Melanie Nilles

Welcome back, loyal readers and fantasy fans! We’re happy you could join us for another interview with one of the many characters from the Legend of the White Dragon series. We’re counting down the weeks now to the release of the first book, Dragon Prophecy, scheduled for release the end of January 2008.

Today we’re honored to have Jayson join us. You’ll meet him in the first book.

Welcome, Jayson. Would you like to start off telling us something about yourself?

Thank you. If I told you, I’d have to kill you. But that’s messy work and too many dead bodies. *winks*

What can I say that you’d be interested in hearing? Not that I’ve a life of interest to mention but for what cannot be said. Otherwise, I’ve a dull life. Nothing of particular interest.

No? I’m disappointed.

So am I, but *shrugs* saying nothing of what I cannot say is all I can say of it.

*chuckle* Okay, I won’t ask what it is you can’t talk about. What can you tell us?

I am a mage, a descendant of the Majera. I’ve been trained to fight and use magic to a degree unmatched by all but a few…except the dragons and Majera. Oh! And the First Race…and the Great Magi, the first children of Tahronen. I suppose I should say I’ve a degree of skill unmatched by all but a few other magi, not counting the Great Magi.

Who trained you to fight?

Haiberuk.

Ah! We spoke with him some weeks ago. I’m surprised one of the creators would teach something violent.

In defense of the world, it may be necessary. There are creatures, abominations of the Darklord, which have not been seen in generations. While legends say they were defeated, few were destroyed. Some things cannot be destroyed. Those things we train to fight.

The Majera teach no violence. Quite contrary, they preach calm and connection. However, Chaos does not. It’s tools are violent. Sometimes you must fight as the enemy to defeat them at their own game. That is what the Majera teach–how to fight the darkness and its master.

We’ve heard the terms ‘darkness’ and ‘chaos’ before, but no one has clarified how it applies.

The Universe contains two forces of creation–Chaos and Order–and their servants of Darkness and Light. Only in use together can a world as ours grow and change. But somewhere in cooperating, one decided to best the other. That was when it all started. I know little more but for the history since then, as passed to us from Haiberuk. Now, we fight when necessary to save this world from falling into complete Chaos. For if one of those forces is defeated, the world will die, whether from stagnation or destruction.

If both of these forces are necessary, why would you fight Chaos or Darkness or whatever it is?

To diminish its power over us. Each person of the world contains a part of both, except those beings made perfect at the beginning. We are in balance, but that balance is fragile. It is a constant struggle to keep the dark side reduced, but it remains always, influencing our decisions. We fight the external darkness so its influence over the part within is diminished.

I think I understand.

Good. Then my work here is done.

All right. I take that as a cue that our time is up or you don’t want to talk about what you can’t talk about.

I’ll not talk about it further. I said nothing about it already.

I can take a hint. Thank you, Jayson.

Thank you again, readers! Come back next week for our twentieth character interview of one of the cast of the Legend of the White Dragon series. Next week we’ll have Istaria Isolder, the veiled princess of Cavatar.

(Note: For those joining in these interviews for the first time, you can download an updated PDF file of this and all previous interviews here.)

I’ve mentioned going through depression in previous posts and elsewhere, but I haven’t gone into details about my experiences. I advocate anyone who suspects something wrong to seek help, because you can feel good about life, your family, and yourself.

The unfortunate fact is that too many people still ignore the warning signs or reject the notion of depression as a fad diagnosis or as something that is all in their head, as in imaginary. “I’ll be fine in a few days” or “It’s just the blues” or “It’s just stress” may be common excuses. And they may be correct statements, unless you have symptoms that are red flags in combination.

Depression is different than the more common blues. The blues are just a general temporary feeling of being down or moody. The key here is temporary and it’s usually only a feeling of exhaustion and sadness. That’s not depression. The blues can come on after a few days of lack of sunlight or disappointments in life. But a person usually bounces back quickly from those downs. Depression is much more serious and long-term.

True depression is cause for seeking more than just friends to lift us up out of the dips in life. True depression is a spiral that carries a person down, like a whirlpool, sinking deeper and deeper until they can’t get out without intervention. Left untreated, depression can lead to suicide or hurting others irreparably.

What are those signs? If you search the internet, you’ll find plenty of information. What I’ll list here is what I went through, and why I knew something was wrong. If you see yourself in this, you owe it to yourself and others to seek help.

