Haelie J W
asked
Joshua Khan:
Hello Joshua! I would just like to ask what inspired you to write the Shadow Magic (Dream Magic and Burning Magic) trilogy? I absolutely love these books!
Joshua Khan
Hey, Spirits!
Big question but I'll try and break it down.
1. Bad guys as good guys. I wanted to do the opposite of the usual fantasy clichés with dark wizards and shiny knights. I wanted to build a world where the usual bad guys were the heroes AND they stayed the way they were. they didn't accept their magic was wrong or evil, they embraced it.
2. Metaphor for female education. Millions of girls in the real world do not access to power through lack of education. Lily was an example of that. I wanted a powerful heroine who didn't pick up a sword and 'prove' she was tough and badass because she fought. Boring and been done a million times already.
3. DM was about widening the scope of what the Shadows could do. Plus IO wanted to show how Thorn was now a part of Castle Gloom, in many ways more at ease with it than Lily. And there was the zombies! It was fun to show them sympathetically for a change. Again, turning the usual clichés upside down.
4. Book 3 was all about exploring other kingdoms, and of course discovering the secret behind the Six Princes and their law against female wizards. I'd done 2 books in Gehenna so it was great breaking out and building a new society of magic! Plus I wanted to torment Gabriel some more.
Hope that helps!
J
Big question but I'll try and break it down.
1. Bad guys as good guys. I wanted to do the opposite of the usual fantasy clichés with dark wizards and shiny knights. I wanted to build a world where the usual bad guys were the heroes AND they stayed the way they were. they didn't accept their magic was wrong or evil, they embraced it.
2. Metaphor for female education. Millions of girls in the real world do not access to power through lack of education. Lily was an example of that. I wanted a powerful heroine who didn't pick up a sword and 'prove' she was tough and badass because she fought. Boring and been done a million times already.
3. DM was about widening the scope of what the Shadows could do. Plus IO wanted to show how Thorn was now a part of Castle Gloom, in many ways more at ease with it than Lily. And there was the zombies! It was fun to show them sympathetically for a change. Again, turning the usual clichés upside down.
4. Book 3 was all about exploring other kingdoms, and of course discovering the secret behind the Six Princes and their law against female wizards. I'd done 2 books in Gehenna so it was great breaking out and building a new society of magic! Plus I wanted to torment Gabriel some more.
Hope that helps!
J
More Answered Questions
Angela Street
asked
Joshua Khan:
I love your writing and have been following you since you wrote Shadow Magic. I even put on my calendar the due date for Dream Magic as soon as I read the publication date. (It happens to be coming on my 30th year wedding anniversary) (Yes I am a child at heart just not age!) I have requested an ARC on Netgalley and hoping for the best. If I get turned down are there other ARC options?
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