What would you do if your son wanted to be a dragonrider?

Today I’m super excited to share with you a mini interview I had with Nicole Conway, author of the amazing Dragonrider Chronicles series of books. The third in the series, TRAITOR, just released in the last week and it is spectacular!!

What’s it about?  Read below.

No amount of training has prepared Jaevid Broadfeather for the frontlines of battle. Now facing the true horrors of war, with Luntharda looming on the horizon, Jaevid has begun to question everything he thought about his heritage. The only thing keeping him going is his oath to protect his dragonrider brothers. But in an instant, even that slips through Jaevid’s fingers as he steps from the safety of his dragon’s saddle into the depths of his mother’s wild homeland—the kingdom of the gray elves.

Stranded in Luntharda with his partner, Lieutenant Jace Rordin, Jaevid must finally confront the demons of his own past as he uncovers the truth about a war that began before he was ever born. Armed with a new appreciation for destiny, and flanked by his trusted friends, Jaevid moves to make the final strike against an enemy that has hidden in plain sight for far too long.

One kingdom’s traitor will become the world’s last hope.

 

 

I’ve been following Nicole on social media for a while and I love her Instagram pics of her military family, especially her little doodle bug. Being from a military family as well, I jumped at the chance to learn more about how this hectic, crazy lifestyle affected her writing.

 

Me:  Hi Nicole. Thanks for joining me today.  I have to know.  You have a little one (whom I’ve enjoyed watching grow since he was born, and has captured my heart). You’ve also recently moved to another country with beliefs and traditions quite different from ours. How does being a military wife, a mother and now “world” traveler affect your writing? Do you find you are inspired more to write? Less? Does your husband’s job give you ideas for your stories?

Nicole: I consider myself very blessed and fortunate to get to live in so many different places, including on the opposite side of the globe. It’s not easy. Every time we move we leave behind friends, memories, routines, and are forced to start over somewhere new where we may or may not know anyone at all. But I try to look at each new destination as an opportunity to grow, explore, and learn.  It’s all about perspective, and it’s my mission to instill in my son an adventurer’s spirit so that he’ll never be afraid to try something new.

It definitely has an impact on my writing, for the better, I think. There are so many things from different cultures that you simply don’t know until you’ve lived them out in daily life. I think it opens my mind and inspires me to stretch the boundaries of my own imaginary worlds. It’s steeped in tradition, and that is something that definitely heavily influenced THE DRAGONRIDER CHRONICLES.

Me:  I have to ask this.  In a world where dragonriders were real, would you be okay with it if your own little E chose to become one?

Nicole:  If my son wanted to become a dragonrider, I’d certainly be proud and let him pursue it. It would be hard letting go of my soft, sweet, smiley little boy knowing he would return to me a steely eyed man. But I think I could find peace about it, especially if I knew he would have a mentor like Sile, Jace, or Prax. I truly believe that there comes a time in a boy’s life when he must learn from men how to become a man himself. Boys need and crave that kind of mentorship from father figures in their lives.

I couldn’t agree more, Nicole!!  Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to chat. I wish you all the luck in the world with your series and all the stories yet to be told. Keep posting pics of your little bit and enjoy your stay in your new, exciting and adventurous country. From an Army brat to an Air Force family, please relay my thanks from me to your husband for his service to our country.  I’m sure many others offer those sentiments as well.

For those who want to learn more about Nicole, please feel free to hit up her social media accounts and her website.

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