1. Irritability.

Taken in itself, irritability is not a sign of depression. We all get moody for different reasons. However, when that irritabillity comes frequently and for no logical reason (lack of good sleep or stress) a person should consider it a red flag. Anytime you start having thoughts of hurting yourself or others, it’s time to consider that something may be wrong. In my case, I scared myself with how close I came to wanting to hurt my baby.

2. Change in sleep patterns

Again, not a sign of depression alone, and a person needs to consider what kind of sleeper they normally are. When something is wrong in the brain, your sleep will be affected. In my case, nothing was helping me to sleep better. I’m normally a bit of an insomniac, and having a baby who slept great up until 5 1/2 months start waking regularly throughout the night didn’t help. I had trouble falling back to sleep. Lack of sleep only makes things worse. I don’t have experience with too much sleep, so I wouldn’t know how it feels to go that direction.

3. Constant Fatigue (even after a good night’s sleep)

This is a reason to get medical help. If you’ve had a good night’s sleep but still feel like you only want to sleep during the day, then something is wrong. It may not be depression but something else, such as Thyroid or other hormonal problems. But if it happens with other symptoms, it can be a sign of depression. Not even exercising regularly will help in that case.

4. Change in eating habits

I was constantly craving the wrong kinds of foods. Sugar increases irritability and tiredness. But I couldn’t help it. I love sugary foods, but this was going overboard. I am a thin person but had put on over forty pounds during my pregnancy, which I worked hard to take off afterwards and succeeded in doing. However, that weight was creeping up again with my lack of control over what I craved.

The opposite can also be true in someone with depression.

5. Lack of enjoyment in activities that normal give you pleasure

I love horses. Anyone who knows me knows that. But I was having trouble motivating myself to want to spend time with my horse. Part of that was cured by making a change–selling my mare and buying a new horse–but that newness was wearing off quickly and I found myself not enjoying him as I had the first couple of weeks.

6. Lack of concentration

Okay, some people have a short attention span for anything. However, I’m not one of them. I could spend hours focused on something like writing or redesigning my website, or horses, or reading. However, I found myself unable to concentrate on anything more than a few minutes. And that leads me to the last symptom.

7. Feeling disconnected from yourself and the world

This was the real clincher for me into what was going on. It was the source of all my problems. I felt disconnected from everything, even my spirituality and myself. I couldn’t get into my characters for writing or reading. I felt like I walked around in someone else’s body, going through the motions but not feeling things. In the past I would have described it as seeing the world through a fog. All the colors of experience, all your senses are dulled.

8. Recently had a baby

Enough said. Hormones are messed up.

These were the symptoms I experienced leading to my seeking help and medication for my depression. I’m glad I did. After the first dose, I felt an improvement, along with side effects. While the side effects have faded since that first dose, I have rediscovered myself and laugh and play with my kids and my husband and my horse. I now enjoy being with them and they with me, as it should be.

Will I be on medication forever? I doubt it. But for now, I know I can’t go off without returning to how I was, the person I don’t want to be. I know that I also suffer from SAD because of the lack of sunlight in winter where I live. I’ve suffered for years. Not even regular exercise has been successful in preventing it. Next spring will be the test.

You have to know yourself to recognize when something is wrong. I didn’t see the forest through the trees until I took in all the symptoms together and realized I needed help. I’m not afraid to get it.

If you’re concerned about someone you know, the best you can do is provide them with support and information. They have to be the ones to take the step to getting help. Some people can be pushed, others not. The best that friends can do is gently encourage and coax a depressed friend to seek the help they need.

As I’ve been doing character interviews for my Legend of the White Dragon series, I want to do something in relation to the release of my upcoming book, Dark Angel (Mundania Press, April 2008), a YA science fiction/fantasy story. Although the “angels” in the story are nothing supernatural, the story does touch upon the belief in angels through the main characters’ losses of their families. I’d love to hear of real encounters of any form, with guardian angels or the spirits of family members who have visited you (not ghost stories but real stories of guidance).

In celebration of angels and guardian spirits, I’d like to invite you to send me your stories, even if it’s just a paragraph. I’ll collect them through the end of January (just over two months from now), along with permission to post them with credit. Starting in February, I’d like to share at least one story a week on my blog and cross-posted to my LiveJournal until the end of March. Between April 1 and Good Friday, I’ll take votes for readers’ favorite story. On Easter Sunday, I’ll announce the winner and that person will receive a free, autographed copy of Dark Angel. For information about the book, check out the blurb and ARC sample on my website. Even if you don’t want a free book, send me your story. I’d love to read of real angel encounters

Send stories to me privately, along with a statement giving permission to share it, at melanie_nilles (at) yahoo (dot) com with the subject ANGELS. Be sure to include your name and a back up email (to be sure I can contact the winner to get an address when the book is available.)

