Olivier Le Gal, Nohô Host in Port-Louis: Celtic fantasy writer blending Breton folktales and martial arts

Some stories are made up for a little sister and end up becoming books. For Olivier Le Gal, it all began this way: a tale about a little dragon told a thousand times, which he eventually wrote down so it wouldn’t get distorted. Today, as a Celtic fantasy writer, a columnist on Breton folklore, a karate practitioner for 30 years, and the founder of a publishing house, he welcomes visitors to Port-Louis, in Morbihan, who want to understand how a fictional universe is born and how one becomes an author. On Nohô, he offers the kind of exchange you’d experience at a book fair without having to wait for the next one.

Can you introduce yourself?

I’m Olivier Le Gal, a Breton writer since 2015. I started out self-publishing, then was published by a traditional publisher. When that publisher closed, I started my own publishing house to carry on its concept of a series tailored for readers with dyslexia.

I write Celtic fantasy. My main source of inspiration is the tales and legends of Brittany, but I draw from the entire Celtic world. I also draw on my martial arts practice, since I’ve been practicing karate for 30 years. I’ve been writing and publishing for several years now.

How did this passion for writing fantasy begin?

It began when I was a child. When I was a teenager, I used to tell stories to my little sister, and she always asked for the same one: the one about the little dragon. It hasn’t been published it’s just between the two of us. Since I tended to change the story around, I decided I’d write it down so I wouldn’t change it anymore. That’s how I started writing.

As an adult, after going through a difficult period, I got back into it by starting a small blog. People liked it, it found an audience, and readers asked me where they could find my book. Since it didn’t exist yet, I self-published one. That’s how it all began.

What connection do you see between martial arts and your fight scenes?

A very strong one. In most of what we see on TV, the fights aren’t realistic. A real fight doesn’t last fifteen minutes lasting two minutes is already a huge feat. It still has to be visually compelling, so my scenes move pretty quickly, but each one is directly inspired by my own practice.

Every time I come home from a training session, I’m brimming with inspiration. Karate is both physical and spiritual, which makes it incredibly inspiring. And since I’ve been practicing for 30 years, I might as well put it to good use.

Which places or legends have left the deepest impression on you?

It’s mostly folklore. I also host segments on Radio Océane about the folklore and history of Brittany. Breton tradition is incredibly rich, with a vast array of creatures, such as the night washwomen or the Ankou.

In fact, I’m working on a project similar to “The Witcher”: a hunter of fantastical creatures, set in the Breton tradition. There’s plenty to explore.

Why did you start a publishing house in 2025?

My publisher had to shut down. He’d launched a series tailored for readers with dyslexia: books with a larger, more spacious layout and a special font, designed for people who have trouble concentrating. I thought the concept was brilliant, and I was disappointed that the book I’d written for that series lost its publisher.

When I talked to other authors, they told me they had confidence in me and had projects they wanted to send my way. Bolstered by that support and the experience I’d gained working with my previous publishers, I took the plunge. We started out as a team of two; today there are eight of us, and soon there will be nine. It’s growing steadily.

What do you offer on Nohô?

I offer a space to discuss the creative process and to encourage those who dream of writing: take the plunge, go for it. I myself went through a difficult period before returning to writing, karate, and everything that truly inspired me. This event is also for readers, since they’re often curious about the creative process.

We can talk about how a writer works and the creative process, keeping in mind that everyone works in their own way. It’s a much more personal exchange, like at a book fair, without having to wait for one to come to your town. We talk about creativity and how to write a book.

When Legends Become Books

At Nohô, certain encounters inspire you to start writing. Meeting Olivier Le Gal is one of them. Whether you’re a fantasy reader, a lover of Breton legends, or simply curious about how a book comes to be, spending an hour with him in Port-Louis is your chance to ask all your questions of an author who has gone from self-publishing to running his own publishing house. And to leave feeling inspired to take the plunge.