Ask the Author: Rebecca Shelley
Answered Questions (10)
Rebecca Shelley
Probably Kanvar and Tana in Dragonbound: Blue Dragon. At first they don't get along, but by the end of the Dragonbound series they are the perfect couple. Their dragons are both wild and both Kanvar and Tana are strong-willed characters that like to tease each other, but still love each other deeply.
Rebecca Shelley
Hi Margie. Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know you've enjoyed the books. It gives such a huge boost on a Monday morning when I sit down to start writing to see there's at least one person out there in the world who cares whether I've written anything or not. :)
Alas, Dragonbound is not yet available in hard cover, just in ebook and paperback (and audio for the first two books so far). I can get you a free review copy of the audio books if you like.
Alas, Dragonbound is not yet available in hard cover, just in ebook and paperback (and audio for the first two books so far). I can get you a free review copy of the audio books if you like.
Rebecca Shelley
Hi Reshy,
That's a terrific question. Have you read the Dragon Codex series under the pen name R. D. Henham? The books of the Dragon Codex series are middle-grade books set in the Dragonlance world. Dragonlance, as you probably know is owned by Wizards of the Coast and is/ or was basically played by D&D rules etc. The Dragonlance dragons are the 5 chromatic and 5 metallic types of dragons the same as D&D.
Back around 2005/2006 I was lucky enough to be invited to write a couple of books for the Dragon Codex series, Red Dragon Codex and Brass Dragon Codex. There are several other authors who wrote in that series all under the house pen name R. D. Henham. When the series launched, it was announced that there would be ten books, one for each of the types of dragons, 5 metallic, 5 chromatic. But around 2008 when the US economy hit the fan, Wizards of the Coast reorganized and dropped the Dragon Codex series with the last three books unpublished. Blue Dragon Codex, White Dragon Codex, and Copper Dragon Codex were never published. This, understandably, made a lot of readers unhappy. And somehow it is most often the author who gets blamed when a series is never completed. But, Wizards of the Coast owns Dragonlance, so I and the other R. D. Henham authors could do nothing about the missing three books.
In the end, after countless letters of inquiry about the missing books from countless readers, I decided to create my own world with completely different characters, lore, and dragons. I took the basic themes for my proposals for the last three Codex books and created new stories with them in the new world. Everything is completely different and original so there is no copyright infringement on the Dragonlance world. Though the first three Dragonbound books are Blue Dragon, White Dragon, and Copper Dragon, the dragons of the Dragonbound world are much more diverse. There are thousands of types of dragons in the world. The Great dragons are sentient and have magical attributes while the lesser dragons have animal intelligence. Right now I'm working on writing The Dragon Hunter's Guide which is all about the dragon lore of the Dragonbound world. Though the titles of the books are reminiscent of the Metallic/Chromatic D&D dragon lore, the actual Dragonbound dragon lore is very different.
At the end of Dragonbound III: Copper Dragon there is a preview of The Dragon Hunter's Guide which gives an introduction to the Dragonbound dragons. . . . oh dear, I just realized that preview was left out of the Dragonbound Bundle. Hmm. I wonder if there is some way I can paste some of it in here. Let me try. (looks like it pasted in but stripped out all formatting and pictures. Well, at least it's some information to show how the Dragonbound dragons are different from the D&D dragons).
Introduction to the Dragon Hunter's Guide by Kumar Raza
Listen up lads and lasses. I'm not a scholar or an artist. As a dragon hunter, I'm more comfortable with a sword or crossbow in my hand than this annoying quill pen. Here, dragon, let me stab you in the eye with a pen. That ought to fix ya. But truth is, I've seen too many young dragon hunters go off and get themselves killed, because no one gave them the gritty details of the business. So I've decided to write this book to pass on some of the knowledge I've gained from experience. I'm going to tell it like it is, and if you don't like what I have to say, go ahead and leave this world in a blaze of flaming glory, because that's what you're going to get if you race off to hunt dragons untrained and unprepared. So read carefully, practice hard, and hunt smart.