Go ahead and pass this on to anyone you think would be interested.

I apologize for the delay this week. Thank you for your patience and for joining us for a visit with a second dragon, another of the elder drakes. Her name is Dethanea, a gold dragon from the Legend of the White Dragon series. She is large, very old, and one of the matriarchs with hundreds of offspring through the millenia, as I understand.

Welcome, Dethanea! We are honored that you would join us. This is our second opportunity to speak with one of your kind. When we spoke with Jêrafînas, we learned about why you speak as you do and why dragons are the colors they are. What else can you tell us about dragons?

My kin spoke true
in her time with you.
What I can add is more than this,
of dark days and struggles amiss.

I was born in the age of old
before any white one was foretold.
Far back then we fought with men
together without jealousy then.
Both sides even a match and never to win
until the greatest flight of our kin.
All at once we raced to light the dark
and end the madness with our mark.
But more power did he possess,
more evern than we could guess.
Time passed and changes came.
The First they fled, the Second and C’Lupuc to blame.
Then Tahronen in grievance of their crimes distraught
her children to wisdom and knowledge taught.

We to both sides remained loyal and true
except our brethren of the oceans blue.
They with the First vanished from the lands
and whose protection they accepted commands.
Waterdrake kin we rarely see
since the last female fell of their family.
They guard the islands the First call home
and let no wanderers within their guard roam.

Excuse me. Did you say waterdrakes?

I did mention these cousins of ours.

I thought all dragons were firedrakes. What can you tell us about waterdrakes?

They swim like fish in the sea,
smooth and fast in water flee.
Not wings they have but a fin like eels
nor use fire to catch their meals.
Nothing have they but magic to use
when defending the island homes they choose.
They command the waters, air, and sky,
an irony since they cannot fly.

I didn’t know such a dragon existed. Are there any others you can tell us about?

None others have I seen or heard,
but the Second make stories of false word.
If any have your ears caught sound,
let us know if you come round.

I would do that. So, there are three types of dragon–your kind, the Red Clan, and the waterdrakes? Whose side are the waterdrakes on?

Our kin are they to water borne.
We’ve not left them forlorn.
Rather have we little contact for the simple sake.
While they swim, we to the air partake.
We are not fond of oceans, rivers, or lakes,
but prefer the high ground for flying’s sakes.

Thank you, Dethanea. As much as I would like to continue, we’ve run out of time. Perhaps another dragon will speak with us in the future to explain more about your history or fire breathing or some other aspect of your lives. I’d like to learn more.

Thank you, readers, for joining us. Next time, we will have Jayson with us from the Legend of the White Dragon series.

(If you would like to review the previous character interviews, they are listed under the My Books category of this blog or can be downloaded as a single PDF file here.)

Everything I learned about enjoying life, I learned from doing daycare:

1. Sing at the top of your lungs whatever you feel like without worrying about what other’s think
2. Play hard
3. Friends may make you mad, but it’s no one’s fault. Soon you’ll be playing and laughing together again.
4. Laugh a lot
5. Imagination can take you anywhere
6. Every day is an adventure
7. The world is a fascinating place to explore
8. Scream for joy as loud as you can
9. Never miss a chance to express yourself
10. Lines are only for decoration. Color everywhere on the page and use every color you can.
11. A box isn’t a box. It’s a space ship, a car, or anything you want it to be.
12. We all need quiet time.

I put this together from my experience.  Feel free to pass it on

*yawn* For the last two nights we’ve had a sick baby in the house. When she’s not comfortable, no one is. She doesn’t go to sleep very easily either. With her fever at its peak around 104 and the medicines not helping much to bring it down, last night at least, we were all miserable. She was crabby and not wanting to sleep, or all over the place when she was actually trying to sleep.

The internet is a great resource, but I had neither the inclination nor the attention for it at 1 am. I’ve seen kids have febrile seizures, which scared me, but I learned from that not to worry. I also know that fever is the body’s way of fighting infections, since most viruses are killed by temperatures above a certain threshold, which is why we get feverish. But when a baby is miserable, what can a parent do?

Relax and make your baby comfortable. I don’t like to overmedicate my kids but with her fever not falling under 102 with medicine last night, I was tempted. The purpose of the medicine, however, is to alleviate other symptoms like aches and chills that may accompany a fever. According to what I’ve no read online, bringing the fever down is more of a secondary effect of the medication. Although our baby girl’s temperature was still elevated, she acted more normal having the medicine. The only thing a parent can do beyond that is use non-medication ways of making them comfortable if the medicine isn’t working.

