Daniel Seward grew up traveling the US with his sister, reading Nancy Drew, and playing clarinet in band. He says he is not at odds with femininity like most guys. He has a background in natural science and has spent vast tracks of time backpacking in wilderness areas around the continent which is reflected in his writing. He has worked as a teacher, an escape room game master, and a librarian, among many other vocations, and enjoys walking his family dog, Thatcher, listening to music, and, of course, reading and writing good books.
The Blossoming of Sonya
When Dan was very young, he read the classic Journey to the Center of the Earth. He fondly remembers being entranced by all the dinosaurs the characters found far beneath the surface. Yet even at his young age, he remembers thinking: would it not be even more incredible if Otto, Axel, and Hans had discovered some mind-blowing idea or insight into life down there?
This inquiry became a kind of seed for him. Instead of going to the center of the Earth, though, he began wondering what it would be like to go to the galaxy's center. And when he arrived there, instead of encountering ancient reptiles, he conceived of meeting exotic beings and gaining their deep perspectives on the nature of existence.
He wrote twelve story outlines over the years and originally envisioned a young man as the main character. But as he mulled this over, it occurred to him he could see the young man through the journal entries of a smitten girlfriend.
Finally, he began writing, the story easily falling in step with the outline—with one exception. While developing it, he discovered Sonya, the smitten love interest. She was the first heroine he had ever depicted, a complicated character with the vulnerabilities of a young woman and the idealism of a great human being. Meek but strong. Reluctant to get involved but compelled to act. He found her much more interesting than your typical male figure who postures a lot and is so sure of himself. Now, after portraying her in four books, he still finds her intriguing and is considering writing even more Sonya books.
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