Q&A with David Ly

  

Photo by Joy Gyamfi

 

 

David Ly is the author of the new novel Not All Dragons. His other books include the poetry collection Mythical Man. He is the poetry editor of This Magazine. 

 

Q: What inspired you to write Not All Dragons, and how did you create your characters Rhys and Delia?

 

A: The story first came to me as the ending image of the novel, inspired by my poem "Boy" from my debut poetry collection Mythical Man. I knew where the protagonist was going to end up, what happened to him, and so it was a matter of asking myself who he was and why he was in the position he finds himself in. I'm not sure how or when it happened, but I remember that his name was always, clearly Rhys. 

 

Delia was someone created as a guide for Rhys through Lanilia. I knew it had to be a mermaid as water was a central image, and I think I was further attached to her when I came up with the term "Mernese" to describe her culture and language. I wanted to create mermaids in a way that I've never experienced, so the term set a foundation for what I ended up doing.

 

Q: How would you describe the dynamic between them?

 

A: In their own ways, I think they’re both a bit guarded: Delia takes her role of protector of the estuary very seriously, so she is naturally suspicious. And Rhys is afraid of a lot, making him a bit unsure. But at the same time, Delia is curious. Rhys piqued her curiosity and once she saw how much help he needed, they found an unexpected friendship in each other. 

 

Q: How did you create the world in which the story is set?

 

A: This was such a challenge for me to do. Since fantasy can require very intense world-building, I was intimidated by the task. I didn't want to get lost in the details; (over)explain things to readers, telling instead of showing. For a long time, Lanilia wasn't named anything and I simply referred to it as "the Country" as a placeholder to make myself feel a bit more in control. 

 

But working with my editor, AGA Wilmot, they really asked the right questions, encouraged me to dive deeper into the lore, and show how the land and its magical inhabitants are connected. Naming the setting was me mumbling sounds, seeing what felt easiest to pronounce and the most lyrical.

 

What unexpectedly helped me create the setting was naming the different species of fruit. Combining common words was very fun to make things like: mourningberries, sunpearls, wellshells, and hushmangos (that grow sweeter in environments that are quietest, and are the ones I want to try the most).

 

Q: The author Lindsay Wong called the book “a thrilling and evocative exploration of reclaiming one’s identity, memory, self and kin.” What do you think of that description?

A: I'm very grateful to have Lindsay say that. I really admire her writing, who she is as a writer, and her work ethic. So when she picked up on themes I had in mind while writing, it was quite affirming.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

A: Right now, I’m poking around my manuscript for my third poetry collection that’s due out this fall with Anstruther Books, an imprint of Palimpsest Press. It’s done editing, but I’m still playing with new poems that may or may not make it in.

 

When I’m not working on my poetry, I’m slowly making progress on a new novel (unrelated to Not All Dragons).

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: I hope readers enjoy Not All Dragons, and that they can recognize that not all fantasy stories need to have grandiose character arcs, super intricate systems, or epic battles. I want Not All Dragons to be considered a story with a quiet protagonist who is not unusually gifted, but finds himself in unusual circumstances to see why he matters.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb