Jake Ransom and the Howling Sphinx [Book II]

All the dinosaurs referenced in the novel were indeed real–though that doesn’t mean I didn’t create a few fantastical creatures to populate this prehistoric world, too. I’ve always considered myself an armchair archaeologist (I think this should actually be paleontologist; an archaeologist studies peoples and cultures, a paleontologist studies other life, ie animal and plant), so all things saurian–great and small–have always fascinated me.

There are three peoples that have always interested me: the Mayans, the Egyptians, and the Vikings. Not surprisingly, the Jake Ransom series follows this same path. The first book–Jake Ransom and the Skull King’s Shadow–dealt with Mayan mythology, history, and culture. The latest book is all about the Egyptians. And as you might guess, the following book will deal extensively with the Vikings.

It’s hard to explore a set of “lost ancient civilizations” without acknowledging the Greeks and Romans, so onto the page stepped Pindor, a Roman boy, and one of the main supporting characters. But you’ll also see glimpses of many other peoples, including Native Americans who ride great winged birds and even Neanderthals, who have been living in this land the longest and who hold many deep secrets.

I’ve always enjoyed fantasy books where a foreign/ancient language comes to life and plays a vital role in the story — like the elvish script found in Lord of the Rings. So I painstakingly created my own language: the lost alphabet of the Atlantis race. There are many more surprises locked within that script – including secret messages imbedded into the book for the avid code-breakers out there.

I’ve taken fencing lessons, but not Tae Kwon Do. That said, next to my veterinary clinic was a Karate school, and I talked to the teachers there extensively about how to fight, defend, and master basic techniques.

I grew up with three sisters. Kady is a combination of all three. But don’t tell them I said that, or I’m in big trouble.

I don’t think any writers spin story and character out of thin air. We draw upon people we know, upon stories we’ve heard. I’ve also done exhaustive research into these lost cultures to try to create the most authentic characters possible, including that of the young Nefertiti.

I wanted someone mysterious, powerful, and strangely connected to our young hero. So I have Kalverum Rex–the infamous Skull King–armored in shadows and seldom seen on stage. So far we know he is a powerful alchemist who started dabbling in dark arts involving blood and terror. As the series progresses, more and more will be revealed about who and what the Skull King is.

Of course! Along with Marika, they are Jake’s best friends. They are bound together by strange magnetic wristbands. So where Jake goes–his friends have no choice but to follow. But even these special companions have secrets and will grow and develop alongside our hero.

I definitely have an overarching plot line to the series. I know how it all ends, and I have outlined the main stepping-stones, across a vast and ever-flowing river, to get there. Yet, half the fun of writing is filling up those unknown spaces in between. That’s where the true magic of storytelling unfolds.

One of the dangers of fantasy writing is not letting the “magic” of your world overrun your characters and plot. Magic must have limitations, rules, and costs. It is one weapon among many and should not be the sole driver of a plot. And the best weapon of all? It’s not a magic ring or wand. It’s the wit, wisdom, and heart of the hero. That’s the real magic I strive for in each book.

It was the introduction of a tiny winged creature–half dragon, half snake–called a wisling. He appeared midway through this book, pestering the heck out of Jake, and refused to leave. He’s now a major character and plot point. That is an example of the unexpected magic found between the plotted stepping stones.

Challenges? Sure. This series is for an entirely new audience and requires some streamlining of plot, but overall it’s been a pure joy to go with Jake on these adventures.

Ah, as a lover of all creatures great and small, I’ve had so much fun creating the fantastical animals (even some flesh-eating plants) that populate these books. But I also try my best to ground them in reality, drawing on my knowledge of all the world’s animals to imagine beasts that seem as real as they are strange.

As I mentioned above–and will be no great secret to those who finish Jake Ransom and the Howling Sphinx–we’ll be heading next to a fiery and icy archipelago of islands, where Norse mythology will come to life and more will be revealed about Jake’s parents and the shadowy monster known as the Skull King.

I wanted to create a fantasy world where all manner of ancient civilizations were forced to work together to survive: Mayans, Egyptians, Vikings, Romans, etc. But where to put them? I could have transported them to an entirely new world or land, but I thought “what if groups of them were lifted from their present timeline and dragged back into the past–into the prehistoric past, where dinosaurs still roamed?” How would they survive? And that began the grand adventure as Jake Ransom and his older sister are also dropped into this savage past, to solve the mystery of their lost parents.