When I asked Ruthanne Reid to write a post sharing her most gratifying experience as a writer, some mythology, or her inspiration, I expected her to pick just one subject. Imagine my delight when she graced us with all three. Thank you Ruthanne and I’m sorry for causing you so much work. Her most gratifying experience as a writer. This is a tricky one! I find it repeatedly gratifying to open a box of my own books, or run into someone online who’s read them. However, I think if I were to pick one moment, it would be when I realized I had fanart. See, I got into writing via fanfiction; I loved other people’s worlds so much that I just had to play in them, and I honestly believe that’s the best compliment a writer can receive. Finding out that really talented folks had drawn fanart of my world just sent me onto cloud 9. Her work is based in mythology - so an insight into her mythical world. In sum: everything is real, but humans didn’t get any of it right. That’s okay. The People of the Mythos don’t really understand humans well, either. My goal was to create a world that covered everything from history to mythology to most religions. In the world of the Mythos, here’s a place for every single weird thing humans have ever dreamed up, including aliens. Combining science and magic into something internally consistent was a challenge, but loads of fun. Real-life history and archeology and science are so weird that they just lend themselves to storytelling. Crypto-archeology is one of my favorite things to study, in fact. I mean, who wouldn’t be fascinated by the Voynich Manuscript, or the Antikythera mechanism, or megalithic jars of Laos? The world is utterly strange and wonderful, and I’m thrilled to be able to incorporate that into my storytelling. Inspiration for her favorite character. I have to pick a favorite? Hmmm. Fun fact: I haven’t published my favorite character yet. His name is Alex, and he’s half human, half something else – he doesn’t know what, which is kind of an issue. I’ve had him in my head since I was fourteen, and while he as a character grew with me, the only thing that’s really changed was the identity of his father. I like him because he chooses to be good even when it costs him; because he retains his sense of humor regardless of the horrors the world drops on his head. I like him because at the end of the day, he maintains a tender heart, which means he can forgive the most monstrous people – even as he is forced to defeat them. Alex is somebody I’d like to be, in many ways, and of the many characters in my books, he’s one I wouldn’t be afraid to meet. The Christmas Dragon Buy Links for The Christmas Dragon: Kindle Nook Kobo Play iTunes Scribd Oyster Flipkart Txtr Smashwords Paperback IndieBound Bookfinder Powell’s All Katie Lin wants is to get away from her family: from the magic, from the mayhem, and from the never-ending war. Unfortunately, someone has other ideas, and sends her a box. A box that jumps. The tiny fire hazard inside may just force her back to Wales - and right into the path of a dragon war, the Crow King, and at least one reluctant elf prince. Sometimes, running away just doesn't work as planned. Buy Links for Strings: Kindle Nook Kobo iTunes Scribd Oyster Flipkart Txtr Smashwords Paperback IndieBound Bookfinder Powell’s Strings |
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