Heroes on the Brink of Extinction: the Story behind Dwelling in Darkness

Madagascar became a fascination of mine when I realized that a lot of the coolest but least-recognized animals out there – from aye-ayes and fossa to mantella frogs and satanic leaf-tailed geckoes – come from this large African island. Madagascar has one of the highest rates of endemism in the world (meaning a lot of animals and plants can only be found there), leading scientists to nickname it “the fifth continent.”

When I set out to write a sequel to Kingdom of Bats, it was originally going to be about animals and plants that create traps. (There may yet be a short story on that – we’ll see.) Hence, one chapter revolved around carnivorous plants, and spiders played an important role as web-spinners. I also featured the larvae of the fungus gnat from New Zealand: these ‘cave glow worms’ create strands of droplets on the roof of a cave and use them to lure insect prey. (Learn more about them from the official tourist site here ! As a side note: the worms still snuck their way into one of my books!)

While I researched spiders, I came across a different topic that intrigued me. I learned that most spiders have very weak eyesight, but make up for it with great sensitivity to vibrations, and that they can ‘taste’ (through receptors on their feet) the flavour of their own silk, versus that of other spiders.

This moved me into researching extreme animal senses, focusing my attention on animals that live in utter darkness: at the bottom of the ocean, in the depths of a cave, and those that prowl the night.

Which leads me back to Madagascar. Many of the unique creatures here are nocturnal or active at dusk and dawn, including quite a few lemurs. Lemurs may be Madagascar’s most familiar wildlife, but a lot of people don’t realize just how many species and how much variety is out there.

Conservationists viewing Madagascar from the sky say that when the island’s fertile red soil washes into the sea, it looks like Madagascar is bleeding out. The cutting down of Madagascar’s forests apparently causes this topsoil to be easily lost, as the trees themselves kept the soil in place.

This image of a dying island may be grim, but it inspired the creation of a world called the Sealed Realm: a post-tragedy, almost post-apocalyptic Madagascar-like island, complete with lemurs, and with monsters drawn straight from the folklore of the Malagasy (Madagascan) people.

And this is where the story of Dwelling in Darkness takes place.

The tale is an adventure aimed at animal and fantasy lovers, exploring an array of real-life animals alongside mythical monsters. It’s also a bit of a superhero story, featuring battles and heroes with special abilities. Of my three published books, I'd proudly call it my best written, and the one where I most freely explored the topics on my heart.

Right now in October, I’m giving away free copies of Dwelling in Darkness on GoodReads! The give-away lasts until October 31.

What part of the world fascinates and inspires you?