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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Warrior King (Egypt's Golden Age Chronicles, Book I)?

I love Ancient Egyptian history. I had already written a saga surrounding the lost pharaohs of the Amarna period and so I decided to go back to the start of the 18th Dynasty to see how Egypt rose to such a dominating world power after being ruled by foreign kings. I knew of King Ahmose, the king who expelled the Hekka Khasut, as they were called, but I didn’t realize how much of a role his mother, wife, and grandmother played in that expulsion.

I was inspired when I came across a National Geographic premium article about the rebel queens of Egypt and read about these three amazing women. I crafted their own tales from many sources and the struggles I thought they might have endured and overcome as they had to step in when Ahmose was a boy king in the middle of war. Though the book is titled, “Warrior King,” it is truly an ode to the three women, especially to Ahhotep, Ahmose’s mother, who raised him to become one of the well-known pharaohs and bringer of one of Egypt’s golden ages.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Warrior King (Egypt's Golden Age Chronicles, Book I), what would they be?

This is a fun question. I have four main characters in this book—it’s a family saga, so it follows three generations. Ahhotep - "I Didn't Know My Own Strength” by Whitney Houston; Ahmose-Nefertari - “Never Give Up” by Sia; Ahmose - "Win" by Brian McKnight; Tetisheri (she is a main character but does not have any chapters in her POV) - “Unstoppable” by Sia.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I read everything short of erotic fiction and straight up horror. Sorry Stephen King.

I write historical dramas that combine a multitude of genres because that’s what I love and honestly, I think it represents life better. I write real and raw emotion, questions and answers that I may ask one day or have already been asked. I want stories that remind us of our humanity; so that’s what I write all wrapped up in neat little historical dramas.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

What’s not in my TBR pile? I think I have 200 TBR books on Goodreads. You are welcome to follow me and find out.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

I always love writing the first scene and the last scene. I’m a circular storyline author, so I always try to make my first scene and last scene relate to each other and show the growth or the change from the journey.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I write with Brain.fm Cinematic Music Focus blaring in my SkullCrushers and keep a cup of tea or coffee in one of my “author mugs” nearby. My mom and husband say I need to quit collecting them, but I hate to tell them, that’s probably not going to happen.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

I do. It’s “Be the Example.” What I mean by that is if I want people to be kind, then I need to be kind. If I want my kids to grow up a certain way, then I need to be a certain way, etc. I need to be accountable for my goals, my setbacks, my actions, and my life. Because at the end of the day, at the end of my life, I will be the only person responsible for what I did and did not do and how it impacted those around me. Be the example.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

I wrote the book with this theme in mind: Be strong. Be brave. Don’t forget to be human.

Lauren Lee Merewether is the author of the new book Warrior King (Egypt's Golden Age Chronicles, Book I)

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What's the story behind the story? What inspired David to write A Map of the Edge?

The book is not autobiographical, but it does capture David's actual, lived experience during his own "coming of age" period.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of A Map of the Edge, what would they be?

Rick: "In a Gadda da Vida"

Linc: "21st Century Schizoid Man"

What was David's favorite genre to read? Was it the same as his favorite genre to write?

David’s reading did not focus on a specific genre—which may have influenced his writing, which also covers multiple genres.

What books were on David's TBR pile?

David passed away in 2021. The books that were on the TBR pile he left behind include, “The Narrow Road to the Deep North” (Richard Flanagan, “Choose Your Autobiography” (Neil Patrick Harris), “Death Times Three,” Death of a Dude,” “Where There’s a Will” (Rex Stout, re-reading), “Craft Cocktails at Home” (Kevin Liu), “Black Leopard, Red Wolf” (Marlon James), “From afterwit to zemblanity” (Simon Hertnon), “Zen in the Art of Archery” (Eugen Herrigel), “The Invention of Nature” and “Founding Gardeners” (Andrea Wulf), and “Mustard, A Global History” (Demet Guzey).

What scene in the book was David's favorite to write?

David had the most fun writing the scene describing Rick’s first experience with LSD (his first “acid trip”).

Do you, or did Davide, have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Put in the time and effort to “get it right”.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading A Map of the Edge, what would it be?

This is David’s wife, Pamela: I am publishing David’s works so that others can discover what a wonderful writer he was. I hope that readers will immerse themselves in his books, and remember him.

David T. Isaak author of A Map of the Edge

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