It's been a long time since the Magical Romance Web Site has done any interviews but I am delighted to welcome Lucille Mullen Sondern, author of The Moon Child's Promise into the hot seat. 

LB       First of all could you please tell us a little about yourself as an introduction?

LMS    I have always liked to write. In grade school, kids gave me their used papers and I would write short stories on the back of the paper, then pass them around for everyone to read. They liked reading them, and that encouraged me. Fortunately, during my lifetime, I've surrounded myself with other writers who inspired and challenged me. I am a mother of six and a grandmother of seven. I was a corporate wife for many years, which was very time-consuming. My husband was involved in international business and that necessitated a lot of travelling and entertaining foreign visitors.

Although I earned my college degree in English and Secondary Education right after high school, it was not until the late 1970s that I earned a master's degree in creative writing. I'll never forget my two youngest sons convening a meeting with me one morning as I headed for the University of Missouri at Kansas City. Their question was, "What are we supposed to do now that you have given up motherhood?"

I've been blessed many times over. My health is relatively good, although I have slowed down a great deal, which bothers me. I confer frequently with other writers and editors and typists who keep me going and keep my mind sharp. Although we have a home in Kansas City, MO, we enjoy spending the winter months in Corpus Christi, TX.


LB        Could you tell us the inspiration behind The Moon Child's Promise?

LMS     When I was 16, I happened upon a display at the Dubuque, Iowa public library in my hometown, that featured the ancient Maya. Two of these books impacted me greatly. The first, The Secret of the Maya Well by Florence Kerrigan, described the adventures of a teenage girl who travels to Central America alone. On shipboard, she meets a distinguished archaeologist who enchants her with tales of the splendid Maya civilization. Arriving at her destination, she risks diving into an ancient well of sacrifice. The second book was an autobiography titled People of the Serpent by Edward Herbert Thompson. The book, written in 1927, shared the efforts of Thompson, an archaeologist and U.S. consul, to dredge the Sacred Cenote in the ruins of Chichen Itza to prove the Maya had used it for sacrifice. I was mesmerized. I didn't know it then, but I had entered the realm of IxChel, the Maya Moon Goddess.

Many years later, in 1984, to keep the promise I made to myself, I travelled to Mexico to visit Chichen Itza.

The idea for my novel, however, started in 1991 when I was in San Miguel Allende for a month and I got into a book group. One of my assignments was to write an account of my first trip to Mexico. I wrote about visiting the ruins of Chichen Itza with my husband. Then the instructor said, "Now lose the spouse and turn this into a romance."

I started first to write a short story, then a novella, and then got started on the novel, writing the prologue and about 14 chapters. It became too much work and I abandoned the project and began writing other things. In 2001, I travelled to Puerto Morelos and was walking in the surf debating whether to spend more time on the ancient Maya. I was actively praying and asking myself "what should I do?" I distinctly heard a voice that said. "You mentioned my name in the prologue and I haven't turned up since. You can't play fast and loose with me. Mention my name in every chapter and I'll see to it that you finish the book." That was a strong impetus, and I did, and she did!


LB    How easy/difficult did you find it to write about the Maya, a civilization that is still in many ways a mystery?

LMS    It was very hard to find information about IxChel when I started writing in the early 1990s. The Maya hieroglyphics had not been deciphered until about 30 years ago, and there were not many books written about IxChel. Today, there is quite a bit of material about IxChel on the Internet. Just search for IxChel.


LB    What would you describe as your most memorable/enjoyable experience in your own travels to Yucatan?

LMS    Visiting with the women I travelled with and going to seminars on the Maya and on women's interests.


LB    Do you intend to write more about the Mayan civilization?

LMS    At this point, I don't know.


LB    IxChel is often not included in books about the Maya....have you considered filling this gap in the non-fiction/mythology arena yourself?

LMS    I am not planning to write about it but I am still fascinated and still gathering information about IxChel.

 

LB    Do you have any other books planned or in the works? If so, could you please tell us a little about them?

LMS    Yes, I am currently working on my memoirs and I also plan to gather together a book of my short stories.

LB    Are there ancient ruins you would like to travel to which you have not yet managed to visit? If so, which ones and what is the lure that draws you to them?

LMS    The Maya ruins at Palenque, Mexico, are nestled in steep and thickly forested hills. It is said to be absolutely beautiful and founded by IxChel. The ruins' existence was unknown to the world until 1773. The ruins of Tikal in Guatemala are described as one of the most spiritually powerful spots on earth. These Maya ruins date to 600 B.C. I hope to visit both of these sites-if only virtually!


LB    Do you have a message for your readers?

LMS    I believe that dreams keep us young and engaged in life. I never gave up on my initial dream that I would visit Chicken Itza one day or that I would finish my novel, The Moon Child's Promise. Being surrounded by various circles of friends and acquaintances has provided inspiration and support, as well as new ideas for my writing. I also believe in a presence in our lives and have always prayed to the Holy Spirit as God, the Mother. There's a connection here to my writing because the ancient Maya had a mother figure, IxChel, in the long-ago days of pre-Christianity.
 

I'd like to thank Lucille for taking the time to not only let me know about her novel and giving me the opportunity to delve into the world of the Maya but also for taking the time to answer questions for the readers of this website.  I hadn't read a great deal about this ancient civilisation before now but you have certainly got me interested in learning more.

To read more about The Moon Child's Promise or purchase a copy for yourself please use the links below. 
 

The Moon Child's Promise is available at the following online stores: iUniverse, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Review of The Moon Child's Promise by Lucille Mullen Sondern

Links to other Online Stores