K.R. Gastreich's Blog, page 27

Will Hahn on the Good Fight

I'm delighted today to welcome author Will Hahn, as part of his blog tour for the new release Judgement's Tale from Games of Chance. 

Will Hahn has been in love with heroic tales since age four, when his father read him the Lays of Ancient Rome and the Tales of King Arthur.  He taught Ancient-Medieval History for years, but the line between this world and others has always been thin; the far reaches of fantasy, like the distant past, still bring him face to face with people like us, who have choices to make.

Will didn't always make the right choices when he was young. Any stick or vaguely stick-like object became a sword in his hands, to the great dismay of his five sister. Everyone survived, in part by virtue of a rule forbidding him from handling umbrellas, ski poles, curtain rods and more.

Will has written about the Lands of Hope since his college days (which by now are also part of ancient history). With the publication of Judement's Tale Part One, Games of Chance, he begins at last to tell the tale of the Land's most unique hero, The Man in Grey.

I've never had a post about writing fight scenes on this blog, so I've asked Will to do one as part of his tour.

Will is also raffling off a FREE copy of Tales of Hope, so make sure you enter the giveaway for a chance to win a great read.

Worth Fighting For: How to Write Combat
When Karin first asked me to do this post I was quaking with excitement. Ancient-Medieval History major, military history nut, figurines on my shelves, cardboard counter wargames all over the table, maps on the walls. I’m the guy your mom didn’t need to warn you about- you could warn yourself just fine. I know the difference between a mace and a main-gauche (it’s a big one) or a morningstar (not so big). More bits of useless trivia than you could shake a rhomphast at (after all, eight feet long with a hammer on one end, that’s tough to shake).
Then I thought about it some more, and I got worried.
I’ve SEEN combat, tons of it, in movies and reading about it in books. And I know what I like- everybody does. But the chef could explain all about gazpacho, and it still might taste like cold soup to you.
I can give you one piece of news you won’t find surprising- it’s very easy to do fights poorly.  Sometimes the description itself is “unrealistic” if that’s a word that applies to fantasy writing. More often, I think, you read a fight that serves no purpose- or to be accurate, it serves the wrong purpose at the time you read it. It’s almost as if the writer feels, when a fight or battle or war breaks out, they have permission to take off their thinking caps and just let ‘er rip.
War, especially today, doesn’t make a lot of sense to many people. I often see the bumper sticker that says “WAR IS NOT THE ANSWER”.
But your readers never stop wanting to know why .
When I see that bumper sticker, I always mutter “What was the question?” Writing about combat is the same as writing about everything else, in that you need to know:
The Stakes andThe Objective
It’s the conflict part that gets easier- fighting IS conflict (but maybe not the only one in a good fight scene).StakesI wrote a bit on this earlier when I gave my opinion at the blog site I share, on the various genres of fantasy. Basically, when the stakes are crucial (“Save the World”) the tale is Epic Fantasy: you tend to see combat less often, and the sides involved cannot afford mistakes because that would be the end. On the other hand, with casual stakes (“Save Your Skin”) fighting is more frequent, sometimes constant: these are Sword and Sorcery tales, and the fight can be trivial (it’s all fun and games until somebody loses an arm). Deciding the stakes of your tale will help inform the frequency and tone needed in your fights.
As an example of good fantasy fighting that many folks might know, I would recommend the incredible sword duel between Inigo Montoya and the Man in Black from The Princess Bride. This is an example of the middle-ground in Stakes, Heroic Fantasy. The kingdom is at risk, or at least the future happiness of most folks in it- not just one or two lives, but not the entire world. Either combatant could die- it is set up as a fight to the death. But neither man is fighting only to save his own skin. In fact, the two men are not in combat for the same purpose, and that’s one reason it is so entertaining either to read or see. ObjectiveThe plot usually makes Stakes clear for the writer, but Objective- not so much. Again, the key is never to lose sight of “why”, which in my opinion relates to characters. Why are they in this fight? Because it’s been twenty pages since the last one?
