A Trio of (Grave Dagger) Eggs
Easter Eggs are fun no matter where you find ’em. The chocolate versions, scattered throughout the house; the hidden gems we used to scour the extended Lord of the Rings DVDs in search of; and — in my case — allowing some “behind the scenes” sneak peeks into those bits of world-building that authors are supposed to never reveal.
For example, how does an author choose names for their characters?
If you’ve ever visited a Montana’s BBQ & Bar, you can already picture the interior: rustic, highly-polished wooden tables and chairs, a canoe tucked above the bar, and a vintage 1940s-era pickup truck hanging at an awkward angle from the rafters.
A thirty-year Canadian restaurant tradition, nation-wide.
Now, picture yourself — an author with a glimmer of a story — enjoying a pint and some BBQ in a Montana’s while jotting down a few ideas. What kind of names might be inspired by such a rustic, western setting?
Hint: Dalton, Mallory, Levi, Zach, Wyatt, et al. (True story, I swear.)
A number of scenes take place in Dalton and Mallory’s apartment — private conversations, paranormal invasions, “gather the team” brain-storming and debriefing, and more. (And let’s not forget their imperious feline, Dusty.)
How to keep the details straight?
Creating this blueprint (of dubious scale) was worth the time and effort. Author self-care can take many forms.
And, last but not least …
Thorium is a uranium alternative. It’s “Th” on the Periodic Table of Elements and has an atomic number of 90 (i.e. it’s radioactive). Prolonged exposure can be medically hazardous.
Altana–Covington Mining Company’s obsessive drive to reopen Shaft Three can also be medically hazardous — for miners, missing activists, and a certain freelance journalist whose surname is attached to the Treehawke Saga.
In other words, I — who failed chemistry miserably in high school — invested time on a deep dive into the Periodic Table. Fortunately for readers of Treehawke and the soon-to-be-released Grave Dagger, you’ll be spared the chemical tedium. I took one for the team.
You’re welcome.