Tag: Dragons

For the Love of Dragons

Writing is well under way for Book 3 of Blood Gift Chronicles. While living alongside characters who inspire me daily, I am also immersed in wildlife and dragons as I forge journeys through land, sea and sky. It’s everything I love about fantasy fiction, grounded in relatable experiences, whilst offering inspiration, colour and magic; against a backdrop of danger. There is everything to lose and everything to gain, when we embrace the truth of our identity, and look to freedom. Flight offers the ultimate in freedom, in the skies, or swimming in oceans deep. And so I look to dragons, of different kinds.

I recently received a gift through the post, a gorgeous postcard featuring the Maeshowe dragon, an intriguing and playful image, ancient graffiti left behind in the Neolithic tomb of Orkney, etched by visiting Norsemen. I love the idea of mythical creatures just waiting to be re-awakened. And I love a new book just waiting to be opened, like my recent purchase, Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan, a title I’ve had my eye on for some time now – sirens, sea witches, kelpies, and a deep dive into Japanese folklore with kappas and eastern dragons, what’s not to love.

And so what is the draw to the ever popular dragon?

‘Beyond this place, there be dragons,’ the old map makers used to say…

Fantasy requires us to take a leap of faith and step into the unknown, to render our desire for control and open ourself up to a different possibility. The fact we enjoy the genre suggests we’re looking for that kind of adventure. What better way than with creatures that can take flight or disappear into the deepest oceans, that can shape-shift, have intelligence and speak many tongues, that teach us humility, less we choose the path of destruction, or create opportunity to unite behind a common enemy – if a dragon can wipe out an entire army, it will take more than an army to defeat one. Whatever purpose they serve, they tip us well beyond the threshold of the familiar, transcend to a point of no return.

‘I do not care what comes after; I have seen dragons dancing on the morning winds,’ Ursula Le Guin.

They are also weirdly relatable, since we grow up learning about the giants of history, aka dinosaurs. And of course we know lizards, and there are those that can fly. Flying lizards appear in my WIP novel, and this photograph has been my screensaver for some time, as pointed out by my paper-mache version, companion of the book table.

The feelings that dragons can invoke are also relatable to contemporary issues of climate change, habitat loss and depletion of the species. Ann McCaffery’s dragons are literally allies in the fight against climate change. More subtle, the mysticism in Ursula Le Guin’s dragons in Tales of Earthsea explore the possibility of extinction from the world we know, melancholy at the thought of dragons flying the other wind, leaving behind a world without dragons, a world without the majestic mystery of this awe-inspiring other-worldly magic.

In my series, Blood Gift Chronicles, the theme of power is explored through the hard magic of traditional fire breathers, and the soft magic of water dragons. One power will out, which one, you’ll have to find out, but the aim was never to rid the world of dragons, but rather lean into creation. Exploring these internal and external worlds, opening ourselves up to perspectives of air and sea, considering the power of the otherworldly, gives a vast overview of the world that only dragons can bring. It’s a fly high, and a deep dive, battling internal struggles, fighting powers in a bid for freedom, with the question, if you have fought a dragon, is there any turning back?

Landscape credit to the coastline of Hartlands, where lies a partly submerged, rocky dragon.

Elemental Spring

Early spring passed mostly in a flurry of wind and rain, and plenty of time to stay indoors with Blood Gift Chronicles and the magical twists and turns and soaring heights of Book 3’s WIP. But every now and then the weather holds long enough for a trip outdoors to see a refreshing sight.

From the stately home of Knighthayes, watched over by Devon’s rolling hills, and marking a grand presence over sprawling gardens of giant trees and early blooming rhododendrons…

To the watery expanse of Fernworthy reservoir, where moss-covered woodland is a step in time with magical realms…

For work, a visit to the local radio station was a highlight, in recognition of International Women’s Day. No photos this year but a reminder of last year’s late show with the phenomenal Mama Tokus, and our wonderful host, Kerrie Seymour.

It was great to be able to return this year, contributing to the ambitious 24 hour radio take-over by Dreadnought South West, sharing poetry themed on IWD, and chatting about writing, books and all I have coming up this year, including WorldCon and an epic trip to Glasgow in the summer. I’m super excited for a jam-packed, SFF weekend, and a chance to meet up with my lovely publishers, Stairwell Books.

Closer to home and we’ve just emerged from a weekend book festival on the Hartland Coast.

It was blustery there too, but a great chance to visit the dragon rocks of Hartland (or at least that’s how I see them), in the lovely company of my wife. I wrote The Warder before ever visiting this place, and yet I spy familiar sights with dramatic rock faces, circling birds of prey, rugged paths, multi-toned wild gorse, and a distant island view – Lundy Island in real life. With a writing week ahead, I’m inspired.

