CK Dawn - Spoiler Interview

Welcome to the second instalment of my Spoilers series!

If you missed it last time, and are wondering what is so special about these interviews, it is simply this:
The interviewer (that would be me), and the interviewee (my dear little victim) are not restrained by the golden rule of interviews - questions and answers are not allowed to contain spoilers.

Yeah, that rule is going out the window during this series.
This is my selfish little way of getting answers to the questions I really want to ask.

So this is your first warning - if you have not yet read Cloak of Shadows, you have three options:
1) Buy the book;
2) Read my relatively-spoiler-free review;
3) Read CK Dawn's regular interview.

But effectively, no matter what your choice, you have to GO AWAY.  This interview is not for you.

Still here?
OK, so if you haven't come across CK Dawn and her work before, here's her bio:

CK Dawn

Author of:
A Neophyte's Tale (Netherwalker #0.5)
Cloak of Shadows (Netherwalker #1)


Bio:
Coffee lover, gamer girl, Sci-fi enthusiast, and overall crafty individual, CK Dawn graduated from Texas Tech University with a degree in Interior Design and a minor in Architecture (I know, right?). Loving to be creative but feeling stifled by invoices, custom orders, and curtain patterns, she decided instead to follow her favorite philosophy: if you do what you love you'll never work a day in your life. So, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... she finally decided to pick one of the stories that had been bouncing around in her head and boom, Cloak of Shadows came to life.


CK lives with the love of her life John, his cat Scout, her cat Hagrid, their mutually adopted and socialized feral kitten Pepper (yes, cats have favorite humans. It's a thing), and their dog Diesel (aka Methane-- Please, don't make her explain).She credits her mother for the strong independent woman she is, her father for her inner peace and beautiful outlook on life, and the summers of sweaty, manual labor on her grandparents' farm for her strong work ethic.In writing, CK has truly found her bliss. Stay tuned, because there will be a lot more to come in her Netherwalker series. Seriously, things have only just begun.

Website || Goodreads || Facebook || Twitter || Amazon

Right people, this is officially your last warning.  You are not to read any further, without having read Cloak of Shadows first.

OK, so in theory, I am left with only fans of CK Dawn, and a few stubborn people.

1. Why did you chose to use the Arthur legend as the basis of your Netherwalker series?
I've always loved stories about knights in shining armor and I can't remember a time that I wasn't fascinated by Excalibur and Camelot. But I always wished the swoon worthy knights lived in our century. I mean let's face it, way back when it wasn't exactly a good time to be a woman. Not with the booty kicking ladies that I had in mind. So, not finding anything to read like the ideas swirling in my head, I set out and created the story that I would want to read as a lover of fantasy stories.

2. Aside from quotes throughout from Lourdie and her padawan, did Star Wars inspire anything else in the story?
Absolutely! When I describe Lourdie's weapon of choice, her stun baton, I totally picture it looking like a smaller version of the most awesome weapon in the universe, the lightsaber.

3. Where did the idea of Netherwalkers come from?  I found it interesting that dragons get smaller as they get older, what inspired this?
I'm all about creating unique things from what is familiar and twisting it into something that I hope hasn't been seen or done before. Like my netherwalkers breathing ice instead of fire as it were and how I describe their realm as if it were a volcanic landscape where you'd expect fire and lava, but you get a gelatinous atmosphere instead where volcanoes erupt in ice. I honestly can't remember exactly how I came up with the idea of the dragons getting smaller as they age. It might have something to do with watching my fierce 97 year old grandmother get physically smaller and smaller, but not loosing her fire and strength. And I have to tell you, my gamer friends are in love with the idea of the dragons getting smaller, so I'll definitely be elaborating on my character Marcus Vaughn's theory in future books.

4. Do you believe that those with Arthurian bloodlines that don't follow the call - can they ever live truly fulfilling lives?
I hope they can. I make a reference in Cloak of Shadows about neophytes that don't answer the call saying that most of them will slowly lose their 'power' over time, I do however see some going completely insane if they don't. Is that evil of me? :P

5. When Lourdie and Abbey go to the original court, the poor things meet a bevy of handsome men.  Which was your favourite?
Temple has my heart. The End.

6. Which was your favourite blossoming relationship to write: Lourdie & Temple; or Abbey & Louie?
Surprisingly, I thought it would be Lourdie & Temple, don't get me wrong, I love them together and
(spoiler alert) there will be a massive increase in the steam factor in book 2, Cloak of Secrets. But Abbey and Louie's relationship popped up on me unexpectedly as I wrote Louie's gloaming bond scene. It just flowed out of me. Louie really wanted to give Abbey that kiss! I can't wait to see where their relationship goes. (Another spoiler) I don't think someone back home in the King's Court New York is going to be very happy with Abbey's new relationship status.

7. Lourdie's unique skill is often mentioned in a way that seems to foreshadow trouble.  Who do you consider her biggest foe?
Oh if you only knew! She has enemies that you won't even see coming and one that you will least expect. I get excited just thinking about where her story is about to go! For now, speaking about book one, I think Lourdie herself is her own biggest foe. She can't know her true potential until she quits denying she is different and will never learn who she really is.

Thank you to CK Dawn for taking the time to answers my questions.  If you, my lovely readers, have any spoiler questions you think I forgot, post below and we'll see what we can do.