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I became a writer because I love to read. I discovered the library in fourth grade and was instantly smitten by the magic and wonder of books. Reading has been a lifelong passion, a magic carpet whisking me away on many adventures. I long to don burnished armor and fight for justice, to search for treasure in a faraway land, to explore secret passages of a ruined castle, to find love on a windswept mountain. Reading has given me so much pleasure that I wanted to pay it back by contributing my own verse, The Silk & Steel Saga.
I believe "you are what you read." So I thought I'd share with you some of the books and movies that inspired me to write my own epic fantasy saga. Perhaps you'll recognize echoes of these works in my writing...but only echoes, since I put my own twist on everything.
First and foremost is George Martin's Game of Thrones. Reading this epic medieval fantasy is what caused me to put pen to paper (actually fingers to keyboard) and start writing The Silk & Steel Saga. After reading Game of Thrones I wanted more but could not find it on the bookstore shelves, so I decided to write my own saga. I love George's style of writing, where each chapter is deep in the point-of-view of an individual character, so I used that same style for my saga. This style lets both the reader and the writer get deep into each character, so you truly understand their needs, their wants, their secret desires. This depth of character makes everything seem more real. Deep characterization is what draws the reader into the rabbit hole.
The second work that inspired me is JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. LOTR is the saga that made me fall head-over-heels in love with epic fantasy. I longed to live in a land of elves, wizards and enchanted forests. For me, LOTR is the masterwork of fantasy world building. Middle Earth is a world you long to explore, from the mines of Moria, to the halls of Rivendale, to the towering Argonath, it lives and breathes in our imaginations. Inspired by LOTR, I strive to add magic and enchantment to the kingdoms of Erdhe, from the illuminated manuscripts covering the walls of the Kiralynn Monastery, to the towering forests of the Deep Green, to the shimmering battlements of Castlegard, and the fearsome magic of the Gargoyle Gates. I hope you will agree that Erdhe is a land brimming with wonder, a feast for the imagination.
The third work that inspired me is Frank Herbert's Dune. To me, Frank Herbert is the master of incorporating themes like environmental science, religion and politics into the weave of his story, turning Dune into a classic. Theme is the underlying message. Theme is what elevates a good book to a great read. Themes resonate with the reader, drawing us back to read the same book over and over again. Inspired by Dune, The Silk & Steel Saga has many themes woven through it. One of the main themes is to explore the mechanisms of evil. Evil is not just a horde of ugly orcs brandishing swords. In my saga, those who walk on the Dark side are beautiful, smart, and manipulative…which makes them scary as hell. The avatars of good must recognize evil and foil their mechanisms in order for good to have a chance to prevail.
Another book that caught my imagination as a young reader was Bram Stoker's Dracula. There is a plot twist in Dracula that I think is positively brilliant and you'll find echoes of it in The Silk & Steel Saga. There is one character in particular whose story arc is inspired by the original Dracula...but I'm going to let my readers figure this one out for themselves.
One of the movies that inspires my writing is Braveheart. The underlying theme of Braveheart is 'it's our wits that make us men'. I love how all the battles in Braveheart are about strategy, advantage, and alliances, not just sword and brawn (although there is plenty of that too). Inspired by Braveheart, The Silk & Steel Saga is brimming with medieval battles, swords and spears and shields, but all of the battles have some twist dealing with strategy, advantage and alliances. In my saga, victory is often achieved more by wits than by swords.
And last but not least, another movie that inspired my writing is the Highlander (especially since it stars Sean Connery...be still my beating heart). In the Highlander, the immortals are battling for 'the prize.' In The Silk & Steel Saga, the dedicates of the Dark Lord are battling for more lifetimes, but each lifetime must be earned. What would you do for another lifetime, another youth, another hundred years?
I hope you'll read The Silk & Steel Saga and let me know what echoes you find in my writing! Enjoy!

Flash SALE on Amazon for Spring Break!!! The Steel Queen, the first book of The Silk & Steel Saga, is on sale today and tomorrow (Mar 4 & 5) for $0.99!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the perfect time to start reading this epic medieval fantasy full of plots, battles, romance, and schemes that will never let you underestimate the ‘weaker� sex again. If you love Game of Thrones or Tolkien, then this saga is for you!

When I first started writing The Silk & Steel Saga, I planned to write a trilogy. I'm the type of author who writes what I most love to read. My favorite books are big sweeping sagas with complex characters and complex plot twists set in a world full of wonder, books like Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, Frank Herbert's Dune, and George Martin's Game of Thrones. To me, as a long-time lover of fantasy, that initially meant writing a trilogy. But as I finished writing the second book, The Flame Priest, I realized there was no way the story could be told in a trilogy, so I set my sites on a five book saga. But while I was writing the 'last' book there was still too much story to be told. So I published The Knight Marshal and now it is a six book saga. I think I can finish the story in six books but I still have tons to write. If it gets too long then I will break this book in two as well, but that will finish it. I figure as long as I don't have a single boring chapter, it is okay to keep writing. And Erdhe is so big, with so many cool characters and so many interesting plot twists that I don't want to leave anything unwritten. So I hope you will agree with me that it is the quality of the story that matters, not the number of books in the saga. But I must say, I'm looking forward to typing 'The End'!

Here's a link to my latest author interview, offering fresh insights into The Silk & Steel Saga.