I had maybe three hours of sleep total, next to her hot little body stripped down to a thin onesie. While my body heat wasn’t helping in the fight to keep her cooler, I felt better that she was more at ease being with me than alone in her bed miserable with this illness.

Today we’re all playing catch up on sleep, except for the little one, who fights it all the way. Not much else will get done, but there isn’t much you can do with a sick child.

Today I had a lovely surprise. Ah…did I say lovely. Hehe! Okay, lovely in so far as the artwork looks like you could reach out and touch it.

I was sent a proof image of the cover for Dragon Prophecy. Ooh! Menacing! I LOVE IT! The artist at Mundania made it look REAL. Niki is gifted, truly gifted. Her dragons are awesome.

I’ll be sure to post it (everywhere I can) when the final image is done.

I can’t wait to show it off!

Yes, it is. I have two beautiful little girls, a husband who’s my best friend, a gorgeous and talented horse, two cute cats, and several books coming out. What more could I ask?

Well, I’d like a finished basement, a grassy yard, and low gas prices. I think we all want that last. Nevertheless, I was thinking today how many blessings I have in my life and how fortunate we are for all we have and realized that it’s been a long time since I sat and considered where I am in my life. I guess part of it may be an unconscious awareness of the upcoming holiday and what it truly means. The other part is the warm fuzzy feeling I have for my horse, Beau.

I went out tonight, which is a typically windy day but windier than normal. I just wish we had lots of snow to blow around instead of dirt. It’s dry and…oh, yeah!…I wish we had precipitation of some sort, and lots of it, preferably snow. Anyway, I went out because I expected my poor boy to be a bit chilled. I had taken his blanket off Saturday and washed it. The weather was nice and expected to continue to be nice, at least for a few days. But that changed after the sun went down and the wind blew the cooling air; but the day wasn’t the best either until the sun came out. The poor boy was standing under his lean-to shelter instead of eating the hay at the other end of his pen. I took him into the warm arena and brushed him lovingly and tried to get him to run to stretch his legs, but he didn’t have his usual enthusiasm. I can only guess he shivered off all his energy. The thought pulled at my heart strings. I made sure to blanket him for the next few days. While I was doing that, another horse was being longed. Beau didn’t move a muscle. He stood like a perfect gentleman while the other horse zoomed within ten feet of him, maybe closer, kicking up his heels while he was at it. When I took him back to his pen, he begged for his treats, which I gladly gave him, and started eating his hay. On the way home, I reflected on how lucky I am to have such a good horse. Star was good, but not like him. Beau was meant for me; I know it.

That started me thinking about how lucky I am in other areas. As I nursed the baby to sleep, I looked down at her in the dark of the bedroom and felt a contentment I haven’t had in a long time. I needed that moment. Sometimes we’re so busy rushing from one thing to another or taking care of everyone else that we don’t get a chance to reflect on our life. We need calm and quiet to look inward, instead of distracting us outward. Sometimes something outside of us acts as a catalyst, a trigger for our emotions. However, it all comes from within.

We can’t give to others if we don’t give to ourselves. I am fortunate to have all that I do. I’m grateful for everything and have worked hard to get where I am, which is the ultimate reward. I came from having very little except family, though, so I know what it means to appreciate the little things.

Sure, I hope bigger and better things come my way, but for now, at least I can say my life is fulfilling. I am satisfied.

Welcome back, fantasy fans, for another interview with a character from the upcoming Legend of the White Dragon series from Mundania Press, LLC.

Today, we have a creature part man and part wolf. Legends state they were made to serve the Darklord as a horrid amalgamation of the creatures of the Majera–humans and wolves. However, they developed their own culture and identities. You’ll find they look very much the meshing of both worlds with slightly extended snouts and upright ears but long, black hair on their heads. They are tall–over eight feet–with a fine grayish blue pelt over their entire bodies to the point that they wear no clothes but a cloth for the modesty of their human halves. They have no tails but they do have claws and walk on legs that blend the human and wolf so they put their weight on the balls of their feet. That’s as good of a description as I can give.

Now, we have one of the magi to use their magic to translate, so you can read the transcript as I hear it. (And to keep this C’Lupuc from attacking us. His species isn’t too friendly towards humans.) Their language is like the barking of dogs.

Thank you for joining us, Greechik. What can you tell us about your kind?