Understanding Dragons
Many books about dragons have been written by scholars over the ages. Most are heavy tomes that subdivide dragons into thousands of different species, give exotic names to every bone, muscle and scale, and discuss the principles of dragon physiology and flight. If you are of a bookish nature, I suggest you travel to the Chronicler Jati Repository in Daro and ask the head matron there for books on dragons. You can read about dragons until your hair turns gray and your teeth fall out and never know all there is to know about them.
Or
You can read this overview of dragons and then devote your life to hunting them rather than studying and classifying them. Like the old saying goes, "You will never understand a dragon until you look it in the eyes."
Dragon Classes
All scaled creatures with legs are considered dragons, including those that also have feathers and fur. Dragon is a generic word used for all classes, types, and species of dragons. For instance, if my pet kitrat peed in my boot (again), I might holler at it, "You stupid dragon, I'm going to skin you and eat you for dinner," although the kitrat is technically a tame lesser serpent.
Dragons are divided into two main classes, majestic dragons and serpents, which are characterized by the formation of the hip joint.
Majestic Dragons have a hind leg hip structure that allows them to walk upright on their back legs almost like humans if they wish. Since majestic dragons are the most commonly seen in art and literature, society as a whole has dropped the scholarly "majestic" from the name and refers to them as simply dragons. This annoys the scholars and sometimes confuses the rest of us. Most wild majestic dragons have some type of wings. Many tame majestic dragons, like camdors, do not.
Serpents have a hip structure that makes their legs protrude out to the side and keeps their bodies low to the ground. Many can lift their torso and front legs off the ground, but they cannot move far or fast in this position. Serpents are common in almost every part of the world. Some live on dry ground, while others live in water. Serpents may or may not have wings. Those adapted to water often have wing-like spines they use for swimming or gliding through the air.
Great Dragons
Both majestic dragons and serpents come in two types: lesser dragons and Great dragons.
There are several differences between lesser dragons and Great dragons. Great dragons have a dragonstone, superior intelligence, and an opposable thumb. They can live over a thousand years, while lesser dragons only live 3 to 20 years. Great dragons are typically larger than lesser dragons. The saliva of most Great dragons has intense healing potency. As such it is a must for a dragon hunter to keep some on his person at all times. Great Dragons have been endowed by the powers of Stonefountain with a "gift" specific to its species such as the ability to breathe fire or secrete a paralyzing toxin.
The first difference a dragon hunter will notice on coming face-to-face with a Great dragon is the dragonstone on a Great dragon's forehead.
This dazzling gem will match the color of the Great dragon. Some scholars speculate it is the dragonstone that gives the dragon elevated intelligence. Others believe it is the power of the dragonstone that allows the Great dragons to communicate with each other directly by thought. One thing is known for sure, the dragonstone will glow or pulse with light when the dragon is speaking with its mind. Alas for the dragon hunter, we do not have a similar stone in our forehead that would allow us to hear the dragons' speech.
If you see a dragon with a dragonstone, remember you are confronting an intelligent being with language capability. Most Great dragons understand human languages, so you can talk to them, even if you can't hear their reply. If they are patient, they may use gestures or write out their response to communicate with you.
Because Great dragons have an opposable thumb like humans do, Great dragons have a written language and most have mastered writing human languages as well.
Great dragons also have the ability to invent and use tools for building, domestic use, and artistic expression. Some of the greatest architecture and works of art from the ancient world were made by Great dragons. We see less of that now, though I don't believe the Great dragons have changed their ways. I think they no longer feel comfortable sharing their creations with humans.
Caution: Since Stonefountain fell a thousand years ago, many wars have been fought between the humans and Great dragons. In addition, many unscrupulous dragon hunters have attacked and killed Great dragons without warning. If you confront a Great dragon, most will assume you are an enemy and will attack rather than greet you and ask your intent.
If you wish to strike up a relationship with a Great dragon, it would be best to leave a written message where the dragon will find it. In the message, you should ask for a written reply granting you an audiance before going to visit the dragon.
It is a fateful tendency for the new dragon hunter in search of wealth and glory to dash off to confront and kill a Great dragon instead of planning a sensible hunt of the wild lesser dragons.
