Swinging by WORD today is Donald Samson, the author of the Star trilogy, which is a series about - well, dragons.
And we all know how much I love dragons!
Orphaned twice by the time he was nine, he was living on the streets and did not even know his own name. He was not allowed to set foot in the one place he was determined to find work. To complete the disaster of his young life, he was in love. The object of his affections was Star, an immense, emerald-green dragon. But here good fortune finally smiled upon him:
Star was a Luck Dragon.
Suddenly he was admitted as a barn boy into the elite Dragon Compound. He was given three warm meals a day, work, and even a name. And best of all, Star took him on as his own secret apprentice.
N: Welcome to WORD, Donald! I love dragons - clearly you do, too, or you wouldn't write about them! What's your favorite dragon in your story?
DS: I do not write about numerous dragons. However, to say more, would spoil some of the fun for those who have not read my books yet. So I’ll say this: I love Star, the Luck Dragon, for his kindness, patience, dry humor and wisdom. And I so appreciate Scorch, the Terrible, for his unabashed delight in painful truths.
N: Ooo, that makes me want to read it. Like, now. Are you like your main character Michael in any way?
DS: I firmly believe that there is nothing I can write which is not in some form or another autobiographical. So, yes, I do have some things in common with my main character. That said, I also have things in common with Garth, the Dragon Master, Ole Max in the night smoking his pipe, the woman who cooks the soup in the kitchen, and of course, with Star, my beautiful emerald-green Luck Dragon.
N: What was your favorite part about writing this series?
DS: Those moments while writing when I felt I was reporting what I was watching unfold, rather than inventing a story.
N: What do you think of your covers?
DS: I am very fortunate that I was able to work closely with my illustrator, and he welcomed my feedback as he created early versions. I am very happy with his work.
N: Who is your favorite fictitious dragon or dragon rider?
DS: Falkor from Michael Ende’s The Neverending Story. He was my first exposure to a luck dragon, and it impressed me deeply. And the boy he aided, Atreyu, would rank as my favorite dragon rider.
N: Mine would be Lessa and Ramoth from the DragonRiders of Pern series - which, incidentally, is also my first exposure to a dragon rider in general. What books are you looking forward to reading that are on your shelf right now?
DS: Selections from Part II of Goethe’s Faust. Not the usual fare of a children’s writer, but I also teach high school on the side.
N: If you had a pet dragon, what would you name it?
DS: My first reaction is: Star, of course, since Star is the name of the Luck Dragon in my stories. But then, I realize, like every other living being I’ve had the pleasure of naming (including three children), I wouldn’t have a clue of the name until I am nose to nose with my dragon, and that is when he (or she) voicelessly will whisper to my soul the chosen name.
N: How would you keep a dragon in a suburban or city area? (I... don't think I could. It'd be rather difficult, wouldn't it?)
DS: Ever since I once saw the Asiatic elephant referred to as the Indian House Elephant, I wanted one of my own. But the house elephant, in spite of its name, presents the same difficulty as a dragon: What would the neighbors say?
Don't forget to check out The Dragon Boy, the first novel in the series - and the third book (The Dragon, The Blade and the Thread) hits stores this month!