Blog Archives
The Whisper of Dragons
The Whisper of Dragons, by Michelle Picard follows Kavi, a Story Whisper, who must solve the mystery of the earthquakes and social unrest that is tearing apart 21st century Earth. She is also the heir to one of three dragons who are Guardian to Earth’s Story. What happens when humanity loses its connection with itself, causing the Void to tear apart the very fabric of the world? And what happens when the Kavi’s dragon wants to kill humanity to get rid of the Void? Kavi must decide between saving humanity and merging with her dragon to make a new Guardian.
I enjoyed that this novel is written from the first person perspective. It allowed me into the story, into the character’s mind, and into a familiar but magical world. Michelle Picard uses poetry to advance the storyline and give readers insight into the character’s thoughts. She kept it tied to the character, a good way to define Kavi, with the poetry taking over to be the end all of the story.
Stories have been a cornerstone to passing on history for as far back as people can remember. So, Michelle Picard’s inclusion of having everything, including the Earth have a story was truly wonderful. She made it clear that everything encompassing humanity is connected by the Long Story. The author while giving readers enough information about the Long Story to fully understand the situation, managed to keep the novel focused on the threat and the solution Kavi must carry out.
The Whisper of Dragons by Michelle Picard leaves the reader with a deeper understanding of the connectivity of all things in nature, and that sometimes those we believe are on our side can make bad choices. This is a complex and creative story about humanity that I highly recommend to fans of paranormal and urban fantasy.
Pages: 442 | ASIN: B098LYMKJ6
A Land the Dragons Would Inhabit
Queen of Dragons finds an uneasy peace shattered when Elky and Ustice are taken and the Spires are spurred into action. What were some new ideas you wanted to introduce in this book that were different from book one?
Thank you, Thomas. In this book I wanted to show how even one life is missed from a community. The beginning of the story expresses, I think, the feeling of loss each individual of a community feels and the joy at the recovery of that person. This part of the story leads to the ‘why’ behind the crime which is the focus of the book.
I really enjoyed the world your building in this series. What were some sources that informed this world’s development?
I lived in California for many years, close to the mountains. Hiking trails along those mountains gave me a keen sense of a land the dragons would inhabit–the outcropping of mountains close to the ocean with the scent of sea spray that hangs in the air is much like The Spires of Dasny.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I don’t prethink themes, they occur naturally through the writing process. The sense of loss was one theme, a joyful return another, redemption yet another. Mainly in this book I wanted to show the growth of the characters and the challenges each of them face with that growth. It’s not necessarily a ‘coming of age’ book, but it does touch on some of those emotions and the growth each character experiences.
This is book two in The Spires of Dasny series. What can readers expect in book three?
In book three of The Spires of Dasny, the readers will be propelled into a much larger world. They begin to learn of other kingdoms and how they can benefit them or destroy them. Along with this discovery is an ancient lore that plays out with the main characters of Seyra, Grifton and Elky. What is the meaning behind it and will it help them or come at a cost? It is my hope to expand this series by focusing on these different kingdoms and the impact each plays with The Spires of Dasny.
I am aiming for the release of book three, The Kingdom of the Spires, by fall 2021, and with any luck, much sooner!
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook
An uneasy feeling of peace fills the kingdom of the Spires that splinters when it’s discovered Elky, the shining light of the people and dragons alike, vanishes along with her fated dragon, Ustice.
Why would these mysterious people take Elky and her dragon? What do they want? The answers to those questions spurs the Spires into fast-paced action as they battle to save their kingdom and world from complete annihilation.
The Spires of Dasny: 2: Queen of Dragons
![The Spires of Dasny: 2: Queen of Dragons by [Cheryl Rush Cowperthwait]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51jXyKy72EL.jpg)
The Spires and the surrounding regions bask in the peace that has lasted five years since the bloody battle of Garneth. But a new conflict looms as strange people abduct Elky and Ustice, her dragon. The king of the Dragons and Spires, Dreyth and Seyra, his fated human rider, must now team up with other Spires warriors to rescue Elky and her beast. Their quest spirals into a new adventure that sees the Spires faced with a full-blown war against sorcerers wielding hypnotic magic and a strange breed of dragons. Amidst all this, the people and Dragons of the Spires also try to come to terms with the Dragon king’s decision to choose Seyra, a human, as his queen. Faced with internal and external conflicts, the fate of the Spires hangs in a delicate balance.
