Fantasy Thought of the Day!

“He who lives for nothing costs the lives of many, but he who lives for something greater than himself preserves those he loves.”
                                         Christopher Hopper

Coming Soon!

Every reader has felt that moment where they did not belong.   Some of us know what it is like to grow up with bullies and suffer at their hands.  Even fewer of us know what it is like when you realize you grew up bigger than the bully that tormented you.  Outcast follows the life of a young Daezun who is suddenly gifted with a power he has yet to learn to control.  Follow the life of Alador as he struggles to find his place in the world.

For your sneak peak, we have given you a glance of young Alador's uncle.  Enjoy!

Sneak Peak

The trader unlocked the chest in excitement for with this find; he would not have to go out in the winter seasons.  He would be able to stay home with his small ones and housemate.   He uncovered the pure glass stone with a flourish and stepped back for he had seen  the desire on the minister’s face. 

 Yet instead of the pleasure and anticipation he had expected, he saw fury.  The trader’s eyes flew open with alarm.

“Do you think me a fool.” Hissed Luthian as he turned around to fully face the trader.   “ Who did you sell its magics too?” Luthian tone was ominous, and his hands began to glow an ominous yellow.

The trader stepped back as if that fury was palpable. “N...no one s..sir. It...it was like that when I bought it. I...I did not think it would hurt the value.  I swear. It has been locked within since I purchased it.” The trader squeaked, dropping to his knees in fear.   He had never seen the Minister angry, but he had heard the tales of those that had crossed him.  He had never heard of any leaving such ire unscathed.  The pulse of the trader’s rapid heartbeat was visible in his neck.

“Bought it where? What other mages were present? “  Luthian demanded of the groveling man.  He slowly circled the man upon the ground much as a wolf circles his injured prey.

“S...smallbrook m..my lord.  The Daezun village of Smallbrook and there weren’t no mages there.”  He put his face to the floor in hopes of appeasing the Minister.     “I.. it was a fair stone, and I will give it to you. I won’t want nothing of it.”  He offered in a panic.  His voice muffled against the floor.

“You fool!”  Shouted Luthian.  “Are you really so stupid?” The sneering loud tone brought a visible wince from the trader upon the floor.   “It is clear because it’s magic has been given.  What miner sold the stone?  I want a name.” Luthian kicked the trader over as hard as he could.  “A name!” He demanded. Luthian's tone suddenly softer, cold, and definitely vicious. Luthian’s hand crackled with the power of the fire he could wield.

“Alador...it was a lad named Alador. Still a middlin and didn’t even know what he had.  I swear it.”  The man was practically sobbing now for even he could feel the power radiating from the Minister though he dared not look.

Luthian paused, his foot now on the Trader’s chest who lay beneath him on the floor. . 
 Smallbrook….. Alador.. Alador.. why did he know that name?  Then it dawned on him. That was one of his brother’s spawn from the project.  The boy had come into his power.  By blood, he had come into power with that stone?  He looked back at the chest with alarm.

He removed his foot and moved to the chest gazing down at it’s contents.  The empty stone now beautiful but powerless.  Who knew how much power the boy had absorbed?   Did the boy even know how to use it?  It was not good that such power was uncontrolled.  However, one benefit of the treaty was if any of Lerdenian blood was found on Daezun lands, the Council had the right to demand they be turned over.   This had suited the Daezun well for they distrusted magic.

His anger cooled some as he stared at the stone in calculation.  The whimpering of the trader still lying where he had left interrupted Luthian’s thoughts. He cursed softly and with a fluid motion turned and released the spell at the groveling man.  He did not even stay to if the trader lived beneath the column of fire that had risen up from his writhing form, the music of his screams pleasing enough.    At the door,  he paused to look at the guard.  “Clean it up and put all the bloodstones in the vault.”  He did not acknowledge the guard's chest salute.  Such response was expected.  Besides, he had more important things on his mind.

He strode down the empty hall in anger and frustration. So much power that had been so nearly his and his nephew had it.  His half-breed, tierless nephew who probably did not even know what gift had been given him.   The stark white halls resounded with the steps of his boots as he strode in anger. “Get me my brother …. Now!”  He bellowed.   The words echoed down the vast empty hall. He did not care who heard. He did not care who acted.  He knew someone would see it done.  If he could not have the power, then he would control the boy!

Thought of the Day!

“There can be as many wrong reasons to do the right thing as there are stars in the sky. There might even be more than one legitimate right reason. But there is never a right reason to do the wrong thing. Not ever.”
                                           Donita K. Paul, DragonKnight

UPDATES!

First!  The picture for the novel coming out is complete. We had to change the subtitle due to so many Bloodstone books on the market. So it will be coming out as The Blue Dragon's Geas: Outcast.

You can see some of Heather's other awesome work at:

http://blacklockbandit.deviantart.com/gallery/24957701

She is an amazing artist!

