Writer’s Desk: Bryan Davis
Tricia GoyerBryan Davis is the author of several fantasy/science fiction novels for youth and adults, including the bestselling series Dragons in Our Midst. He and his wife, Susie, have seven adult children, and they work together as an author/editor team.
Connect with Bryan on his website, Instagram, Facebook, BookBub, and don’t forget to subscribe to his newsletter on his website.
More about Raising Dragons the Graphic NovelA graphic novel adaptation of Bryan Davis’s bestselling YA Christian fantasy Raising Dragons that’s inspired thousands of readers.
A boy with fiery breath.
A girl with dragon wings.
And an ancient prophecy launching them into an epic destiny.
Teen outcasts Billy Bannister and Bonnie Silver must come together to preserve a secret legacy more than a millennium in the making. They find their lives turned upside down when they are thrust into a war against evil, a war they didn’t even know was being waged. Their newly formed friendship is tested and shaped as they are forced to fight a malevolent dragon slayer who wields a powerful, medieval weapon and is intent on exterminating their dragon heritage forever.
This graphic novel adaptation of Raising Dragons is a fast-paced, faith-filled, modern-day Arthurian adventure perfect for young adult fantasy lovers of powerful dragons, sword-wielding knights, fair maidens, and portals to other worlds.
Experience the first-ever Dragons in Our Midst graphic novel with incredible, full-color illustrationsExperience the magic of Bryan Davis’s dragon world in this artistic visual journeySee the fantastical landscapes and heroic action scenes come to life with new artworkPerfect for reluctant readers: The graphic novel format makes the reading experience more accessible to readers of various ages and levels due to the word bubble text formatDiscover the start of the Dragons In Our Midst epic adventure in this must-have graphic novel adaptation of the bestselling Raising Dragons
Purchase a copy of Raising Dragons the Graphic Novel.
More about Last of the NephilimSecond Eden is no longer safe.
Powerful Nephilim giants have invaded the heavenly sanctuary nestled in a secret dimension untouched by lies or chaos. As Earth and Hades spiral toward a cataclysmic convergence of their two realms, the prophet Enoch rallies an army of faithful dragons, humans, and Oracles of Fire to fight the Nephilim. But when the founder of Second Eden, Father Abraham, uncovers the wicked lie that opened the portal, he’s forced to make an impossible choice to restrain the forces of evil hurtling toward the gates of Heaven.
Book #3 in the Oracles of Fire seriesAn epic adventure for readers of YA fantasyClean action and heroic characters to keep teens hookedBrimming with magic and spiritual depth, this Christian fantasy series will captivate fans of C.S. Lewis.
Purchase a copy of Last of the Nephilim.
Enter to Win a Copy of both Raising Dragons the Graphic Novel + Last of the NephilimQ&A with Bryan DavisARCF: Can you share with us about Raising Dragons, and the inspiration behind the story?
BD: About 30 years ago, I created a story with my children as a way to get them interested in writing. We ended up with a full-length novel, and the process hooked me on storytelling. During my journey to learn more about the craft, I had a dream about a boy who could breathe fire. That prompted me to conduct a brainstorming session with my oldest son, and we used the dream to come up with the concept for Raising Dragons.
ARCF: What inspired you to adapt Raising Dragons into a graphic novel?
BD: For years I heard from parents who wanted a good, clean dragon story for their young children, but Raising Dragons was a bit beyond the reach of their readers. One day, when I was doing a book signing in Oregon, a young woman brought in an illustration that her husband had drawn. It depicted Bonnie (from Raising Dragons) flying while carrying Billy. The woman said her husband was interested in creating a graphic novel version of the story, and we got together to make it happen.
ARCF: How does the graphic novel format enhance the storytelling of Raising Dragons?
BD: The graphic novel format gives faces and expressions to characters and details to scenery, helpful aspects for readers who would like to see an illustrator’s interpretations. It’s also helpful for reluctant readers who, for one reason or another, find reading laborious. They are able to enjoy the story and take in its themes without the drudgery.
ARCF: You’ve mentioned that Raising Dragons took about 4 to 5 months to write, but the first draft took much longer due to multiple rewrites. Can you elaborate on that process?
BD: The first draft of Raising Dragons took about a year to write. During the eight years that I was trying to get the book published, I rewrote the story many times, hoping that the improvements would make it more appealing to publishers. I added new characters and scenes, and drastically changed other scenes. Considering that a publisher finally picked it up and the book became a bestseller, I think it was worth the effort.
ARCF: What aspects of the Raising Dragons story did you find most compelling to adapt into a visual format?
BD: A visual depiction of the relationships between characters seemed compelling to me. How they look at each other, their stances, and their facial expressions helped readers understand their emotional attachments, their joy, and their willingness to suffer for each other.
ARCF: What inspired you to explore the Nephilim in this latest installment, and how does this book expand on their mythology?
BD: Last of the Nephilim is a republication of a book that came out in 2008 as the third title in the Oracles of Fire series and the seventh in the Dragons in our Midst story world. With regard to Nephilim, the story uses the truth about the giants and embellishes it with a mythological twist, that the Nephilim genetics survived the Noahic flood, and a scientist cloned them to create new members of the race. Yereq, the greatest of these Nephilim, has to decide whether to follow his creator’s evil wishes or a long-ago call from the girl who raised him.
ARCF: The spiritual and biblical elements in your books are always rich—how did your research shape the story this time?
BD: When I expand on Bible stories, I often read ancient non-biblical sources, such as the Book of Enoch, in order to get ideas to add tradition-based elements. I work hard to never contradict anything in the Bible, but I do add scenes that aren’t mentioned in the Bible. For example, I never contradict what the Bible says about Nephilim, but I name one of them and add a cloning scientist, hoping that readers understand that these are fantastical elements that they should not consider to be true.
ARCF: How do you balance fast-paced fantasy storytelling with deeper moral or theological questions in your novels?
BD: After every fast-paced conflict, I slow the action to a rest period that includes introspection. These periods allow for the deeper issues to rise to the surface where questions can be pondered by the characters. This process is essential in order to allow readers to engage with the themes of the story, whether theological, moral, or psychological. These themes are the essential ingredients for making an impact on readers’ hearts.
ARCF: What message or takeaway do you hope readers will carry with them after finishing this book?
BD: In all of my books, I include sacrificial love. The characters always attempt to do what’s right in order to help others, even if it means harm or discomfort to themselves. Also, I often include forgiveness as a major theme. My hope is that readers will be inspired to show the same kind of love and forgiveness in their own lives, reflecting the love and forgiveness that Jesus showed us.
ARCF: And finally, can you share what’s coming up next?
BD: In this series of republications, Tyndale will be releasing five more books that were published more than ten years ago, making twelve books in the story world. The next one will be The Bones of Makaidos, which Tyndale will be splitting into two books because of its length.
Also, Tyndale will be publishing the remainder of the Dragons of Camelot series, new books in the Dragons in our Midst story world that expand on the back story in the time of King Arthur. The first book, The Sacred Scales, released in June. Soon, three more will come out. The next one is The Memory Stone.
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