Interview with Miguel Lopez de Leon, author of 'Galadria: Peter Huddleston & The Knights of the Leaf'
Miguel Lopez de Leon is a
prolific fiction writer with over 30 short stories published in a variety of
international literary magazines and anthologies. De Leon, who prefers to write in the mornings,
began working on his first novel as a hobby. That first book blossomed into the
Galadria trilogy. “One part of the writing process I really enjoy is writing
the first draft of a novel…For me, it’s the time when you can lose yourself in the story the most.” De Leon lives in
Los Angeles and enjoys reading historical biographies and collecting vintage
comic books.
His latest book is the fantasy
novel, Galadria:
Peter Huddleston & The Knights of the Leaf.
For
More Information
About the Book:
Title:
Galadria: Peter Huddleston & The Knights of the Leaf
Author: Miguel Lopez de Leon
Publisher: Galadria Worldwide
Pages: 148
Genre: Fantasy
Format: Paperback/Kindle
Author: Miguel Lopez de Leon
Publisher: Galadria Worldwide
Pages: 148
Genre: Fantasy
Format: Paperback/Kindle
In book three
of Miguel Lopez de Leon’s Galadria fantasy series, GALADRIA: PETER HUDDLESTON
& THE KNIGHTS OF THE LEAF, Peter and his family command a mystical cast of
powerful, exciting new characters in their war
against the blood-thirsty tyrant, Knor Shadowray.
Reviewers
of book three of the GALADRIA trilogy praise the author’s stunning artistry and
skill:
“A
grand finish to a YA trilogy that never fails to challenge audience
expectations.”–Kirkus Reviews
“With
the close of his Galadria trilogy, Miguel Lopez de Leon packs battles, travel
and adventure into a story that’s ultimately about family ties.”–BlueInk
Review
“Once
again, the writing in this book is superb and the story is fast paced and
action packed.”–SPR Review
In book one of the trilogy, GALADRIA:
PETER HUDDLESTON & THE RITES OF PASSAGE, 12-year-old Peter leaves his
friendless, uneventful life in the suburbs and suddenly finds himself spending
the summer chomping down magical chocolates and tossing around an enchanted
boomerang at Hillside Manor, the 3000 room home of his aunt Gillian
Willowbrook. While there, Peter learns he is the next in line to the throne of
a magnificent realm called Galadria where his aunt is queen. His position is
being challenged by a ruthless nobleman, Knor Shadowray.
Book two, GALADRIA: PETER HUDDLESTON &
THE MISTS OF THE THREE LAKES shows Peter struggling to play the role of a
prince. After being accepted as the heir of the Golden Realm, his new challenge
is to gain command of Galadrian princely etiquette and survive dangerous
adventures with his fearless white tiger, Rune. At a parade held in his honor,
Peter and his aunt are violently ambushed by a band of screeching monstrosities
and a merciless dark army led by the fiendish Knor Shadowray.
In the final book in the Galadria series,
GALADRIA: PETER HUDDLESTON & THE KNIGHTS OF THE LEAF, the story continues
where book two left off: Knor Shadowray’s relentless attack on the ruling
Willowbrook family. In a desperate attempt to save her kingdom, Queen Gillian
Willowbrook sends Peter and his grandfather to the Forests of Fernell to
recruit a multitude of diverse warriors to defend the crown. Populated with
serpent priestesses, nature-loving knights, magical weapons, paper-thin tree
nymphs, and political fairies, the final installment of the Galadria trilogy
shows the Galadrian populace at their breaking point as the realm explodes into
a full-fledged civil war. A flurry of riotous battles
are fought against the villainous Knor Shadowray’s ambitious attempt to capture
the crown of Galadria.
