Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I’m a grandmother, a cat-herder, a dog-walker, and an
all-around fix-it person for the family’s problems. I also write and edit. I
still think of myself as a California girl, though I’m way past the girl stage
and I’ve lived in Washington State for… a really long time. I sing, play the
guitar, mess around with artistic things, and love to be outside. I’m mostly
smiley as opposed to frowny. Bisexual is a word I’ve used to describe myself
since around 1974, and it works well enough, I suppose. I had an earful of
other languages when I was a child: my mother was from Germany, my father was
French Canadian, and many of my neighbors and schoolmates Mexican or otherwise
Latinx. It think it made me love language, and that’s part of what makes me
love writing.
What started your interest in writing?
I actually can’t ever remember not being interested in
writing, or perhaps better to say I don’t remember it having a starting point.
I do remember thoroughly believing the lie fed to me—like so many other
children from families at the low end of the working class—that only certain,
special people could do things like write, or be musicians or artists. That
took a long time to worm its way to the surface of my thinking so I could more
or less expunge it to the point that I only occasionally let imposter syndrome
have its way with me. I was in my forties before I began to think about having
something published, and in my fifties before I got serious about it. I’ve
tried to remember what spurred the change in my thinking, but I really can’t
pinpoint a cause or impetus. I just decided at some point that I could, indeed,
write something that might get published, and I became determined to learn to
write a short story that would sell, and then later, to finish a novel.
What is your book(s) about?
That should be easy right? But I recently did a podcast
where I babbled on about the violence in the books and how it wasn’t gratuitous
and forgot to even mention that Dragon’s Rise had dragons in it. 😊
Short version: The series is about Lucky, who is fifteen at
the opening of book 1, Key of Behliseth, on a journey of self-discovery on his
way to a destiny he doesn’t at first want. His early struggles are mostly with
himself, and his own obstinacy launches him on a quest in book two, which
nevertheless turns out to take him all the strange places he needed to go, to a
great many unexpected things, and learn a lot about who he is and who he wants
to be a human being. Over the next couple of books, things get more and more
complicated, the enemies he faces grow darker and stronger, but he grows too,
in every way. He faces the choices again and again, at each juncture: does he
want to embrace his strongest and best self? Does he want to be a force for
good?
How long did it take you to get your
rough draft finished on your latest release?
Kind of an interesting story there. Dragon’s Rise was
actually supposed to be the second half of the previous book in the series,
Ciarrah’s Light. It wasn’t until I was well into the throes of frustration
trying to finish that book that I realized the problem was because I had two
books. I already had a lot of the material for Dragon’s Rise written at that
point, so if you look at it that way, I was writing it for maybe something
close to sixteen or seventeen months. But after I finished up Ciarrah’s Light
and got that submitted so I could concentrate on Dragon’s Rise, it was about
seven months.
If you could be any paranormal creature
what would you be?
Well, for purposes of this question, I’m going to consider
elves paranormal, because that’s my choice. They just have so many advantages,
and although there are some pretty unsavory elves, I wouldn’t be one of those.
So, I could be beautiful and strong and magical and graceful and live a long,
long time, and understand so many secrets of the universe, and still be one of
the good guys! Have my cake and eat it too.
Is there anything you will never write
about?
I don’t like to say never, but it’s unlikely I’ll write a
story about a writer writing about a writer, who may or may not be writing
about a writer (and so forth). 😊 I’m sort of joking, but not really. I’ve seen
stories like that and occasionally I’ve even read and enjoyed them, but I’d
rather stretch my imagination a little further than that. I used to say I
wouldn’t write zombies, but there are, actually, zombies in The Sun Child
Chronicles. Go figure. (So maybe I will end up writing that writer story after
all.)
Do you have a favorite quote from your
book(s)?
I hope you don’t mind if I give you more than one. I’m
really never good at picking absolute favorites. (Ask me my favorite color on
Tuesday, I might answer differently than I did on Monday.) By being very strict
with myself, I’ve managed to narrow it down to five quotations from character
dialogue.
