Young readers today face a complex, fast-paced digital world. They navigate challenging personal realities, like shifting family dynamics and the pressures of modern life, while confronting difficult ethical dilemmas. Finding a balance between traditional values, such as honor and accountability, and the demands of a technology-driven society can be a daunting task for teenagers trying to find their place.
Author Gretchen L. Winkler tackles these very themes in her new young adult novel, The Knight School Journal. Set within the expansive Cyberhawk Universe, the book serves as a powerful solution for young minds, bridging contemporary challenges with timeless virtues through the lens of modern knighthood. In this interview, we sit down with Winkler to discuss her latest release, the importance of blending advanced technology with fantasy, and how young readers can find courage in uncertain times.
HELLO GRETCHEN L. WINKLER, WELCOME TO WORLDAUTHORS.ORG! YOUR NEW NOVEL, THE KNIGHT SCHOOL JOURNAL, EXPLORES THE CONCEPT OF “MODERN KNIGHTHOOD.” WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A KNIGHT IN TODAY’S TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN WORLD?
Essentially the same thing it did back long ago. But I think what has changed is that modern people have a stereotypical idea of what a knight is, based on movies and storybooks. The muscular male riding a horse, fighting people. There are two different types of knights, Crown Knights and Ordered Knights. Crown Knights are people awarded knighthood through a system like that of a monarch, such as in England. These people are generally awarded the title for service, good deeds, or contributions to society. Ordered Knights are individuals who have gone through training processes and work as a team, like the Jedi Knights in the Star Wars Universe. The type of knighthood that I focus upon is the Ordered Knights, and long ago, knights like those in the Templar Order were trained in a variety of professions.
Most were trained to fight, but there were also members skilled in diplomacy, banking, architecture, engineering, and mariner. Some ordered knights focused on medicine. So what would a modern ordered knight focus upon? Similar things, except now we have aviation, electronics, cyber security, and a multitude of other practical or useful professions. Being a knight is a calling to become or be a part of something more than just getting up in the morning, going to work, coming home, eating, watching TV, and then going to bed at night. It is a search for something more, not material wealth, but to obtain a wealth of spirit where one finds good friends and common goals for the betterment of the world in general. The true premise has not changed, but the scope of involvement has changed. True modern Ordered Knights are citizens of the World, not tied to any region or ideological group. They work for everyone, much like the ideal version of the Jedi Knights in Star Wars.
THE PROTAGONIST IN THIS STORY IS NAVIGATING THE EVERYDAY CHALLENGE OF HIS PARENTS’ DIVORCE BEFORE BEING THRUST INTO AN EXTRAORDINARY SITUATION. WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT TO ROOT THIS ADVENTURE IN SUCH A RELATABLE FAMILY STRUGGLE?
The book started out as an idea about an ideal school for modern knights, but writing up a dull proposal with descriptions seemed lifeless and forgettable. We all know what Hogwarts looks like and how it feels from the books and movies. I wanted my book to explain what the school should be through a child’s perspective and possible experience. What would a child want while telling a story. It was necessary to find a practical, contemporary reason for sending one’s child from a school? And what would a child need from a school? What kind of school would attract educators and make them enthusiastic about their profession?
I wanted to answer these questions away to a school, without falling back on old, established norms of wealthy families sending their children to private schools or the standard orphan tale. My husband was a child of bitterly divorced parents. I personally observed how this affected him and listened to his stories from his childhood. I saw firsthand how his parents would manipulate and use hurtful words. His family situation was unresolvable, but I wanted my protagonist to have hope that his parents had actually loved one another and he was not the cause of their separation. Sometimes a reader needs a mystery to pique their curiosity.
AS A STANDALONE COMPANION TO THE CYBERHAWK UNIVERSE, THIS BOOK INTRODUCES NEW READERS TO YOUR WORK. HOW DO YOU SUCCESSFULLY BALANCE ADVANCED SCI-FI TECHNOLOGY WITH HIDDEN ELEMENTS OF MYSTERY AND FANTASY?
Real life has all these components, so I didn’t write it as a presentation of a specific genre. I want it to feel real, so that it will be relatable.
THE STORY DIVES DEEP INTO THEMES OF ETHICS, RESPONSIBILITY, AND HONOR. HOW DO YOU PRESENT THESE TRADITIONAL VALUES IN A WAY THAT TRULY RESONATES WITH TODAY’S YOUNG ADULT READERS?
I honestly have no idea. Am I presenting themes of ethics, responsibility, and honor in a way that resonates with a specific generation? If I am, it was not planned or designed into the plot line. I had hoped the story and the interactions between the characters would inspire positive reflection, but essentially, I wrote what I thought was natural.
YOU HAVE MENTIONED THAT THE MAIN CHARACTER UNCOVERS A “FRIGHTENING TRUTH” BEHIND HIS PARENTS’ SORROWS. HOW DOES SOLVING THIS CENTRAL MYSTERY DRIVE HIS PERSONAL GROWTH THROUGHOUT HIS TIME AT THE KNIGHT SCHOOL?
This mystery offers a possible reason for the parents’ separation, which addresses the recurring question that children of separated parents often ask themselves: Was it my fault that my parents separated? Was I the cause of their sorrows? The truth is that it is most often a problem between parents (adults) concerning their personal battles and outside influences with hidden agendas. At least, that is my observation of divorces, and the children are just bystanders caught up in the events.
WHAT CORE MESSAGE DO YOU HOPE YOUNG READERS AND THEIR FAMILIES TAKE AWAY AFTER READING THE KNIGHT SCHOOL JOURNAL?
That there is hope. And perhaps there is more to what is going on than what is being shared, and one should not assume things.
Our conversation with Gretchen L. Winkler highlights the profound potential of young adult fiction to tackle serious, real-world issues. The Knight School Journal demonstrates that traditional concepts like honor and accountability remain highly relevant today. By grounding her protagonist in a relatable family struggle and placing him in an extraordinary, futuristic setting, Winkler provides readers with a powerful blueprint for navigating their own complex realities.
As technology continues to reshape our society, literature that champions ethical growth and personal responsibility will only become more vital. Works like The Knight School Journal do more than simply entertain; they equip the next generation with the moral compass needed to thrive. Winkler’s seamless blend of sci-fi, fantasy, and modern challenges solidifies the Cyberhawk Universe as a valuable resource for young minds stepping into the future.
To learn more, visit cyberhawkheros.com and iwrite.quest.