And while the blustery wind and rain has returned today, so too has spring made an appearance.

Wishing everyone a good week ahead…

Stories, Writing and Comic Fun

A busy weekend gone by at Comic Con, surrounded by stories old and new that have inspired through the ages, demonstrated by those who fully embrace the characters they love, with impressive cosplay and fun encounters. The craftmanship and animatronics is always awe inspiring, from clockwork owls, giant centaurs, a transformer or two, many more, and of course, Darth Vadar and his army of storm troopers. The Star Wars franchise is always a favourite of mine, not least because the time span of the series demonstrates the progress made for equality. The evolution of female characters is a subject in its own right, but oh, I do love Rey – maybe one day I will see her make an appearance there… In the meantime…

It was of course also great to discover new readers, and to chat with those who have read or are reading my own Blood Gift Chronicles. Accompanied by my artwork, and self-made props, it was great to be able to offer more immersion into my world, from the crystal mines of Shendi and the lost mountain lions, through the changing landscapes and the faces of those who carry us through, to tales of dragons, and real-life colonies of flying lizards. The geography and wildlife that inhabits the various land and waterscapes is as real in my mind’s eye as a blackbird’s song, and it’s lovely to share that vision with others. This is what stories are made of.

And of course some readers are writers, and with a fair few years under my belt, with various ups and downs along the way, I’m always happy share, to inspire, and of course in turn be inspired. And so for any budding writers out there, a few points that came up in conversation amid comic fun:

Find your routine, your groove, your working motivators whether that’s allocated time or word counts, and Just Write. Procrastination is the enemy. Talking about writing is not writing. Wanting to be a writer is not writing. Just write. Don’t get caught in edits, just get the story down. Beware of rabbit holes, maintain perspective, you’re the writer not a player, so Just Write. Writing is rewriting is rewriting… that’s how you build, that’s how you discover, that’s how you finish… And then you start all over again. Just Write. If you’re looking for an easy way through, you’ll be disappointed: there is no easy way, there’s just you. Are you a writer? Then Just Write.

Have a wonderful week…

FantasyCon 2023

A thoughtful pause following a recent trip to Birmingham for FantasyCon 2023. And another great convention exploring the depth and breadth of this fascinating genre. With such a diverse range of books and authors represented, perspectives gave illuminating insights and reflective interpretations on life and the stories they inspire.

As an author focused on creating colourful worlds filled with flora, fauna and a touch of magic, woven into plots that reflect and inspire, told by characters across a range of complexities, it was great to join in with some panel discussions.

Feminism in fantasy is an ongoing conversation, challenging gender stereotypes and subverting expectation, exploring the intersections, and discussing the range of ways stories can reflect the past and the present, and imagine futures to warn, foretell and/or inspire. It’s a discussion that inevitably leads to differing perspectives and motivations stemming from our own uniqueness, but for me there is one immutable truth: without diverse representation in the authors, we can expect no representation in the characters, and that without widespread cultural representation, the conversation falls flat. Feminism is of course not a monolith. And there’s such a wealth of work out there, spanning the globe. Personal favourite authors include Nnedi Okorafor, Eugen Bacon, Nghi Vo, N.K. Jemison, Gabriela Houston, Rivers Solomon… A couple of personal highlights from the convention: meeting Guest of Honour, Tasha Suri, whose work I love. And having breakfast with the wonderful Juliet McKenna, sharing fascinating conversation on all things representation. Not to mention spying the lovely Joanne Harris, who forever leaves the taste of Chocolat.

Another panel highlight was on the subject of nature and ecology, a conversation that only tipped the surface on all the weird and wonderful wild life. Where do we draw our inspiration from? My work encompasses traditional inspiration in the form of fire-breathing dragons, as well as invention: a magical hybrid that readers of my first book, Return of the Mantra, would recognise; and the hybrids of Book 2, The Warder, trapped in that in-between place. There’s a danger of going with something too familiar, tired tropes can make for dull reading. Which is why my dragons are my own unique take, derived from the storyline, inextricably linked to their human counterpart. Their creation and subsequent properties are fully fitting with the environment, their biology is as clear to me as the long-toed monkey in the sacred forest of my first book. Book 3, my work in progress is the origin story of their creation, and leads us to the water dragons, or at least my own new take. Magic, the world, and all that lives there, has to make sense to its own rules, to the plotlines, and, to a greater or less degree, to science. Magic might give some colourful flexibility, but I look for immutable truths. Writers know way more about their worlds than whatever makes the page, and the same is true for me with my wildlife. The camouflage properties of dragons may not be explained in the story, but biology has explained it to me, and so I know, I know, that my dragons can be as real as a blackbird’s song.