Second!  We now have dragons on the website.  T-shirts, steins, figurines, eggs and more.

http://dragonsgeas.com/dragonsgalore.html

If you have not checked out the website, you should.  It is getting better everyday.   It has been great to team up with the Amazon team to become truly a business in partnership with them.  While the returns are still small, we are looking at a bright future ahead!  Thanks to all of you for your support. 

A favored Quote

“Follow your heart, Ithilnin," Albirich repeated. "Time is precious. Don't waste it living someone else's life.”
   Jess C. Scott, The Darker Side of Life

I love this quote.  I watch to many people dwelling on things outside their control.  Or, trying to live vicariously through another.  Life is precious. The world is beautiful.  Our time in it is short.  I truly believe in living life to the fullest.

What is a Geas?

I have been asked numerous times to explain what a geas is. I thought I would put up an explanation.  This word is more commonly known as a geis.  I did not spell it wrong.   This spelling is actually a Scottish Gaelic form.  It is also commonly used.

A geas is very similar to a spell or vow.  Usually in literature, this geas is forced upon the unsuspecting hero or villain.   Therefore it can be either a curse or a blessing.  Sometimes both because when under a geas, the individual cannot help themselves.    For example, if the hero does not want to help the villain but the villain words his demand in a way that activates the geas, he may be forced to do so.

In literature, a geas is often the downfall of a hero when they try to act against it.  Another common storyline is having more then one that are counter-productive and compelled to both.   Villains sometimes hide behind them and consider themselves invincible. However, such geas are only given because they can come true.  Shakespeare is a great example of this. Macbeth believes himself safe because "no man of woman born shall harm Macbeth." Macduff, an enemy, was "from his mother's womb untimely ripp'd" (i.e., born by Caesarean section) and was therefore not "of woman born".

In the case of the Dragons' Geas novels, it is the dragons that are imposing these vows or spells.  What do I mean?  Well now, you will have to read one to find out.  Coming soon:  Dragons' Geas - "Bloodstone"

Short Story: The Scent Of Elsewhere

I totally support other authors, who like me, write for the sheer pleasure of the task.  This sight has a lot of talent.  Many of yet have not made it to the main stream reading lists.  This particular story is awesome.  I hope you will find the time to read it.   I was turned on to it by my good friend Andrew.

Darkest night.

Sheets of rain descend on the thatch of the inn and seek to breach its ancient barrier. Most of the water is carried down the slope and splashes on the stone and mud below. Some however finds gaps in the woven reed and forms into rivulets that twist as they descend. They steer an erratic course to penetrate through to the room below.

The pretty girl hitches up her skirt and moves from behind the bar carrying a bucket to catch the latest of many such intrusions. One thin stream falls from the thatch and finds an oak beam. It drips suddenly onto the back of a small mouse that shakes itself and scurries along the beam to a more secure perch. The creature’s bright eyes regard the scene below and its nose twitches as it peers through the candlelight and studies the old man.

Read more: Short Story: The Scent Of Elsewhere | Shortbread 

Meet Becky! Our Children's Book Illustrator.

Rebecca Hunt - Click to see other artwork

Hello, I am Rebecca, though most of my friends call me Becky. I am a twenty-something mom of one adorable little boy and wife to an amazing husband. I have been born and raised in Minnesota my whole life and love it here.

As a child and young adult, I loved to draw, color and paint. I was rarely without some kind of drawing utensil and something to draw on. During junior high, I was drawn to the kids show Veggie Tales, not only for their cute stories, but also the computer animation. I decided then that I wanted to work at Big Idea, the creators of Veggie Tales, and so that fed my passion for art. Throughout junior high and high school I took all the art classes I could, trying to focus on my drawing and computer skills. After high school, I went to college for graphic design and got a diploma in that field. I worked in the field for a short time before I discovered that it was not what I really had wanted to do. But, the good news is that my college experience gave me the skills to do what I am doing today, which is illustrating books for my good friend Cheri.

After over 5 years of hardly touching the hobby I called a passion, Cheri inspired me to draw up her story, so I did. And now, after all that time, I am a published illustrator. My passion for fantasy art and culture fuels my creativity in my drawing. Now as we work on our second book together, I am inspired to  draw so much more. I cannot wait to see more of our books hit the shelves, and I look forward to getting more of my art out to the masses.

The World is a Mystical Place

“We do not want merely to see beauty... we want something else which can hardly be put into words- to be united with the beauty we see, to pass into it, to receive it into ourselves, to bathe in it, to become part of it. That is why we have peopled air and earth and water with gods and goddesses, and nymphs and elves.” 

― C.S. Lewis

This is one of my favorite quotes.  It is truly my belief that fantasy brings us closer to the very things that we separate ourselves from.  Life has become about the next gadget, the highest building, the commute and so much more that truly has no meaning.

When was the last time you watched the sun rise in the cool morning air?  When did you last sit upon a rock in the midst of a rushing brook and just see the world as it is outside man's influence?  The fantasy of mystical gods to explain our sorrow and our joy,  the grasping of life upon a pirate ship to add adventure in a mundane existance; these are but fleeting respites from the world we have chosen. These escapes take us too a simpler time that really does exist in our world.     Our world is a mystical place.  We have just forgotten how to see it for its true power, mystery and beauty.

