Janet Lee Carey’s upcoming release, the highly anticipated Dragonswood, will hit the shelves on January 5th, and to begin the festivities, Janet stop by to tell us move about her novel and her Christmas memories ^^
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1- How would you describe Dragonswood to someone who hasn't heard of it before?
I see visions in the fire sometimes, images of the past or what is yet to come. The fire-sight does not lie. But I did not see the witch hunter who would ride in to scour our town of sin, so I did not know to run.
Wilde Island is in an uproar over the recent death of its king. The uneasy pact between dragons, fairies, and humans is fraying and the royal witch hunter begins a vengeful quest to hunt down girls with fire in their hearts and sparks in their soul.
Strong-willed Tess, a blacksmith’s daughter from a tiny hamlet near the mysterious Dragonswood, wants more for herself than a husband and a house to keep. But in times like these wanting more can be dangerous.
Accused of witchery, Tess and her two friends are forced to flee the violent witch hunter. The journey is bleaker than they ever imagined and they have no choice but to accept when an enigmatic huntsman offers them shelter in the dangerous Dragonswood. Staying with him poses risks of its own: Tess has no idea how to handle the attraction she feels for him—or the elusive call she hears from the heart of the Dragonswood.
2- I love fantasy books set in medieval era, is there a particular reason you chose this time period to set your story?
I find medieval times fascinating! I love researching medieval society. The research adds so much pithy story material. For example, I learned at the time of the witch trials, they arrested women whom they suspected of witchcraft (usually single women who were poor and often elderly). These women were tortured and forced to name more “witches,” which consequently led to more arrests. This strange historical fact became part of the Dragonswood novel. When Tess is arrested for witchcraft, the witch hunter forces her to name her friends, Meg and Poppy. Fortunately the story doesn’t end there. The three girls escape and go on the run.