I found a lot of connectivity in the discussions I was involved in: worlds built around nature and magic, overturning patriarchal systems of control and returning to our roots, strands of magic and the individuals they are gifted to… Characterisation is dependent on perspectives, and once we understand how those perspectives can fit together, there is no telling what might be accomplished. My characters save themselves, save each other, and work to unpick damaging systems of control. They have magical gifts which connect them to the land and each other. And in my reading, I shared insight into the three leading characters of Book 2, The Warder, revealing gifts that unchecked, could leave them disconnected, but with knowledge, can lead to magical ends.

Last but not least, I’ll leave you with a few sights of Birmingham, spots of nature that gave a wonderful breath of fresh air…

For the Love of Books #27

Stopping by to share a love of books, and this time a look at fantastical creatures. There are so many great titles to choose from, but I’ve gone for three, each with a unique flavour…

The Mermaid of Black Conch; by Monique Roffey

In the Black Conch waters, one mile off Murder Bay, David Baptiste meets Aycayia:

“…long, long ago I don’t know the time, only that they called up a huracan, to take me far away, seal up my legs inside a tail.’

And from that day, whenever the leatherbacks arrive, he knows she will soon appear. No woman can compare to his mermaid, leaving a heart of sorrow to drown in a bottle of rum, while he finds the words to write the story down. She was an interruption in the middle of God’s act of creation, cursed by women to seal her sex inside a big tail, to keep her away from their men. And when the Americans caught her, David Baptiste is left feeling the sorrow of believing it was his fault.

Set on an imaginary Caribbean island, this is a wonderfully textured, layered read that pulls on all the senses. Tantalising in its entanglement of the mythical blended with visceral realism of everyday life. The place was brought to life, the love between man and mermaid felt as real a blackbird’s song, and the story arc weaving between past and present brought reflections of life’s loves, losses and desires into sharp focus. A lively, colourful, triumphant treat of a book. Needless to say, I adored it.

The Invisible Library; by Genevieve Cogman

The Invisible Library is a fun read, that overall has the feel of game playing within the realms of story-telling, with rules and payoffs to magic along the ride. The story stars Irene, a professional spy for the mysterious library, harvesting fiction from different realities. She is a character who is sure of herself, content and confident in her chosen profession, courageous in her various assignments to alternate worlds. The latest assignment is to an alternative London to retrieve a dangerous book, along with her assistant, Kai. But nothing is as it seems in chaotic alternate worlds.

I enjoyed the characterisation, and representation of an older woman unflinching in adventure, and courageous in the face of, well, anything. It was also a refreshing dynamic to see her play an older role model to the young man Kai. Fae creatures of chaos and magic await, an infestation of vampires, werewolves and technology working in weird ways, and Irene is soon on the run from gargoyles and hellhounds, only to stumble upon steampunk creatures to delight the imagination of any reader – creatures that also extend to the idea of the monster inside us. But what exactly is the sinister character laying in wait…?

Theoretical Dragon Anatomy; by Isabelle V. Busch

Is it true that dragons wholly belong in the mythical beast category, are they truly fictional, or are they formed from fragmented fact? Theoretical Dragon Anatomy is a biology manual, innovative in ecological thinking, problem solving, theorising, and containing intriguing and beautiful artwork to further illustrate the hugely absorbing information. With scutes and sensory pores shared with swimming alligators, wing structure akin to their pterosaur ancestors, a cardiovascular system resembling that of a bird, not to mention a digestive system with crops akin to their avian friends, and embryology that draws lines to lizards, snakes, chickens, crocodiles and bats… I can honestly say that dragons have never felt so familiar, a fact I have thoroughly enjoyed discovering. Oh, and did someone mention a flamme gland… yes, all wrapped up with some dragon pyrotechnics…

What are you reading?

A Change of Nature

Following on from my last post, the theme of nature is still in mind. In the garden, the lavender is growing, the hedgehog is visiting, and stray newts are making random appearances in the grass, despite there being no pond…

With a backdrop of bird’s singing, and the gentle hush of nearby bamboo brushing in a summer breeze, it’s a textured backdrop. Add to this, trips to the beach for some sea air, edged by sienna cliffs of the Jurassic coast, home to nesting birds and basking seals, and more layers of fabric add to the scene.