This behavior almost always ends in death, usually that of the dragon hunter.
My dear young friends, there is no amount of money or imagined glory worth the murder (yes, I said murder) of another intelligent being. If you hunt the Great dragons, most likely you will die. But if you do succeed in killing a Great dragon, you will have committed an atrocity.
This does not mean, however, that if you are attacked by a Great dragon you should not defend yourself. As with any human foe, you are fully justified in taking the life of another in defense of your own life, your home, or your family. I myself have had to kill several Great dragons, though I have regretted the need to do it.
Lesser Dragons
Lesser dragons have only animal intelligence. They have no written or spoken language and do not make or use tools to change the world around them. Over the years, many kinds of lesser dragons have been tamed for human use while others remain wild.
Dragon Colors and Adaptations
Both majestic dragons and serpents come in a wide variety of colors and shapes. Over the years, dragons have adapted to their environment. Their colors and features allow them to hide, hunt, and nest wherever they are found. Colors do not define the species of a dragon. For instance, there are dozens of different species that could be called blue dragons such as the Varnan blue water serpent, the Darvati blue drake, and a blue Kundiland jewel dragonfly. Scholars have complicated names for all the different species of dragons, but the rest of us simply identify the dragon by where it can be found, if it is a majestic dragon or a serpent, and a unique adaptation if it has one.
That's a terrific question. Have you read the Dragon Codex series under the pen name R. D. Henham? The books of the Dragon Codex series are middle-grade books set in the Dragonlance world. Dragonlance, as you probably know is owned by Wizards of the Coast and is/ or was basically played by D&D rules etc. The Dragonlance dragons are the 5 chromatic and 5 metallic types of dragons the same as D&D.
Back around 2005/2006 I was lucky enough to be invited to write a couple of books for the Dragon Codex series, Red Dragon Codex and Brass Dragon Codex. There are several other authors who wrote in that series all under the house pen name R. D. Henham. When the series launched, it was announced that there would be ten books, one for each of the types of dragons, 5 metallic, 5 chromatic. But around 2008 when the US economy hit the fan, Wizards of the Coast reorganized and dropped the Dragon Codex series with the last three books unpublished. Blue Dragon Codex, White Dragon Codex, and Copper Dragon Codex were never published. This, understandably, made a lot of readers unhappy. And somehow it is most often the author who gets blamed when a series is never completed. But, Wizards of the Coast owns Dragonlance, so I and the other R. D. Henham authors could do nothing about the missing three books.
In the end, after countless letters of inquiry about the missing books from countless readers, I decided to create my own world with completely different characters, lore, and dragons. I took the basic themes for my proposals for the last three Codex books and created new stories with them in the new world. Everything is completely different and original so there is no copyright infringement on the Dragonlance world. Though the first three Dragonbound books are Blue Dragon, White Dragon, and Copper Dragon, the dragons of the Dragonbound world are much more diverse. There are thousands of types of dragons in the world. The Great dragons are sentient and have magical attributes while the lesser dragons have animal intelligence. Right now I'm working on writing The Dragon Hunter's Guide which is all about the dragon lore of the Dragonbound world. Though the titles of the books are reminiscent of the Metallic/Chromatic D&D dragon lore, the actual Dragonbound dragon lore is very different.
At the end of Dragonbound III: Copper Dragon there is a preview of The Dragon Hunter's Guide which gives an introduction to the Dragonbound dragons. . . . oh dear, I just realized that preview was left out of the Dragonbound Bundle. Hmm. I wonder if there is some way I can paste some of it in here. Let me try. (looks like it pasted in but stripped out all formatting and pictures. Well, at least it's some information to show how the Dragonbound dragons are different from the D&D dragons).