“Letting guilt run
away with your brain and your courage between its big yellow teeth never does
any good. You might need those things.” —Han Shieth
From Wraith Queen’s
Veil:
“Shahna’s Gold can do
all that? Really? I mean, save people from the brink of death, clean poison out
of a bite, take your tongue to an oasis and feed it chocolate?” —Lucky (a.k.a.
Luccan)
From Ciarrah’s Light:
“Lucky, you’ve lived
through so much. You’re strong. You fought death kittens, made it through
vicious storms, and endured crossing the ice. You survived the prison caves and
helped rescue your friends, You’ve seen the Wraith Queen and didn’t die, for
the gods’ sake, to say nothing of slithering across Mardhral on an ice bridge,
climbing Gahabriohl, and helping Han fight a freakin’ black dragon! You ride a
badass flying horse, and Rio loves you—other people too. No one is gonna beat
you down!” —Lucky (silently, to himself)
“Don’t you know that
the shape of the body doesn’t always dictate the shape of the soul occupying
it? Jehrine may have had the body of a man, but she knew herself to be a
woman.” —Han Shieth
From Dragon’s Rise:
“Oh but there is no
such thing, Luccan, as ‘just’ a story! In stories lie the greatest truth.
Sometimes its hidden in fictions, but sometimes at the core of a legend is the
true account of what has come to pass.” —Ciarrah (sentient
blade)
If zombies attacked what kind of
supplies would you want?
Banana peels and water for the pressure washer. Right?
They’d slip (splat!), things would break off and break open, and then, (pow!)
hit with the high-pressure stream. How is rotting flesh going to stand up to
that?
What was the hardest part of writing
your book(s)?
Time is always the biggest obstacle. The more I write, the
more my time is in demand for all sorts of things that an author must do that
are not
writing. That, in turn can make the task seem overwhelming, which makes it
difficult to buckle down and do it. So maybe I should say, time and
frustration—a combined difficulty. Possibly worsened by a talent for
procrastination.
For readers who haven't tried your books
yet, how do you think your editor or loyal readers would describe your books?
Instead of saying what
I think they’d say, I’ll tell you what a couple of people did say.
One of the editors who’s
worked on my series said: “…The parallel
dimensions reminded me a bit of His Dark Materials before it went to hell at
the end of The Subtle Knife and I gave up on it lol. It has the same
intelligence without the dogmatism that ruined HDM for me.”
Other readers have said the series is
comparable to Ascendant by Craig Alanson, Mage’s Guild Trilogy by Andi Van,
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, Eragon by Christopher Paolini, Lord of the Rings by
J.R.R Tolkien, Septimus Heap by Angie Sage, and A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeline
L’Engle, as well as books by Anne McCaffrey, John Flanagan, and Robert Jordan.
A young reader who has already reviewed
Dragon’s Rise through LitPick said: “Lou Hoffmann has created an amazing world
and amazing characters, and it just keeps getting better with every book! Each
book seems to end with an event that has me wanting to read the next one ASAP.”
Dragon's Rise
Series: The Sun Child Chronicles
Series book number: 4
Series type: True series, read in order
Publication Date: July 9, 2019
Publisher: Harmony Ink Press
Cover artist: Catt Ford
Length: Novel, 313 pages, 130,000 words
Genre, tropes, types: YA Fantasy; sci-fi elements,
LGBTQ+ Characters include Gay Teen MC and other LGBTQ+ characters, limited
romance elements, series is coming-of-age/meeting destiny; shifters, dragons,
magic, aliens, alternate worlds/dimensions
Notes: Includes: violence/battle in a fantasy
setting, horror elements including zombies/wraiths/aliens, physical
abduction/abuse of children depicted as horror.