Excitement Builds with the Dragons' Geas Team

So while doing a search to see how my Amazon listing was ranking in the search engines, I came across a big surprise.  We have been picked up on Barnes and Noble on their online site.

Barnes and Noble Link

This was exciting news for us as we were automatically placed in the Amazon arena by the publisher we are working with to promote this children's book.  To have it picked up by other suppliers and book companies was up to us.  Due to the size of Barnes and Noble, we had not pitched it to them yet.  It got picked up on its own.

So today, our little team at Dragons' Geas celebrates!

Where do Elves Fit In?

I have been asked by those that have pre-read "Bloodstone" to explain where the elves fit in if I was a DM for so long.  I had originally planned like all fantasy to have the typical dwarves and elves within the very first book.  However, I quickly came to realize to write a truly timeless being such as an elf and not merely make them human was difficult.  There are still elves in the world of Vesta.

A truly great article on the challenges of writing elves can be found at a Lord of the Rings Fan Fiction site:  http://www.lotrgfic.com/viewstory.php?sid=2213 .  This well researched article shares the many flaws that even brought Tolkien, himself, to dismay.

The ‘Elves’ are ‘immortal’, at least as far as this world goes: and hence are concerned rather with the griefs and burdens of deathlessness in time and change, than with death. (The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, Humphrey Carpenter and Christopher Tolkien, 131 To Milton Waldman)

I found, for myself, that creating my own races was much more exciting and allowed for twists and turns that truists would have taken exception too if I had used dwarves and elves.   Later, for those that find the World of Vesta an interesting realm for their own campaigns and roleplay, I will post their stats and racial abilities.  

Take a moment to read this article for those of you that write.  The researcher did a fine job of insuring the sources and makes some great points in writing the timeless Tolkien elf.

How did The Dragon Geas Get Started?

The Dragon Geas came about almost unintentionally.  I have been roleplaying and reading fantasy for years.  In High School, due to my writing skills, I was given an extra class with a writer as I was just racing through all my English assignments. I have been writing ever since that one to one experience.

My first book was a children's book that was originally a story of my mother's.  I edited it for a younger age group several years ago but then could not find an illustrator that I could afford AND who had a vision of a children's dragon that seemed to fit.

One day a good friend of mine, Alex Hunt, told me that his wife's favorite thing to draw was dragons.  I contacted her, and she sent me some sample dragon sketches.  They were exactly what I was looking for to bring How Dragon's Got Their Colors to life.  We collaborated and published the first book.  We had so much fun that we immediately started into the second one.

"Not An Egg!" is still in illustration.  It is the tale of a little dragon whose mother lays an egg.  She doesn't want to share her mother and father.  It is a story that relates to the angst that a first child often goes through when expecting a new baby in the home.  Told from a dragon's view point, it is a sweet tale of sadness, surprises and love.

At the same time, the first of the Dragons' Geas Novels was completed. It is currently in edit.  Expect both "Bloodstone" and "Not An Egg" to launch in the near future.

Becky has become my dearest friend.  She and her husband have supported the effort to build websites, blogs and all the time it takes to have a successful launch of a book.   We formed The Dragons' Geas website to keep our fans informed of upcoming work.  It is a place to see what is going on behind the scenes, get a glimpse of upcoming work and just be a part of the World of Vesta.  After all, what better way to enjoy, learn and grow, than through a dragons' view.

The Importance of Dragon Colors

There is a site called the Circle of the Dragon that goes into great depth into the meanings of color and how we assign them. Specifically it goes into each color of the dragons represented through myth and fiction.  Below is an except from http://www.blackdrago.com/colors.htm

For example, the first of the Dragons' Geas novels involves a Blue Dragon.  The writings about Blue Dragons specifically were influenced by this website.



"Blue is a common color for sea serpents. Light blue dragons represent the vastness of the sky and flight, while dark blue dragons represent still, deep waters. Blue dragons are highly protective creatures and magical.

Blue Chinese dragons are of the purest azure colors. They are a symbol of the East and are pacifying."
                                                                 Kylie 'drago' McCormick

This is a great site to visit and I encourage you to explore it as a writer and lover of dragons.

How Dragons Got Their Colors

This book is available wholesale as well. Please contact me if you would like multiple wholesale copies.
Content Preview:

The first of the Dragons' Geas' books is published on April 24, 2013 by Writer Cheryl Matthynssens and Illustrator Rebecca Hunt.
Featured on Amazon and Made the top 20 Large Print Children's books on May 4, 2013.
Get your Copy today!  How Dragons Got Their Colors



One day, a little gray dragon decided that being gray was just not right when the world was so full of colors. Follow the little dragon on his journey to gain color for his scales. Being kind-hearted, he makes sure all the dragons have a fitting color. Find out happens when the little dragon runs out of color for himself?

The great sea dragon spread out his wings and blew a plume of steam into the air.  The steam glistened on his scales like sparkling ocean waves …it was just the way it should be.