The duel in Princess Bride is a great example. Inigo is fighting to kill the Man in Black- why? Because he’s been ordered to. Why is he taking those orders? Why is his boss so confident he’ll succeed? These questions come rolling out as you see the scene (for the first time, from Inigo’s PoV). You catch up- there’s flashback and humor and heart. You don’t know who the Man in Black is, but you don’t want Inigo to die.And the Man in Black doesn’t seem to want to kill him. His objective is to catch up to the Princess- and now all your “why” questions remain unanswered. The author stiffs you completely- what a bum! But you are glued to the scene, and some of the most deathless descriptions of dueling and battle chatter ever recorded.
It’s Never NOT About Character
This is I think the final and best advice I can give you. Fighting is alien to ALL of us- unless you’re a war vet writing non-fiction. If you think you can make up for a wandering plot by having some people killed, or throw in a bunch of accurate detail about missile and shock weapons because you don’t know what should happen next, then you’re going to lose the readers. Combat scenes are almost always life and death- for your story.
Yes, you need to be familiar with what weapons and soldiers do. I recall rolling my eyes when halberds were getting thrown in combat (yes, it has a spear-end, but it also has an AX-BLADE, you think that might alter the balance a bit?). On the other hand, I have seen publication guidelines that promise any manuscript will be rejected if a character calls upon archers to “fire” their arrows, because presumably that wasn’t the call in medieval times. But I could live with the first action, if the thrower was really strong and desperate- it might be even better. And can you imagine Kiera Knightly in Pirates of the Caribbean turning to her crew and screaming “Loose!”? Not quite the impact the screenwriters were looking for.
Remember the characters are there for a reason and never stop telling us about that. Even when it’s armies fighting, look at what Tolkein did with Legolas and Gimli- their competition and argument over the finer points shows so much. It’s grim humor, and their pride on display- it implies that the fighting, in itself, is not much of a threat to two such experienced warriors, and of course it reveals a growing bond forged in a battle that now means something more because of what these characters carry through it.
Partway through my tale The Plane of Dreams, the Tributarians are camped in the open by a fire, about to get ambushed. They know it’s an ambush, and have prepared a surprise to turn the tables on their attackers. But what they most need is not to win- their assailants evidently wish only to rob them and, oddly, put them all to sleep. The Tributarians need information, they must capture at least one of the leaders alive and question him. So before the combat even starts, the stakes and objective are clearly off-center: and who really knows if an ambush-of-an-ambush can work?
This is your story, don’t be intimidated by a fight- would your heroes ever back down? Certainly not, but you serve them best by knowing their reasons and goals before the first blade leaves its scabbard. Good fortune to you!
Games of Chance
For twenty centuries the Lands of Hope prospered from their Heroes’ peace, but suffer now from their absence as a curse thickens over the central kingdom known as the Percentalion. An immortal omniscient conspirator schemes to escape the extra-worldly prison restraining his tide of undeath, using a demonic ally in a plot to bring back hell on earth. Solemn Judgement steps onto these Lands both a stranger and an orphan, driven to complete the lore his father died to give him.
In a world beset with increasing chaos, the bravest Children of Hope must take mortal risks. A young woodsman’s spear-cast, a desperate bid to save his comrades; the Healers Guildmistress’ cheery smile, hiding a grim secret and a heavy burden of guilt; the prince of Shilar’s speech in a foreign tongue, a gambit to avoid bloodshed or even war. As a new generation of heroes, scattered across the kingdoms, bets their lives and more, Solemn Judgement- soon to be known as The Man in Grey- must learn to play… Games of Chance: Part One of Judgement’s Tale
Contact Information The Plane of Dreams - See the trailer!
The Ring and the Flag -  Try the Audio Book at Scribl!
Fencing Reputation - Three Minutes to Midnight -
The Book of Tales -
Will Hahn at Smashwords
Will’s Amazon PageWill’s B&N Page
Will's Blog Thoughts- Including tales of a happy childhood (which continues), hopes for a writer's journey, and analysis of Classics You've Never Read
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Hadley Rille Books Indiegogo Campaign

I wanted to take a moment to let you know about Hadley Rille Books Indiegogo Campaign, which started on June 15 and will run through the end of July.

