Search for the Lightning Dragon

Dragons are such classic fantasy elements, but I wonder what specifically drew the author to make them the focus of this adventure. Was it a childhood fascination or a desire to teach about bravery?

The story seemed to hit a lull before picking up again — was that intentional to build suspense or just part of the storytelling rhythm?

The unique powers of the dragon added a lot to the story, but I'm curious whether they evolved during writing or were planned from the beginning.