Hello my friend and welcome to this interview where I answer questions about my new book, THE FIRE DRAKE. These questions were asked by readers like you, and I’m here to answer them.

1. Where did the idea for this book come from?
   1. After I published my second book, THE RAIDER’S CURSE, I wanted to practice writing faster. So, I asked my readers who they wanted to read more about and the resounding answer was the loyal and witty Ross Galbraith. Then the question was, what happened in Ross’s past? I started writing about him as a small boy and what would cause him to leave him home in Ballitus. Then it all started falling together. This character has since wedged himself deeper into the main storyline and is a key player as we move into books four and five.
2. Will Ross ever go back to Lambswell?
   1. It’s still up in the air on whether Ross will ever go back. Part of me wants to have him go, but it all depends upon how the last book turns out.
3. Do the Vixens come back later on in the series?
   1. I think they will. However, I’m still writing the rough draft for the last book, so a lot can change by the time it is published.
4. Where did the dragon cuffs come from?
   1. For those who’ve read THE QUEEN OF THE NIGHT, you might recognize these cuffs as the ones Nienna wore under Darius’s servitude. The question is, how did they travel from Liteya, the former capital of the Comstock Empire, all the way to Lambswell?
5. Is Ross’s Fire Drake a living entity?
   1. The relationship between the dragon tattoo and Ross is interesting. The tattoo is a living, sentient being, but is like a parasite. It can’t be separated from its host or it will cease to exist. The drake is as much a part of Ross as the color of his eyes, but it doesn’t like being poked, and when released, can have a mind of its own.
6. How long did it take you to write this book?
   1. The original version of this book was written as a twelve week, serial blog post. However, as Ross continued to feature more prominently in the series, this book needed to expand. So of actual writing time, I would say this book took me five months to write, plus one month of polish and shine.
7. What inspired the setting for THE FIRE DRAKE?
   1. I listen to a lot of Assassin’s Creed music as I write. The folksy, pulsing beat made it easy to imagine a gang of kids jumping rooftops chasing each other down. I also really love the movie, THE PRINCE OF PERSIA and the parkour chases through the markets. So between the two, the setting for THE FIRE DRAKE came to life.
8. Is Ross based on a real person?
   1. My husband asked me this question after I finished book two, and my answer remains the same. Yes, and no. There are elements of Ross that came from certain people I’ve crossed paths with, but there is no definite person who he’s based on. To me, Ross was always the culmination of those “what-if?” people that come into my life. The ones that make you second guess every decision you make.
9. Who are the authors that have inspired you?
   1. I always claim Brandon Mull with his Beyonders series as the original series that inspired the world for my writing. I loved these books, and especially the audiobook versions. Other authors that have influenced me are Cassandra Clare, Cinda Williams Chima, Cornelia Funke, and Leigh Bardugo. Then there are all the independent authors I’ve come to know over the past few years who absolutely inspire me with what they write. Before I met all of them, I had no idea there was such a large community of people who loved spice-free books.

10. What is your “why” for writing?
    1. My why for writing is to show the world that a book can be an outstanding book without explicit content. And it’s done through writing a great plot. I want clean books to become the popular reads, the ones hitting the NYT bestseller lists. I also want to further my mission that light does more when shared. And who doesn’t want to share a book that made them think and grow while leaving them a better person?
11. Why cheese?
    1. The idea of Azroth working for a cheesemaker likely came from working on the manuscript near lunchtime and I’ve got a taste for exotic cheese. When I was in highschool, I was part of the FFA and for one of our competitions I had to learn to identify different cheeses by look, texture, and flavor. It was one of my favorite things to compete in.

Thank you for listening to this short interview. The Fire Drake was a fun book to work on and I can’t wait to get back to finishing the Comstock Chronicles. If you’d like to check out more of my books, or stay in the know when a new one comes out, check out my website and sign up for my email list.

Also, if you’ve read any of my books, I would sincerely appreciate an honest review on either Amazon, Goodreads, Bookbub, and/or my website. These reviews help my books reach new readers who love exciting, but clean fantasy stories.

Thanks again my friend and happy reading!

To purchase this book, check out the bookshop or visit it on Amazon.