Brought to you by OBS reviewer Caro

• Be sure to read our review for Embers at Galdrilene (Dragon’s Call, Book# 1), here at OBS.

Caro: First of all, I would like to say thank you for letting me read your amazing story. I was truly fascinated by it and its characters. I wish the trilogy a great success.

Not being satisfied with the stories you read and wanting your own endings, was the first step into creating Embers at Galdrilene. But, what was the process or inspiration of writing about this magical land and what it would hold within it? I see you even included a map of the territory.

A.D. Trosper: When I first decided to write Embers, I kept hearing how one should write what they love and know. Well, I have always loved dragons. So it started out as, “I’m going to write a book about dragons.” Then I started wondering about these dragons and the riders I knew I wanted them to have. It didn’t take long before characters started showing up in my head. I knew from the beginning this would not be a fantasy that included dwarves or elves. I’m burnt out on dwarves and elves.  I did end up with non-human creatures besides the dragons, however I didn’t know about them when I began writing. My characters told me about the Kojen as I got further into the story.

I made the original map when I was a few chapters into the first draft. My characters started getting turned around and I was having trouble remembering what city they were near. So I drew a map on a piece of notebook paper with a pencil so as the author, I could remember which direction they were going and how long it might take them to get from one place to another.

As a somewhat funny aside, I created the first map on the computer using the Windows paint program (yeah, it was a dinosaur computer) and I couldn’t get the lake to look lakey. It ended up being a perfect circle. At first I tried to write around that until my characters introduced me to the reason for it be round.

And of course my designer at Blue Harvest Creative was kind enough to take my kindergarten level map and turn into the awesome one you see in the book.

Caro: You have quite a list of interesting characters. Who was the first character that came to life while writing about Galdrilene and who was the most difficult to write about?

A.D. Trosper: Emallya and Kellinar showed up first, pretty much at the same time. Both with their names already known to them. I knew Emallya’s story sooner than I did Kellinar’s though. The most difficult in Embers was actually Vaddoc. He was so uptight and formal, he drove me crazy.

Caro: I felt that Maleena started out as a character that showed all it had to give while it was introduced because everyone saw her as this petit woman that could be weak but then she bloomed into such a beautiful and strong character, becoming one of my favorites. I’m really looking forward to her development in the next books. What was the inspiration behind her creation and was it difficult to write all of what she went through while at Kormai?

A.D. Trosper: Maleena actually was a favorite of mine early on. When I started writing her, I knew that not everyone could be ready to jump into warrior mode. That not all of them could be strong in the beginning. Most of her growth both in Embers at Galdrilene and in the coming very soon, Tears of War, has been at her insistence and mostly her own doing.  She is a very determined character.

I didn’t have trouble writing about what happened to her in the Kormai. I knew her so well by then that I knew she could handle it.

Caro: Sadira turned out to be quite an emblematic character as soon as she was introduced into the story. I feel that she’s like a black Cinderella that will truly take revenge. It also looked like she wasn’t made for the battle field and instead needed to command from afar. How did you feel while writing about Sadira and what can we expect from her in the next books? Will it be explained how she ended enslaving three of her sisters? (If I may ask).

A.D. Trosper: Sadira was actually kind of fun to write even if she is evil. It was interesting to write about someone who would make bad decisions for all the wrong reasons.

In the next book, Tears of War, you get to see a more of Sadira and she plays a few too many of her games. You will also meet another evil character, one that gives even Sadira pause.

I don’t go into how she took the sisters though.

Caro: Taela’s egg wasn’t completely black and it was mentioned that others, like it, had been destroyed. Is there some explanation as to why that type of egg can’t turn black?

A.D. Trosper: The dark magic was too weak in the egg, rendering it neutral. The dragon in the egg could go either way. So where the egg may not be black, if the right person hatched it, the draclet could easily be black.

Caro: I have to say that I drew conclusions too early. I came to think that Serena and Kellinar would end up being bondmates but at the end you gave the readers a 360 degree twist bonding him with Taela and an even bigger spoiler. Why did you decide to keep them as just friends? Will Serena find a bondmate?

A.D. Trosper: A lot of people thought I was going to go there with Serena and Kellinar. When I first started the story, I was going to have them bondmate. However, they made it quite clear to me that they were just very good friends. It really wasn’t my decision, it was theirs.  And no, Serena doesn’t find a bondmate as far as I know.

Caro: Is it possible for you to let us know more about your upcoming projects or even tours?

A.D. Trosper: Tears of War, the second book in the trilogy will be released this summer.  In fact it goes to my editor tomorrow. So you don’t have long to wait to find out what happens next. I have already written the prologue for the third book, Ashes and Spirits and will begin working on it in earnest as soon as the editing for Tears is done.

Caro: I sometimes wonder, if there is anything authors sometimes want to talk about related to their books but the interviewer never asks? Is there something about Embers of Galdrilene that you would like to talk about or add?

A.D. Trosper: Actually, this is one of the best interviews I’ve done concerning things related to my books. As far as adding, how about a little trivia?

Kirynn was originally going to bondmate to Vaddoc until she let me know on no uncertain terms was she ever going to bondmate or marry anyone and I needed to get that thought right out of my head.

There almost wasn’t a lake scene, I tried to bypass it thinking I knew better, until my characters quit playing and I had to cut a bunch of story out and go back to the lake.

There were originally two other characters in the group of young people that Emallya gathered. They got cut when I went back to the lake.

The first chapter didn’t exist in the beginning. The story originally started with Kellinar. It wasn’t until much, much later that the chapter with Vaddoc in Shadereen was written and added in as the first chapter.

At OBS we like to get to know the authors, so it’s time for some fun facts.

Caro: Out of the six different types of dragons in your story, if you could hatch one egg, what color would it be and why?

A.D. Trosper: Oh goodness, I do love the Reds, but I think I would probably hatch a Silver if I could. I love the magic the rider has and as a hopeless romantic, I would want a bondmate. Maybe my husband could hatch an egg too. 🙂

Caro: If you had the opportunity to vacation for free in any part of the world where would it be and why?

A.D. Trosper: Ireland, Scotland and England.

• Favorite color: Purple
• Favorite time of day to write: Late at night
• Favorite music: I have an extremely eclectic taste in music. Everything from country, to Celtic, to folk, modern rock, heavy metal, R&B…I would say it’s easier to say what I least like. Jazz and Blues. I don’t know why but I just can’t get into it.
• Favorite food: Chocolate, potato soup, steak, asparagus, okay now I’m going in the same direction as the music question.  Let’s see, I don’t like sushi, gumbo, or fish that are staring at me with their little dead eyeballs. Everything else is pretty much up for grabs.

Wow! Now I’m really glad that I asked that what-hasn’t-been-asked-before question because I really liked the Lake scene. You would have to read the book to understand. It is still fresh in my mind! And, now I’m wondering who those other characters were that got excluded. Thank you, so much, to author A.D. Trosper for an amazing interview and trivia 😉 Can’t wait to read the next book!