Those of you who have followed my blog know how very attached I've become to this small press. HRB is a wonderful family of publishing professionals committed to providing readers with quality fantasy, science fiction, and historical fiction titles.  The press was founded in 2005 by Eric T. Reynolds, and since then has given a home to many authors and titles, with a clear emphasis on facilitating a greater representation of women in fantasy fiction.

If you enjoyed Eolyn and High Maga and would like to see more novels feature True Heroines, now is your chance to make a difference. Hadley Rille Books has hit some hard times this year, most notably with the massive stroke suffered by our founder and editor-in-chief last January.  The press is in need of additional funds to continue operations under these new circumstances, and also to expand its activities so that our stories are made available to as wide an audience as possible.

I invite you to watch Rose Reynolds' presentation about the press and its campaign below, and to visit Hadley Rille Books Indiegogo Page to learn how you can help.  Every donation, no matter how small, will be greatly appreciated and make a positive difference in HRB's efforts to bring a universe of adventure to its readers.  Please spread the word to your friends and family as well. Everyone who is committed to promoting alternative voices in speculative fiction has a stake in this campaign. Together, we can make it happen.

Thank you in advance for your support!

The Bridges We Build

La Selva, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui,  Costa Rica
Notebook:
Today we sawPeccaries        Bullet antsIguanas            Stingless beesMotmots           Poison dart frogsHowler monkeysStrangler figsCycads and palmsPipers and MelastomesThe Kapok (also called Ceiba) tree with its pale towering trunkInch wormsMillipedes Crazy fruitsRoots that smell like pepperLeaves that climb treesCement paths over nascent swampsFish the color of mudButterflies with a flash of sky on their wings
Tonight it rains water upon water upon water Frogs chirp and crickets croak.


~*~
Reflection:
The Stone Bridge brings the visitor across the
Sarapiqui River and into La Selva's forest.Today I gave an introductory lecture to the NAPIRE group about the forging of Central America.
This is a story I like to tell, one that I’ve shared with many different audiences in just as many different ways: How this mass of stone and fire tumbled upward from the ocean floor, laying a bridge between two worlds that had been separated nearly 140 million years.
The landscape of Central America, a crucible of perpetual struggle for control over the Panama strait and the San Juan River, was fixed at least a million years before the first individuals of the genus Homo walked the plains of Africa.
Fate determined by geography, or perhaps better stated, fate determined by the interaction between geography and human ambition.
Was there something in the creative impulse behind Central America that “reached” toward this role in the history of the planet?  Islands rose, sank, and rose again. Land masses moved north and east to make room for other contenders, fingers lengthened their reach toward the two continental land masses, until at last the gap was closed and the Great American Faunal Exchange ignited.



What was the Great American Faunal Exchange? An explosion of movement by animals, 3-5 million years ago, that marked the reunion of North and South America, and laid the foundation for a rich mosaic of ecosystems that characterizes Costa Rica today.
We’ve had countless bridges built across our history: physical, emotional, economic, psychological. Often these bridges have brought opportunity, exchange, new horizons and a brighter world.
Some of the animals that participated in the
Great American Faunal Exchange.Yet on too many occasions, we have built bridges of destruction, unleashing forces that erode biological diversity, cultural diversity, linguistic diversity, and the rich heritage built by the deep and dramatic history of our planet.
Today I ask myself, “What kind of bridge do I want to be?”
I don’t want to be a Christopher Columbus bridge or a Captain Cook bridge. I don’t want to build bridges that conquer, homogenize, trample, or reduce.
I want to be a Costa Rica bridge; to tumble upward and stretch my spirit between worlds, to build new landscape for an extraordinary future; to lay down fertile soils that support verdant forests, to establish a place where diverse peoples find a common home.
This is my wish for the future. It’s a wish that seems within reach as NAPIRE 2014 gets underway, because in La Selva I'm not the only one who seeks to build this kind of bridge.

EOLYN in Audiobook

At last!  The audio edition of Eolyn is now available through Audible and iTunes.

