It was just a rough draft when Craig Underwood presented the story to his grandchildren. With their encouragement, he wrote more, and the story became “The Kint: Escape from the Horseshoe.”

Underwood said it’s the first book in a trilogy. The book is about a clan of elves that has been enslaved by a race of men for several generations. Their customs and language are all but gone. A member of the clan decides he wants more for his family and his clan. He devises a plan to escape from their home. The book covers their escape, the arduous journey to a new home and their fight to keep it.

Underwood served 20 years in the U.S. Navy in the submarine service while raising a family. He earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in education while serving. After his military career, he taught and coached in public schools for 18 years. He retired from Southwestern Central School.

You would think he would like writing about what he knows — the military — but he admires fantasy writers.

For the book, Craig Underwood developed a new language called Elegrym, and new names for characters. In the back of the book, he included a list of characters and places as well as a Kint vocabulary. Submitted photo

“I admire fantasy writers because they create all new people, and all new realms,” Underwood said.

The author said he wrote about elves because he used to be fascinated with Dungeons and Dragons. He said he played the game several years ago, but doesn’t really play it anymore.

For the book, he developed a new language called Elegrym, and new names for characters. In the back of the book, he included a list of characters and places as well as a Kint vocabulary.

He said because the names are so different, and a reader loses track, he or she can flip to the back of the book and find a name.

“All the names, and all of the language is made up. I created all that because I didn’t want it to be like anyone else’s,” he said.

“Their (elves’) language is very short, very cryptic,” Underwood noted.

For example, “when someone comes to their house, they say ‘Tou mara tou’ which translates into ‘all are welcome’,” he said.

The author said at first Elegrym was difficult to develop, but as he got used to the process, it became easier.

Underwood’s writing routine varies, but when he has an idea, he is quick to write it down in one of his many notebooks.

“I have notebooks everywhere,” Underwood said. “I have one in my truck, one at my desk, and one where I sit at in the evening. If something comes to me, I write it down.”

“The Kint: Escape from the Horseshoe” is the first book of a trilogy and the second book is just about finished while for book three, he has a pile of notes. The first book, he said, took about six months to write with about five months of revisions.

The book is available on amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, abebooks.com, thriftbooks.com, magersandquinn.com, and Underwood’s own website, authorcraig.com.