For Great Neck resident Daniel Levinson, the publication of his science-fiction novel “Fires of Man” in June was a dream come true.
“Being a novelist was my childhood dream,” Levinson said in an interview with the Great Neck News on Thursday.
Levinson’s book is the first in a five-part series, which tells the story of the ongoing covert war between the fictional nations of Calchis and Orion in a struggle for control of an alternative Earth.
The two nations, according to Levinson’s website, employ the use of a “gifted few” soldiers who can manipulate reality with their minds.
The story is written from the point of view of soldiers on both sides of the battle, Levinson said.
As the two nations battle against each other, an archaeologist discovers the ruins of a 1,000-year-old temple, which might hold the secret to the soldier’s powers.
Levinson said the story has been in his mind since he was a teenager attending Great Neck South High School.
“I decided that I wanted to create my own world,” Levinson said. “I was very into anime and some of my favorite fantasy novels also inspired me. I wanted to marry the two together to create this sweeping epic story.”
Levinson said he began writing fan-fiction stories after he completed the Final Fantasy video game when he was a child.
“I said to myself this can’t be the end of the story,” he said. “There’s got to be more to it.”
Levinson said he also took writing lessons from his great-aunt, who wrote romance novels under the pen name Eve Gladstone.
“I tried to help her finish a novel but I was too young at the time,” he said.
After finishing high school, Levinson went on to study drama at New York University.
But, he said, he continued to take several writing and English classes.
“I didn’t take the amount of writing classes one might expect, but probably more than average,” Levinson said.
Levinson spent the first few years out of college writing television and movie screenplays, none of which were ever produced, he said.
His experience in the screen-writing industry, he said, did allow him to create several networking connections.
“I have some good relationships with people in film industry,” Levinson said.
After reading fantasy author George R.R. Martin’s “Game of Thrones” book series, Levinson said, he decided to pick up the story he had created as a teenager in Great Neck South High School.
“[The books] were kind of the last spark that I needed to start writing this,” he said.
After more than a year of writing and editing, Levinson hired a lawyer to negotiate contracts with publishing companies, he said.
His book and the next two in the five-part series were picked up by Jolly Fish Press, a publishing company based out of Utah.
Levinson said the company had wanted to sign him for all five books in the series.
“But I said let’s do three for now and see how it goes,” he said.
The book became available on Amazon.com June 1 and in bookstores June 17, Levinson said.
He said the book is targeted to adult readers.
“There’s some foul language and a couple of sex scenes,” he said.
He added that he believes “teenagers would enjoy it if their parents allow them to read it”
Levinson said he’s in the process of writing a separate novel that is targeted for young adults.
The reception to “Fires of Man,” Levinson said, has been “really fantastic.”
“A lot of people have said they enjoy the writing and the characters,” he said. “They feel that it’s incredibly cinematic.”
He said the “cinematic” feel of the book comes from his days as a screenwriter.
“It just comes naturally,” he said.
Levinson added that he “would not mind at all” if the series was turned into a movie.
“That would be great,” he said.
For more information of Levinson’s books, visit danlevinsonwriting.com
