Welcome to The League of Scribes!

Each week, The L. Palmer Chronicles unites the Three Crystals of Magicalness to open up a portal through the universe to bring you a member of The League of Scribes.

The League of Scribes is a legendary group of authors who write grand adventures in the realms of science fiction and fantasy. They are able to write rich, compelling stories while keeping content in the PG –PG-13.

If you have been on a quest to find clean sci-fi and fantasy novels, you have reached the right place.

This week, we present :

Kathy Huth Jones

Otherwise known by her Code Name: Piccolo Kate

By day, Piccolo Kate participates in American Revolutionary War reenactments as a fifer (or piccolo player)

About the Author:

Katy Huth Jones grew up in a family where creative juices overflowed and made puddles to splash in. She has published seven books, four of them fantasy, with a YA historical forthcoming in January 2016 as well as three more in her current fantasy series. When not writing, Katy plays piccolo and flute in a regional symphony. She lives with her husband Keith in the beautiful Texas Hill Country. Their two sons, whom she homeschooled, have flown the nest and live creative lives of their own.

Kathy’s Latest Book:

Mercy’s Prince, Book One of He Who Finds Mercy

As second son of the King of Levathia, seventeen-year-old Valerian desires the quiet life of a scholarly monk. But when he fails to save his older brother in battle, Valerian must instead become crown prince.

While a traitorous knight schemes against him, Valerian meets Mercy, a pacifist Healer with whom he can speak mind-to-mind like the great dragons. Their bond emboldens Valerian to seek out the legendary dragons and ask for their help against the monsters who killed his brother.

Can Valerian survive the traitor’s assassins long enough to find the dragons? And if he does, can he convince them to lay aside their hatred of humans and help him save the land from destruction?

Interview

Who would love your books?

Anyone who loves clean medieval fantasy with dragons and a love story, too.

What was the inspiration for your latest book/series?

In 1988 my oldest son and I saw the movie “Willow” and really liked it, except for the heroine. In an effort to make her “strong”, she was over-the-top ridiculous: Sorsha was kicking the anti-hero in the face one minute and kissing him the next. Ugh! I wanted to write a fantasy with a strong heroine who didn’t feel the need to use violence. That’s how the pacifist Mercy was born.

If a movie of your book were made, what movie(s) would it be most similar to?

Probably How to Train Your Dragon combined with Prince Caspian.

Do you use music while writing? If so, what music do you use? Is there a theme song for your book?

As a classical musician, I mostly listen to Baroque and Classical. I don’t actually write to music, but use it to prepare myself for writing while I’m doing chores. I think of Telemann’s trumpet concerto “A Hero’s Music” as Prince Valerian’s theme, especially the second movement. To “hear” Kieran MacLachlan’s voice, I listen to Celtic music.

What authors or books inspire you most?

Katherine Kurtz’ Deryni fantasy series created my love for medieval times, and I love the dragons in Donita K. Paul’s Dragonkeepers series. I also admire the work a new fantasy author, Annie Douglass Lima.

If you were called in as an impartial ambassador in a war between ninjas and pirates, how would you create a peace treaty?

I’d have them put down their weapons and arm wrestle instead.

When did you decide to be a professional writer?

1986, when I had a 4 year old son, a 6 year old foster daughter, and a foster infant. It was the one “grown up” thing I could do, and desperately needed to do. Writing has kept my sanity all these years.

Are you a planner, a discovery writer, or a hybrid?

I was a planner when writing nonfiction and can’t seem to make the transition to planning fiction. In writing novels I get to know my characters, make a very rough outline and then “discover” the details as I go. For me, that’s the fun part of writing fiction!

Are you traditionally or independently published? Why did you choose this path?

I was totally traditionally published until last year. One of my publishers went out of business, and I didn’t want my two MG fantasies with them to disappear, so self-published them. Then, I decided to self-publish my current fantasy series as well. I have a YA historical coming out in January with a venerable traditional publisher that won’t go out of business next week!

What is your number one piece of advice for aspiring writers?

Write for the love of writing, because you HAVE to write, and not to be “rich and famous.” Fame is fleeting, but love is forever.

Where do your books fall on the Rating Scale of PG to PG-13 Content (1 = How To Train Your Dragon, 8 = The Dark Knight, 10 = Battlestar Galactica – the reboot version – otherwise known as borderline R).

Most of them are 1 or 2. There are a few medieval battle scenes in Mercy’s Prince that might be as high as 6 or 7, but I’ve tried to keep them as toned down as possible. The worst one is the first scene of the book. The theme is how war affects those with peaceful hearts.

What would you choose as your magical/technological steed, vehicle, or other mode of transportation?

A dragon, of course! Preferably a purple one.

To explore the worlds Kathy Huth Jones has created, check out the books below:

• Mercy’s Prince
• Mercy’s Gift
• Leandra’s Enchanted Flute
• Return to Finian Jahndra

To Interact with Kathy Huth Jones online, check out the links below:

• Website: http://katyhuthjones.blogspot.com/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/KatyHuthJones
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Katy-Huth-Jones-Author-318819684805145/
• Email khuthjones@gmail.com
• Book trailer for Mercy’s Prince

Thanks for joining on this epic interview. If you are a writer of clean sci-fi and/or fantasy and would like to join The League of Scribes, email L. Palmer at lpalmer@lpalmerchronicles.com.

Readers:

• Do you have any more questions for Kathy Huth Jones?
• If you had a purple dragon, what would you name it?
• What is your favorite magical creature?
• Would you want a dragon you could ride through space? If so, what would you name the dragon and how would you have enough oxygen?
• What do you think is one of the secrets of The League of Scribes?