If you've already read Eolyn, this is a wonderful way to rediscover the power of the Magas.

If you haven't yet read Eolyn, now is your chance to join the adventure.

The audio edition of Eolyn is read by the incomparable Darla Middlebrook. Darla's tag line, bringing out the soul of the book, is realized in every moment of the story.  As I've said elsewhere, I couldn't be more thrilled with her interpretation of the characters and events of Eolyn. And I'm especially thrilled now that I get to share this with all of you!

As today's special treat, here's a preview of the audio book: Darla's reading from Chapter 3, 'The House of Sweetbread'.  In this scene young Eolyn, starved and exhausted after days of wandering lost in the forest, meets her mentor Ghemena for the first time.

Vote for HIGH MAGA in the June Cover Wars

Express your support for Thomas Vandenberg's stunning portrayal of Eolyn facing down a Naether Demon: Vote for the cover of High Maga in the Masquerade Crew's June Cover Wars.

The artwork for High Maga was inspired by one of the early scenes in the book, the first struggle in which Eolyn uses the enchanted Galian sword Kel'Barú. 

Eolyn's journey with the sword is not an easy one. She is averse to weapons of war and the violence they represent. Throughout book one of the series, she avoids learning sword play and relies almost entirely on her magic in open conflicts.

Yet Kel'Barú comes to her as a special gift, and she is the only one among her people who understands its strange metallic song.

In High Maga, Eolyn begins training with Kel'Barú under Akmael's insistence. Though she is a reluctant student, Eolyn soon discovers this weapon may hold the key to her people's salvation. It is the only weapon that appears effective against the Naether Demons, monsters released from centuries of darkness by blood sacrifice and sorcery.

For me, Tom achieved more than just an illustration when he interpreted Eolyn in this scene. He crafted an iconic image of the fantasy woman protagonist. Tom captures Eolyn's indomitable strength, her aura of sheer determination against an insatiable enemy. This is no sword-wielding sex kitten, but a true woman of extraordinary power and great beauty.

You can vote for High Maga every day this month.  There are many amazing covers in the competition, and you have up to 10 votes per day, so if you see something else you love, vote for that one too!

Want to know more about the scene that inspired this story? Visit my January 17th post.

NAPIRE 2014

Me and one of my old friends at Las Cruces.The semester at Avila has ended, and all of the sudden I find myself in Costa Rica preparing for my next NAPIRE summer.

Those of you who follow my blog may remember that every other year I return to Las Cruces Biological Station in southern Costa Rica to participate in the Native American and Pacific Islander Research Experience (NAPIRE) Program. 

Funded by NSF and LSAMP, this 8-week adventure brings together Native American and Pacific Islander undergraduate students, who conduct independent research under the guidance of experienced field ecologists. Students identify questions and hypotheses, design and implement their own experiment, and analyze, interpret, and present the results. All of this in the context of the magnificent mid-elevation tropical forest that characterizes the mountains of southern Costa Rica. 

I helped set up NAPIRE back in 2006, when I was still working full time for Duke University and the Organization for Tropical Studies. After accepting my current position at Avila University, I’ve returned every other year to participate in NAPIRE as a research mentor. This year I’ve taken on a new and somewhat daunting challenge: I will be co-coordinating the program with Barbara Dugelby. Our team includes two teaching assistants, Lelemia Irvine, a kukupu o ka aina of Hawaii, and Nicole Kenote, a member of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin. 
NAPIRE Best Practices workshop in January 2014.
Diverse cultures, diverse minds, diverse forests.
Photo courtesy of Lelemia Irvine.
When the 2014 NAPIRE community is complete, it will consist of 20 students from various Native American Tribes and Pacific Islander Peoples, as well as 10 mentors from around the world. In addition, we will be welcoming mentors from our students’ home institutions as well as a tribal elder, Dr. Don Pepion, and a cultural practitioner, Ku'umeaaloha Gomes.


