ABOUT THE STORY

The Story

The Children of the Necropolis Story

DM says the idea for the series came to him years ago at a funeral. “I saw the grandchildren sitting there and thought back to my grandfather’s funeral. He and my grandmother lived a few hundreds yards from me on top of a little mountain. That was my whole world. Suddenly, that safe, comfortable, truly wonderful world of an extended family alone atop our own mountain was gone. Everything changed and all I remember was the chaotic quiet. I certainly wasn’t equipped to understand, or deal with, the emotions of losing a father figure. No adult really wanted to talk about death. Perhaps they didn't know how. As Christians they just kept saying he’s in a better place, and he’d gone off to Heaven. I think that experience created a need to learn more about the “hereafter.” All I know is I’ve had a predilection for reading and learning more about how religions and cultures view death and what comes after.”

What one might imagine if one were allowed to sit under the dark sky and stars staring into a campfire. Otherworld is what might be.

He says the series is based on world myths and history, and “what one might imagine if one were allowed to sit under the dark sky and stars staring into a campfire. Otherworld is what might be. It was once the most beautiful place in existence, but became a battleground, and is now what remains. Its people are Dead Souls washed clean of their past lives, unhindered by their former selves, but who retain the energy, dark or light, of what they were/are."

Expecting More

Expecting More of Readers

When asked about readers’ claims that while the books are “captivating”, and “cliff-­hangers,” they also require a little more work than normal YA fiction. “I suppose they do, but I don’t believe in dumbing down writing just because the audience is younger. Young readers are smart. They don’t need spoon-­‐feeding, or simplified writing. They need normal language, themes, ideas, and ideals. I think they will rise to the challenge of words they don’t recognize and places and events they are encountering for the first time. They may need a dictionary, or to use a search engine for some things in the story, but it’s a great way for them to expand and grow. I read The Hobbit like that when I was 12 or 13, and that changed the way I saw the world around me. Of course, I did the same with Umberto Eco’s Name of the Rose when I was in college, so it may have set that habit or never passing over something I don’t know about. I hope young readers, and older readers, will see this as a game of learning.”

History and Myths

“I’ve included all kinds history, myths, and languages of world cultures: Celtic, Persian, Byrthonic, Japanese, Finnish, Norse, Arab, Southern Appalachian, Hungarian, African, ancient Greek. From Arthurian legend, to Bushido and Samurai, to the Epic of Gilgamesh, to Polish Winged Hussars, to Central Asian Uyghurs. It’s a circus of cultures. The story should be fun to read, and offer opportunities to learn more about the world in which we live.

“Most major world religions—Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sihkism, Jainism, Toaism, Shinto, Zorastrianism—have a place where the soul goes after death. Before these religions the ancient Celts, Greeks, Persians, Africans, and Egyptians had a place like this too. Sheol, Purgatory, Barzakh, Hamistagan, Duat, Limbus/Limbo, Bardo.

It’s a circus of cultures. The story should be fun to read, and offer opportunities to learn more about the world in which we live.

“Otherworld is as dangerously beautiful as Lapland or the Siberian taiga as a place on which the omnipotent Allfather has turned his back. It’s a utilitarian frontier where souls receive come and live before they stand before the Court of Truth to receive Particular Judgment. Necropolis is a giant waiting room without the Musak and outdated magazines. However, the souls who haven’t transitioned to their final destination turned it into a civil society. They’ve brought order and rule to the place. Within that society exists all kinds of groups of souls with what must be a DNA level of culture. Some are content to live within the city and go off to their assigned work each day, while others need to live away from the masses. Some are loyal while others are unhappy with current management. Some are good at following the rules, while others believe they deserve different rules.” In other words, just because you are no longer living does not mean you no longer possess human traits. You’re not an angel nor are you a demon, yet.”

The Series

How Many Books?

When asked how long the series may run, DM says he planned on a six book series, but that may change. “The story gets bigger with each book. Books One and Two were originally one book. That’s why one ends during the night and two begins in the same night. It’s one story and I wish I’d left them as one book, but my editor thought a 700 or 800 page book was too much for a young reader. Anyway, it may or may not end in six books. It may be seven or ten. It all depends on where the story takes us and if readers continue to enjoy it. Heck, I’ll write 25 if they want them.”

The Future

What to Expect in Future Books in the Series

DM says readers should expect plenty of plot twists and bad things happening to good characters. “The story evolves much as any human story through betrayal, lies, mistakes, ego, pride, covetousness, greed, and fear. Of course, like human stories, there is also bravery, sacrifice, love, grace, strength, friendship, loyalty, and spirit. It will get much darker before the dawn. If you get too emotionally attached to a character, you may get angry with me when they disappear, ‘expire’, or change sides.

This isn’t a typical good always wins story. It’s real, well as close to real as a story about angels and dead souls gets.

This isn’t a typical good always wins story. It’s real, well as close to real as a story about angels and dead souls gets. It’s like life—bad things happen, good people don’t always win. Things we love are taken away from us. Sometimes darkness covers our world. Remember, though, darkness is only the absence of light, and can be conquered simply by lighting a candle. I’m excited to see where it all goes.”

The Characters

Main Characters Books One and Two