Introduction to the Dragon Hunter's Guide by Kumar Raza
Listen up lads and lasses. I'm not a scholar or an artist. As a dragon hunter, I'm more comfortable with a sword or crossbow in my hand than this annoying quill pen. Here, dragon, let me stab you in the eye with a pen. That ought to fix ya. But truth is, I've seen too many young dragon hunters go off and get themselves killed, because no one gave them the gritty details of the business. So I've decided to write this book to pass on some of the knowledge I've gained from experience. I'm going to tell it like it is, and if you don't like what I have to say, go ahead and leave this world in a blaze of flaming glory, because that's what you're going to get if you race off to hunt dragons untrained and unprepared. So read carefully, practice hard, and hunt smart.
Understanding Dragons
Many books about dragons have been written by scholars over the ages. Most are heavy tomes that subdivide dragons into thousands of different species, give exotic names to every bone, muscle and scale, and discuss the principles of dragon physiology and flight. If you are of a bookish nature, I suggest you travel to the Chronicler Jati Repository in Daro and ask the head matron there for books on dragons. You can read about dragons until your hair turns gray and your teeth fall out and never know all there is to know about them.
Or
You can read this overview of dragons and then devote your life to hunting them rather than studying and classifying them. Like the old saying goes, "You will never understand a dragon until you look it in the eyes."
Dragon Classes
All scaled creatures with legs are considered dragons, including those that also have feathers and fur. Dragon is a generic word used for all classes, types, and species of dragons. For instance, if my pet kitrat peed in my boot (again), I might holler at it, "You stupid dragon, I'm going to skin you and eat you for dinner," although the kitrat is technically a tame lesser serpent.
Dragons are divided into two main classes, majestic dragons and serpents, which are characterized by the formation of the hip joint.
Majestic Dragons have a hind leg hip structure that allows them to walk upright on their back legs almost like humans if they wish. Since majestic dragons are the most commonly seen in art and literature, society as a whole has dropped the scholarly "majestic" from the name and refers to them as simply dragons. This annoys the scholars and sometimes confuses the rest of us. Most wild majestic dragons have some type of wings. Many tame majestic dragons, like camdors, do not.
Serpents have a hip structure that makes their legs protrude out to the side and keeps their bodies low to the ground. Many can lift their torso and front legs off the ground, but they cannot move far or fast in this position. Serpents are common in almost every part of the world. Some live on dry ground, while others live in water. Serpents may or may not have wings. Those adapted to water often have wing-like spines they use for swimming or gliding through the air.
Great Dragons
Both majestic dragons and serpents come in two types: lesser dragons and Great dragons.
There are several differences between lesser dragons and Great dragons. Great dragons have a dragonstone, superior intelligence, and an opposable thumb. They can live over a thousand years, while lesser dragons only live 3 to 20 years. Great dragons are typically larger than lesser dragons. The saliva of most Great dragons has intense healing potency. As such it is a must for a dragon hunter to keep some on his person at all times. Great Dragons have been endowed by the powers of Stonefountain with a "gift" specific to its species such as the ability to breathe fire or secrete a paralyzing toxin.
The first difference a dragon hunter will notice on coming face-to-face with a Great dragon is the dragonstone on a Great dragon's forehead.
This dazzling gem will match the color of the Great dragon. Some scholars speculate it is the dragonstone that gives the dragon elevated intelligence. Others believe it is the power of the dragonstone that allows the Great dragons to communicate with each other directly by thought. One thing is known for sure, the dragonstone will glow or pulse with light when the dragon is speaking with its mind. Alas for the dragon hunter, we do not have a similar stone in our forehead that would allow us to hear the dragons' speech.
If you see a dragon with a dragonstone, remember you are confronting an intelligent being with language capability. Most Great dragons understand human languages, so you can talk to them, even if you can't hear their reply. If they are patient, they may use gestures or write out their response to communicate with you.
Because Great dragons have an opposable thumb like humans do, Great dragons have a written language and most have mastered writing human languages as well.
Great dragons also have the ability to invent and use tools for building, domestic use, and artistic expression. Some of the greatest architecture and works of art from the ancient world were made by Great dragons. We see less of that now, though I don't believe the Great dragons have changed their ways. I think they no longer feel comfortable sharing their creations with humans.
