Today I’m excited to welcome Deniz Bevan on to the blog, author of the brilliant Druid’s Moon a great modern beauty and the beast story. I’ve already read the book and you can see why I enjoyed it so much by clicking here to read my review. And today I’m pleased to welcome Deniz to answer some questions about the book, her inspiration behind it and more. I hope you enjoy this interview and don’t forget to check out more about the book and author below the interview. 🙂
Author interview
Can you tell us a little about your book and what inspired it?
The original idea came from a dream! Of a creature trapped far underground… I began to write about curses and spells, and tried to figure out why a beast would be trapped in caverns with an even more monstrous creature. The sense I had from the dream was of two people escaping together, and with my penchant for romance, it had to be a couple!
Did you do any research for this novel?
Oh yes! I can never seem to get away from having all sorts of varied things to investigate. The fantasy aspect was easy to create! Then came all the bits and pieces of the plot and character backgrounds, and suddenly I had a research list of over 10 all-encompassing items.
Here are a few:
Kraken: How to merge previous legends with mine
Archaeology: Daily life on a dig, qualifications, language
Cornwall: Locations and languages
Noble families of England, Scotland and Wales: A plausible name and ancestry for Frederick
Fairy tales: Genre staples for Beauty and the Beast tales
There were other items I read up on, including druids and their tombs and Welsh and Cornish myths and legends, but I found I didn’t need them as much after all, though I tried to read everything that had the right sort of flavour. The historical aspects, especially the history of shipping and the history of Cornwall, were quite fascinating. I even went searching for ancient art depicting retellings of the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale! All collected on my Story Inspirations board on pinterest.
The story is like a modern version of Beauty and the Beast. Do you have a particular fondness for the original Beauty and the Beast story or are there any other fairy tales you particularly enjoy?
The idea of the cave being by the sea, and shipping and merchants, reminded me of Beauty’s father in the original fairy-tale. And it grew from there! My favourites have always been the fairy-tales collected by the Grimm brothers, and the stories of Hans Christian Andersen. The story The Girl Who Trod on a Loaf sticks with me to this day.
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I love to knit! Baking comes a close second. And I read all the time.
Are you working on anything new?
I am! I have a multi-book family saga in the works! The book I’m hoping to draft during this year’s National Novel Writing Month will be the seventh in the series. The others are at different stages of querying and editing. They’re all romances! Some with a mystery, some with suspense elements, and others focused on family and emotional ties. The latest one is going to be the trickiest, I think, because it’s got less of an overarching plot, and seems to be more of a series of incidents…
What is the best thing about being an author?
The initial spark of a story. Before any doubt or the need for editing sets in, when all you can think about is the characters and the love they’re finding with each other, and every day brings new discoveries. That rush of words at the start is such a thrill!
If you could live in any book which would it be and why?
I love this question but always find it difficult to answer!
I even mused about it once on my blog.
The Lord of the Rings, the Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, and Outlander would be among my knee-jerk reactions, along with the books of Susan Cooper and Madeleine l’Engle.
I think the world of Outlander would be fun if I was friends with Jamie and Claire both.
That got me thinking. I’m not sure I’d enter any of these books without setting some conditions. Hobbiton would be a grand place to live, and Narnia might be fun, depending on which age you jumped into. But Hogwarts while the Death Eaters are loose? You’d have to know beforehand which time you were going to and whether you’d be a main character…
On the other hand, where’s the fun without a bit of risk? If it was just to visit, it would be exciting to be whisked into any of these books, at any moment in their timelines.
Of course, I wouldn’t say no to a nice pub in 1930s Yorkshire with James Herriott, either.
Thank you so much for answering my questions Deniz! 🙂 I love the fairy tales of the Grimm brother and Hans Christian Andersen too! Druid’s Moon is available to buy now, see below for more details.
About the book
Beauty to his Beast…
Lyne Vanlith, an archaeologist who seeks a logical explanation to any mystery, discovers an ancient Druidic curse on her first dig. When the signs foretold by the curse descend on her, Lyne can’t find a reasonable interpretation.
And that’s even before a Beast rescues her from a monstrous sea-creature. She drops a grateful kiss on the snout of the Beast, who transforms into a man, Frederick Cunnick, Baron of Lansladron. Lyne is meant to be Beauty to his Beast-and break the curse forever.
Now both spellkeeper and monster are targeting Lyne. She must take up her legendary role, to defeat the curse and save Frederick-and herself. Instead of logic, for the first time, Lyne must trust her heart.
Buy from Amazon UK Buy from Amazon US
About the Author
Deniz Bevan has lived and worked in Canada, Switzerland, and turkey, as an editorial assistant, translator, and editor. Her short story ‘Where There’s Life’ was shortlisted for the Surrey International Writers’ conference Storyteller’s Award in 2013 and she’s a member of thelitforum.com
Visit author’s website Visit author on Twitter Visit author on Pinterest
Did you enjoy this interview? Have you read ordo you want to read Druid’s Moon? Let me know what you think in the comments below 🙂
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