[We once dominated the world, according to our history. But the humans and their magi *half-hearted snarl at mage* killed many. My ancestors escaped to the wastelands of the south, where no humans dare to live. We live in the caverns and hunt the creatures that call it home. We live in packs and trade with others, but if the underground rivers run low or hunting is insufficient, territory may be fought over.]

What is pack life like?

[Our leaders are chosen by virtue, usually by an aging leader. Male or female may lead a pack, if they are strong, brave, and earn the respect of the pack. Leaders may be challenged also, but it is rare.]

[The rest follow the leader, because he or she has earned trust in their judgment through their actions. The leader has first pick over their mates before anyone else. The others must have approval.]

[Male and female hunt together while the elders care for the children. Families are mixed and our females are superior to any human.]

*struggles to move but mage subdues*

Have you ever had to fight humans? How do you know your females are superior?

[We have heard stories, and I can see with my own eyes. We will rise again to reclaim the lands that should be ours, in the name of our master. He will send his dragons to signal the day when the packs should gather. We are ready. You humans will not stand long against us.]

You serve this Darklord I’ve heard mentioned, or so I’ve been told. I assume that’s your master. But he didn’t make you, at least not completely. He crossed humans and wolves.

[Wolves are loyal to the pack. Humans are not. They kill and injure their own kind in war. Our stories tell of their–your–selfish ways.]

But you’re human too. Doesn’t that make you a hypocrite?

[You will not sway me with your lies. We claim no relation to humans. We respect our own and do not kill each other.]

But you’ll fight over resources?[You confuse my words. I’ll say no more… But this is why we will win.]

Then I guess we’re done. I guess we’ll have to wait to learn more in Dragon Legacy (January 2009).

Thank you, friends, for joining us for this brief conversation. Be sure to check back next week for a more open guest. We’ll have Dethanea, a golden matriarch of the dragons. If the last dragon wasn’t enough, you’ll get more with this elder drake.

And don’t forget that we’re counting down to the release of the first book of the Legend of the White Dragon series with Dragon Prophecy available the end of January 2008!

(For those joining us for the first time, you can download a PDF file of all the interviews to date.)

Welcome, Fantasy Readers! Every week we countdown closer to the release of the first book of this series, Dragon Prophecy. While today’s guest character doesn’t show up in the first book, he will make his appearance in the third and last books with an important role to play, despite the limited screen time.

Welcome, Captain Fremmer. We’re glad you could join us. You’ve been busy gathering your men from their homes for summer campaigns. What do you expect from Tyrkam?

We’ve received word of his forces gathering in the region. Candro is the last stronghold of Cavatar. As the largest port city and entry point for ships from Rivonia, it will have his full attention. He will attack the city.

Can the city withstand a siege?

Easily! Sovereign Farolkavin has already pledged his support. Whatever shipments he sends will come through Candro. In his best interests, he’ll not let the city fall. With all forces under General Gheorwen gathered behind the wall, no one will pass.

What of the river that flows under the wall? Don’t supplies come down the river from upstream?

The gates will be closed and nothing will pass but the fish when the gate is down. Supplies will come by other routes.

What other routes are there? As I understand, beyond the harbor are steep cliffs.

True. The only way in is through the harbor.

Won’t the enemy try to enter that way also?

Hah! No. I’d like to know where they can find enough ships to carry sufficient numbers of soldiers to pose a threat.

But it would be possible.

Yes, but unlikely. To leave the nearest port city and sail along the coast would take days. By then, they would be intercepted.

So, Candro is more like a fortress?

Impenetrable. The citizens know it. And the Citadel of Paranor gives us an advantage. As both lookout and lighthouse, we can see trouble and ignite a beacon. The city formed around it, as I understand, because of its uses.

In short, you expect little trouble keeping out any siege.

Yes.

What will you do with an enemy outside the wall?

Plan and organize the officers who answer to me. The captains advise the general and take his orders.

Before this war, what was life like?

Routine. Some would say easy, but life is never easy. It is all a trial.

Short and sweet. A man of few words.

I say what needs to be said. Idle chatter is for women.

Yes, thank you. I appreciate the time you’ve taken. I’ll let you return to your duties, Captain.

Thank you, readers and fantasy fans for joining us again for another interview with one of the many characters from the Legend of the White Dragon series.

I shudder to consider our next interview…ah…”guest”, a creature known as a C’Lupuc, a wolf-human hybrid. His name is Greechik and he may be hard to understand, but one of our mage friends has agreed to use his magic to translate for us.

Join us next week for one of the more interesting creatures who call the world of Gairdra home!

NOTE: Missed the last fifteen interviews?  Don’t worry   Download the PDF file and catch up!