So just who is Jan Stryvant?
Jan Stryvant's Amazon Page
Current Books Available:
Valens Legacy Series:
Book 1: Black Friday
Book 2: Perfect Strangers
Book 3: Over Our Heads
Book 4: Head Down
Book 5: When It Falls
Book 6: Stand On It
Second Arc
Book 7: Vegas Rules
Book 8: Desperate Measures
Book 9: Secret Treaties
Book 10: It Ain't Easy
Book 11: Red Skies
Third Arc
Book 12: Demon Days
Book 13: Simple Things
Book 14: Trying Times
Book 15: Firestarter
Book 16: Times Like These
Book 17: No Regrets
Other Books:
Shadow
Who is Jan Stryvant?
Short answer:
Me, John Van Stry.
Jan Stryvant (pronounced YON Strī-vant) is my pen name.
Longer answer:
Early in 2017, I decided that I wanted to write stuff that was different than what I had become known for. But I knew, from experience, that there would be issues if I did so. My 'brand' avoids certain themes, and yes, I avoid detailed sex scenes (because of certain advice from back when I started out). So I told my fans on my blog that I would be starting a second 'brand' under the name of 'Jan Stryvant'.
Yes, if you do a search, or even just look at the name, it isn't all that hard to figure out, because I honestly never intended it to be. It's just a different 'brand' from the same author (me). If you like the stuff I write under one 'brand' you'll probably like the stuff under the other. Unless of course sex scenes bother you. Or if the lack of them bothers you.
Also, I wanted to try and branch out more into LitRPG, because I'd been reading a lot of it and found that I was really enjoying it. The Valens' Legacy series has some LitRPG aspects to it, as well as a fair bit of 'harem'. Once it gets completed, I may write a more hardcore LitRPG/GameLit story. Because as a genre, it's pretty cool (and I've played a LOT of RPG games, including online ones).
So that's how I ended up with Jan Stryvant, because I wanted to write something different, but I was afraid if I didn't separate it somehow, there'd be issues and grief and all of that. Yes, maybe a smarter man could have figured out a better way around it, but I didn't. I also didn't expect things to go as well as they have for Jan Stryvant, but as writing the Valens stories has been a blast, I'm kind of happy with it.
Is Sean a 'Mary-Sue'?
No. No more than any other character I've written, and probably a lot less than some others. I always find it funny when people call a character a 'Mary-Sue', most people don't even know where the term comes from. The truth is, I'm trying to write a character that you, the reader, will enjoy either empathizing with, or enjoy the antics of. Saying that something is a 'Mary-Sue' implies that I'm writing these stories for me.
Nothing could be further from the truth. I write these stories for you, the reader. You guys mean everything to me. Making you folks happy is the highlight of my day; you're all really the best.
If you have any other questions, by all means drop me an email, and I will try answer them, when I can.