Melanie Nilles

With the upcoming release of Dragon Prophecy, I’ve been pondering the question of why I like dragons. I’ve seen fans of other books about dragons post things like “They’re cool!” or “They can breathe fire?” But I’ve never really considered how I would explain if asked why I like dragons.

I must admit that dragons are cool. What other creature of the imagination is so unique with enough interpretations across the globe that almost anything is acceptable? Not all dragons breathe fire, but it is an interesting ability. What makes dragons cool, though?

That’s what requires more thought. Dragons are mighty beasts with a varying degree of intelligence, ability, and/or magic. They can be anything we want them to be. They are not limited to what we know.

As I delve further into finding a reason why I like dragons, I wonder why I like horses. I love horses because they are noble and beautiful, graceful, and sincere. A horse will never lie about what he feels. He’s a powerful animal with feelings, likes and dislikes, but willing to learn and to accept non-equines (us) into his herd. He’s far stronger than a human, but is willing to trust and accept the leadership of the human and do things that go against his instincts as a creature of prey. Personally, horses give me something that nothing else can, and riding on the back of half a tone of muscle and sinew to direct all that energy into whatever shape I desire fulfills me and sets me free. It’s real magic.

So, how does that relate to my interest in dragons? Let’s see…Dragons are big, intelligent predators, but in my world, most have no intention of hurting humans. They’re big, noble, scary, and magical. Something in that combination fits, and I can see how controlling (writing about) a creature so big and frightening to harness it’s power into the magic of the imagination is fulfilling. It is a different type of magic.

Horses fascinate us because of their fight or flight nature as a prey beast, which they are willing to overcome to serve. Dragons, however, fascinate us because they are dangerous and beautiful at the same time. They can be creatures of our nightmares or be the beast in which the beauty lies within. They are mysterious because we don’t know which they are. That mystery and the idea of a creature that magnificent having any number of abilities piques the imagination.

It’s that never ending allure of the imagination, the limitless scope we can apply to these mythological creatures made real in fiction, that holds the key to my interest.