Let me introduce me in the David Copperfield manner. You’ve got the pleasure of indirectly conversing with me: Chaim Holtjer, born in 1988. I am an author from the Netherlands and I live with my wife and son—and an assortment of pets. My studies of history and English paved the way to the becoming of a writer. When I’m not writing, I very much enjoy drawing maps as a professional freelance cartographer (or for my own pleasure).

I love everything about history and fantasy. It is in fact my love of everything historical and fantastic that has led to hobbies such as sword-fighting and horseback riding as well as reading and writing. Through my writing, I create new worlds to explore and characters to follow on their adventures. However fantastical the stories or worlds may be, they each hold a universal truth just waiting to be uncovered.

I developed my love of reading at an early age and today I devour books at a steady pace. With my writing, I an currently working on a new epic fantasy called The Melding, a novel in which the world itself is not just the setting, but also a character in its own right.

Hobbies & Interests

I’m not big on sports, but I do enjoy sword fighting, horseback riding, boxing and Wushu (a standardized form of traditional Chinese martial arts).
I enjoy reading, writing, drawing, painting, making maps, playing games (especially roleplaying), historical re-enactment, watching good series and films with my wife, taking long walks (especially in the forests or at the seaside). I also have several pets.  A dog called Laika, a cat named Loki, two rabbits named Bing and Flopje, and last but certainly not least, a Fjord Horse called Verieka.

Books & Authors

My favourite author is Neil Gaiman and his novel Neverwhere is my favourite among his books. I also very much enjoy the books by Bernard Cornwell, especially the Sharpe and Saxon series. I love the Harry Potter books (Doesn’t everyone?) and the fantasy series by Raymond E. Feist. I enjoy reading the classics and modern fantasy in equal measure. For comedic relief, I read The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher (which are wonderful novels to read as long as you don’t take them too seriously). I could talk for hours about my favourite books and my favourite authors, but I’ll leave it at these for now.

Films & Movies

My all-time favourite films are the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Interview with the Vampire, Gladiator, Troy, Braveheart, The Patriot, The Matrix and Kingdom of Heaven are also some of my favourites. Really, for me, the list could be longer than any polite conversation warrants.

My reasons for enjoying these films are as diverse as the films themselves. But usually it’s a specific atmosphere, story, setting or memory that they elicit.

Music & Instruments

My musical interests are broad and diverse. I’ve dabbled with playing a couple of instruments (piano, guitar and violin) but mastered none of them. (There are only so many hours in a day, right?) I enjoy listening to classical music and really appreciate good movie scores, fantasy and medieval music, folk and pagan music, and alternative music in the direction of (power/symphonic) metal and industrial. The music I listen to depends on the mood I’m in and on what I’m reading, writing or drawing at the moment.