Interview with A.A. Bukhatir

Q&A with A.A. Bukhatir, author of Dragon Boy and the Witches of Galza.

1) How did the concept of Dragon Boy come into being?

It was a combination of several factors.  Since childhood, I loved the idea of wizards, sorcerers, witches, dragons, fairies, monsters, and the supernatural world.  I also used to dream about being able to fly.  I dreamed that I had large white wings and could fly across the continents.  I was also fascinated by fantasy movies and their special effects.   Somehow all of these elements combined and, one night, as I was driving with a friend, the idea of Dragon Boy came into my head.  As this idea took shape, I knew I had to write it down and the book Dragon Boy And The Witches of Galza came into being.

2) Why do you enjoy writing fantasy fiction?

I liked using my imagination and longings from childhood, and constructing a world in which a boy can fly.  Dragon Boy embodies my subconscious idea of being a dragon.  Fantasy fiction has allowed me to create my own world, my own characters, and my own storyline.  I pictured a special world in my mind, put it on paper, and now people everywhere can read and enjoy it.


3) Why did you write a children’s book?

Children have the best and wildest imaginations.  They are ready to accept things that adults find “impossible.”  They understand that alternate universes exist and that there are things that don’t appear in normal everyday life that could exist.  The possibilities are endless when you are a child and you don’t have the boundaries that adults have.  

My children actually helped create Dragon Boy’s story because they helped me imagine different scenarios.  When I had doubts about certain ideas, they gave me their opinions which were amazing. 


4) Who is your favorite author?

J.K. Rowling is definitely my favorite author.  But I am also very impressed by Cressida Cowel who wrote “How to Train Your Dragon.”  She has been writing since she was a child.  I realized that nothing stopped her from tapping her vast imagination and then putting it on paper and making it turn into reality!  That really inspired me.  I realized that it doesn’t matter where you are, what age you are, or who will like it or not, you can follow your muse, your imagination. 


5) Dragon Boy and the Witches of Galza is the first book in a series.  How many more books are in the series?

As of today, I have written the first two of the series.  There will be a third, perhaps more.  It all depends on the story.  I don’t want it to become boring, so when the time is right, the series will end.


6) Please tell us more about the series.

Dragon Boy is the wonderful and mysterious story of a boy who lives in a village of humans oblivious to that fact that he is in reality a dragon.  He has been entrusted to an old man who was trapped in a forest and could only find the way out by making a bargain with the Witches of Galza who have put a spell on the forest.  Encountering dragons, monsters, fairies and witches, it’s a world full of suspense and enchantment that puts the reader on the edge of their seat.  Although Dragon Boy grows up in the human village and discovers its secrets and what lies beneath, he confronts Evil and wants to help Good.  Not being able to accept himself for what really he is, he must hunt for his origins, and enter the world of an enchanted forest, wizards, witches, fairies, dragons and demon centaurs.


7) What insight can you share with us about Dragon Boy himself?

I had to imagine what a boy would go through as a child and a teenager.  I created him coming from a supernatural world filled with monsters and evil people.  Then I placed him in a world full of normal humans who lived their lives like regular people – loving, caring, hating and fighting.


8) Are any of the characters based on you?

There is no character that is based exactly on me, but I think every character takes some of my traits or ethics.  


9) Which are your favorite characters?

My favorite characters in the first book are the Sister Witches of Galza.  I love the way they think and act. They’re so bad that their reputation precedes them. And when you get to know them in the story, they’re the villains you love to hate but with respect. 


10) What do you wish to achieve from this book? 

I would love to create the vast universe of Dragon Boy and the characters in it, allowing my fans to appreciate him and the story.  I hope they will explore the bright and dark sides of my books. 


11) Did you face any challenges writing this book?  If so, what were they?

Of course!  Every work that is beautifully done should have many obstacles and challenges.  And this one had its share of challenges.  Keeping track of all the fantastical creatures and making sure that all the pieces of the story make sense were two of challenges.  And there’s always the fine line between the believable and the unbelievable.  I want the reader to be able to identify with the characters and if they are too strange, then it won’t work.  

Check out my review of Dragon Boy and the Witches of Galza here