I am so excited for the interview and amazing book I’m sharing today. I met Dianna Gunn during PitchWars 2016 and we instantly connected. During that time, I got to take a rare peek into an earlier version of her amazing book, Moonshadow’s Guardian, and instantly fell in love with the fuzzy dragon in this tale. I can’t wait to see this book out in the world. And so without further gilding the lily, and no more ado, I present Fantasy Author Dianna Gunn and Moonshadow’s Guardian.

Moonshadow’s Guardian (Moonshadow Rising #1)
	All Riana has ever wanted is freedom. Unfortunately, that’s the one thing her kind cannot have. Bound by the curse in her demonic blood for millennia, Riana has tried several times to bend the rules and live out her life in the mortal realm. Now her consistent rule breaking has drawn the attention of Loki, God of Mischief, the main tormentor of Riana’s kind. But instead of punishing her, he offers her the escape she has always desired. All she has to do to is save the kingdom of Moonshadow from a mysterious magical plague.
Armed only with the inherent power of her own blood and Loki’s pet dragon, Riana is determined to fight for the right to create her own destiny. However, when her mission forces her to destroy the last remnants of an ancient culture, Riana must ask – what is freedom really worth? Moonshadow’s Guardian is a tale about the meaning of belonging, and the struggle to create a future not defined by your past.

1. Dianna, you have a new release coming out. Will you tell us about it?

Moonshadow’s Guardian might be new to the world, but it’s certainly not new to me. I wrote the first draft for Nanowrimo 2008, and it’s been through at least a dozen drafts since then (I gave up counting ages ago). Now I’m preparing to publish it in November 2018, and yes, I might be planning a Nanowrimo-themed release party.

I am so, so proud of this story. My first book, Keeper of the Dawn, is about building a new life for yourself in spite of society. Moonshadow’s Guardian is about building a new life in spite of yourself, your memories, and the bad things you’ve done. As someone who has struggled with depression for most of my life, this is a story I truly believe I was meant to tell.

There’s also a dragon, and he’s possibly my favorite character of all time, at least as far as my own books are concerned.

2. What sparked the idea for Moonshadow’s Guardian?

You ask this question like I actually remember the answer. Joke’s on you! I honestly have no memory of where the story came from. I do know that I killed the original main character halfway through and decided to tell Riana’s story instead, which was a much better decision.

I can also tell you where the idea of Moonshadow came from: my parents. They created their own roleplaying games, and I listened in all the time. Moonshadow was one of the kingdoms they created, and I was lucky enough to get permission to adapt it for my own work.

3. Are there any literary pilgrimages you took to draw inspiration for this story? Or that have impacted this story?

If you’re talking about physical journeys, no. My funds are severely limited, so traveling isn’t really a thing I do for any reason.

But I have taken many reading journeys, most recently reading NK Jemisin’s Inheritance Trilogy. Moonshadow’s Guardian is written in first person, so reading the Inheritance Trilogy, one of the only adult series I know that is also in first person, was essential. I learned a lot from those books, and applied it all in my most recent revision of Moonshadow’s Guardian.

4. Did you hide any secrets in your story intended for close friends and family to find?

Not so much in this book, although I have thrown in a couple really obscure hints that connect Moonshadow to a different series I’m working on. And I have a lot more references and secrets hidden in other stories I’m working on.

5. Are there any deleted scenes or short stories from Moonshadow’s world where readers might get a taste of what’s to come?

Yes and yes! But they’re all secrets muahahaha. I’m planning to launch a Patreon for Moonshadow when I release Moonshadow’s Guardian, and one of the main rewards will be access to those deleted scenes and short stories.

6. Can readers expect a sequel?

I am working on the second book now, which currently has the impressive working title of Moonshadow’s Guardian Two. I’m hoping to release it in November 2019, but it’s a much more ambitious book than Moonshadow’s Guardian, so it might be pushed back to early 2020.

7. Where can we pre-order Moonshadow’s Guardian, or buy your other books?

Right now I’m running a Kickstarter campaign to raise the funds to professionally edit Moonshadow’s Guardian. This will enable me not only to publish it in November 2018, but to give it the best chance of success possible.

Dianna Gunn is a freelance writer by day and a fantasy author by night. Her first book, Keeper of the Dawn, came out in April 2017 through The Book Smugglers Publishing. Her second book, Moonshadow’s Guardian, is set to release in November 2018, and is currently raising funds for publication on Kickstarter. She also blogs about writing, creativity, and mental health at https://www.thedabbler.ca. You can find her most often on Twitter @DiannaLGunn and once a week on her YouTube Channel. You can also find Dianna’s books on Amazon.

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