De
Leon developed the GALADRIA series out of a love of the fantasy genre and the
thrill of creating “new worlds, creatures, and story lines…enhanced with magic
and otherworldly mystery.” The trilogy also tells the coming-of-age story of a boy as he learns to accept himself and
discovers the family he never believed he would have. “The Galadria trilogy is
mainly about a lonely boy who, through overcoming obstacles, finds out who he
really is. I think everyone has an element of the extraordinary in them, and I
hope Peter’s story shows that,” de Leon says.
For More Information
- Galadria: Peter Huddleston & The Knights of the Leaf is available at Amazon.
- Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
- Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.
- Watch his book video at YouTube.
Q: Welcome to The Writer's Life, Miguel Lopez de Leon. Can you tell us how long you’ve been writing and how your journey led to writing your latest book, Galadria: (Book 3) Peter Huddleston & The Knights of the Leaf.
A: Hi! Thank you for having me on The Writer’s Life! I’ve been writing professionally for the past six years, and started out writing short stories. After over thirty of my short stories were published in various journals and collections, I wrote my first YA fantasy novel, Galadria: (Book 1) Peter Huddleston & The Rites of Passage. This was followed by Book 2 in the trilogy, Galadria: Peter Huddleston & The Mists of the Three Lakes.
Q: I love your title. Can you tell us why you chose it?
A: Sure! In Book 3 of the Galadria fantasy trilogy, Galadria: Peter Huddleston & The Knights of the Leaf, a civil war is raging in the golden realm of Galadria, and Queen Gillian decides to send her only nephew to the enchanted Galadrian forests to ask the Knights of the Leaf to help him assemble an army. The jolly, nature-loving knights help Peter, and soon, they put together a vast assemblage of serpent priestesses, paper-thin tree nymphs, telepathic birds, political fairies, fierce werewolves, and hypnotic pixies to help save the monarchy!
Q: Why did you believe your book should be published?
A: The Galadria series is a fun fantasy trilogy full of magical chocolates, enchanted weapons, ancient oracles, a powerful queen, a loyal white tiger, a huge array of mystical creatures, and action and adventure around every corner! Not only is it an exciting, easy read with a lot of heart, but at the center of it all is Peter Huddleston, a young, lonely boy who finds out that he is the heir to the throne of another realm! Peter is very identifiable and I knew a lot of readers would relate to him.
Q: We all know that publishers can’t do all of the publicity and that some lies on the author. What has your publisher done so far to publicize the book and what have you done?
A: It really is a collaborative effort when you work with a publisher. When I worked with a publisher at the start of the Galadria trilogy, I attended all the school events, television interviews and book store readings that the publisher set up for me. The publisher also did their own internet marketing and social media. I, in turn, also worked on my own separate social media, and handled my own website.
Q: What book on the market can it compare to? How is it different? What makes your book special?
A: Galadria: Peter Huddleston & The Knights of the Leaf is the final book in the Galadria YA fantasy trilogy. The whole series revolves around Peter Huddleston, a lonely boy from the suburbs who finds out that he is the heir to the throne of a magical realm called Galadria! Anyone who loves enchanted weapons, mystical chocolates, powerful monarchs, deadly wraiths, screeching harpies, telepathic oracles, friendly white tigers, kooky butlers, and all out action and adventure will love the Galadria trilogy! Readers who enjoyed the Harry Potter series, or the Fablehaven series will most probably enjoy Galadria too!
Q: Open to a random page in your book. Can you tell us what is happening?
A: Okay! So…Peter Huddleston and his companions are inside the carcass of a frozen, petrified ice dragon! Peter has just realised that his friends are unmoving, and are suddenly in some kind of deep trance. Gazing upward, he sees the forms of fifty floating wraiths, crackling with electric intensity. He is terrified.
Q: Do you plan subsequent books?
A: Galadria: Peter Huddleston & The Knights of the Leaf is the third and final book in the Galadria trilogy.
Q: Thank you for your interview, Miguel. Do you have any final words?
A:Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy the books! For more information on the Galadria trilogy, go to www.miguellopezdeleon.com !
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