I have long had an instinctive love for NAPIRE. From the first time I heard about the program, I understood that this is one of those rare initiatives that could truly transform the world. Not from one day to the next, of course, but by planting seeds of change capable of germinating and flourishing long after the 8-week experience has concluded. This because NAPIRE not only teaches students science, it seeks to bridge the gap between scientific and indigenous knowledge systems — a gap that all too often seems insurmountable, abyssal in its depths, ready to swallow anyone who attempts to cross it.


As part of my personal preparation for this summer’s program, I have begun reading Grandmothers Counsel the World, a book by Carol Schaefer that consolidates the experience and wisdom of 13 women elders from different indigenous tribes.


In the foreword, Winona LaDuke makes a compelling argument that the current paradigm, driven in part by a Western approach to science, cannot show us the way out of the planetary crisis, because it is precisely this paradigm that created the problem the first place.


This is a difficult argument for an ecologist to read, even more difficult when the words sting with the weight of truth.


And so the question sticks in my mind:


Can science solve the problems science has created?


I have a feeling I will be mulling over this one for some time, perhaps the entire summer and beyond.


On the one hand, scientific advancement has allowed us to exploit the planet in a way never before seen in history.


At the same time, science has illuminated the extent of the damage we have done, and continue to do. Data gathered by scientists has often urged us into decisive action, as for example with the Clean Air Act of 1970 and the Montreal Protocol (1987).


Science is extraordinarily powerful when it comes to deciphering the inner workings of the natural world, yet science offers little in terms of guidance regarding what to do with that information.


Where, then, can we turn for such sorely needed guidance?


Schaefer and LaDuke point to the Grandmothers and their collective wisdom, a rich reservoir of knowledge that spans hundreds, even thousands, of years. Indigenous knowledge systems, they argue, are not simply a place to start. They should occupy a central role in our collective effort to ensure a better, more sustainable future for all of humanity.


All of this brings me back to NAPIRE, a relatively modest effort to create a playing field on which scientific and indigenous knowledge systems interact on equal terms. Every summer I’ve joined NAPIRE has been a new adventure, each iteration distinct in many important ways from the last. Yet no matter the particular experiences of a given summer, I always come away with a deeper appreciation of NAPIRE students and the many cultures they represent. I know the much of the future rests in their hands, and that thought gives me a lot of hope.


This is one of many reasons why I am so excited that the door to NAPIRE 2014 is about to open, allowing me to participate in the many challenges and unique gifts this opportunity has to offer. I invite you to join me as a virtual companion when I step through that door, as the NAPIRE experience will be the focus of many posts from now through early August.

This is one adventure you do not want to miss. 

If you would like to know more about the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers, please visit their webpage. 

Events and Signings

Busy week for science fiction and fantasy lovers in KCMO!

I will be at the brand new INKLINGS BOOKS & COFFEE SHOP this Thursday, May 22, starting at 6pm. Join us for an evening of pure imagination with fellow author M.C. Chambers and musician Rich Tuttle, singing songs inspired by Tolkien. Copies of Eolyn and High Maga will be available for purchase and signing.

Then, starting Friday, it's CONQUEST 44!  I am so excited for this year's con. Lots of  interesting panels, and great people on them. The main event will be at the Kansas City Marriott downtown.  Here's my schedule:

Friday
2:00pm Tough Women: Heroes and Villains (Lester Young A)
3:00pm Are there too many strong women? (Lester Young B)
6:00pm Readings from High Maga (Big Joe Turner A)

Saturday
11:00am Women of Ancient and Medieval Times (Julia Lee A/B)
4:00pm   Hadley Rille Books: Small Press, Big Plans (Lester Young A)

Sunday
1:00pm   Self-Publishing: Taking the Leap! (Mary Lou Williams A/B)



I've got a lot to prepare, so that's it for my post this week.  I do hope to see you in the coming days though, whether at Inklings or ConQuesT or both. Let's welcome the summer in style!

Rediscovering EOLYN

I have had the greatest pleasure these past few weeks of listening to the new audio edition of EOLYN.

Read by the incomparable Darla Middlebrook, this interpretation made me laugh, and then cry, in all the right moments. It filled me with joy and fear, love and heartbreak, warmth, humor, friendship and loss in ways that surprised me, given how intimately I already knew the story.

