FAQS

I would like to extend a HUGE thanks to my pre-readers (you know who you are) and to those who send me emails asking questions.

Questions in Black

Answers in Blue

Why doesn't Mal just send the (deleted word because it'd be a spoiler) to kill Nez?

An attempt was made to destroy Sogo before Talon and Brenna were born.  The group gathered at that time failed.  Same thing would happen if Mal did what you asked.

Is this going to be made into a movie?

I hope so.  That would be COOL.

You write like Anne Rice

Thanks - she's very successful.  With that said, I'd like to assure everyone, this is not a horror story (although lots of horrible gut-wrenching stuff happens).

That was a scary prologue (the original one for COS1 which is now the prologue for COS4), is this dark fantasy?

No. I wrote the prologue with the idea of making readers curious and give your mind something to chew on - like who are these people? Why are they doing this? Guardian of what? Sons of Ammon? What is the Chest and what does it do? I will answer this last question because people get the wrong idea about the Chest. Yes, it is a powerful magic object, but it doesn't have the power to save anyone - it has one purpose which will be revealed in later books.

What is the deal with Tasut? I hate his guts. Why doesn't someone kill him?

I agree that Tasut is easy to hate. The part about killing - it isn't for lack of trying. Keep reading.

Why don't the guys in the Barracks just break out? or their families revolt and save them?

hmmm....you sure you read the book?

Most Barracks men are captured by slavers and bought at Sogoian auction.  Though it seems obvious to me, I guess I should state that Tasut doesn't allow contact.  Most importantly, few honorable people visit Sogo and for good reasons.  Remember, Sogo is the wickedest city in the world and the 60 million people who live there love the Barracks the way the Romans of our world loved the Coliseum- and for the same disgusting reasons.

When Tasut is away from home, why doesn't Talon lighten up?

Talon never knows when Tasut will return, plus he's never learned how to "lighten up". It's why he needs friends.

Where did you get the title?

Eventually, from the prologue. It's kind of embarrassing, but I didn't know what to call it at first - I was only doing a trilogy at that time and had to have three names so I simply called them It Begins, It Continues, It Ends. Laughable, but at least no one would be able to miss the sequence.

How did you come up with the idea for Chest of Souls? 

Originally, it began as a story I told to my oldest daughter over two decades ago when I was still raising my family. After reading The Jackrabbit Factor by Leslie Householder, my plans to take my stories to the public became defined.

Where do you get ideas?  Everywhere.  Dreams/Life - for example the settings.  I just modified the names of places I'd lived in my lifetime. Utak is obviously Utah. It's cities/rivers are combinations of names of couples I know.  Acha and the name for its cities came from my mother-in-law who was blessed with a Maine accent where r's get dropped or added.  Other ideas come from dreams or inspiration. 

Does this story take place on Earth?  

No - interesting question though.

Is Queen Tahlana black?

She's Polynesian/American Indian.