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An insistent tale
When I finished The Darker Path, I decided my next book needed to be about Jason. After all, I couldn't leave this as-yet undeveloped character in a coma forever. At that time, I only knew his name, and I called to him with all my willpower. But although I tried repeatedly to get Jason to talk to me, he remained enigmatic. Then another voice rose and insisted upon having his turn. I resisted at first, but the harder I tried to bring Jason's story into focus, the louder Ronan yelled. When I surrendered to his thrall, the adventure swept me hard and fast. Although many of my staple characters play supporting roles, poor Jason didn't rate mention in the original version of this fast-paced tale, a fact I corrected while revamping (no pun intended) the manuscript. Abandoned to the church as a toddler, Tyler Jenkins leads a rational, emotionless life, and at the age of twenty-four, has never experienced intimacy. She meets life's challenges head-on, works alone, and trusts no one. Her photographic memory allows her to recall anything she'd ever been exposed to with crystal clarity. She always does whatever is necessary and prudent to achieve her objectives in both her professional and personal dealings. Now a Homeland Security field agent, she embarks on a secret mission to infiltrate Courleon's Consortium in Castillo Nuevo, Nevada, recover a stolen data chip, and make sure it hasn't been accessed. She doesn't get far before literally bumping into Ronan. Her rational approach to life allows her to accept the existence of vampires and submit herself to the consequences of running with one without much second guessing. Ronan is an ancient vampire with a dark secret - he possesses the spirit of a beast that manifests itself as a dragon whenever he loses control. Absent of clan affiliation, he exists in seclusion, avoiding all contact with other vampires and minimizing associations with mortals. No sentient being knows of his existence unless he allows it. For thousands of years, he has vicariously studied the world and its dealings, usually through prolonged meditation, and only emerges from his shelter when the need arises, either to regain strength or to intervene whenever a problem attracts his attention. His primary goal is to avoid those darker emotions that give the beast the upper hand, and protect the world from its lust for death. He is investigating Courleon's use of vampire servants when Tyler interrupts his plans. Ronan and Tyler's adventure is one misstep after another, but they kept me with them right to the end. When I looked back at the manuscript, however, I realized that in Ronan's haste, he left a lot unsaid. Those of you who have read Dragon Lord will understand when I ask such questions as - Where did Ronan go while Tyler was busy coding, and why was he so tired and agitated when he returned? What happened to Jason? And, most importantly, what made Ronan break his habitual solitude and join the Community? Getting the man to talk wasn't easy, but the title character is no longer secondary to the story, and readers will come to know him, and his beast, much better. Ronan was, and is, very important to me. I always become personally involved with my characters - I mean, if I don't feel it, I can't write it - but even Joshua, who is still very special to my heart, did not touch me as deeply as my dark and mysterious Dragon Lord. Ok, I'll say it - I fell deeply in love with him. Maybe it's because I understood his motivations from the start. Although he seems like an irritating asshole with a control fixation, you'll learn that his emotions run deeper than Crater Lake in Oregon, churning within the core of his being while the face he shows to the world remains, for the most part, undisturbed. He hides from the world not out of fear of it, but fear for it - the responsibility he bears is a terrible burden, and one that takes all his strength to control.
Dragon Lord allowed me to delve more deeply into the inner workings of Haven, as well as expand on the vampire culture I had worked to build. I also explored the establishment of the Community and the history of vampire clans, identifying two that will play roles in future stories... The Liberato, well known for their deviant culture, freed themself from their moral progenitors centuries ago, and delight in deadly mischief. Unable to resist the challenge Ronan throws their way, they become another antagonist, and further complicate Tyler's mission. The mysterious and powerful Savant were born of my need for a race of scholars. This clan of artisans and intellectuals has an agreement with the Community, that in exchange for reducing their footprint on humanity they be granted dominion over all mortals possessive of certain extraordinary traits. I'm afraid Tyler Jenkins is one of those they consider most prized, and her association with the Community places their careful truce at risk. I didn't fully appreciate the importance the Dragon Lord held within Haven's Realm until I wrote further into the series. The Dragon clan introduced themselves at just the right juncture, blending into the background plot so seamlessly and becoming important characters so abruptly I can't help but wonder if I am truly the one writing the saga. After all, I really didn't want to write this story next. ~ Tamara Monteau Review for Dragon Lord:4 out of 5 stars - Sexy and Exciting
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Copyright© 2010, 2011, 2023 by Tamara Monteau. All Rights Reserved. |
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Oddly enough, my husband also holds a special affinity for Ronan, so much so that when he took his 2009 Challenger to his first car show, he brought with him a stuffed dragon we had won at the state fair a year or two earlier. Dubbed Ronan for good luck, the dragon sat at the side of the engine bay. Mike won his first trophy, and Ronan has accompanied him to every show since, the duo collecting a great number of trophies and plaques. When I asked why he fixated so strongly on this character, he answered, "Ronan's the kind of man you want in your corner."