To hear Eolyn's world revealed by a professional reader was just such an extraordinary experience. I felt as if I were discovering my own story all over again, as if I hadn't heard of these characters and their world before, even though I'd written it all myself.

Among my favorite voices: Tzeremond, Drostan, Rishona, and Tahmir. I can't say that in every case Darla used the voice that I would have chosen, but in the end, the whole was so much greater than the sum of its parts. I couldn't be more thrilled with the final product, and I cannot wait to share it with the world.

Terri-Lynne DeFino, acting editor-in-chief of Hadley Rille Books, has given her go ahead on acx to move forward with the release. We are waiting on Darla's final approval, which I imagine will be forthcoming.

Once everyone has given the thumbs up, I'm not really sure how long it will take for the system to put the audiobook on the market. After all, I've never done anything like this before. But I can't imagine it will be long; I expect EOLYN will be available for your listening enjoyment by the end of this month.

Of course, as soon as it's released, I will post the purchase links here as well as on Facebook and Twitter, so please check back through the usual channels for more news in coming days and weeks.  If you haven't read the novel, this will be a great way to immerse yourself in Eolyn's world. If you have read the novel, I suspect that you, like me, will find immense pleasure in listening to this new interpretation. Any way you cut it, the release of Eolyn in audio is going to be a great summer treat for everyone.

Many, many thanks to Darla Middlebrook for the long hours she spent in putting together this fantastic recording. With any luck, we'll be able to snag her for an audio edition of High Maga as well. . .

Cover Reveal: DATE SHARK

Here's a fun change of pace!  Today I'm participating in the cover reveal for DelSheree Gladden's new novel Date Shark. Romance lovers, check it out!


When It Comes to Choosing Between Obsession and Passion, Some Lines are Meant to Be Crossed

Life as the marketing director for a popular fashion boutique is overwhelming for Leila Sparrow, to say the least. She’s not sure what ever possessed her to add revamping her dating life to her already hectic schedule. Calling in renowned Date Shark, Eli Walsh seemed like a good idea until she actually met with him. She isn’t supposed to be fantasizing about her dating coach. Leila knows he only sees her as a client, but when their business relationship becomes more of a friendship, it’s hard not to imagine what might be.
His Date Shark business was only meant to be a side-enterprise to his thriving couple’s therapy practice, but Eli Walsh knows it’s become more of an obsession. At least, it was until he agreed to take on Leila. Somehow she has stolen his entire focus. He wants to admit his fascination with her and growing romantic interest, but he knows coming on too strong will scare her away. His plan to convince her that she is worth any man’s interest by first being her friend is challenged when his tips start to pay off and Leila begins dating Luke. Will his friendship with Leila mean the end to any romantic pursuit? 
Date Shark will be released from Limitless Publishing onMay 13th, 2014!
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Medieval Secrets in THE DRAGON'S MESSAGE

Today I welcome author Lori Fitzgerald, who is celebrating the release of her story 'Dragon's Message' with a Magic Appreciation Tour.

Lori J. Fitzgerald lives in New York with her fellow English Major husband and their two little bookworms. Medieval literature is her passion, and she wishes she could spend more time traipsing around Renaissance Faires and shouting “Huzzah” at jousts. She was a middle school English teacher for many years and was best known for her dramatic readings of The Princess Bride. Lori is currently a Staff Writer for the website Once Upon A Fan, the popular fansite for ABC’s hit show Once Upon A Time. You can contact her by email at WhiteRaven829@gmail.com.

Following Lori's guest post about Medieval influences on Dragon's Message, we have an excerpt from the story.  Also, don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway to win a free copy!

