GOT DRAGONS?

Sheesh it's been a long time since I updated this blog.  

It's not that I haven't been writing or planning new COMPANION DRAGON TALES stories, just general busyness on my part. Since we only put out one issue of CDT a year, there often isn't a lot to tell. Somehow the behind-the-scenes work of writing a series just doesn't seem so glamorous. One of my co-writers is overwhelmed with lots of non-writing, time-eating demands, and the other is hard at work trying to push out novels and short stories. We do communicate regularly, and so here's what is going on...

First of all, as I have said before, I turned in COPPER'S CHOICE last fall, with the idea that it will be out sometime this year. I have been assured this is so, and both cover art directions as well as back cover copy were requested earlier this month. All that info had to be written up, and as of the 14th (March 2015) has been turned in. I would say we are on target for a release sometime later this year. 

I think you'll really enjoy this story, which introduces both a new little dragon and her would-be companion, who just happens to be both a well-known and very successful action/adventure writer as well as a wizard. Part of the story takes place in the premiere chocolate producing otherworld of Bulgosia, and the rest happens in that magical resort land, Atlantis. Oh yeah, it's that Atlantis, which you can only get to through a magical portal, or maybe by purposely hanging around in the Bermuda Triangle. You might even find all your missing keys and cell phones down there. I think that's where the Lost Sock Fairy pawns them.

These stories are so much fun to write! We never leave a bad pun unused. 

Now I have been talking with Lee regularly about writing an introductory Kiri Dragon tale for our 2016 release. He's been pretty busy working on his second Alpha novel, while offers for short stories that publishers want him to write/edit have steadily trickled in. Lee assures me he will get to Kiri later on this year. We will be working closely, because I have a timeline in my head and want to launch the main Companion Dragons over the next several years. 

Besides Lazlo, Waxy, Copper, and Kiri, I owe everyone an Ambrose tale. If you've read A FAMILIAR NAME, you know Ambrose is the very well trained and impeccably mannered white frost dragon who is the companion of Countess Gina Jardinière-Duval von Stuart. Like his mistress, he is just about perfect. Well... maybe Ambrose is not totally flawless. These little dragon familiars all seem to have their quirks. His story is a possible 2017 release.

Another thing we three have been discussing is when and how to get some of the short stories into print. With one novella-size release a year, that's going to be hard to do, and believe me, we have plenty of material to mine. That is something I'll have to get back to you about, because once I have a solid idea of how to handle this, I have to propose that to our publisher. The more stories I can get into your hands, the better. Response to this series has been very positive. 

So here is what you can do for us... You can tell me or express to COMPANION DRAGONS TALES' publisher (Pro Se Press) how much you enjoy this series, and that you'd like to see more of it. That kind of fan feedback is vital, because it lets all of us know what we need to focus on. You can post in comments here on the blog, on my Facebook or G+ pages, or click the email symbol in the upper right hand corner on the Pro Se Press site and tell them directly. Please do, because the more you ask for, the more you get—plus you're keeping three writers busy and out of mischief. And boy, can we get into a lot of mischief when we're not busy!

Remember, this series is aimed at kids of all ages, and the grown-ups who love them. If your little ones enjoy Harry Potter, and can follow the story, they're ready for this. Some of the most ardent CDT fans are adults, BTW. You won't be bored reading this to the young ones—in fact you're liable to bust out laughing here and there. Nothing is more precious than sharing entertainment with a child. A book is a portal to places never visited before.

Some of those places actually have chocolate!

Read On,
~NANCY