Sights, sounds, colours, scents and the all-important feels, develop a tangible world. Worldbuilding has been the focus of my novel writing in recent months, that and the courage to attack a re-write with renewed vigour, and a capacity to allow for organic change. The changes were greater than I had first imagined, and the efforts are paying off. The key – layering the world, being true to the world, true to the characters, embodying perspectives and when those perspectives necessarily alter, breathing into the flow and, quite literally, taking flight. There’s a clue there somewhere, though dragons are no secret. Then comes the interesting question of perception, and as I’ve said before, I’m going with my own inventive model of dragon, with explanations rife in a world where magic is its own science.

Subverting expectation is a common theme in my work, often times associated with gender. it’s an interesting concept to combine this with dragons, considering the concept of power, the expectation of power, contrasted with the truth of identity. The answers are coming and I’m excited to see them revealed… after more rewrites. A story is written once, and it is worth taking the time.

For now, a breath of fresh air and some sun… Have a great weekend, everyone…

 

Nature’s Magic

Summer is upon us and the weather is warm warm warm. Still, no excuse for not sitting indoors writing! And the writing is flowing, for an array of shorts, and for the novel. Inspiration is a common theme, and I don’t have to look far to be inspired, by nature, by colour, by stories both personal and fictional.

A recent trip to the river Otter gave a glorious fix of wildlife, or at least a tantalising reminder of those special moments of hope. Following Devon Wildlife Trust’s successful reintroduction of beavers into the area, I had hoped that maybe, just maybe, I might see one. Alas, it was not meant to be, but special in any case to see gnawed trees and an impressive dam. Given a chance, these industrious creatures are fighting back against flooding, while bringing a whole host of species back into area – the magic of nature. And so we looked, scouring the riverbank, soaking up the wild atmosphere.

(Click here for more about the river Otter in a previous blogpost – #lovedevon)

Nature is a prominent theme in my series, Blood Gift Chronicles. In Return of the Mantra, I explore the cost of exploitation; in The Warder, it’s the fight to preserve wildlife; and in Book 3, there’s a personal connection with the natural world, so personal we might actually merge. Like its predecessors, Book 3 is bringing a personal arc that is out of this world, transformational, and colourful.

Colour…

At home, flowers are starting to bloom…

The bikes are out…

There’s art in the cathedral on the theme of nature…

And my own art is slowly taking shape.

Colour, nature, magic…

What’s your inspiration?

Worldcon: Pre-Convention Dragons

Two days to go and I will be at Worldcon, the 80th World Science Fiction Convention which this year is being held in Chicago. Thanks to the wonders of technology, I’ll be tuning in from the comfort of my writing room. As well as being an avid spectator, I’m joining in with the programme, which involves taking the time to consider my work and perspectives.

And this Tuesday morning it’s all about dragons… which feature in my series Blood Gift Chronicles. Prior to the books, in the planning stages, I didn’t start out with the intention of writing dragons, although it’s possible that there was something happening in the sub-conscious. I mean who doesn’t love dragons? I remember the decision-making process, whether to go with something as familiar and perhaps obvious, or go for invention. Ultimately, I was drawn to dragons, or at least versions of them – as familiar as dragons are, I’m definitely going for a whole new angle.

I was thinking about the quote by Ursula Le Guin: “I do not care what comes after; I have seen dragons dancing on the morning winds.”

They are creatures that reveal an awe-inspiring feeling of other-worldly magic. They are the ultimate strength, the lesson in humility, the fact that there are things bigger than us, out of our control. But rather than the idea of going up against a dragon, trying to beat a dragon, the story develops into becoming a dragon, what that reflects in us, storylines analogous to loss, love, loyalty, grief and empowerment – the idea of ‘beyond this place, there be dragons’ – rather than an outer journey, thinking about an inner journey that someone might go through in transforming.

Back to Blood Gift Chronicles, and dragons don’t actually feature until the third book. Stories are told of them in the second book and the magic is alluded to, but it’s not until the third that we discover the big mystery of the dragons.

A final thought for now, the idea of dragons comes with a kind of melancholy, that idea of bordering on extinction – extinction of magic, and the fantastical, and creature extinction. That fits with some of the themes in the books, around wildlife and the environment. There are storylines around the interplay of capitalism and corruption and impacts on nature, and just generally, wildlife is a very visible backdrop throughout the books, almost with an identity of character in lots of ways. In fact, in book one it does take the form of a fantastical creature character.

Have you met the Mantra yet?

    

The Warder Celebration & BGC Art

June 2022 was the month for finally getting together to celebrate last year’s release, The Warder. The event was set to go ahead here in Exeter, and preparations were going swimmingly…

but alas, we were thwarted by Covid. Life can be as unpredictable as the twists and turns of our stories, and so came a last-minute shift onto zoom.

