D. J. Dalton - High Action Adventure Fantasy Series

One day, on a crisp day after a snowstorm, D.J. Dalton watched a snowplow bury her car just moments after shoveling a way clear to leave for work. By the end of that year, she had arranged a work transfer to our Florida office. Leaving her winter coat and mittens behind, Dalton arrived in Florida the week between Christmas and New Year. After living in Tampa and then Spring Hill, she settled in central Florida where she lives today with her family. As our Author of the Day, she tells us all about her book, Unleashing Magic.

Please give us a short introduction to what Unleashing Magic is about.

Unleashing Magic is the third of four books in the Twisted Curse Series. Keren Stewart has two main challenges. Her first challenge is an elf has kidnapped her friends, Nadria and Ordell. The second challenge is saving the new dragon hatchlings and their mothers who suffer from a loss of magic due to being imprisoned, with magic restricted, for the last one hundred years. Both these challenges funnel into her need to find the hidden elf village. The team she selects to assist her are made up of friends and those she'd worked with in the past. But unknown to her, there's a traitor in among them.

What inspired you to write this story? Was there anything that made you want to tackle this?

I love reading epic and urban fantasy. I had this what-if question in my mind: What if the protagonist had powers she wasn't supposed to have? I hadn't read any books with that premise, so I thought I'd take on the task.

Tell us more about Keren Stewart. What makes her so special?

Keren has many layers. As with so many young adults, she's trying to find independence and her place in life. She's devoted to her mom and her close friends. She has a kind of naivety about her that's endearing. Early on in book one, Keren faces a personal crisis. As she peels back the layers to find a solution, she get involved in other mysteries and dilemmas. Even though she's scared and doubts herself, she pushes forward for those she loves. I think that's what makes Keren so special. She's honest, and truly believes in the good in our world.

Why did you decide to give Keren a serious illness?

Technically, Keren's cursed. I wanted her to be a normal human that somehow received magic powers.

You included a lot of humor in this story. Why did you take this approach?

I think it's good to give a reader a break from crisis and drama with some humor. Life is full of little moments of humor if you look for it.

The book is quite fast-paced. How did you pull this off?

My writing process is first a mind map to gather ideas about the concepts and characters. Then I draw a story grid to balance the ups and downs the character goes through. Finally, I write a high-level outline to guide my writing. My beta readers help me keep slower, non-plot-impactful scenes out of my writing.

Why did you pick the remnants of Las Vegas as the backdrop for your story?

Las Vegas is a place most people can relate to. The city is already over the top with exotic resorts. So why not throw in some magic?

This is book three in the series. Can it be read as a standalone? How do the other books in the series tie in with this one?

Yes, Unleashing Magic can be read as a standalone. Fallen Shroud, book one, is Keren's background. Book two, Entwined Fate, delves more into Keren's curse and introduces a new magic race. I expect book four, Magic Transformed, to be released late August this year. It's the wrap-up to the entire series.

Do you have any interesting writing habits? What is an average writing day like for you?

I do work full-time, so I have to be strategic in finding time for writing. Knowing I'm a morning person, I have to get my writing done first. My day starts out early, like 3:30 or 4:00 a.m. That's when I get my word count done. After work is more of the business end of promos, email, social media, advertising, website, etc.

What are you working on right now?

I'm working on the rough draft of my new series and putting together the final touches of Magic Transformed for publication around the end of August 2022.

Where can our readers discover more of your work or interact with you?

Readers can go to my website: http://www.djdalton.com or my Facebook page: Log in or sign up to view.