Sexual elements/heat level? Sexual allusion, no direct reference to
sexual activity or on-page sex
MC age: 16
Keywords: fantasy,
epic fantasy, sword-and-sorcery, dragon, magic, wizard, shifter, alien,
destiny, battle, YA, teen, LGBTQ+
Twitter Hashtags: #YA, #Fantasy, #dragons
Like series: (per readers) Ascendant by Craig
Alanson, Mage’s Guild Trilogy by Andi Van, Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, Eragon
by Christopher Paolini, Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien, Septimus Heap by Angie
Sage, A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeline L’Engle
Like books by authors: (per readers) Anne McCaffrey,
John Flanagan, Robert Jordan
Buy Links:
Harmony Ink Press:
https://www.harmonyinkpress.com/books/dragons-rise-by-lou-hoffmann-604-b
iTunes/iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/dragons-rise/id1455733107
Books 2 Read
Universal Link (ebooks): books2read.com/u/3nKlX6
Series
description:
Cursed and exiled to Earth by a witch, Lucky has only
his name, a pocketful of strange items, and the destiny to become the Sun Child
and lead his world through its darkest time. In an epic adventure full of
dragons, shifters, talismans, magic, alien enemies, shifting time, and wars
waged for survival, humanity’s only hope is one young man’s unquenchable
strength, spirit, and heart.
Book
description:
Days ago, with the help
of his living sword Ciarrah, Lucky fought through an army of wraiths led by the
undead horror that was once his mother. Though he’s seen more bloodshed in his
short life than many seasoned warriors, his destiny as the chosen Sun Child of
the magical world called Ethra demands more. Otherworldly enemies are
regrouping, barely fazed by a single defeat. If they won’t rest, then neither
can he.
He travels to the capital city with ancient wizard
Thurlock, but instead of allies, he meets open betrayal. An old friend of
Thurlock’s and some young supporters boost his morale, but how much help will
they offer against zombies, dragons, and evil magic users? In the epic battle
looming on the horizon, everything he’s gathered, from mystical tools to a
winged horse, a loyal dog, shifter and dragon allies, and even an army at his
side might not be enough. Will he measure up to fate’s challenge… or be
trampled by it?
Reviews/Reader
comments on the book/series:
“I loved everything about this story. It’s
breathless scenes left me stunned at times. The battle plans were ingenious as
well as the characters themselves all playing vital roles into bringing this
stunning story into sharp clarity. I was hooked from the very first word to the
last in this exciting addition to the series. Another brilliant story for the
Sun Child Chronicles as we follow Lucky on his journey yet again.
Great read.”—(on Book 3) from Shorty at MMGood Book Reviews
“Ciarrah’s Light is a wonderfully epic fantasy, with dynamic characters and
enchanting settings. Hoffmann’s tale is one to rival some of the greatest
fantasy sagas, including the Eragon and Lord of the Rings series. With a relatable character facing unbelievable
challenges, Hoffmann allows the reader to find themselves in Lucky’s journey
while being immersed in a completely different world. […] older readers are
sure to be delighted by the fast-paced nature of the book as well as the
imaginative language the author weaves into the story. Hoffmann balances drama
and humor, providing much-needed variety in the story. […] I am delighted to
give this beautifully-written book five stars.”—Avery Todd, Student Reviewer
(age 16) at LitPick
“This is an amazing series. I'm really looking
forward to reading more of it and I'd love to see this visualized. For
what it's worth, this is impressive—this is easily up there with McCaffery,
Flanagan, and Jordan (easier to read than Wheel of Time though)….” —
from an email to the author from Joe Bone.
“This
story is magical, fantastical and sure to be a winner for young readers that
enjoyed Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart series, Angie Sage’s Septimus Heap series, or
even a touch of Madeline l’Engle’s A Wrinkle In Time books. The cover is
striking and colorful, and sure to appeal to those skimming bookshelves for a
fantasy series to remember.” —Mt Snow of Rainbow Gold Reviews (on book 2)
“The author perfectly blended old and new characters in
this fantasy series. I think the best parts of the book were when Lucky was
being heroic. I can't wait to read book three! […] I would recommend this book
for ages 12 and up. If you like fantasy and fiction, you would love this book!”
—Nictaf, reviewer at LitPick Student Book Reviews (on book 2)
An
hour,
Lucky thought. Two days ago I fought in a
battle with aliens and dead people and… ended my mother’s nightmare.
Yesterday I went to a meeting where I found out people still hate me. Today I
had a bit of not-fishing with Han, a game of Skippers with Cook, and a game of
Skies with Aunt Rose, and now I have one hour before I have to leave. My
boyfriend’s gone home, one of my best friends is missing, my other best friend
is on a mission, and my dog isn’t even here.
