I am pleased to welcome author Cindy Lyle
to my blog today!
"A stay at home mom by day and an avid reader by night doesn’t leave me a lot of time to write but I manage. I love spending time with family and friends when I can and I love to cook. I also have been known to dance a little too! Dragons are my fantasy passion but here in the real world I settle with my horses!"
Q: Tell us a
little about you.
A: Well let’s see, I’m 35 years old and I have been a stay at home mom
for the past eight years. I have a beautiful 8-year-old daughter named Hannah
and an 18-year-old step son named Josh. Together with my husband Joe, we live
in Ajax, Ontario, Canada, which is not far from Toronto. I am a certified book
hoarder and I try to read whenever I get free time, but during the summer, time
is hard to come by. My days this time of year are spent with my horses and
trying to keep my daughter entertained!
Q: What was the "ah ha!" moment when
you knew you wanted to be a writer?
A: I guess the moment I knew I wanted to be writer was when I told my
husband about the dream I had. I sat down the following morning and just
started to write. He listened to what I had written and said that I should try
making it into a story. All through school, I was always told that I had a gift
with words so I guess it just came naturally.
Q: Have you
always had a love of fantasy and more specifically dragons?
A: Most definitely, you should see my collection! I have a huge cabinet
filled with different dragon figures and some of my walls sport some wicked
looking swords and daggers! Dragons to me are beautiful and dangerous much like
a good heroine should be! I have been reading fantasy for most of my life too.
I started with dragonlance novels and my love for magic and dragons grew from
there.
Q: Who is your target audience and why?
A: I always grew up thinking that my obsession with fantasy was a “guy
thing”. The books I read were full of battles, blood, and death, which is not
very appealing to most girls. But that’s not all fantasy is about. Underneath
all the fighting, magic, and strange creatures, there is a story that anyone can relate to. No matter where a
fantasy story takes place or what strange creatures inhabit that world there is
always “human” conflicts and emotions
that truly make the story. I want my audience especially young girls to know
that even in fantasy you can read about love, getting the bad guy, and being a
bad ass heroine!
Q: What
inspired the story behind The Dragon Within?
A: I had a dream! I read and watch a lot of strange things so I have a
pretty over active imagination! My husband thinks I’m a little crazy! Anyway, I
woke up and thought that the ideas floating around in my head would make a cool
story so I wrote them down and the story grew from there!
Q: Your main
character, Karah, is she based off of anyone in particular?
A: Honestly I’m not sure. Certain things remind me of my self and
others. I think she is based on a few people that are important to me but
mostly I wanted her to be her own person.
Q: In your
opinion what are Karah's best/worst traits?
A: Karahs best traits would be her loyalty and her passion. She never
strays from the people she loves and it is her love for Elric that makes her
stronger. I think her worst traits would be her stubbornness and the fact that
she didn’t believe in herself. Her self-doubt causes a lot of pain and almost
costs her everything.
Q: If you were
suddenly thrown into a fantasy world what role would you play?
A: So here is where Karah is a little like me. I definitely would not
want to be the hero, I hate the spotlight, but I would still want to help. I
think I would make a pretty good sidekick like Deneoes! I can still kick some
butt, but the heavy life changing decisions, I would prefer someone else took
care of that! Oh and being a dragon is always an excellent option too!!
Q: If you could
pick a favorite character (book, movie, TV) that has influenced your love of
fantasy who/what would it be?
A: One of the first fantasy characters I fell in love with was Drizzt
Do’Urden. He is a drow (dark elf) created by R.A Salvatore. I love this
character because he fought to escape the stigma of his people and became the
total opposite. He is loyal, caring, and damn awesome with a pair of scimitars.
Q: What has
been your biggest challenge while writing?
A: One of my biggest challenges was my brain working faster than my
hands! Sometimes while I was writing, the ideas would form so fast in my head
that I had a hard time remembering everything I wanted to write. I wished on
more than one occasion that I could just hook my brain up to a computer and
download everything! Wouldn’t that be cool?
Q: Where is
your favorite place to write and what do you snack on?
I do all my writing at my computer desk. I usually
write during the day while Hannah is at school so it is quiet. I don’t really
snack on anything but I always have a cup of tea going!
Q: Currently,
what is your favorite book/author?
A: I have read way too many books to pick a favorite but my favorite
author is Terry Brooks. I love his stories and no matter what type of day I
have had, I can sit down and read his novels and be taken away to a another
world and not worry about anything but what is happening in my head as I read
his words. He is a very talented man and I hope he writes for many years to
come.
Q: Do you have
any books in the works?
A: I plan to write the sequel to The Dragon Within starting in the
fall. I already have the story in my head and I can’t wait to continue Karahs
story!
Please Visit the Author
In the kingdom of Gareth, an orphan girl is raised as one of the royal family. But when she begins to have vivid nightmares of a past that is not hers, she cannot help but wonder if she is somehow a part of that past. But how? Her questions lead her to Fitch, an old magic user, who helps her discover a shocking truth. Karah is not human, but instead part of a long-forgotten race charged with the responsibility of saving her realm. Armed with a desire to seek the truth, Karah sets out on a dangerous quest to defeat a deadly enemy.
Karah must somehow find the strength to fulfill a destiny that has the potential to forever silence the dragon within.
She cannot fail.
The future of the world depends on her.
~ MY REVIEW ~
This is quite a debut fantasy novel for independent author, Cindy Lyle! I absolutely loved it! It is beautifully crafted and bursting with imagination. This author knows how to write and she has created a captivating fantasy for readers of any age. Her writing style is fluid and fast paced. The story begins right away and the reader is transported into Karah's journey. I love a good fantasy read, and Dragon Within really has it all. It is full of action, magic and of course an exciting quest. This book contains that magical element so many readers are searching for--the ability to take you on an incredible journey that you will be lost in.
The authors characters are relatable, charming and courageous. Karah made a great main character. She is strong, determined and FEMALE! It is nice to have girl who can face off against a kingdom of darkness and kick some serious butt! Karah's character isn't without her faults and I liked that about her too. This aspect made her real and relatable, despite her true identity and immortal soul. She can be stubborn and her selfishness almost costs her everything. But in the end her character grows and finds the strength she has always had. She is able to acknowledge her selfishness and face her fear. The world literally rests on her shoulders and that can be quite a burden to bear.
I enjoy the 'destined' love between Karah and Elric. They make a great team and offer each other the support and hope they need to keep going. It's hard for me not to sneak in some spoilers at this point, so I am going to stop talking about them.
I loved getting to learn the history of Eiddoril and the three hundred year old war against evil that plagues the land. It is detailed and complex--an exciting basis for the plot of this book. And did I mention... there are dragons?!
The Dragon Within is a superb epic fantasy and I highly recommend getting your own copy! This book could in a sense stand on it's own but I am so glad the author left it open for another grand adventure. I can't wait to read the sequel! Cindy Lyle is definitely an author worth reading!
The Dragon Within is available in Paperback and e-book format @
This book sounds great. I am definately going to add to my TBR. Also, wonderful interview :) I am a new follower. Thank you for following me as well. :)
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