Guest Post & GIVEAWAY with Amanda Hocking: Inspiration of Wake

Inspiration of Wake by Amanda Hocking

The Watersong series has deep roots in mythology and fantasy. What people may not know is that the idea for it has been percolating in my mind since I saw an episode of DuckTales approximately twenty years ago.

Many of my earlier ideas for the story have fallen away (no pink unicorns or swashbuckling velociraptors in Wake). But the key mythology has remained, although I've taken it much farther and to a darker place than Scrooge McDuck would dare to go.

Of course, the DuckTales episode was based on Greek mythology itself. I've always loved that - everything from the minotaur to Medusa.

But I wanted to bring the fantasy and elements that I love so much from ancient Greece and put them in a more contemporary light. Infusing it with romance, drama, and humor, I wanted to showcase the creatures in a way they hadn't been seen before.

Wake also took inspiration from my real life. While writing the book, I thought it would be fun to rent a houseboat on the Boundary Waters in northern Minnesota. Unfortunately, the boat died, and the radio was out and our cell phones had no reception. I ended up stranded for several days with my roommate and my dog.

While we were waiting there, trying to flag down help, I kept staring at a small island across from us. It was just big enough for one cabin, a boathouse, and a dock, and it was overgrown with trees.

That island made its way into Wake as Bernie's Island - a location that becomes central to the story.

So I mixed a bit of real life, a bit of the McDuck family, and a bit of epic mythology, and it all came together to make the Watersong series.

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Thank you, Amanda, for stopping by with this awesome guest post  - I loved DuckTales as a kid and have always loved Greek Mythology.

Check out my review of Wake here.

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