Title: Secrets Abound in Missing Lake
Author: Tanya Fyfe
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN: 978-1545370308
Pages: 344
Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy/Paranormal & Urban
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina
Interview with Author Tanya Fyfe
Today we are talking to Tanya Fyfe author of “Secrets Abound in Missing Lake.”
HBR: Tell us a little bit about yourself. What made you want to become an author? I have always enjoyed telling stories and playing make-believe. As a young girl my teddy bears and Cabbage Patch kids were an engaging audience as well as characters for whatever adventure I was imagining. I wrote little books in the third grade about a trio of fashion-inspired mystery solvers, Dana, Paula and May and my teacher let me keep them on the classroom bookrack. I loved when my classmates would read these and tell me they were waiting for another book to come out!
HBR: What was the inspiration behind your book, “Secrets Abound in Missing Lake”? What was the inspiration behind the series overall? The main inspiration comes from the sad fact I had to close my veterinary practice in the little community we live in because of a lack of population to keep me open. When committing to writing the first novel in the series I asked myself what it would take to get me to open up again and I chuckled as I thought, “if someone brings me their dragon to work on I would be in business again!” The series took shape from there. I always wanted to highlight a healthy step-parent/step-child relationship so that led to Luke’s close relationship with his step-mom. I also wanted to share what I have learned about the fascinating world of sled dogs and the time and effort it takes to care for and train these great creatures. I wanted to challenge myself to create a world of fantasy in the real world right now.
HBR: What themes or messages do you hope readers take away from you novel? I hope readers will enjoy Luke’s love of animals and his appreciation of the world around him, and that they see how much work and responsibility it is to properly care for an animal regardless if it is an Alaskan Husky or a dragon. Luke’s dad always says life is all about choices and I think that’s a great message, as well. Ultimately, I hope readers, like Luke, learn to be a good person who does good things.
HBR: What authors have been a source of inspiration for you on your own writing? I enjoyed a variety of authors growing up, from Agatha Christie to Stephen King. Tom Robbins’ work makes me laugh out loud but I also enjoy Toni Morrison, Barbara Kingsolver, Wally Lamb, Jennifer Weiner (who also cracks me up) and Abraham Verghese. If I see anything new by any of these authors it must be purchased immediately!
HBR: If you were able to sit down with any of the characters in your novel, what would you want to ask them and why? I would love to be able to communicate with Tabitha and Zagros, the adult dragons in the books. I have so many questions for them and their histories. How old are they? What were previous Dragoneers like? Do you fear for our world with its changing climate after having lived through so many decades? What are your thoughts on the human race after so many years of being here? I would just love to tap into their vast knowledge and experience on this planet to see if we are getting it right.
HBR: What is it about the mythology behind dragons that drew you into this story? Why do you think dragons continue to be such a source of interest in our society? I think dragons represent different things to different people. For some they are frightening beasts; for others they are mystical and hold healing powers. There is a lot of information out there on dragons and most of it follows the same lines. One thing that was repeated on various info sites was the importance of a dragon’s color and I have tried to convey that in my books. Their color influences their personality and potentially any special connections (to the sun, the moon) or powers they possess. All cultures have some sort of dragon in their past and I think that, itself is fascinating. I think dragons give people hope- hope that there is something larger out there. That and the notion that we could co-exist and learn from one another as species definitely drew me into this story!
HBR: Social media is a huge part of an author’s work in this modern age. Do you use social media to promote your work and if so, what has been the one social media site that has allowed you to connect with readers the most? I absolutely agree that social media is a large part of an author’s success these days. I primarily use Facebook for my promotions and have both a Lost and Found in Missing Lake page as well as a personal page. I use Instagram as well but not as regularly. My web page/blog is another source of marketing that allows me to bring readers into my mind as I develop my characters and stories. And I am on twitter…. I just don’t remember to tweet all that much! With help from a friend I did a “blog tour” this past spring that was very successful. It has been exciting learning about all of the avenues available to authors now.
HBR: Now that you have published your work “Secrets Abound in Missing Lake”, what are your future plans? Any other novels in the works? I plan to start a fourth book for this series very soon. Winters in Montana can be long and cold so it’s a great time to commit to writing indoors. I am also encouraged by so many of my readers of all ages who want to learn more about Luke as he begins his Junior year and how the baby dragons will develop. I have other stories and characters I want to bring to the world in a different book but for now I want to get back to hanging out with Luke and all of his friends again.