Author: Janet Lee Carey
Pub. Date: March 24, 2015
Publisher: Kathy Dawson Books
Pages: 480
Formats: Hardcover, eBook
Kathy Dawson Books is pleased to announce a rich medieval fantasy novel from an author whose work has been called “TRULY ORIGINAL . . . FANTASY AT ITS BEST.”
In the Time of Dragon Moon
A perfectly crafted combination of medieval history, mythology, and fantasy, set on Wilde Island, featuring Uma Quarteney - a half Euit and half English girl, who has never been fully accepted by her Euit tribe - and Jackrun Pendragon - a fiery dragonrider with dragon, fairy, and human blood.
Beware the dark moon time when love and murder intertwine
All Uma wants is to become a healer like her father and be accepted by her tribe. But when the mad queen abducts her and takes her north, Uma’s told she must use her healing skills to cure the aging infertile queen by Dragon Moon, or be burned at the stake. Uma soon learns the queen isn’t the only danger she’s up against. A hidden killer out for royal blood slays the royal heir. The murder is made to look like an accident, but Uma, and the king’s nephew Jackrun, sense the darker truth. Together, they must use their combined powers to outwit a secret plot to overthrow the Pendragon throne. But are they strong enough to overcome a murderer aided by prophecy and cloaked in magic?
In the Time of Dragon Moon -- a tale of Love Magic and Murder
Praise for Janet Lee Carey’s new Fantasy
“Humans, dragons and fey coexist on Wilde Island, but this uneasy peace masks a simmering, mutual distrust that surfaces after the English army abducts an Euit healer and his daughter to cure the aging queen's infertility—failure is not an option.” – Kirkus Review
I love world building, but I’m not a mapmaker. There’s a map in this, the third book of the series, but drawing it for my editor was a real challenge.
For me, world building is story-centric. If I constructed a world, then asked myself what sort of story might take place there, it would be something akin to a playwright building a stage set before writing a play. So the world grows from the central story theme outwards. In book one, Dragon’s Keep, I started with the question: “What would happen if a princess was part dragon?” I knew the story would be set sometime after King Arthur’s reign. I wanted it to be historical, yet also separate from England, so I created Wilde Island and Dragon’s Keep, two isles England sent their criminal element to and used as prison colonies. These isles also happened to be home to Dragons, fey folk and the indigenous people (Uma’s tribe the Euits), so there were layers of bitter history already rife in these islands before book one begins. It was a great way to start the series. Perhaps this line from the Kirkus review for In the Time of Dagon Moon says it best: “Humans, dragons and fey coexist on Wilde Island, but this uneasy peace masks a simmering, mutual distrust.” There are so many possible plots created by this “simmering mutual distrust” that I built into the world from book one.
What made you want to write about Dragons?
I am something of a dragon nut. The sign on my study door reads: “Warning, Dragon at work. Do not disturb!” The talented young artist, Jessica L’Esperance created this banner for my All Books page on my website
How do you decide on the unique names for your characters?
What a great question! Sometimes I “hear” the name as I’m forming the character and it sticks. Other times I do a lot of research using online Baby Name sites to find just the right name. It should not only sound right, but should have a particular meaning. Uma means “mother”. This is fascinating because Uma has a lot of difficulty accepting her English mother. Uma’s Father is Euit. Her mother is English. Her father’s people and her mother’s people have warred with each other for hundreds of years. For Uma, this means she is at war with herself. Raised in the Euit tribe, the First People of Wilde Island who’ve been pushed out by the conquering English, Uma begins the story feeling ashamed of her English blood. She loves her mother, but cannot accept that she is part English. Sometimes a name offers essential insight into a character’s struggles. I think that’s so in this case.
What was your favorite scene or character to write?
I can’t pick just one. But there is a moment in In the Time of Dragon Moon when Uma and Jackrun are hiding from the wolves in Dragonswood, and he challenges her to tell him her darkest secret. She’s terrified to tell him and when she does . . . (excerpt)
~ Shame flooded through me at hearing my own words. For a moment I hated Jackrun for making me admit such a despicable thing. I didn’t move, couldn’t look at him. After a while, he took my hand in his, rubbing my knuckles with his thumb.
“It’s a strange world, Uma,” he said.
The distant sounds of baying wolves filled the darkness all around us. ~
How many drafts did you go through before you settled on a copy to submit?
Dozens and dozens, but I still have many more revisions to do once I get my editorial letter, so the process goes on right up until the book is printed.
How do you outline? (Paper, Post-its, Google docs)
I do a sketchy outline in the beginning, leaving a lot blank because my characters end up making a lot of surprising decisions. That said, I continue to brainstorm and outline as I’m writing the first draft. Some of this happens with pencil and paper in what I call my “StoryJournal”, some of it turns into huge graphs on my office walls, and some planning is typed up as I’m working.
The two things I’ve found most important is first, to nail your dramatic premise in a sentence if possible, and keep referring to that, writing from the premise outward, and second do not be afraid to ask the hard questions.
Did you have any input into your covers?
I’ve been so lucky with all of my covers in the Wilde Island Chronicles. I had cover-love from the first moment I saw this new one. The uber-talented artist Tony Sahara did an amazing job capturing the tension between Uma and Jackrun. I asked for tiny things = to darken Uma’s hair, and darken the dragon’s scales and Tony did. Sometimes the cover affects the book as well. Jackrun’s arm scales were smaller in my descriptions in the book. After seeing the cover, I went back and changed the descriptions to fit the shape and size of the dragon scales on Jackrun’s arm to match Tony’s bold illustration.
If you could have any talent/job in the world besides writing, what would it be?
I’d love to help refugees escape war-torn countries.
How do you read? Audiobook, Ereader, Phsyical Book?
To tell the truth, sometimes I listen to a book on CD, and read it in the bound version and e-book version all at the same time. The bound book is perfect to curl up in a chair with, the audio version allows me to engage in the story while I drive, and the e-book version is small enough to pop into my purse which makes it a bit more portable. Story hunger can be satisfied in many ways. It’s good to let the format fit the reader’s circumstances.
Describe your book in 5 words.
Love, Magic and Murder
2 winners! One will win a Signed copy of In The Time of Dragon Moon and Dragon Moon mug and one will win a Signed copy of In The Time of Dragon Moon and Dragon Moon mouse pad. US and Canada Only.
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3/17/2015- Seeing Double In Neverland- Review
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3/27/2015- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post