Q: Can you tell us a bit about “The Dragon Delasangre”?
A: Named by Booklist Magazine as one of the top ten horror novels in recent years, The Dragon DelaSangre, my debut novel, is a dark fantasy that explores the difficulties a modern day dragon and shapechanger might have coexisting with humans in our current world.
Peter DelaSangre, raised by his dragon parents on a small island off the coast of Miami and educated in human schools on the mainland, tells the story of his life and of the conflict he feels between his natural instincts and all that he likes and admires in the human world. It’s only when he searches for a female of his own kind and tries to build a life with her – only to find himself betrayed by a human he trusts – that he comes to understand just who and what he truly is.
Q: Can you give us a sneak peak into your upcoming “Dragon Moon”?
A: In Dragon Moon, Peter DelaSangre continues to tell of his quest to find the proper mate. But finding a dragon female is the easiest task he faces. While he’s come to accept the human race’s capacity for treachery he never expects to encounter it practiced by his own kind. Betrayed by other dragons, he finds he must struggle to retain all he owns – as well as to fight for the lives of his mate and child and to battle, possibly to the death, for his own survival.
Q: What do you see as the main themes of this series?
A: Besides the books providing a fun venue to build a whole new dragon mythology, they also let me deal with the very human themes of self acceptance, self reliance, father and son issues and, of course, the pursuit of love – along with a whole lot of action, sex and violence, of course.
Q: What is the effect of criticism on writers?
A: I think that good criticism helps writers see where there might be flaws in their writing. For me the suggestions from my editor, my agent and a few trusted early readers are welcome help in building my books.
Q: What drove you to write fantasy fiction in the first place?
A: It began with my love of dragons and my desire to write a book about contemporary dragons. While I’ve always read some fantasy and science fiction, especially when I was younger, it was more of a case that the subject fit the genre than my desire to become a fantasy writer.
Q: Who are some of your favorite authors? What are you reading right now?
A: I tend to read a fairly eclectic mix of authors. My favorites include (but aren’t limited to) Stephen King, Alice Hoffman, Pat Conroy, Elmore Leonard, Michael Crichton, Thomas Harris, Laurell K. Hamilton, Lawrence Shames, Robert Heinlein, Alfred Bester, J.R. Tolkein, Ken Follett, James W. Hall, John Irving, Robert Crais and Peter Mathiessen.
Currently, I’ve just finished Wen Spencer’s, Alien Taste, and am now happily enmeshed in Paradise Alley, a historical fiction about New York’s 1863 race riot. King’s, From a Buick 8, and Crichton’s Prey are next on my to read list.
Q: What has the Internet meant for you as an author?
A: I love the internet. First and foremost, it’s a terrific research tool. It also is a great way to get a sense of what people are reading as well as to communicate with potential readers for my books and to maintain contact with my agent and publisher. And it’s not bad for hearing from fans either. I maintain a website for my books at – www.DragonNovels.com
