Interview with Leah E. Welker, Author of Dragon’s Blood (Blood of the Covenants Book 1)

What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Dragon’s Blood (Blood of the Covenants Book 1)?

The series was inspired by a dream I had many years ago. I can’t remember exactly when, just that I wrote the scene down back then so I wouldn’t forget it, even though I wasn’t good enough as a writer back then to flesh it out properly. I kept dabbling with it as the years went by and my writing skill grew. Finally, I decided it was time to sit down and write the whole story. The problem was, that dream was of a scene in what became book four! Essentially, I had to write books 1-3 to find out how the two main characters got to that point!

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Dragon’s Blood (Blood of the Covenants Book 1), what would they be?

For book one, I’d say that Sarah’s theme song is “Your Light” from Lost Ember, and Ben’s is “Hollowed Kings” by Ursine Vulpine. The full Dragon’s Blood playlist can be found on my website at https://www.leahewelker.com/dragons-blood-book-one.

What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I like to read light-filled fantasy with some danger, high stakes, lots of hope, morally good characters, and lots of romance. In other words, exactly what I like to write.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Funnily enough, a few career-development books, like Dare to Lead by Brené Brown. I’ve been thinking of starting Brandon Sanderson’s Skyward series.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

Ha, without giving away spoilers, I think my favorite scene to write in book one was a scene toward the end. Let’s just say hundreds of magical orbs of light are involved.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I like to find a music track that has the right vibe for the scene I’m writing; it’s cool if the lyrics match, but they’re secondary to the general mood of the track when I’m selecting the right one. Then I will play that track on repeat, sometimes for hours, until I’m done with the scene. (Which really messes with my Spotify end-of-year wrap-up, lol.) Incidentally, I like movie scores, epicore, videogame soundtracks, epic pop, etc.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

A lot of quotes and poems are inspirational to me, such as “If” by Rudyard Kipling or “Do It Anyway,” but my personal philosophy can be boiled down to “Do good.” Meaning “do good things.” Serve, love, uplift, give hope, offer relief. Like Samwise Gamgee, I believe there’s good in this world, and it’s worth fighting for. My writing is one of the ways I fight for it.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

I think one of the characters in the book says it best: “A leader is not always the person flying at the front, receiving all the glory, my dear. We need very few of those. What we need far more dearly are good people with brave hearts who see what must be done to help the ones they love, and who do it. Perhaps you may never be the former. But you are already the latter. And I am already so very, very proud of you.”

Leah E. Welker is the author of the new book Dragon’s Blood (Blood of the Covenants Book 1)

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