Tom and the Dragon: Q&A with Stan Guthrie

Why did you write this book?

First, I wanted to complete a story that I had started for my older son, Peter, over fifteen years ago. For whatever reason, I had run out of steam with the story back then and set it aside. Tom and Steve, two of the main characters, had just gone through the Dragonfly Gate into the medieval kingdom of Vandar, and I wasn’t sure what should happen next. Frankly, I felt a little in over my head and didn’t quite know how to move ahead with what was becoming a novel. Peter also was becoming interested in other things, so it was easy to set it aside. But I never expected the writing hiatus for Tom and the Dragon to be so long!

But about a year ago, after some of my freelance writing projects dried up, I found myself with some unexpected time on my hands. I should say that, in the intervening years, I had authored or co-authored seven other books, in a nonfiction genre. All told, I have written, edited, or contributed to about fifty books—all before TATD was finished. That experience undoubtedly taught me a lot about the process of writing books and gave me confidence in writing them. I also learned a bit about the publishing industry. I was therefore a better writer and thinker when I decided to pick up TATD again.

Now, to be perfectly honest, my first thought when considering venturing into fiction writing was to finish a book I had written about ten or so years ago. It was, shall we say, a modern thriller, written for adult readers, and, technically, it was finished. However, while an editor friend told me the book had some excellent parts, she also gently pointed out some glaring problems and weaknesses. So I set it aside and turned to more profitable projects. Then a year ago I wondered if I might be able to repair this novel, but the more I looked at it, the more I realized it was fatally flawed, and even a thorough rewrite would not save it.

So I thought of two stories I had done for my kids—Isabella’s Special Days, which was more or less finished, and Tom and the Dragon, which wasn’t. I decided to edit and print ISD as an artsy hardcover book, which I did, thanks to my wife, Christine, who is a talented artist. It’s a lovely book for younger kids and is available on my whimsybystan.com website.

The second one, Tom and the Dragon, was just a partial manuscript on my computer, so I dove in and finished it around summertime. Clearly, through all my reading and experience as an author and communicator, and my added life experience, the book flowed into a really compelling and fun fantasy tale. Since finishing it, Christine and I have been designing it inside and out. She painted the lovely cover, and I’m thrilled with how it turned out.

That’s a long answer to a short question!

What books and authors influenced you in writing Tom and the Dragon?

Well, this will sound like a cliché, and maybe it will sound pretentious, too. But J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings affected me deeply when I first read it in high school so many years ago. Tolkien was not necessarily the best writer I had ever come across, but his attention to detail, character development, and, especially, world building was amazing. He didn’t invent wizards, dragons, and the like, but he placed them in an unforgettable and achingly poignant world and story. The Lord of the Rings tapped into some deep longings I didn’t know I had and helped set me on a spiritual quest. It also populated my mind with ideas for what a great fantasy story should look like.

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and while TATD is not nearly in the same league with LOTR, or The Hobbit, there are similarities. They are not evidence of plagiarism but tribute, and anyone who has read Professor Tolkien will likely pick them up quickly. Here are a few: the hero narrative has an untraditional twist; Edwyn is a sort of Gandalf; victory has its costs; and so on. You’ll have to read the book to find more of them—some of which I probably wasn’t even aware of!

I also have been enlarged in my imagination through The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis. I agree with Lewis, and C.K. Chesterton, that fairy tales aren’t just for children and that adults have much to learn from them. But the story, first of all, must be honest, engaging, and true to life. Other books that seeded my thinking include Where the Wild Things Are, The Once and Future King, and numerous science fiction stories, including The Martian Chronicles, Dune, I, Robot, Fahrenheit 451, and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

But I tried to create my own discrete universe in TATD. The reader is the ultimate judge of whether I succeeded!

What’s next for Tom and the Dragon? Are any more books on the way?

I’m glad you asked! Right now I’m trying to promote the book through any and all means, though marketing and PR are not my strong suits. Amazon and other online reviews by readers really help spread the word and mean so much. Word of mouth recommendations are priceless. I’m considering several speaking opportunities, too. Please contact me through whimsybystan.com if you have ideas or opportunities.

Perhaps because of Tolkien’s influence, or maybe because writing Tom and the Dragon was so much fun, I’ve decided to make it the first volume in what I’m calling The Blue Dragonfly Series—readers will understand the reference. I’m hard at work on the sequel, which is actually a prequel. I expect the series to be three volumes in all, and we’ll see what happens. I hope readers will go on this journey of discovery with me.

But the most meaningful thing to me is not whatever readership or success accrues to Tom and the Dragon. The other night I presented the book as a surprise to Peter, who is now twenty-seven. He gave me a hug and said, “Thank you! You’re the most amazing dad!” Nothing could ever top that!

Order Tom and the Dragon on Amazon today!