Ask the Author: Trae Stratton
Answered Questions (7)
Trae Stratton
Well, I hope I don't go to deep on this for everyone but I have a ton of lost ancestry in my background. Come to think of it, I may have channeled all that into the hidden/mixed bloodline element I used for the plot of THUNDER PEAK.
My grandfather on my father's side died when he was young. My father's mother subsequently abandoned him to an aunt so she could remarry. Apparently the new husband only wanted my father's mom, and not her two boys, so they were given away, had their names changed and treated like they never existed.
My great grandfather on my mother's side was disowned by his family for falling in love with and marrying a Catholic girl.
Put it all together, and there just might be a castle steward out there looking for me!
My grandfather on my father's side died when he was young. My father's mother subsequently abandoned him to an aunt so she could remarry. Apparently the new husband only wanted my father's mom, and not her two boys, so they were given away, had their names changed and treated like they never existed.
My great grandfather on my mother's side was disowned by his family for falling in love with and marrying a Catholic girl.
Put it all together, and there just might be a castle steward out there looking for me!
Trae Stratton
Well, first and foremost, I wanted to write something dedicated to my daughter so it would be waiting on the shelf for when she was old enough to read it. As a father and a writer, THUNDER PEAK checked that very special box for me.
Number two, is that I definitely wanted the book to be a father-daughter story, but I didn't want the focus to be coping/dealing with a broken/strained relationship. There are plenty of books out there that go into that and they are written much better than I could ever write one. I wanted a fun, light YA book with a strong parent-child relationship that could be the cornerstone of how they problem solve and overcome obstacles together. With today's technology, I'm not sure anyone does this anymore, but- The kind of story that could inspire a dad and his little girl to go outside and play; to pretend they are the characters and make up their own stories: "C'mon dad! We've got to stop those creatures before they eat everyone's horses!"
Third, I wanted it to be an exciting action and adventure story- not just one that kids would want to read, but one that fathers will hopefully want to read with them. It is certainly a girl-meets-unicorn story, but it is not a sappy one. People always like movie terms- the one I use is The Outlaw Josey Wales and his daughter go to Narnia!
Last: As they so often do for many writers, the plot elements of THUNDER PEAK grew from a "What If?" idea. One of the countless Dungeons & Dragons type conversations that I've been in was about how and when unicorns get their horns. Despite being so long ago, there was a precise lightning bolt moment that stuck with me through the years and eventually became the heart of what would become Book I of the TAMM CHRONICLES: The notion that if unicorns required a unique, ceremonial process that enabled their horns to grow, then a juvenile unicorn would be in utter, desperate peril if participating in that process was endangered- especially if it meant they would lose their horn and all its magic forever.
There you go. One seed idea about how unicorns get their horns. From it grows a three book series.
"It's not a writer's job to come up with great ideas- It's to recognize them when they come along." Stephen King, On Writing (paraphrased).
Number two, is that I definitely wanted the book to be a father-daughter story, but I didn't want the focus to be coping/dealing with a broken/strained relationship. There are plenty of books out there that go into that and they are written much better than I could ever write one. I wanted a fun, light YA book with a strong parent-child relationship that could be the cornerstone of how they problem solve and overcome obstacles together. With today's technology, I'm not sure anyone does this anymore, but- The kind of story that could inspire a dad and his little girl to go outside and play; to pretend they are the characters and make up their own stories: "C'mon dad! We've got to stop those creatures before they eat everyone's horses!"
Third, I wanted it to be an exciting action and adventure story- not just one that kids would want to read, but one that fathers will hopefully want to read with them. It is certainly a girl-meets-unicorn story, but it is not a sappy one. People always like movie terms- the one I use is The Outlaw Josey Wales and his daughter go to Narnia!
Last: As they so often do for many writers, the plot elements of THUNDER PEAK grew from a "What If?" idea. One of the countless Dungeons & Dragons type conversations that I've been in was about how and when unicorns get their horns. Despite being so long ago, there was a precise lightning bolt moment that stuck with me through the years and eventually became the heart of what would become Book I of the TAMM CHRONICLES: The notion that if unicorns required a unique, ceremonial process that enabled their horns to grow, then a juvenile unicorn would be in utter, desperate peril if participating in that process was endangered- especially if it meant they would lose their horn and all its magic forever.
There you go. One seed idea about how unicorns get their horns. From it grows a three book series.
"It's not a writer's job to come up with great ideas- It's to recognize them when they come along." Stephen King, On Writing (paraphrased).
Trae Stratton
Thanks Dave!
I'm glad you're enjoying the book.
If you know anyone in the industry- I'm ready to negotiate!
I'm glad you're enjoying the book.
If you know anyone in the industry- I'm ready to negotiate!
Trae Stratton
Tough, tough question. Still, I suppose the answer has to be Middle-Earth.
I'm the kind of traveler who likes to see things; the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, the Eifel Tower, Mona Lisa, Sistine Chapel, Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Niagara Falls, Bourbon Street, the Las Vegas Strip- by no means a complete list but you get the idea. Except in Middle-Earth it would be Rivendell, Minas Tirith, the Mines of Moria, the Shire, all the great forests and the like.
I'm a tourist at heart and Tolkien's world is so richly drawn and full of history, that's the place for me.
I'm the kind of traveler who likes to see things; the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, the Eifel Tower, Mona Lisa, Sistine Chapel, Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Niagara Falls, Bourbon Street, the Las Vegas Strip- by no means a complete list but you get the idea. Except in Middle-Earth it would be Rivendell, Minas Tirith, the Mines of Moria, the Shire, all the great forests and the like.
I'm a tourist at heart and Tolkien's world is so richly drawn and full of history, that's the place for me.
Trae Stratton
For me writing has never been easy, and it probably never will be, so it's important to enjoy the stories I'm trying to tell- that's what makes it fun. That's what keeps me coming back to the keyboard, because in all honesty, it's unlikely I'll ever become a famous author living off royalties. But I will always be a writer who is proud of what he does and enjoys doing it. That being said, I haven't resigned myself to such a fate, never will, and you shouldn't either. So keep working and keep honing your craft and promoting your work. The mountain is steep and it's the only way to get there.
Trae Stratton
Inspiration is everywhere. Good stories in all their forms inspire me to write my own. As does art, visiting new places, meeting new people. For fiction writers I think the list is endless, because inspiration is really just about being open to possibilities. If you can do that, more stories than you can ever write are hanging in every gallery and hidden behind every rock.
Trae Stratton
When I hit a wall in a scene, more often than not it's my characters telling me I've taken a wrong turn. At times like that I back up a bit and a new direction usually presents itself. Chapter walls are much different. Forcing it never works for me, so it's essential I jot down possible plot elements and story ideas when they occur to me. If looking at my notes does not give me an answer for the wall, very often it provides the idea for the bridge to get me over it and on to the next scene. Failing that, means incubation and stirring the sauce of inspiration every so often while it sits on the stove and cooks. I turn it into a natural pause to recharge, look back and get some self editing done, or even do some research that I need down the road in the current story or the next. Then, before I know it, my characters will be tapping me on the shoulder and ready to get going again.
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