Hosted by my publishers, the lovely folks of Stairwell Books, and joined by local guest readers bringing more fantasy, folklore, poetry and rhyme, it was lovely to spend time in the company of other writers, as well as readers of my series so far. And onto my readings.

With a brief intro. to Book One, Return of the Mantra, I was reminded of intrepid Suni and her search for justice and her own identity. Thrust into some stark environments, she discovers what she’s really made of, in contrast to the mountaintop view where her worldview is forever changed. And of course, when you’re up against tyranny and fighting for the natural world, it takes more than one voice. Onto Book 2, The Warder, where we get to know more of our heroines and heroes.

With three main characters in The Warder, three scenes jumped out at me to share.

Wanda, an eighteen-year-old young man, gifted but also cursed by a shadow bound to him. One of his opening scenes is a favourite, looking out over the grasslands, searching for respite from his curse.

Ten-year-old Luna, troubled by strange visions, experiences her own personal breaking high in the mountains.

And, perhaps holding it all together, Suni returns, working to restore harmony to her hometown, while using her gift to watch out over her young friend.

The dominoes are falling, squeezing characters and revealing timeless bonds. All set in a world with new lands revealed, where old and new, the mundane and the fantastical, coexist. Prepare to be cast away to an archipelago of islands in the far western reaches, with the musty air of the cavernous temple and the sound of footsteps crossing the mosaic-tiled floor; in contrast to the warm desert winds of Shendi, carrying spells and curses that touch all those with the gift to hear…

With themes of wildlife and the environment, social justice and marginalisation, magic, animism, being true to oneself, and dragons… Not to mention a diverse range of character arcs revealing love in all its forms.

Prior to the event, I set myself a project to imagine what my characters might look like. Of course, it’s ultimately for readers to draw their own conclusion, but I’ll leave you with the result of the project: a series of portraits, my own artistic interpretation of my beloved characters that span the series, Blood Gift Chronicles.

Happy Reading!

 

Fantastical Creatures

It’s proving to be a fantasy-filled Saturday here at the British Fantasy Society’s Jubilee event – thank you Zoom! Given a reading slot for The Warder, Book Gift Chronicles Book 2, it was great to be able to squeeze in extracts highlighting the points of view of the three main characters. First up, Luna, a girl plagued by visions. Then her older cousin, Wanda, a young man gifted and also cursed by a shadow bound to him. And finally, someone who Wanda shares history with, a woman gifted to watch over her young friend.

As it turned out, the timing worked well, with my reading following a fascinating and fun Fantastical Creatures panel. Storytelling being as old as time, it’s interesting to consider what sparked the big cat legends, or how big birds carrying babies away might have given rise to the first flying dragons. And in the world as we know it, with species going extinct, how stories of dragons often feature a certain melancholy, analogous to real world extinctions. Whatever the origin, from lumbering giants and fearsome trolls, to magical elves and vampires, mythical creatures have captured imaginations since the dawn of time. Spawned from their environment, whether its selkies in a loch, or bogies chasing hunter/gatherers, they are used to entertain, to uphold morality, to connect to the divine, and warn against dangers. And they teach humility. There are things bigger than us, things beyond our control, things of the unknown.

Dragons featured heavily in the panel, of course, with discussion that got me thinking about the dragons I introduce in my own series. Rather than simply other-worldly, havoc-wreaking creatures that are an extension of the existing natural world, the dragons in my series are two-fold: an introspection of the dragons within us, woven into storylines analogous to trauma, loss, mental health, love, loyalty, and empowerment; and yes… the ultimate power rendering us common folk helpless. And then things change again in the final instalment, Book 3, and oh I’m having fun with the magic in that…

It’s such a great genre to work in, with so much scope, and fun – in many ways a great homage to the magic of childhood. As for incorporating fantastical creatures, the options are endless. Do we lean into existing creatures and their tropes, or create something new? As familiar as dragons are, I’m definitely going for a wholly fresh, new angle. And never say never to inventing something entirely from scratch. With so many folders on file and ideas to mull over, new creatures are in there taking shape. Perhaps the imagination is a muscle. The more you use it, the bigger it gets. Love what you do and I certainly do love creating thought-provoking and colourful fantasy worlds that might also just offer some insight into the world as we know it.

To finish, I’ll leave you with a couple of fantastical creature story recommendations: The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia McKillip, featuring a fantastical menagerie including a swan, a dragon, a lion and a boar; and The Water Bailiff’s Daughter by Yvonne Hendrie, for lovers of selkies.

What are you reading?