An Interview with Kenton J. Moore: Author of Vallen

Kenton J Moore is a Canadian multi-genre author living in British Columbia. He is an avid consumer of stories, a comic collector, a video gamer, and a tabletop role-playing gamer. He is best known for his fiction work that spans genres from action to thriller, suspense, and horror as well as science fiction and fantasy.

Kenton’s writing journey began in high school with a love of writing screenplays for film. He continued to write screenplays and short stories until 2013, when he released his first indie novella, Legend of the Sunlight Prince.

He currently publishes under his own independent publishing imprint: SoulForge Media.

Tell us about your book.

Vallen is the first novel in the Cloudbreakers series, a sweeping genre-mashup saga with science fiction and fantasy elements. The plot follows the protagonist Cole Vallen as he grows from dreaming about serving on airships to learning the true demands of service to something larger than self. On his way, he meets and becomes embroiled in the lives of other shipmates and characters outside the service who influence him.

I had been building the world of the Cloudbreakers for nearly twelve years, and I had struggled with how I wanted to introduce readers to this world. The idea to do so via Cole’s journey came from my study of Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces, and so I embarked to tell a hero’s journey story set in the world I had built with a few modern twists such as taking the Refusal of the Call out of Cole’s hands and making his call to adventure beyond his control. The result is a plot that makes the reader care for Cole’s success, and avoids the usual plot armour of this type of story.

I am ultimately proud of what I have accomplished in the story, and the reviews and feedback I have received reflect the effort.

Why did you want to write a book?

I have been a storyteller as far back as I can remember. I also consume stories voraciously in media ranging from television and film to comics, video games, and, of course, books. When I was a teen, I wanted to write comic books when I started collecting them, and I taught myself to draw along with my best friends. In high school, I discovered film and started writing screenplays through my early years, even into adulthood. But one thing I learned in all those years of producing stories was that the formats all required funding and teams, or skills that I simply did not have. So I turned to books, and now I dream of nothing more.

Why did you choose to self-publish?

I experienced self-publishing for the first time in 2013 when I released the first edition of Legend of the Sunlight Prince, an in-universe folklore novella belonging to the Cloudbreakers series. I was guided by a few friends who were also fledglings in the industry, and I was hooked right away by the creative control and the pride of building teams and doing everything yourself. I felt it gave me understanding in the world of publishing far beyond what a traditional pathway would have offered, even though it was much harder to succeed.

Would you self-publish again?

Absolutely. I have recently registered myself as a Canadian independent publisher under the imprint SoulForge Media, and aside from the Cloudbreakers series, I also plan to produce more short story collections, such as my Dark Below the Ice: And Other Stories collection.

What do you think are the main pitfalls for indie writers?

I think one of the biggest pitfalls, even though I said I love the control above, is trying to do everything yourself. Most creative individuals have the skills required to release a decent product on their own, there’s no doubt about that. But to release a truly exceptional product, you need a team. I think this is one area I often see a lot of failure in. Hiring editors, proofreaders, beta readers, cover designers, etc., is vital if you hope to succeed.

Next is marketing. I don’t think the majority of indie writers realize just how hard marketing your book is going to be when you do it the first time. Especially on social media, where consistency and being the same yet different are so important. There’s also a dangerous cesspool of scammers and vultures out there who will shower you with false praise and promises, which will leave your bank account empty and your dreams crushed.

What tips can you give other authors looking to self-publish?

The first tip I would offer is this: Do NOT do this for money. Not at first. There is money to be made for sure, but it takes time to build a platform and reach your audience.

Second: find a writing group in your area, or online if you are rural or not socially inclined. Leaning on the support and advice of others will save you money and heartache more often than not, especially when dealing with the aforementioned scammers and vultures on social media.

Third: Hire a team to help you, but remember the rule that you will get what you pay for. If you would not accept a lowball offer, do not give one. This is your book, make it the best it can be!

Finally: Make sure you HAVE FUN. You are telling a story that may have been told before, but not by YOU. Of the billions on Earth, there is only one you.

As a writer, what is your schedule? How do you get the job done?

Aside from writing and publishing, I also work a Monday to Friday 9-5 job and help manage and run a hobby farm with bees and chickens. In order to do any writing, I have to schedule it and make sure that I have the discipline to do it. Trust me when I tell you this…it took me a LONG time to get there.

I write for at least an hour every day that I can. Usually in the early evening, between getting off work and dinner. If I’m not writing or I can’t, I use that time to read instead. Every mountain can only be hiked one step at a time, so I just make sure I’m always putting one foot in front of the other. A good friend once told me that I lacked project focus and was doubtful I could ever succeed at something as tedious as writing a 100,000-word novel. That stuck with me, I think, and now I drive through the times I don’t feel like writing, and simply try to enjoy the process. Movie soundtracks. Good tea.

I will also admit that I am blessed with a high typing speed, so on average, that one hour of writing equates to roughly 1500-1800 words.

How do you deal with writer’s block?

If I find I can’t focus on the project at hand, or I have no desire to write, I either try a different project, such as a short story. If that doesn’t work, I use stream of consciousness writing or journaling and that usually breaks me out of the block. I think after a time, when you’re focused on habit, it becomes a lot like going to the gym. If you’re not writing, you feel it.

The worst writer’s block I experienced in my entire life lasted a few years, and that was during the twelve years of world-building for Cloudbreakers. Before Cole Vallen’s story came to me, I couldn’t think of how I wanted the adventure to start, and I ended up tossing five different revisions of the first manuscript. So don’t be afraid to fail. Not everything you write will be published.

How do your friends and family get involved with your writing? What do they think of your book?

I am forever grateful to my friends and family for their support and involvement. They do so much for me, from inspiring characters to being sounding boards for my ideas, to helping me out at conventions or simply praising my success on social media. Being a Veteran of the Armed Forces, too, gives me a huge extended family, and I have to give a massive shoutout to all of them because without my service, there would be no Cloudbreakers.

My kids and my parents provide all my reasons for writing and the constant impetus to keep moving forward. They also make excellent beta readers because they’re in my target market. As far as whether they like it or not, some of the greatest compliments I’ve ever received came from them, and the world will never see them because it happens over a beer on the deck or a private text or message.

What’s next for you as an author?

More writing. And then more writing after that! Kidding…but not really.

Peregrine (Cloudbreakers Book 2) was just announced to be coming in 2026, and I’m working on a new collection of short stories called No Light Left in Space: And Other Stories, which will explore my interest in science fiction stories. I also have some tabletop roleplaying projects on my plate that I’m excited for.