Interview with Bryan Davis, Author of the Dragons in Our Midst Fantasy Series

Young Adult Author Continues Tradition of C.S. Lewis & Christian Fantasy

When did you first decide you might like to become a writer?

Twelve years ago, I wrote a story for my children in order to teach them how to write. That story grew into a novel, and the joy of creating a story that moved my heart and the hearts of my children ignited a passion to write that continues to burn today. That story never got published, but I still count it as the first stepping stone in my long journey to becoming an author.

I understand the concept for your first novel Raising Dragons came in a rather unique way. Do you mind sharing that with us?

About ten years ago I had a dream about a boy who could breathe fire. I told my eldest son about it, and we brainstormed the idea that sprouted Raising Dragons. At first, he helped me write it, but as he grew bored with it, I took over. Eight years and twenty-four rewrites later, the final version of Raising Dragons finally emerged. Now that's a long labor and delivery time!

What do you see as the greatest challenge in writing Christian fantasy? What do you see for the future of speculative Christian fiction?

The greatest challenge is to convey a spiritual theme without being "preachy." I want to provide a great takeaway value for my stories, but I want the value to be received by my readers naturally. On the other hand, I don't want the value to be so hidden that readers don't get it. This balance is very difficult to achieve.

I think the future is bright. Before Raising Dragons came out, there had been little Christian fantasy produced for many years. Now there are several series and more on the horizon. As publishers learn more about the genre and get experience in identifying the jewels as they come across their desks, the genre will gain more acceptance and success.

Growing up, were you a big fantasy fan? What was it that drew you to this genre, and whom would you count as your greatest influences?