jackie loxham
Where did you get your ideas for The Dragondah Mysteries? The mystical English county of Cornwall was the inspiration behind this series. I’m not just talking about its wild scenery, its scary myths and its buccaneering past, but also about its powerful links to the ancient court of King Arthur. And, of course, Enid Blyton also played a big part because I simply couldn’t get enough of her Malory Towers boarding school books and her Famous Five adventure stories when I was growing up!
And where did Ottillee herself come from? Not from me obviously! She’s far braver and more outspoken than I am, although I will admit to being similarly useless in the kitchen! I just wanted to create a strong female character with plenty of human foibles, some of which she’s aware of and some of which she isn’t. So, while Ottillee’s a comic character in many respects, her courage, resilience, integrity and loyalty should still earn her plenty of respect.
She’s certainly very loyal to Finn? Ottillee’s a good judge of character and her new friend deserves her support. Finn goes on quite a journey throughout the series and Ottillee is by his side every step of the way. I particularly wanted my heroine and hero to work together as a team, using their particular strengths – both emotional and physical – to overcome every obstacle that comes their way.
Ottillee’s relationship with her mother is interesting too? Yes, Ottillee loves her mother very much although she certainly takes her for granted, not unlike plenty of other kids, I suppose! Ottillee’s also still grieving for her missing father and, no matter how irrational and unfair it may seem, she can’t help but take it out on the person closest to her. But when push comes to shove, Ottillee is very protective of her mother who must surely be one of the sweetest people in the world!
Animals feature a lot in the books? Yes, I am passionate about animals and think all of them have a place in this world. I won’t spoil the stories by detailing any of my animal characters but safe to say they’re neither cute nor cuddly! In my opinion, they're all as clever and perceptive as any humans though.
Did you deliberately cut Dragondah off from the rest of the world? Yes, I was striving for a Blyton-esque world in which kids could disappear for the day with nothing but a bottle of fizzy pop, a bicycle pump and a faithful hound. A lost time when real life didn’t have to compete with online life!
Best advice ever received as a writer? Not to fret too much when you're sitting at your computer and your plot isn’t coming together. I didn’t believe in the power of the subconscious at first, but it turned out to be very real. While I was writing The Dragondah Chronicles, I’d often wake up in the morning with a solution to a problem. Or I’d be on my morning walk and something would suddenly pop into my head, almost out of nowhere. The mind is certainly a strange thing!
Will you be writing another book in the series? Never say never. Part One of The Dragondah Chronicles is set in the summer, Part Two in the autumn and Part Three in the winter. A ‘spring’ book seems like a good idea and it might be nice to explore a quite different concept. That some mysteries can never be solved. We grown-ups always like to think we know everything but I prefer to live in a state of constant, some might say childish, wonder!
If you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch. I'd love to hear from you either by email or my Goodreads page.