Author David Catuhe
I was born in 1976 in France. When I was younger, there was no internet—just books and my paintings. I loved creating characters and sending them on adventures. But being an artist wasn’t really an option as far as my parents were concerned, so I moved on and pursued my other passion: computer development.
Long story short, I founded a company in 1999, sold it, and joined Microsoft in Paris in 2011. In 2014, I moved to the U.S. to work at Microsoft in Seattle.
When my midlife crisis hit, it wasn’t about cars or anything like that—it was about my stories. I realized it’s never too late to fulfill your dreams, as cliché as that sounds. So I picked up my crayons again—except, this time, they were called Photoshop—and started painting and writing my stories.
As a lifelong reader, there was always one thing I didn’t enjoy: long descriptions. And that’s when everything clicked! I could write stories without the burden of excessive descriptions because I could literally show the setting to my readers through my paintings. That allowed me to focus on what I love most: the characters, the action, and moving the plot forward.
Catuhe’s inspiration to start writing and how he balances his software development career with being imaginative in fantasy and illustration…
My free time was already fully dedicated to creation. As a developer, I built a 3D engine for the web (www.babylonjs.com), so my weekends were already filled with fantasy worlds, 3D dragons, and brave knights!
After taking lessons to learn digital painting, the transition felt natural. I have to admit, I play fewer games now—but that’s not a problem.
As a developer, being organized is second nature. I learned early on how to segment my time: 8 to 6 is for the office, and the rest is for family and creative work. My daughter is 10 now, so my weekends are almost entirely dedicated to my books.
Challenges as a writer and starting in the publishing world at 45…
That’s a very interesting topic for me. Just as I wanted to learn painting, I also decided to take online courses to improve my writing. The thing is, I was already writing a lot—just not for the same purpose, of course. That said, when you write an email to convince a partner or a customer to collaborate or take action, your prose matters.
Starting to write Sci-Fi and Fantasy at 45 was challenging, but I feel it was actually easier than if I had started at 20. Maturity, patience, and—let’s be honest—a bit of “I couldn’t care less what people think.” I already had a career, so this new endeavor in writing is purely for my own fulfillment.
One of Catuhe’s favourite scenes from his most recent publication in The Tales of Illuminaria series, “Zeus Legacy”…
Tough question! Okay, this one might represent the book quite well:
“This feeling of being all-powerful was intoxicating (or maybe I’d gone over-
board with my endorphin boost?). I had absolute power over humanity. Even
if, in my case, humanity now consisted of two thousand souls and a 650-meter-
long spacecraft.”
Catuhe’s works…
The Tales of Illuminaria is a 3 book story.
You can find all of the books here (Kindle, Paperback, and Hardcover):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DMQNTP6F
As a Magic: The Gathering and World of Warcraft fan, would Catuhe ever consider adaptinghis books into a video game if the opportunity presented itself?
Oh gosh, YES! Funnily enough, my first book is called Zodiac Legion, and I actually got in touch with a game developer working on a game with the same name. But a video game or a movie adaptation? That would be SO COOL!
I feel like the first two, which focus more on world-building, would be a great foundation for a game, while the third—being more story-driven—would be perfect for a movie adaptation.
One thing that Catuhe is proud of that he has achieved in his writing career…
Publishing my first book. Even if no one had bought it, I would have still been incredibly proud. And now, being able to complete the full series is probably second on my list of proudest achievements.
Words of advice and encouragement from Author David Catuhe foraspiring authors…
It is NEVER too late. Also, focus on publishing—because just like in software development, shipping is how you measure success. And if you can, try to have a job first and write your books second. That way, it stays a pleasure rather than a source of stress. I’ve seen many talented authors give up because writing wasn’t paying the bills. But this is a marathon, not a sprint.
