Q&A with Scott Reintgen

 

 

 

Scott Reintgen is the author of the new middle grade novel The Rise of Neptune. It's a sequel to his novel The Last Dragon on Mars. Also an educator, Reintgen lives in North Carolina.

 

Q: What inspired the plot of The Rise of Neptune?

 

A: The biggest inspiration was a small detail that I saw when researching Neptune's moons. There was a line about the fact that Triton--one of the bigger moons in that area--has a retrograde orbit. Which means it orbits in the opposite direction of its planet.

 

Since I often use planetary science to define the personalities of the various dragons, that detail really stood out for me and it defined Triton, which defined the rest of the story's conflict.

 

Q: Do you think your character Lunar has changed from one book to the next?

 

A: Yes. I do think he's similar--but there's this growing confidence that keeps building throughout this second book. I also think he's starting to notice potential crushes and stuff like that, which wasn't on his radar in the first book at all.

 

Q: Do you know how your novels will end before you start writing them, or do you make many changes along the way?

 

A: I usually do know the ending. Whether or not that stays the ending is kind of up to the characters. Sometimes they'll swing the plot in a direction that kind of alters everything, and I'm forced to adapt.

 

Q: What do you hope readers take away from The Rise of Neptune?

 

A: My main takeaway, when writing for this age, is have fun. That's not a lesson, per se, but it's how I write. My goal is to make young readers excited to read, not teach a lesson. So that's the main aim. Did you have fun? Were you on the edge of your seat? Then I did my job.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: Well, I'm working on book three in the Dragonships series! I'm so excited to keep the good times rolling with Lunar Jones and the Dread Knights.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: My favorite new character gets introduced in this one. I hope everyone will be as head over heels for Proteus as I was when writing it. Enjoy!

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb