Lorraine's Inspiration: Author Chris Weigand Has Created a Fine Christian Fantasy Series for Young Adults ~

Get to Know the Author Behind the Series~

Christina Weigand’s a writer, wife, and mother of three grown children and a middle school daughter. She is also Nana to three granddaughters. She lives with her husband and youngest daughter in Pennsylvania after a short sabbatical in the lovely state of Washington. She has three published YA Christian Fantasy novels; Palace of the Twelve Pillars: Book One, Palace of the Three Crosses: Book Two and Sanctuary of Nine Dragons: Book Three. She also has a woman’s Bible study Women of the Bible: A Study published. Through her writing she strives to share the Word of God and help people young and old to realize the love and mercy He has for everyone.

She is currently working on a series of fantasy books in which her dragons travel through the history of Christianity to protect and spread the Word of God and His children. The first draft of three of the books are finished, a fourth one is started with plans for a few more, although she is not sure which periods. She has also just started doing freelance writing and development for a new video game.

When she’s not writing she’s active in her local Church as a lector, Bible Study, and helping children develop a love for reading and writing. Jesus fills her home with love as she shares Him through her writing.

Chris, please give us a bit about your background if you would?

I was born in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, the oldest of eight children. Eventually my parents would have seven girls and one boy. My parents were both readers and books were always a part of our lives. We were always allowed to order books from Weekly Reader and a trip to the public library was a special treat. I remember being in fourth grade and getting to read to the kindergarten and first grade kids. It was very exciting for me. Even in high school I used my free time to work in the library. During my high school years I also met the teacher that added kindling to my spark by giving me the opportunity to write for a small local newspaper. During my senior year I also wrote for the school newspaper.

During this time I realized how much I enjoyed writing and considered a career in journalism. I also met a young man and fell in love. I married this young man one year after I graduated from high school and a year later had our first son. Very quickly I became involved in being a young, inexperienced wife and mother. Any ideas I had about being a writer were quickly set aside. Two other children followed closely behind, another son and a daughter, and my husband went back to school for his bachelor’s degree. The next several years went by very quickly. My husband was focused on his career and school and I was busy being a stay at home mom. I loved what I was doing and was mostly content.

Then my baby girl went to school and my husband graduated and I had more free time on my hands. Although I was still satisfied, I felt maybe I needed something more. So I decided to go back to school. Not a bad idea in and of itself but a little misguided as to what I should study. I chose to go back for interior design. For the next seven years I went to school, continued raising my kids and got a part time job to help pay for school. In 1995 I graduated and turned my part time job into a full time job. A year or so later I got another job in the same field. I enjoyed what I was doing but was not fully satisfied. Then I got laid off.

My second son had just graduated from high school and was heading off to college in Alabama, my daughter was starting high school and my oldest was returning to college. I threw myself into full time parenting and tried to do mortgage brokering part time. Not quite my cup of tea. It was then that God chose to change my direction. I became pregnant after sixteen years and had my fourth child, a wonderful little girl. Since I was jobless, we decided that I would be a stay at home mom again.

I love my youngest daughter very much and now wonderful granddaughters to love, but with the help of ICL (Institute of Children’s Literature) rediscovered my love for writing. It fulfills the creative need inside of me while giving me the opportunity to stay at home with my daughter and granddaughter.

That was fourteen years ago. Now I have three beautiful granddaughters. I live with my husband and youngest daughter in Pennsylvania after a short sabbatical in the lovely state of Washington. I have three published YA Christian Fantasy novels; Palace of the Twelve Pillars: Book One, Palace of the Three Crosses: Book Two and Sanctuary of Nine Dragons: Book Three. I also have a woman’s Bible study Women of the Bible: A Study published. Through my writing I strive to share the Word of God and help people young and old to realize the love and mercy He has for everyone.

I am currently working on a series of fantasy books in which my dragons travel through the history of Christianity to protect and spread the Word of God and His children. The first draft of three of the books are finished, a fourth one is started with plans for a few more. I just started doing freelance writing of a series of middle-grade books and development of a new video game.

When I’m not writing I’m active in my local Church as a lector, Bible Study, and helping children develop a love for reading and writing. Jesus fills my home with love as I shares Him through my writing.

What was your motivation to write the series for Palace of the Three Crosses?

The easy answer was to continue the series and finish Joachim and Brandan’s story. Since Palace of the Three Crosses is the second book it needed to be written. The harder answer is I’m not sure. Joachim and Brandan were not the original main characters for the trilogy. Originally it was a story about a farmboy who one morning woke up to discover he had been kidnapped and was really a prince and wizard. I wrote what I thought was his story, but the story didn’t feel finished or even really started. I wanted more, I wanted to know what brought him to that point in his life, how did he get there? Joachim and Brandan forced their way into my life and into the story. Then I lost control until their story and the beginning of Airyn’s, the confused farmboy, was told.

What type of genre do you like to read?

I read just about anything. For the last several years my main focus has been on YA fantasy since that’s what I write. Recently I read some historical fiction for a class I was taking and rediscovered my love for it. Right now on my reading table, a YA, an historical fiction and children’s sci-fi/ fantasy.

Can you please share an excerpt from the book?

Outside the chapel, Waldrom, Brandan, and Joachim stood in a triangle. Waldrom laughed. “So nice to have you two in one place, makes my goal so much easier to achieve. Now I have both of you. Oh, did you know your mother rejoined me.”

Derdrom walked forward leading Lilia in chains.

