Blog Tour: Guest Post for Fledgling (The Dragonrider Chronicles #1) by Nicole Conway

 Hello! Thank you so much for having me. I’m so humbled and glad to get to talk about Fledgling like this.It’s hard to talk about characterization in Fledgling without including the rest of the series. Fledgling is just the first step in a journey that will grow deeper and deeper with every chapter. My method of characterization in the book hinged on that idea. I wanted to start on the surface, getting to know the characters little by little. The more you read, and the further you follow the books, the more you learn about the characters involved. Because we are seeing things through Jaevid’s eyes as the narrator, he doesn’t know everything about the people he meets right away—and neither do we. He sees what they let him see. It’s a journey, even for me, and it’s been an amazing amount of fun to work on. Choosing Jaevid as my narrator was inevitable. The story is all about him, and his personal evolution from a frightened little boy into a war-hardened soldier. His emotional growth is subtle, but definitely present in Fledgling. He begins to grow braver, and to step outside of his shell. When I was creating him, I started at the end product and worked backwards. I began with his finalized state, after the war is over, and turned back the clock. I can safely say that the Jaevid you will meet at the end of the last book will be a much different person than the little boy who begins telling you his story in Fledgling. His characterization is the most important aspect of not only this book, but the entire series. Besides Jaevid, the characterization of Felix was the most fun I’ve ever had in a book. I’d never really worked with a character like him before. I wanted to create the poster boy for the perfect dragonrider, at least by the standards of Maldobar. Felix is exactly that. He’s strong, capable, ambitious, and charming. His sense of humor is absolutely my favorite thing to write about. He’s definitely a prankster, and he lives to ruffle Jaevid’s feathers. But he’s not without his fair share of flaws, and most of the things he does and says are driven by motives hidden far beneath the surface. These are things that will also be revealed as the series moves forward, but for now, rest assured that Felix will never cease to leave you with a smile on your face.
It’s always been my personal motto that if I’m not enjoying writing something, I can’t expect anyone to enjoy reading it. This was my main focus when I was writing Fledgling and developing the characters. I wanted this book to be approachable and enjoyable for both children and adults. I wanted the characters to be as complex as readers let them be. They’re entertaining enough on the surface to keep children reading, but with nuances of greater depth that only adults would pick up on. It’s a hard balance to strike, and one I definitely had to work at. Hearing now that people are enjoying both the book and the characters is extremely validating, and makes all the long hours of work worthwhile. 
Title: FledglingPublication date: April 29, 2014Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.Author: Nicole Conway
Can one boy stand between two kingdoms at war?
Jaevid Broadfeather has grown up as a wartime refugee, hiding from the world because of his mixed racial heritage. He feels his future is hopeless, until a chance encounter with a wild dragon lands him in Blybrig Academy—a place usually forbidden to anyone but the rich and royal. But Jaevid’s case is special; no dragon has voluntarily chosen a rider in decades, so the proud riders of Blybrig must begrudgingly let him join their brotherhood despite his bloodline. Lieutenant Sile Derrick, a sternly tempered man with a mysterious past, becomes his instructor and immediately takes a peculiar interest in Jaevid’s future.
While struggling through the rigorous physical demands of training, things begin to go awry. Jaevid witnesses the king’s private guards kidnapping Sile in the dead of night. When none of the elder riders are willing to help him, Jaevid begins a dangerous adventure to save his instructor.
Everything Jaevid learned at the academy will now be put to the ultimate test.
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Nicole is the author of the children’s fantasy series, THE DRAGONRIDER CHRONICLES, about a young boy’s journey into manhood as he trains to become a dragonrider. She has completed the first two books in the series, and is now working on the third and final book.
Originally from a small town in North Alabama, Nicole moves frequently due to her husband’s career as a pilot for the United States Air Force. She received a B.A. in English with a concentration in Classics from Auburn University, and will soon attend graduate school. She has previously worked as a freelance and graphic artist for promotional companies, but has now embraced writing as a full-time occupation.
Nicole enjoys hiking, camping, shopping, cooking, and spending time with her family and friends. She also loves watching children’s movies and collecting books. She lives at home with her husband, two cats, and dog.
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