I first came across the story of Mahabalipuram and the City of the Seven Pagodas when I was researching sunken cities for Tiger’s Voyage. The whole story of a jealous Indian god sinking six of the temples in a storm while leaving one lone temple behind was fascinating to me and I knew I wanted to add that myth into my book.

Layering real historical events and places mixed together with fantasy elements is something that I really appreciate in novels. It’s fun to imagine a special site that could serve as a gateway to another world. The wardrobe where Lucy Pevensie slips into Narnia, the rabbit hole that Alice falls through, and the doorway leading to the chocolate room in Willy Wonka’s factory are all examples of magical entryways that take beloved characters from our world into a magical land where anything could happen.

The City of the Seven Pagodas in the real world is just as mysterious as the fantasy realm I created. Marco Polo mentioned the beautiful city in his writings but some wondered what location he referred to. Local people spoke of temples that had been swallowed up by the waves but it was assumed that their stories were simply the exaggerated tales of superstitious fishermen. The City of the Seven Pagodas just didn’t exist.

Or so we thought. . .

In 2004, a tsunami hit the eastern coast of India making the waters recede far off the shore. Witnesses saw something amazing. The ocean stirred, the sand shifted, and long sunken temples appeared once again, as if they’d been lifted from the rocky ocean floor by the hand of a sea god. Myth became real. The forgotten was remembered. What was lost had been rediscovered.

This incredible story fired my imagination. What would it be like to dive below the surface and explore these undersea ruins? What hidden treasures lay submerged in the deep? What dangers lurked in the dark underwater corridors? My mind was flooded with possibility.

In Tiger’s Voyage, I wanted to use this unique threshold to create a magical place full of mystery and peril. I crafted an assortment of supernatural guardians, ranging from the ethereal to the monstrous, who would serve as barriers, protectors, and even reluctant guides as my heroes progressed through the realm of the Seven Pagodas, seeking the prize of their goddess.

The ocean is full of life, it’s essential to our world, and yet the vast portion of it is unexplored. Perhaps my tale is not as fantastical as it would seem. Perhaps there is a realm where dragons rule, where sea creatures of myth thrive, and where the treasures of the Earth are gathered.

I invite you to go along with Kelsey and her companions on their journey and discover an amazing world full of danger and excitement as you unravel the secrets of the Seven Pagodas.

– Colleen Houck