Queen of Dragons is the second book in Cheryl Rush Cowperthwait’s epic fantasy series, Spires of Dasny. A riveting fairy tale fantasy with a story featuring dragons, magic, and enchanting folktales. All of these elements are effortlessly woven together to create a rich and thrilling story.
The authors fantastic use of descriptive writing pulls you into a unique fantasy world that is filled with emotionally-charged moments that surprise at every turn.
At this point I fell like C.R.C is an expert at creating compelling and grounded characters that are easy to empathize with, if not relate to. Initially, I felt some distance, but I soon connected with Seyra and her dragon’s relationship. As the story unfolded and both revealed their hearts, their relationship became more meaningful and reflected something more familiar.
C.R.C holds keeps the tension high right up until the end. Even after what you’d call the final battle, the author introduces a gripping twist that threatens to ruin the happy ending, but keeps you completely engrossed in the story and desperate for another book.
As a bonus, you get to enjoy a teaser of the next part of the series. A great way to get a glimpse of what to expect in the next book. And from the little I’ve seen, it will be just as entertaining.
Pages: 194 | ASIN: B08SL8RHBW
Being a Dragon Rider
The Spires of Dasny follows a young woman who attends the Dragon Rider School, but faces more challenges than she expected. What was the inspiration for the setup to this riveting story?
The inspiration came from a few different directions. A few months before starting this story, I saw a picture of a dragon gliding over a rocky terrain. Such things also kick my daydreaming mind into gear. I have also been participating in a writing group where each month we write to a prompt with a given word count limit. It is amazing what stories are spurred on by such things. The book developed from writing from three or four prompts and I fell for the characters and decided to develop it into a book.
Seyra and Dreyth are intriguing and well developed characters. What were some driving ideals behind their character development?
What happens most of the time, when I begin writing something fresh and new, I see a mini movie of a scene in my head and begin writing. All I knew of Seyra is she had always dreamed of being a dragon rider. She held the dream so tight that the stories that enriched her life drove her up the Spires in her greatest time of need. Dreyth developed as a protector and best friend, often seeing things in Seyra she couldn’t see, both bad and good.
I appreciated how well defined the dragon lore was in your book. What kind of research and development went into developing them in this novel?
I refused to read many books about dragons when I wrote my first series, The Legend of the Dragon Child, for fear of my dragons appearing a carbon copy of other dragons. After getting that series out, I learned something. I think most fantasy writers have the same concepts of things we haven’t seen. I was amazed at how many things my books had in common with other books, such as dragon and human being able to communicated through their minds.
I became ravenous to read more books of dragon stories, so I’m sure a part of them resonates in my current writing. I am a panster by design. The thought of outlining a book is cringe-worthy and shoots up a brick wall in my mind. I simply sit each day, write the day’s date and when my fingers hit the keyboard, we’re off for a new adventure.
Will this book be part of a series? If so, what can readers expect in book two?
Oh yes! It is a series in the making! I just finished book two, handed it off to the editor and making the final decisions on the cover as I write.
Book 2 is a wild ride. There will be twists and turns and surprises around ever corner. I get goosebumps thinking of it. It takes place five years after Book 1 and the main characters have grown. The Dragon School is in full operation and is enjoying a peace in their kingdom–until something dreadful happens to shatter their world.
Book 3 is now in the works. Will there be more? It depends on what is accomplished in Book 3. In my mind I see it as a four to five book series but I’ll have to wait to see what happens.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook
I awoke in a deep, dark cavern. Staring at me through one opened eye lay a huge black dragon. I had been taught the stories of the dragons, of the days long ago when they ruled the sky and searched for their riders, but this wasn’t at all what I had been taught. Why was I there? Suddenly, pressure built up in my head. My eyes sprung wide in fear and… I heard him.
What happens when three dragon riders come together as told in the prophecy? The Blind, the Healer and the Magician…
There are secrets to be uncovered, but only if Seyra is brave enough. Discover the intriguing lives of the brash young Seyra and Dreyth, the one who rescues her–or is it she who rescues him?
