What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
Since childhood I’ve enjoyed hearing tales about Arthurian Legends: the Knights of the Round Table, the sorcerer Merlin, the sword Excalibur, the gallant King Arthur, the forbidden romance between Queen Guinevere and Lancelot, and honestly the list could go on for miles. According to legend, Merlin fell in love with the Lady of the Lake and trained her in magic. Although his power of foresight showed him that she would one day betray him, he ignored the premonitions and continued to teach her. In time, she locked him either under a rock, in a tree or inside a glass castle. For purposes in The Dragon’s Egg, I decided to have her place him inside a glass castle, where he sleeps in an enchanted slumber. I also liked how BBC’s show Merlin connected him to being a dragonlord.
It seemed the perfect fit for my story, but I still needed to add a twist. Merlin became the protector of the Dragon’s Egg, which helped him control the ruthless dragon Thrakon. That was until the Lady stole the Egg, thus rendering the wizard powerless against the vengeful dragon. As it turned out, Merlin was also a member of the Band of Unlikely Heroes. Of course, this legendary group of warriors can be found only in the Relics of Mysticus series
Who is your favorite character in the book?
It’s difficult to choose, and to make matters worse, it changes from book to book. In this story, I’d have to say that my heart goes out to the imp Dunkle. Much more about Dunkle’s history is revealed, and in doing so, it has caused me to feel more connected to him.
I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but I added a new character to the mix. He’s an adorable yet valiant fox, and a perfect sidekick for Claire and Evan. He wasn’t in the original plans; he sort of popped into the story. I love it when that happens.
Which came first, the title or the novel?
In the case of The Serpent’s Ring (Book One), the book came first, and I continued to struggle with the title for a long time. Once I knew that each book in the series would be named after one of the Mysticus Relics, naming the other titles came easily. I came up with The Dragon’s Egg when my cover artist was working on the cover for The Trickster’s Totem. She accidently named it The Dragon’s Totem, and I really liked it. I decided to transfer the “Dragon” part to the third book. It worked better for the storyline. I’ve already named the fourth book The Mummy’s Amulet, but I haven’t even started outlining the story yet.
What scene in the book are you most proud of and why?
Legend has it that the Atlantean people were able to communicate telepathically. I hadn’t written dialogue this way before, but I tried it anyway. I can’t give away the ending, but this is a significant element in the final chapter. It adds another dimension to the scene, and I’m happy with the way it worked out.
Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?
When I started my journey as a writer only four years ago, I had to go back to the basics and learn how to write: commas, redundancies, proper use of speech tags, active versus passive sentence structure, conflict, showing versus telling, character point of view, plotting, story arc, pace, and the list goes on. The most important aspect in a book’s creation is to write it well. I still have a long road ahead of me and discover a new writing trick almost every single day.
What do you like most about the cover of the book?
For the first time, readers can see Evan’s, Claire’s, and Dunkle’s faces. Before my cover artist began her rough sketches, I was a little nervous about whether my characters would look like I had imagined. I was relieved when I saw the first sketch, and immediately fell in love with my book cover. I also enjoyed seeing the Dungeon of Dreadful Dreams come to life, and the frightening illusions that existed there.
What new release book are you looking most forward to in 2014?
Wow, I’m ashamed to say that I’m not sure. For the past few months, I’ve had my head buried in my own manuscript, that I’ve neglected reading. Most of my reading occurs during summer, when my kiddos are out of school.
What was your favorite book in 2013?
Last year, I finally had a chance to read The Hunger Games series, and I enjoyed Catching Fire the most.
What’s up next for you?
My cover artist and I have discussed ideas for The Mummy’s Amulet book cover, so I’m very excited about that. I’ve started researching Egyptian and Mayan mythologies, and will begin outlining the story soon.
Is there anything that you would like to add?
I can honestly say The Dragon’s Egg is my favorite in the series. The story arc has reached higher levels with each book, and even I’m anxious to see what happens next
Hardcover, 400 pages
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