| A.E. Albert: A Writer's Blog

Author Interview: Dianne Astle
by A.E. Albert
@aealbert23

Book Title: Ben the Dragonborn: A six Worlds Book (Book 1)
Genre: Fantasy/Adventure/MG

What inspired you to write your first book?

One day I went for a walk with a friend. We talked about how we would like to write a book, but for me it was a pie-in-the-sky dream. I recognized it as something that would be nice to do, but unlikely. My life was very full and rich already.

Several years later I needed a break from work and went to a retreat center. The only thing that did not feel like more work was a week-long course entitled “Writing Redemptive Fiction.” I thought it would be a puff-ball course. It wasn’t. Joanne Gerber, the author of “In the Misleading Absence of Light” was likely just being kind when she said that I could write MG fiction, but on the way home I had the idea for Ben the Dragonborn.

Is there a message in your book?

There is definitely a message in my book; more than one. Perhaps the most important message is that it is important to discover the secret of our true selves. I think we are all more than we know. Many of us have gifts and talents that are never discovered because we are unwilling to take a risk. When we take risks we discover talents that lead to the discovery of more talents.

Another message is that we can accomplish more with friends by our side then we can accomplish on our own. Yet another message is that power must be put in the service of the Guardian or if you like the Light, the Source, the Good, or God. We all have power. It is ours to use or abuse. It is my intention to encourage people to use the power they have in service to the world by seeking justice and peace.

What books and/or writers have influenced you the most?

I was very moved by Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s book the Gulag Archipelago. I know that is an odd book to inspire a MG fantasy writer with its story of Russian prison camps for dissidents. However, what his book communicated to me was the importance of the human spirit and protecting the health and well-being of that spirit.

I also deeply appreciate the work of J.R.R. Tolkien (Lord of the Rings) and C.S. Lewis (Narnia). I also really like the first Harry Potter book, which has had great appeal to people of all ages. I hope that Ben the Dragonborn will be the same in terms of appealing to so many different age groups.

What has been your greatest challenge when writing?

My greatest challenge when writing has been residue from learning disabilities that caused me to fail in school. I failed academics in grade 10, business in grade 11, and squeaked through hairdressing in Grade 12.

I went to university as a mature adult and sat with a dictionary on my lap. I looked up things like the word “their.” I worked very hard to get Ben the Dragonborn free of spelling and grammatical errors. Some of my first readers still found some. I was mortified.

What are you working on right now?

The problem is I am not. I am spending my free time promoting Ben the Dragonborn rather than writing its sequel. My day job is soon ending and I will be able to dedicate time every day to the sequel that is already started. In the sequel Ben goes to his mother’s home world to learn how to manage his dragon self. Of course, he arrives when that world is in the midst of a crisis.

What have you learned and do you have any advice for other authors?

When I wrote Ben the Dragonborn I decided to save money on editing. That was a mistake. I really don’t want friends who buy my print book to be the ones to discover the mistakes again. I encourage Indie authors who do not have a publisher to really consider hiring an editor. Books that are badly edited reflect badly on us all.

I also encourage getting a good book cover done. You can find professional looking covers for a reasonable price. My current e-book cover cost $50.00. Today I talked to someone about doing a new cover. I also encourage searching out author support groups on Facebook. These groups are a good place to ask questions when you are new to publishing. I have also learned that you need to do some advertising. The challenge is to not spend more on advertising than you are making, which is exactly what I have done.

About Dianne Astle