Lemon Martinez apparently had
taken pity on him for once, though. He purred comfortingly—and
uncharacteristically—curled into a loose spiral of gray fluff next to Lucky on
a sun-washed flat rock in a quiet corner of the Behlvale. Not far away, a
worker was singing a rhythmic song, maybe keeping time with the movements of
rake or hoe in the Sisterhold’s kitchen garden.
Much closer, a pair of hand-sized golden dragonflies flashed in and out of the
sunlight, their wings making a droning hum over the splash and bubble of the
creek.
“Springborn.”
Lucky had just that day learned the name of the creek, and now he announced it
to Lemon, who didn’t seem to care.
The whole scene could, Lucky
supposed, be called idyllic, a word he’d also
recently learned. Be that as it may, he wasn’t in the mood for peace and
country sunshine. He didn’t want to leave the Sisterhold. Not yet. He had
questions he wanted answers to, and he felt pretty darn sure that at best he’d
come back from Nedhra City with more questions
instead. At worst… he didn’t want to think about it.
Fidgeting, he drew the Black
Blade from its sheath, which was hooked to his belt
at the moment, and squinted at the violet gleam echoing the sunlight deep
inside the obsidian. It brought to mind another afternoon in the sun, and he
realized one of his questions could be answered then and there.
“Ciarrah.” Lucky mentally
called the blade’s name and waited no
more than a second for her response.
“Blade-keeper?”
“Remember when we were playing… um, I
mean practicing sword stuff?”
“I’m a rock, Blade-keeper. Memories are
embedded in me.”
“Is that a yes?”
There was no way to know for
sure if Ciarrah was doing the equivalent of an eye-roll, but somehow Lucky
thought she might be. He smiled at the idea before communicating, mostly just
being stubborn, “Well? Is it?”
When Ciarrah answered, her “voice” had a lilt that might have been laughter. “Yes, young Light-wielder, I remember all
that has happened to me and all that I have been told or shown over these last
thousands of years, beginning with the day I first met our great ancestress
Naht’kah.”
“Naht’kah, the dragon? The one I read
about in that book? Isn’t that just a… story?”
“Oh, but there is no such thing,
Luccan, as ‘just’ a story! In stories lie the greatest truth. Sometimes it’s
hidden in fictions, but sometimes at the core of a legend is the true account
of what has come to pass. Naht’kah is quite real.”
“You mean was?”
“She lives. You may meet her one day.”
Why that idea should freak him
out, Lucky wasn’t sure. So many
crazy impossible things had happened in the last year, what was one more?
Still…. He began his usual comforting chant out loud. “Normal, normal, nor—” He
stopped and shook his head, then gave himself an order. “Never mind! Nothing is normal. I mean everything
is normal. I mean whether it’s normal or not, it is what it is, and no use pretending different.”
About the Author
Lou Hoffmann, a mother and
grandmother now, has carried on her love affair with books for more than half a
century, and she hasn’t even made a dent in the list of books she’d love to
read—partly because the list keeps growing. She reads factual things—books about
physics and history and fractal chaos, but when she wants truth, she looks for
it in quality fiction. She loves all sorts of wonderful things: music and
silence, laughter and tears, youth and age, sunshine and storms, forests and
fields, flora and fauna, rivers and seas. Even good movies and popcorn! Those
things help her breathe, and everyone she knows helps her write. (Special
mention goes to (1) George the Lady Cat and (2) readers.) Proud to be a
bisexual, biracial woman (of European and Native American descent), Lou
considers every person a treasure not to be taken for granted. In her life,
she’s seen the world’s willingness to embrace differences change, change back,
and change again in dozens of ways, but she has great hope for the world the
youth of today will create. She writes for readers who find themselves anywhere
on the spectrums of age, sexuality, and gender, aiming to create characters
that live not only in their stories, but always in your imagination and your
heart.
Author
Links:
Visit her on her blog:
http://www.queerlyya.rainbow-gate.com
Like her page on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/LouHoffmannBooks/
Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lou_Hoffmann
Check out her Amazon Author Page: http://queerlyya.rainbow-gate.com/ciarrahs-light-event-schedule-get-blog-tour-links-here/
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