Like many other recent authors, my stories are heavily rooted in the mythologies of our world. I draw not only on Chinese dragons and Celtic faeries, but myths and legends from other places. My goal as an author is to remain true to the spirit of every myth, even as I adapt them for my stories. Here are some of the myths I have adapted.

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NORTH AMERICA

Living in the Pacific Northwest, I have been exposed to the rich cultures of Indigenous Peoples such as the Makah and the Quinault. In fact, I feel a greater kinship to the local tribes here than I do to my Scandinavian roots, particularly the People of the Hoh. From them, I have brought the legends of Raven, Salmon, Bear and, most especially, Thunderbird and combined them with the myth of Basket Woman and Sinulhkay.

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The Skookum of Blood of the Dragon is the Quinault word for Sasquatch.

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Miguel's Grandpa Gad is also half-Navajo, and their myths began to take importance in Heart of the Dragon, but especially in Bones of the Dragon where we will meet twin demigods Born From Water and Slayer of Alien Gods. We will also travel through Darkworld, which are the lands of the Navajo underworld.

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CENTRAL AMERICA

A crucial part of Heart of the Dragon is the legend of the ancient city of Teotihuacan about 30 miles north of Mexico City. I researched this extensively and was able to take advantage of recent discoveries of the extensive tunnel system beneath the pyramids. The fall of Teotihuacan has always been shrouded in mystery. My take on it is based on the theory that drought brought on a civilian uprising against the gods and city leaders. 

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We don't fully understand the religion of Teotihuacan, so I've borrowed from the Mayan religion to fill in the gaps. We do know the Mayans traded with Teotihuacan, as did many other cultures. The city itself, based on archaeological evidence, appears to have been a cultural crossroads and as diverse as the United States.

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For me, my greatest surprise in my research was learning the people of Teotihuacan pre-date the Aztecs, who I'd always thought had built the city. Not so!

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CARIBBEAN

There are two crucial chapters in Blood of the Dragon set in the age of pirates. The chief pirate is Jacquotte Delahaye, better known as Back From the Dead Red. Delahaye really did exist, and there is even a wine named after her! The Freebooter Republic was the island she ruled for a time, and her compelling backstory is the legend I've used. 

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IRELAND

The faeries of my books are drawn heavily from ancient Celtic and Irish mythology, NOT from the bastardized British versions! For centuries, the British sought to suppress and destroy Irish culture, which is why I've made every attempt to not use any British legends.

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Much of Book 2, Heart of the Dragon, takes place in Ireland at sites both historic and legendary. All the places Aileen drives to really exist. I've never had the pleasure of traveling to Ireland, so to experience where Aileen drives, I hopped on Google Street View and drove those roads virtually! However, the church and the sanitarium she and Miguel visit are fictional, although based on real buildings in Ireland.

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The Otherworld is an important piece of Irish mythology, especially the land of the Tuatha Dé Danann, as are the many creatures the main characters meet in the Otherworld. Most come direct from Celtic, Irish, and Scottish mythologies.

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CHINA

The dragons of Faery are Chinese. Not only in their features, but also in their history. In one of the interludes in Blood of the Dragon, we read of their connection to the ruler who united China, the legendary Yellow Emperor. We also learn of the Dragon Pearl, a crucial item in Books 1 and 2. Again, this is a piece of Chinese mythology I've been able to incorporate.

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AFRICA

In an early chapter in Book 3, Bones of the Dragon, I introduce some mythological creatures from Central Africa. At this point I've done nothing further, but I hope to build on this start in the final book of the series, Soul of the Dragon.

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