Magic & Wizards & Dragons, Oh My!

To fans and avid fantasy readers around the world, she’s known as KC Julius, the creative mind and best-selling author of The Drinnglennin Chronicles. But to the Dragon community, she’s Kristan Julius, a longtime JIS teacher who dedicated 24 years of her passion for education to guiding learners across Grades 1 through 4 at Pattimura Elementary, and offered workshops on the craft of writing to Middle and High School students, and the teaching staff.

“Teaching at JIS was an honor and a pleasure. I learned as much, if not more, from each of them as they did from me,” Kristan recalls. “Perhaps the most important lesson was how essential it is to let the people in your life know that you see them — as unique individuals deserving of happiness and respect.”

She still has clear and precious recollections of her time at JIS and Jakarta: field trips to the majestic caves, rainforests, and volcanoes of Indonesia, putting on plays and musical productions, participating in United Nations (UN) and Sports Days.

“So many memories to cherish! For me, it’s first and foremost about the people – my amazing students and the wonderful, dedicated colleagues and staff. I’m so grateful to have so many of them still in my life, communicating through social media or organizing face-to-face meet-ups all around the world.”

Change loomed in 2012, when Kristan decided to move to Germany, where her husband had accepted a consultancy position. The move may have ended her chapter at JIS, but it turned the page to a new one that would take her to Drinnglennin, a fantastical realm filled with dark wizards, magic, political intrigue, and — best of all — dragons!

Kristan's passion for the written word and storytelling started much earlier, taking root as a pre-teen writing mostly poetry and short stories. These works developed into longer stories and novels that she submitted for publication throughout university and even during her years as an international educator. Persistence and dedication turned into a promising breakthrough when, in 2002, her manuscript for a Young Adult story titled Beyond to Hutanya was picked up by Lothian Books.

The book would pave the way for The Drinnglennin Chronicles, a sweeping fantasy series that spans four spellbinding books: Portents of Chaos, A Realm at Stake, Bindings of Peril, and The Wings of Dread. Reviewers have described them as an enchanting, must-read for fantasy fans, with more than a few comparing Drinnglennin to the richly realized worlds of George RR Martin and JRR Tolkien — who, along with historical author Dorothy Dunnett, have been a tremendous source of inspiration. 

“When I wrote The Drinnnglennin Chronicles, I challenged myself to build a world set in the equivalent of the late 15th century that was both historically accurate and yet of my own creation,” Kristan explains. “I did extensive research on the armaments, clothing, ships, food, customs, and building materials of the time, and drew detailed maps so that I could estimate how long it would take for my characters to get from one place to another, depending on the terrain.”

Since the series’ publication in 2020, she has toured the world visiting international schools to conduct writing workshops as a visiting author.

“I feel so lucky to be able to combine my passions for writing and teaching in this way!”

For aspiring writers, her advice is practical and heartfelt: practice your craft, read books by great writers, keep a writer’s notebook close by, and observe the world around you.

“Read your own work aloud. Not only does it help you pick up errors or overly-used vocabulary, you’ll also hear the cadence of the writing and whether the dialogue flows realistically,” she adds. “Be open to constructive criticism. You have to put your writing out there, then listen to what readers have to say about it.”

Finally, one of her favorite pieces of writing advice is to “arrive late, leave early” — avoid a long lead-in and jump straight into the action, then “leave them wanting more”.