Writer’s Block: David Ly

ALL LIT UP: Tell us about your book Not All Dragons What can readers expect?

DAVID LY: My new book, Not All Dragons, is a fantasy adventure that explores belonging, memory, and identity. As readers follow Rhys on his journey to discover who he is, or once was, and what he might become, they’ll meet a diverse cast of creatures, the haunting myths that shape them, and ancient magic that binds them together. Expect evocative imagery that propels the narrative forward, drawing readers into Rhys’s evolving sense of self and place in his world.  I hope readers who are interested in mythological creatures and deep lore will find Rhys’s quest an interesting interpretation of dragons and destiny. 

ALU: What inspired the idea for your latest book? 

DAVID: I’ve always been drawn to how stories gather around mythological creatures; how narratives can grow from pre-existing ones that are, at times, fluid, ever-changing, and enticingly unclear. There is so much room for imaginative exploration. For me, it was dragons, both as creatures and concepts, so I wanted to write a story looking at what the embodiment of them could stand for.

ALU: Why do you write?

DAVID: I think I write because I like to escape a lot. Not in a negative way, but because a lot of what I imagine captures my curiosity, and I enjoy obsessing over make-believe things. Writing also helps me organize my thoughts to make my body feel a bit calmer and more at ease with just existing. 

ALU: What was your most rewarding moment as a writer? 

DAVID: For Not All Dragons, because I saw the ending before I understood anything else, it was a process of working backward. I spent a lot of time wondering about the details of Rhys’s identity. What was he? Who is he? Why is he where I saw him at the end of his story? Once the idea of what  he was came to me, everything felt like it fell into place. It sort of just clicked. Figuring out what the questions were, rather than fine-tuning perfectly good answers, was most rewarding. 

ALU: What do you hope readers take away from your book? 

DAVID: While reading, I hope people feel wrapped in the world of Lanilia and are satisfied with the quest Rhys goes on. After reading the final pages, I hope readers come away wondering what constitutes endings and beginnings. 

David Ly is the author of Mythical Man (Anstruther Books, 2020) and Dream of Me as Water (Anstruther Books, 2022), both shortlisted for ReLit Awards for Poetry. He co-edited, with Daniel Zomparelli, Queer Little Nightmares: An Anthology of Monstrous Fiction and Poetry (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2022). He is the Poetry Editor at This Magazine. More at davidlywrites.ca.