“We could have been one happy family, but now, I have to kill the two of you along with Lilia. You brats have put me in disfavor with Sidramah, and the only way to regain his favor is to get rid of all three of you. I had hoped to spare at least one, but alas, that is now impossible. The only question is…who’s first? The time has come for a decision.”

Brandan stood beside Joachim, his face working with barely controlled rage. Brandan lunged toward Waldrom.

Waldrom sensed the presence of magic and glanced behind him. Rupert and Lukan stood behind him. He grabbed Lilia and pulled her close, placing his short sword at her throat. “I suggest you stop, or I will cut her throat,” he warned Brandan. To emphasize his point, he pressed the sword against her skin puncturing her flesh.

Brandan, with sword drawn, took another step.

“I wouldn’t do that, unless you want your mother's corpse on your hands.”

Brandan advanced, as Waldrom muttered a spell to compel the king to keep moving and cut a little deeper drawing blood. He felt Lilia quivering in his arms.

A woman stepped out of the chapel, carrying a sword covered in blood. “Brandan, what are you doing? There’s a battle being fought. Why are you out here and not inside helping me?”

Waldrom glanced at the new arrival. He did not recognize her and turned his attention back to Brandan, who was still advancing. “Well, I see you’ve gone and made yourself right at home. You even found a strumpet to help warm the place up. I should have known you wouldn’t waste any time. Sorry to break up this little party, but it’s still my kingdom. I would greatly appreciate if you would all leave. But, since you won’t go, I’ll have to remove you myself. Where were we? I was deciding which of you to kill. I see, though, a few have been added to the numbers. All the more fun for me. Although it may be a little more painful for you, but that doesn’t matter. Should Lilia remain my first choice?”

* * * *

Magda grabbed Brandan's arm. She recognized Waldrom and had as much against him as Brandan and her father. “Wait, Brandan, I will deal with this.”

She moved toward Waldrom, but a voice in her head cautioned her. “Don’t reveal yourself. This is not our battle. Walk away. Let Waldrom do what he will.” She glanced around. Whose voice did she hear? It sounded like Melvane, but he was nowhere in sight. Upon further consideration, she realized this wasn’t her battle. She had every reason to want Waldrom out of the way, and if she let him get rid of these humans and the Kningrad, then she could deal with him at my leisure.

The voice spoke again. “That is right, let Waldrom do what he may, and then we will take care of him.”

Magda dropped her sword arm. “Brandan I don’t know what’s going on here, but I don’t want any part of it.” She turned and walked back into the chapel. “Hurry up and finish out here. I’ve taken care of those in the chapel so we can begin the joining once you’ve ended things. we’ve a joining to conclude. I’ll be waiting.” She slammed the door behind her. Waldrom’s voice followed her into the echoing chamber of the chapel.

Waldrom laughed. “Brandan, I would say you haven’t made a very good choice. You should be grateful I am going to end your life so you don’t have to put up with her much longer. Now where was I?”

* * * *

Joachim wanted to run to Lilia, but his head whirled. Stars floated in front of his eyes, their motion making him sick with dizziness. He stepped up to stand beside Brandan. “Waldrom, I’m afraid you’re mistaken. First, you are seriously outnumbered. Second, what makes you think you can use Mother to blackmail us? Such childishness, using a woman to negotiate, instead of dealing on a man-to-man level. Let her go, and we will discuss your surrender. I don’t want to kill you.”

Brandan pushed Joachim aside. “You may not, brother, but I do. He will stop at nothing to destroy me, and I can’t let that happen.”

A group of Brandan's personal guard came charging down the hall. Waldrom pushed the sword point a little further into Lilia's throat. “I see you boys still don’t agree on anything. I suggest you stop the group of soldiers from attacking me. Rupert, I know you’re back there, trying to form a spell to stop me. That wouldn’t be a good idea either.”

The tableau unfolded before Joachim's eyes. Waldrom, in the center of the circle holding Lilia with a short sword slicing her throat and Brandan, his long sword drawn, advancing on Waldrom. Rupert and Lukan stood motionless behind Waldrom. Lukan had his sword drawn. Conflicting voices rang in Joa's head. “Kill them all. You don’t need them.” Other voices calling, “Joachim save them. They need you.”

Lukan yelled, “Sire, watch out behind you.”

Joachim started and turned as a Mantion rushed at him. He pulled his short sword from his scabbard and stood before the coming onslaught. As the attacker reached him, he swung his weapon cutting and angering the Mantion. The foe sliced at Joachim's knees with his knife, leaving a gash in his thigh. When Joachim doubled over in pain, the Mantion leapt on his back and pummeled the king. Suddenly, the weight of the attacker lifted from his back. Joachim fearfully turned his head, expecting to see the Mantion standing over him ready to deliver the kill stroke.

Who is your favorite character and why?

The answer to this question depends on the day. I am torn between the twins Joachim and Brandan. Writing both of the boys proved to be challenging. They both had unique issues with which they were confronted with and dealt with them in completely different ways. They presented many options to young people consider and chose as they made their way through life. And the fact that neither was perfect and made mistakes

Can we expect to see another book in the series?

Well there is a third book in the series Sanctuary of Nine Dragons: Book Three. Beyond that you never know what might happen. Joachim and Brandan’s story may be finished but there is a whole next generation including that confused farm boy and his twin sister that have a story to be told. Someday I may let them out to play and who knows what will happen then.

Where can readers find your books?