Dragon Ascendants
![Dragon Ascendants (Luminess Legends Book 1) by [Vaughn, Paul E. ]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51HFSRvrGrL._SY346_.jpg)
Imagine if you will for a moment a medieval fantasy drama being brewed in a cauldron: throw in a measure of How to Train Your Dragon, add a dash of Game of Thrones, sprinkle in some of The Hobbit all topped off with a liberal dose of a King Arthurian legend, leave to simmer on a medium heat for few chapters and then you might have replicated Dragon Ascendants by Paul Vaughn.
So let’s get on to the plot, the setting and the highly descriptive cast of characters without creating spoilers for you.
Dragons, shadow-bats, elves, dwarves, bandits, skulduggery, betrayal, magic, fear, treachery, family discord, sibling rivalry, disappointment, parental disapproval, forgiveness, redemption and, lest I forget (although, how could I?) a very good measure of graphic violence – it’s all in there – so what more could I want from a fantasy novel? Perhaps a little romance? If it’s in here I missed it.
The action is all set in a mystical land, named the Luminess, which at first visit seems almost idyllic. That is, until the conflicts of this land are slowly revealed in the following chapters.
In these mountains live the elves, which have been there for centuries happily mining the gems hidden within. Their lives are occasionally interrupted by an assortment of other species, some for good cause some for ill.
Also, as within most fantasy novels, there is a power struggle between the forces of good and evil. From my reading, I felt that we are to consider these two grouping; one under the ‘command’ of the dwarf burrow’s hereditary leader, named Meerkesh, (representing the forces of good) and another under a very angry rogue elf, with unexplained issues, named Fearoc (representing the forces of evil). Such is the power of the latter, we are led to believe that the world has, or is about to, come to an end for the dwarves.
But I am not totally convinced as to which side is really the good and which that of evil is. In this strange land, where sapphires, ruby stones and diamonds are used as currency and the internal ‘politics’ seems to be driven by greed and ruled by bloodshed. On the one hand we have a population that apparently eats nothing other than apples, whilst the baddie mainly feasts on his conquests, we have quite a lot of axe wielding violence, bloodletting, beheading, dragons blinding by fire and melting of opposite forces during this fight between good and evil. Both sides seem as driven by bloodlust as the other. And this interesting dichotomy lends to some thought provoking reading.
This novel left me begging for more. More answers, more character development, more world building. I want to know! Ah, the mark of a good writer I suppose. I look forward to the next book in Paul Vaughn’s Luminess Legends series.
Pages: 217 | ASIN: B07B8STMY4
Accomplishing Great Things
Diane Mae Robinson Author Interview
In Sir Princess Petra’s Mission, Petra’s father sends her on a mission where she is expected to fail so that she can stop having fantasies of adventure and become a proper lady. The book is beautifully written, did you set out to create a story rich in kindness and morality, or did that happen organically?
Before I began to write the story, I did tons of work creating the characters. When I felt the characters were fully rounded and as well-known to me as friends, I began to write their adventures. It was, also, important to me to have noble characters doing noble deeds. So, the story was written and developed with noble values in my mind, but the characters seemed to develop the story organically because of who they are.
Princess Petra is a strong young woman. What was the inspiration for the main character’s traits and dialogue?
I’ve always believe that gender was never an issue to accomplishing what one’s heart desires. Petra’s character was created out of that belief. Petra is a strong young lady, and I am sure those traits come out because of my upbringing with a strong mother figure who has, and still is, accomplishing great things in life whether those accomplishments are male or female orientated.
What were some themes that you felt were important to highlight in Sir Princess Petra’s Mission?
Believing in oneself is the most important theme Petra instills throughout the series. Also, kindness, acceptance of others, standing up for what is right, bravery, and friendship were important themes to bring out in all the characters.
What will the next book in that series be about and when will it be published?
