surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Jane enjoyed his writing so much that she encouraged him to turn it into a book and approach a publisher which led to him signing a contract with Austin Macauley.

"I started writing a silly story to amuse her and it kept getting bigger and bigger. By the end it had become a full trilogy.

"To be able to make my wife smile when she was going through all of that was priceless. She has come through it all and now helps me with editing the books and attending events," he says.

The first part was published in March last year introducing readers to the sinister and sadistic Karrak Dunbar, who, by cruel fate, is second in line to the throne of the Kingdom of Borell.

As he relentlessly pursues an ancient artefact known as The Elixian Soul, only his older brother Jared stands in his way.

The second part of the adventure story was followed in October and Robert is now putting the finishing touches to the third instalment - The Cessation of Karrak, which he hopes to publish by the summer.

It says it has taken longer than he had hoped because he is determined to ensure the trilogy has the ending his readers deserve.

"I've always been a reader and always thought, and this is especially true for trilogies and series, that ending a book with everything still up in the air is an awful way to end a story.

"At the moment I am making sure every i is dotted and t is crossed so people have a sense of closure and understand everything that has gone on during the three parts," explains Robert.

He has taken a great deal of care to ensure his books can be read by people of all ages and that the layout of the text makes it easier for readers with dyslexia which includes well-paced chapter breaks.

"My youngest reader is 11 and the oldest is 82 - those are just the ones I know about.

"I've kept it suitable for all ages so it appeals to children and adults alike. There is a bit of blood and gore, which is normally the case for fantasy, but there is nothing that an open-minded 10-year-old couldn't read. There is no romance or sexual content - that has no place in fantasy.

"This is a good, old-fashioned fantasy adventure with lots of different characters and fun. It's not over complicated but it's not dumbed down either, it's intelligent," explains Robert, who attends events around the country with Jane to promote and sell his books.

He says he is delighted with the response to his books so far and is working hard to help them reach a wider audience.

"My books have been described by two people as being like a well. The opening pages are like the wall at the top and then before they know it they've fallen in and what's nice is that they don't want to get out. They can escape to another world in my books and stay as long as they want," adds Robert.

"I'm not in it to make money - it's about putting smiles on people's faces. I know I'm never going to be a millionaire but if somebody somewhere picks up one of my books and has a smile on their face because of what I've written, that means I've done what I wanted to do," he adds.

*The Ascension of Karrak and The Bane of Karrak are available from Amazon, Waterstones and Austin Macauley. For more information about the trilogy go online to robertjmarsters.com