Amelia Crawford
The Witch Behind The Wizard
My name’s Amelia Crawford, I grew up in a rural county in middle Georgia, (the state, not the country). I spent my youngest years engrossed in cartoons and playing make believe with my many stuffed animals until I was old enough to get lost in book after book after book.
For as long as I can remember I’ve been escaping to fantasy worlds wherever I can find them. Some of the most impactful of these on my young imagination were Avatar: The Last Airbender, Artemis Fowl, Ranger’s Apprentice, Naruto, Maplestory, and everything Spider-Man. These influences fostered a belief that wonder and whimsy are as important to a story as struggle and triumph, and you shouldn’t sacrifice either for the sake of following the rules.
And yes, I do pray to spiders. They’re innocent, misunderstood, and needlessly vilified by those who would rather remain scared as they were taught to be than allow themselves to change and become better, even at the cost of inflicting violence against harmless beings that simply want to live—an experience I find it all too easy to relate to as a transgender American. Spiders don’t want to hurt you, most wouldn’t be able to if they tried, and if you give them a chance you’ll find that they’re actually really great listeners. The exception, of course, being magically mutated giant spiders whose domain within the darkest parts of the woods you’ve recklessly invaded—those ones definitely want to hurt you.
When I’m Not Writing
I enjoy permaculture gardening, exploring the hard-to-reach corners of the wilderness around me, and making amateur video games. I used to spend all my free time indoors, trying to be as safe and comfortable as possible, but these days if I don’t get enough time outside in nature I start to feel like my soul is dying.
My love of permaculture comes from an intense desire to do whatever small part I can to restore the world to what it was before we carved out vast swaths of asphalt and pavement, then started going back over with a fine-toothed comb to fill every last crack that was left over. I find disgust in concrete, highways and industrial farms, and absolute peace and beauty in lush untamed overgrowth, abundant critters, and damp, dark soil.
I’m drawn to developing video games because of the unmatched potential to inhabit a world that I’ve fully created. I spend no small amount of time inside the worlds I imagine inside my mind, but there’s something special about physical walking around a space that I’ve created—even if only through a digital avatar. I haven’t yet published any of my game projects, but you’ll find out about it on my socials or in my newsletter when I do!
Recommended Authors
Queer Spotlight
Check out F.T. Lukens, their book So This Is Ever After is one of my favorite alternate takes on the fantasy genre and was one of the influences that helped shape Wizard with a Greatsword into what it became.
General Recommendations
If you’re a fan of LitRPG and haven’t yet read or listened to Travis Deverell’s He Who Fights With Monsters, you should give it a try.
I won’t go so far as to say that if you enjoy my work, you’ll definitely enjoy this, but it was a formative inspiration for Wizard With a Greatsword that I quite enjoy.