Medieval Secrets in 'Dragon's Message'
Medieval literature abounds with hidden meanings, for in the landscape of the medieval mind a character, setting, object or even action have both a literal and a symbolic meaning.  Many of the secrets in The Dragon’s Message are couched in medieval terms. There are references to the Code of Chivalry, such as curtesye (courtly manners) and trouthe (integrity). The coats of arms of both the protagonists, Sir Gwydion and Lady Rhiannon, are also keys to the quest in the story. Medieval heraldry began as practical badges of recognition, so that armored knights could be identified in battle.  However, the symbols, or charges, also represented the qualities that the knight and his family held important. Sir Gwydion’s coat of arms, in medieval heraldic terms, is Azure, a unicorn passant reguardant Or, a chief embattled Or, file Azure. This means the shield has a blue background, in the center of which is a gold unicorn with one front leg reared and its head turned to look behind it. The unicorn symbolizes extreme courage, virtue, and strength. The top part of the shield is a gold band shaped like the top of a fortress turret, which symbolizes protection…or fire. On this gold band is a blue “file” symbol (it looks like an “E”) which is the symbol of the oldest son. This is how Rhiannon recognizes Gwydion in his full battle armor when he first approaches her castle, Caer Idris. The gold (“Or”) symbolizes generosity and elevation of the mind, and the blue (“Azure”) symbolizes truth and loyalty. The tapestry in the main hall of Caer Idris unlocks the meaning of Rhiannon's coat of arms. And even the runes that the dragon messenger writes with “its red-gold ember breath in the darkening sky” hold multiple interpretations, because dragons “do not speak in as simple or as many words as we do, for their throats are clogged with embers. So each rune has many meanings, and can be interpreted in many ways, often depending on the other runes that they are with.”
I invite you to enter the world of the Dragon Tome and learn its secrets!

-Lori Fitzgerald, Author
Excerpt from Dragon's MessageGwydion quickly handed her a cloth to catch her tears with.  His brow furrowed in concern.  “I did not mean to make you upset with memories.  Of course your father’s liege knights were intent on capturing Maelogan and the rest of his lackeys.  I myself almost had him in the lists but ran afoul of the mud.  His treachery was…most unexpected.”
Rhiannon nodded, and then looked closely at the cloth he had given her.  “Oh!” she exclaimed shakily.  “This was mine!” She held up the red scarf with crooked gold stitches forming a sleeping dragon in the middle.  “This was one of my first embroidery attempts.”  She looked up, smiling incredulously although her eyes still shone from her tears.  “I gave you this at one of the tournaments…and you’ve kept it all these years?”
“Ah…” he grinned a little sheepishly, “I liked it.”  Rhiannon laughed, pleased, and traced the uneven stitches on the dragon’s folded wings. 
            “Rhiannon,” the knight hesitated, and gestured at the ruins around them.  “Why are we here? And why is your book,” he pointed at the pack next to her, “so important?”
            Her lips twitched but she kept herself steady, not wanting to reveal the slight measure of triumph she felt from his questioning. Another step ahead, she thought, and her palms gave a tingling pulse as she pulled her book out from its pouch onto her lap.
            “This is a book of secrets that my mother bequeathed to me as my birthright.”  She spread the red cloth out onto the grass before her and the stitched dragon caught the strong light of the western sun.  “Gules, a dragon dormant Or.  Our family’s coat of arms is actually passed through the female line.”  She arched an eyebrow at Sir Gwydion’s dumbfounded expression. “Don’t tell my father that I told you that. That’s one secret,” she said slyly.  “You know there have been dragons sighted on our lands for centuries.  This book,” she said, as she ran her palms along the leather, “deciphers the language of the dragons.”
About Dragon's MessageA dragon writes a cryptic message with its ember breath in the evening sky...
Lady Rhiannon watches from the turret wall with an ache in her blood. She's the only person who can decipher the message as the sole keeper of the Dragon Tome. When an old enemy threatens the castle, her father charges his knight with escorting her to a safe haven—the same knight Rhiannon had a crush on as a girl. But she must now convince him to change his plans, for she has her own sacred charge to fulfill...

So begins a journey to hidden ruins where magic slumbers in the stones and love lies in the heart, waiting to awaken.

As Rhiannon and the knight face seemingly insurmountable odds, only the dragon knows if they can fulfill their destiny...

The Dragon's Message, a Dragon Tome Novelette, available now for only $1.99 on Kindle and Nook



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