The characters haven’t told me yet what the next book is about yet. They have mentioned that they like the title Sir Princess Petra’s Quest. I’m hoping we’ll have created the 4th book for publication in later 2017. In the meantime, I have a new book, based on these characters, releasing in early 2017. The book is entitled The Dragon Grammar Book, and it’s an-easy-to-understand grammar book for middle grades through adults. The book is kind of quirky (well, if you think fantasy characters giving grammar lessons is quirky), and a fun and easy way to learn grammar.
Author Links: Twitter | Website | GoodReads | Facebook
Sir Princess Petra has already attained her knighthood in the Kingdom of Pen Pieyu and her non-princess-like talent certificate from Talent School, neither of which pleases her father and mother, the king and queen. The king writes up more silly rules in the royal rule book to deter Sir Princess Petra from her knightly ways and useless talent, and turn her into a real princess once and for all. Will the king finally succeed with this newly written, ridiculous mission for Petra?
Love of Dragons
Angelina Kerner Author Interview
Deity’s Soulmate tells the story of Gardenia, a young goddess on her rite of passage. What was your inspiration for Gardenia’s character? Did you take anything from your life?
Gardenia is a character who was born when I was a freshman in high school. Since, I started creating her when I was a teen, it explains her childish traits that are present. I don’t think that if I started writing her in college, she would be that childish. I took my love of dragons and gave it to her.
I liked the in depth knowledge of Greek mythology you used throughout the story. Why did you choose to weave Greek Mythology through the novel?
I came to the United States when I was nine years old with no English (except for ‘cat’ and ‘dog’) and therefore it was difficult to find friends with a communication barrier. I spent a lot of time in the library of the elementary / middle schools, reading and trying to grasp the English language. Most of the books that I’ve found were about witches of Salem, dragons, ghosts, and on Greek mythology. One time, in class, my elementary school teacher, said that we would be creating a festival where we would be dressing up as ancient Greeks, cook their food, and enjoy ourselves. That was my first time when I enjoyed the ancient culture through the help of my teacher. After that I started doing research on the subject and like adding the Greek Mythology into my writing, brings back good memories. One of the stories that I am currently working on includes Ares as the main character.
I enjoyed the budding cross-species romance between Gardenia and one of her teachers. Was this a romance that was planned before writing or did this happen organically as you were writing?
It was not planned. The idea came to me after I wrote the first banter between them. It clicked in my mind that they would be perfect for each other and the best part… one of the twins gets romance! I mean seriously, normally twins are side characters, and in my novel, one of them becomes very important. It made me happy to explore the possibilities of the romance.
Gardenia decides to spend the next 100 years with dragons. Why do you think it was important for the characters development to have dragons as teachers?
In stories, dragons tend to be scary or friendly. They are considered to be all knowledgeable which worked in my favor, coming up with that idea. I wanted to depict dragons as a race more ancient than the gods and to show that they tend to keep to themselves after communicating with the younger race. Also, if dragons exist (and they do somewhere), I would totally love to be their student because they live long lives. Whenever knights kill dragons in stories, it sounds ridiculous to me because dragons are bigger, stronger, and more cunning. Having them quiet and take an educational role makes more sense to me.
Deity’s Soulmate is book 1 in the Goddess Training Trilogy. Can you tell us more about what’s in store for Gardenia and the direction of the second book?
Don’t want to spoil the ending of book 1, but Gardenia will really understand what it feels like to wear a different skin. Her lessons will continue, with an introduction of never before seen characters, and a battle that will determine the relationship between dragons, gods, and the Fates. There will also be more illustrations depicting the new characters that will have to do a lot with Gardenia growing up and becoming the goddess who she should be.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Website
Zeus’s Daughter 100 years of punishment. Gardenia didn’t ask for it. Yet the Fates brewed their plans ever since before she was born. On the day of gaining knowledge about what humanity truly is, Gardenia decides to do something stupid… create a galaxy without permission. Out of that childish choice, something breaks inside of her and she decides to spend her 100 years with dragons. After searching the stars, Gardenia finds her first teacher and then the next and the next. However, what does one do when one falls in love with your family’s adversary? When one falls in love with a dragon? And what if the Fates are ready to make their move? Imaginative, amusing, and adventurous, the Goddess Training Trilogy Book 1 is a tale that will possess you to want to travel the stars.
LITERARY TITAN 