Waking a Dragon!

My fascination with dragons, dragon books, dragon myths is never sated.  I have spent many an hour with movies and books portraying their mighty stories.  My favorites are still Eragon (Inheritance, Book 1) and Dragonheart .

When I built Vesta, I wanted a different type of dragon.  I did not want just the typical intelligent beast that was hunted by the brave Sir Knight.  I wanted dragons that had the capacity to interact with the mortal world if they chose. I wanted them to have emotions and their own code of conduct.

Now, as I sit back having given birth to the first book, I watch the reviews rolling in.  So far, (knocks on wood) there have been no bad reviews.  Most all my reviews are five star with a lesser number of four stars.  It is like taking your baby out for the first time with fear and concern yet wanting people to see it.

There is more to Vesta's dragons then meets the eyes.   The biggest challenge I have found is to let the dragons be capable of shape shifting and walking among the people of the isle.  Who is mage and who is dragon?  How can you tell?  I will let the reader figure that out.  In the meantime, I continue to devour all things dragon!  The Blackguard, book two of The Blue Dragons Geas series, is progressing well and is about half way through first draft.

My goal this year, to work on publicity hard enough that by this time next year, I can stay home and produce books at a faster rate. Working four eleven hour days makes writing on those days difficult as your brain is pretty wrung out by the time you make the commute home.  The coolest thing about having written and broke the ice with that first book?  My mind has not stopped writing ever since. Now if my fingers could find the time to get it all out of may head.

However, I truly want my blog readers to answer.

How do you wake a dragon and not get eaten?

Outcast Questions - Answers with Fun!

I have started getting questions from my novel, Outcast.  Rather than answer them individually, I decided on a more fun route that will also allow me to promote the book.   I will from time to time, use Twitter feed to give a running dialog that will both answer the question and share more of the world of best.    The first question that I have answered this way was, "Why did Keensight attack Smallbrook?"

To find that answer, look for today's date, January 15, 2014 under my profile for Twitter.  Dragons' Geas - @balanceguide.   You can also find it on the Dragons' Geas facebook page at: Dragons' Geas .

I have also been asked to share a picture of Keensight.  My illustrator's have not yet submitted me a rendering so that will have to wait.  However, for a general idea, I found this picture on deviant art. Awesome artist and is close to Keensight as envisioned.  Elder Serpent

The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy of Magic!

“Why does there appear to be so little magic in the world these days? It is because people have stopped believing in it or lose touch with it as they grow up. It is because we have become so sophisticated and lost our ancient and natural roots. It is because religion, science and education have taught us that magic does not exist. That even supposing it does exist – which to many is far too big an 'if' – then it couldn't possibly work. Their self-fulfilling sophistry complete, they then turn round and say 'There you are you see, there is no magic in the world, just as we said.' And we and the world are all the poorer as a result of this. I mean, what are we left with? Santa, the Easter Bunny, Harry Potter and the Tooth Fairy.”
― H.M. Forester, Game of Aeons: A short novel

For a long time in history, man has refused to believe in what he could not prove.  Yet if what he could not prove occurred before his eyes,it was then a miracle or magic.  Do not lose faith in miracles or magic.  They surround us every day. The problem is, we have stopped looking.

My Magic Exists! You Will Not Convince Me It Does Not!

“Someone needs to tell those tales. When the battles are fought and won and lost, when the pirates find their treasures and the dragons eat their foes for breakfast with a nice cup of Lapsang souchong, someone needs to tell their bits of overlapping narrative. There's magic in that. It's in the listener, and for each and every ear it will be different, and it will affect them in ways they can never predict. From the mundane to the profound. You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone's soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose. That tale will move them and drive them and who knows what they might do because of it, because of your words. That is your role, your gift. Your sister may be able to see the future, but you yourself can shape it, boy. Do not forget that... there are many kinds of magic, after all.” ― Erin Morgenstern, The Night Circus

People may say there is no such thing as magic, but I disagree.  There is magic in art of all forms.  A theater that takes you away to another time and for a short time you suspend reality.  A piece of music that transports you to a memory.  A book that is written well enough to take you to another place and time.

When I write, I do not see words on the page.  I see Alador struggling with a magic he doesn't quite comprehend.  I see the teenager who wants to believe that the world is a kind and wondrous place.  I see emotions play out and wreak havoc when good sense should have prevailed.  This is magic!  My magic comes when I can cast that spell for another. When I can take them to my world and they can see, feel and hear what I cast for them, that is magic.  You may call it what you will, but I know it exists.  I know that the world they see will be unique for them.  A spell all their own!

Science is man's effort to explain what is not understood.  Before science dissected how a seed became the tree, it was magic.  But there is much in this world that science has yet to explain.  Added to this, how is a seed far less magical knowing the components of its spell?  How does it differ from the sound and murmur of a mage's sleep spell?  One could work to discover the components at play.  The sand, the words, the movements that draw the target into sleep can be dissected.  

Our world is a magical place.  Books bring to life worlds that only the reader can see.  Let us never become so focused on science and reality that we lose the magic and wonder of the world we live in and the stories we read and write.