Caution: Since Stonefountain fell a thousand years ago, many wars have been fought between the humans and Great dragons. In addition, many unscrupulous dragon hunters have attacked and killed Great dragons without warning. If you confront a Great dragon, most will assume you are an enemy and will attack rather than greet you and ask your intent.
If you wish to strike up a relationship with a Great dragon, it would be best to leave a written message where the dragon will find it. In the message, you should ask for a written reply granting you an audiance before going to visit the dragon.
It is a fateful tendency for the new dragon hunter in search of wealth and glory to dash off to confront and kill a Great dragon instead of planning a sensible hunt of the wild lesser dragons.
This behavior almost always ends in death, usually that of the dragon hunter.
My dear young friends, there is no amount of money or imagined glory worth the murder (yes, I said murder) of another intelligent being. If you hunt the Great dragons, most likely you will die. But if you do succeed in killing a Great dragon, you will have committed an atrocity.
This does not mean, however, that if you are attacked by a Great dragon you should not defend yourself. As with any human foe, you are fully justified in taking the life of another in defense of your own life, your home, or your family. I myself have had to kill several Great dragons, though I have regretted the need to do it.
Lesser Dragons
Lesser dragons have only animal intelligence. They have no written or spoken language and do not make or use tools to change the world around them. Over the years, many kinds of lesser dragons have been tamed for human use while others remain wild.
Dragon Colors and Adaptations
Both majestic dragons and serpents come in a wide variety of colors and shapes. Over the years, dragons have adapted to their environment. Their colors and features allow them to hide, hunt, and nest wherever they are found. Colors do not define the species of a dragon. For instance, there are dozens of different species that could be called blue dragons such as the Varnan blue water serpent, the Darvati blue drake, and a blue Kundiland jewel dragonfly. Scholars have complicated names for all the different species of dragons, but the rest of us simply identify the dragon by where it can be found, if it is a majestic dragon or a serpent, and a unique adaptation if it has one.
Rebecca Shelley
Yes, I just went over the galleys for the print version of Dragonbound VII: Gold Dragon and sent the polished draft of Dragonbound VIII: Black Dragon out to beta readers. The first draft of Dragonbound IX is finished and will go into production after Dragonbound VIII releases. We've also just released the first two books in audio format and are working on getting the others done as well. I'm getting some really amazing artwork for the Dragon Hunter's Guide by the new artist that has taken over the artwork for that project for me. The Guide is a much bigger project and taking a lot longer to get done than I planned. But, yes, I am putting all my writing time and attention into the Dragonbound series at the moment. :)
Rebecca Shelley
Yes, I'm sure it does. I'm going to have to look into that. They were supposed to be listed as Fantasy. Not sure what happened there.
Rebecca Shelley
I always have stories in my head, but I don't wait until I'm inspired to write. Writing is my day job. When it's time to work, I sit down and write. Does anyone ask a doctor "how do you get inspired to go to the doctor's office each morning?" or a school teacher "how do you get inspired to show up for class every day?" The truth is, most mornings when I show up to work I don't feel inspired at all. Inspiration comes while writing is happening not before it is begun.
Rebecca Shelley
I just finished the first draft of Dragonbound 9 (the rest of the title will not be announced until after Dragonbound VII: Gold Dragon is released). I am also working on the Dragonbound Dragon Hunter's Guide and a biography of my father who was a pioneer in developing the first personal computers.
Rebecca Shelley
Write. Finish what you write. Write more.
Rebecca Shelley
For me, the best thing about being a writer is writing. I have stories going on in my head day and night. If I did not write them down, I'd probably explode.
Rebecca Shelley
After my publisher cancelled the last three books of the Dragon Codex series I was writing under the pen name R. D. Henham, I had a lot of readers who still wanted those last three stories. Since the world the Dragon Codex books is set in is owned by the publisher, I could not write them and publish them elsewhere. In the end, I decided to take my outlines and reset them in a world of my own so different ffrom the Dragon Codex world that there would be no copyright issues. From this was born the Dragonbound series, starting with Dragonbound: Blue Dragon. I have enjoyed setting these stories in a rich complex world all of my own and feel I told them better this way than they might have been otherwise.
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