Architecture is one of my favorite world building elements. Beginning writers often ignore this powerful element, yet if you look at the towering classics of the fantasy genre you'll find stunning architecture enriching every turn. Consider Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, the pinnacle of fantasy world building. Middle Earth is steeped in stunning architecture which makes the books' conversion to the silver screen a visual feast. From the imposing rock-hewn sculptures of the Argonath, to the elegant spires of Rivendale, to the subterranean vaults of Moria, to the tiered city of Minus Tirith, Tolkien drew his world in stunning strokes of bold architecture. As a master world builder, Tolkien's architecture is not just a feast for the eyes, but each setting reflects the culture of the different races. Architecture is culture writ large. Inspired by Tolkien, I wanted to use architecture as a major world building element in The Silk & Steel Saga. But my love of architecture actually goes deeper than just fantasy. After graduating from college, we backpacked through Europe seeking to explore the castles and cathedrals of the old world. We visited Chartres Cathedral in France where an Oxford professor gave free lectures interpreting the peerless stonework and stained glass windows. The artwork of the great cathedrals was in many ways the “newspaper� of its era. The professor “read� the windows and the elaborate stone carvings, explaining the biblical meanings as well as the more subtle comments on the rulers and politics of the times. I was so taken with these lectures that I was determined to give the same meaning to the architecture of Erdhe. I hope you will see this intent reflected in the many settings of The Silk & Steel Saga. From the crushing architecture of the Flame Temple in Balor, to the sinister triumph of the Mordant's Dark Citadel, to the elegance laced with hidden ways in Queen Liandra's castle, to the enduring strength of Castlegard's invincible battlements, and last but not least, to the shimmering jewel-bright walls of prophecy in the Kiralynn Monastery, knowledge fashioned into stone, you'll find culture sculpted into architecture, beauty and meaning entwined. Welcome to the wonders of the kingdoms of Erdhe, where architecture is a major world building element.

"Maps are a military art form," thus says Kath of Castlegard in The Silk & Steel Saga. The tradition that epic fantasy should have maps started with JRR Tolkien. His map of Middle Earth is laden with secretive forests, intimidating volcanoes, dividing mountain ranges, and lush grasslands all embellished with beautiful script and scrolled dragons. Echoing old world maps where sea serpents frolic in unexplored seas, Tolkien's Middle Earth combines beauty and mystery laden with meaning. For The Silk & Steel Saga I wanted to do no less. As an amateur artist, art matters to me. When I first sketched the Dragon Spine Mountains, I made the mountain chain descend into the sea, forming islands in the shape of a dragon's head. This distinctive feature makes no difference to the story or my characters, but it makes my map of Erdhe both beautiful and unique. My readers recognize Erdhe in a single glance. But function is also built into the map. Hidden by mountain ranges, intimidating forests, and great distance, unique cultures flourish in the lands of Erdhe. These hidden peoples add spice and depth to the saga. Geography also matters a great deal in warfare. Famous generals like Caesar, Boudicca and Napoleon exploited geography to win brilliant victories. Authors need to be aware that boring geography yields boring battles. The Dragon Spine Mountains and the Snowmelt River both provide geography that matters in war. But in the far north, I did something that I believe is fairly unique. Kath first discovers it in The Skeleton King. " The trail curved out onto a rocky promontory, offering the first unfettered view of the north. Kath pulled the stallion to a halt. A sea of grass stretched to the horizon, golden grains rippling in the wind. Untamed by trails or roads, the vast steppes of the north almost seemed benign. Duncan joined her on the overlook, the wind tugging at his dark hair. “Don’t let the grasslands fool you. It looks peaceful enough, but it’s really a trap.� Kath studied the north, judging the vast grassland with military eyes. “No trees, no high ground, no chance for stealth or strategy.� She nodded, seeing the trap beneath the stark beauty. “It’s like a great greensward, a moat of grass. Naked and exposed, numbers and speed are the only advantages. And the Mordant always has the numbers.� Kath is struck by the chilling realization that the Mordant deliberately placed his citadel in the steppes, creating a vast killing field where strategy is negated by geography and might matters more than wits. In the far north, the map heralds the evil brilliance of the Mordant. Maps are an important part of world building. Make yours beautiful and laden with meaning. You can find the maps of Erdhe at my author website.

To trope or not to trope, that is the question. What is a trope, you might ask? Tropes are the classical elements that define a story as belonging to the fantasy genre. A knight in shining armor, a princess who longs to wield a sword, the forces of evil personified in a dark villain, and of course, the all important quest. Most of these tropes have been immortalized by JRR Tolkien and his Lord of the Rings, but rightly or wrongly publishers today are looking for something "different", a new magical system or a bizarre monster-villain. Professional critics say the classical tropes are tired and worn out, unimaginative and dull, but as an author, I think it's how you use the tropes that truly matters. Why not weave a story in bright colors, gold, maroon and midnight-blue, instead of rust and grit and endless shades of gray? Why is gritty more interesting than vibrant? Like many die-hard fantasy fans, what I truly love are well-told stories steeped in the classical fantasy tropes. I yearn to dawn burnished armor, greaves and gorget and gauntlet, and to take up a sword and fight for love and justice, for kingdoms and crowns. To ride a foam-flecked mare through a moonlit forest in a desperate bid for escape. To weave sticky strands of politics with the Spider Queen in the hopes of snaring a traitor. To discover a sanctuary of knowledge where all the hallways are jewel-bright with calligraphy, every wall echoing with prophesies. To explore a land of towering castles and mysterious mists, where all the sunsets are crimson-red, the star-strewn nights are cobalt-blue, and the summer fields are malachite-green. And beneath it all, I want a tale well told, a tapestry brimming with complex characters, each with their own motives and aspirations. Give me a story bursting with plot twists that evoke surprise and wonder. And woven through it all, I want themes that pluck the heartstrings and challenge the mind. The classical tropes are not dead and boring, they are merely waiting for a fresh imagination to take up the sword and lead them on a new adventure. This is the epic fantasy that I love to read. This is what I strove to write in The Silk & Steel Saga.