Welcome to the Blog Tour for THE TEA DRAGON TAPESTRY by K. O’Neill!
To celebrate the release of The Tea Dragon Tapestry on June 1, 2021 from Oni Press we are here today to chat with the author K. O’Neill!
Meet K. O’ Neill:
Kay O’Neill is an illustrator and graphic novelist from New Zealand. They are the author of Princess Princess Ever After, The Tea Dragon Society, Aquicorn Cove, and more. They mostly make gentle fantasy stories for younger readers, and are very interested in tea, creatures, things that grow, and the magic of everyday life.
About The Tea Dragon Tapestry:
Join Greta and Minette once more for the heartwarming conclusion of the award-winning Tea Dragon series!
Over a year since being entrusted with Ginseng’s care, Greta still can’t chase away the cloud of mourning that hangs over the timid Tea Dragon. As she struggles to create something spectacular enough to impress a master blacksmith in search of an apprentice, she questions the true meaning of crafting, and the true meaning of caring for someone in grief. Meanwhile, Minette receives a surprise package from the monastery where she was once training to be a prophetess. Thrown into confusion about her path in life, the shy and reserved Minette finds that the more she opens her heart to others, the more clearly she can see what was always inside.
Told with the same care and charm as the previous installments of the Tea Dragon series, The Tea Dragon Tapestry welcomes old friends and new into a heartfelt story of purpose, love, and growth.
Amazon * B&N* Indiebound
~ Author Chat ~
What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
Mostly, I wanted to show how the characters from the original Tea Dragon Society had grown and changed together. I like series that have a sense of generational time. I was also experiencing feelings of burn-out around the time I was brainstorming, so to some extent those seeped in as well.
What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?
I really like the very end scene, the epilogue. I think it says everything I wanted this series of books to say.
Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?
How to not always need to be writing or drawing. I used to feel like I needed to be constantly creating, producing—hence the burn-out I experienced. Now I have a lot more activities that give me the same satisfaction and joy as writing and drawing, and in fact enhance my enjoyment of it.
What’s a book you’ve recently read and loved?
Tahuri by Ngahuia Te Awekotuku
What’s up next for you?
I’m currently working on three more graphic novels which will be releasing from next year, one middle grade, one young teen, and one young adult.
Which character gave you the most trouble when writing your latest book?
None of them really did. Each of the characters contain a facet of myself, and that made it easy to imagine how their stories could unfold.
What is the main message or lesson you would like your reader to remember from this book?
There are many ideas I hoped to convey, but if readers come away with a sense of the joy of community, I would be happy.
What advice do you have for new writers?
Be patient with your progress, and follow wholeheartedly whatever is interesting and exciting to you. Observe the world around you, and observe yourself.
Author: K. O’Neill
Publisher: Oni Press
Publish Date: June 1, 2021
