Thought for today.

***

This is so true. How many times have I read other peoples work and had to squash the urge to change something! I am not saying it would be a change for the better; it simply seems to be an author's basic instinct to to meddle with someone else's copy! Hide the red pens before you begin is my advice! 

Cover Reveal - Forever Fredless by Suzy Turner.

 Suzy Turner reveals the cover of her new book.

Cover Reveal:

Forever Fredless by Suzy Turner

Kate Robinson has spent the past two decades yearning to find her soul mate, the boy she found and then lost during a family holiday. Shortly after her twenty-eighth birthday, however, she inherits a fortune from an old family friend and becomes something of an overnight celebrity. Can her new-found fame lead her to him after all this time?

Forever Fredless will be available from online bookstores from October 2013.

For more details about Suzy and her books, visit:

http://suzyturner.com

http://suzyturner.blogspot.com

http://facebook.com/suzyturnerbooks

http://twitter.com/@suzy_turner

http://pinterest.com/suzyturnerbooks

Toni's Big Six.

The YA Indie Authors are starting a new monthly series, Toni's Big Six Journey. It one where a starting-out and talented new author, Toni Lombardo, will share her trials and tribulations as she makes her way to the Big Six. She'll talk about pitches, writing, conferences, social media, and/or anything else she sees and does on this journey.

Toni is

LIGHT 'EM UP

I guess I should start off with saying who I am:  My name is Toni Lombardo.  I am a writer.  I am going the traditional route (ya know, “The BIG six”, I want to be affiliated with Penguin/Random House, but for right now, I am in the transition state.)

The transition state.  I am working with a great guy named David Henry Sterry (The Book Doctor).  I met him and his wife Arielle Eckstut in the beginning of October 2011.  I went to a book convention and met them and hit it off.  Since then I have been working with him on my book.  I sent a copy of my book and he said it wasn’t ready yet, then I edited it a little and he said that it wasn’t ready for the world.  He asked what I was doing in writing now and told him all the stuff I am working on.  I told him that I felt like my writing had improved since I was sixteen when I first finished the original copy I sent him (started it when I was fifteen).  He told me it was FANTASTIC for a sixteen year old writer but not ready for publishing. 

Now, before I get to the good part here is the great thing about David, he is wonderful and gets writers because he is a writer.  He started to say something, “Have you considered…” and paused.  When he hesitated I said “rewriting it?”  He said yes.  The thing I loved about the hesitation it showed that he didn’t want to crush my dreams.  I mean really how if I went the traditional, traditional route, you know…edit sent to query, would that have ended up?  I would have gotten rejection after rejection and never have known why…I mean ask any author there are millions of horror stories.  I had one friend who burned her only manuscript because of an agent.  This guy David approached the topic carefully and caringly.  He told me what needed work; he didn’t shoot me down and crush my dreams and tell me I was untalented (or true story talked to an agent she said no.  Then told someone she didn’t like me or my book.)

The rewrite turned out to be the best thing that could happen.  The book is part 1 in a 5 book series and I have written through the halfway mark in the third novel.   In doing that my book changed so much.  Not enough for a reader to pick up on, but enough for me the author to cringe over.

Like I said I was fifteen when I started the novel and there were things I was afraid to write.  I was afraid what people would think of me, what judgments would be made. Some people told me I was a bad ‘Christian’ because of the content of my book.  Now, hold up right there—advice—NEVER, NEVER let anyone get away with saying that!  You’re writing doesn’t make you more or less of whatever religion you choose.  You’re writing doesn’t make you a good or bad believer of your faith.  Back to what I was saying, I was afraid to write certain scenes.  But as I got older and my characters aged the book had to mature.  I had to write those scenes, and you know what they turned out great.  So in the rewrite I was able to have the foundation down of the book, but the knowledge of what my characters decided to do in their lives and the maturity to write the scenes in ways that would create tight bonds between every word, sentence, and book.  I think every writer should have at least the second book in the series written before trying to publish the first.  Because no matter how hard you try to stay to your plot your characters will make their own decisions and mess everything up, but that is the beauty of writing. 

The rewrite has revealed to me so many things that were just cringe worthy, where if that book was published I would have gone into hiding and never write anything ever again, not a grocery list, not a birthday card.  Yeah, that is how bad the first go around was.  It is truly embarrassing.  I had and have supportive friends who loved the first edition, because they didn’t see my full potential, but David did.  And now when they read what I am doing now they kind of laugh that they thought the first edition was good, (they aren’t being mean, it was that bad, like really) and tell me how much I have improved. 

I keep getting off topic.  In rewriting you will find ways to make your book better in ways you couldn’t have imagine for 5 reasons: 1- you have matured in life and writing, 2-your life experiences have influenced you and made you better, 3- your characters have aged in the books, 4-your story is becoming more complex and real and lastly the most important, 5-you know your characters better!

Knowing your characters, loving, hating, crying for/with your characters is what makes your book great, because if you don’t do all that, then there is a possibility that your readers won’t either.  Your characters have to be real, and I don’t mean realistic, they have to be real to you before they can be real to others.  Because when they are real to other people—that is when you have truly have succeeded.  Having a best seller is great, having a movie made is great, being in demand is great, but the true test of success is what I said above, when your fictional character takes on a life for a person who doesn’t know you, just bought your book, your reader then you have succeeded.  It doesn’t matter if you sell one or countless books; true, true success is when your characters become real to someone else.  I know I said that what three, four times, but it is important.  And my next post will talk about the importance of connecting with characters. 

Toni's Motivating Quote: We write for ourselves.
Toni's Listening to: Fall out Boy, My Songs Know What You Did in The Dark (Light Em Up)

News about The Bonding Crystal

I am so excited; the Bonding Crystal will soon be available as a paperback from Amazon.  I will keep you up-to-date on the release date and everything. In the meanwhile here is a short quote out of The Bonding Crystal.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bonding-Crystal-Dragon-World-ebook/dp/B009JGM82Y/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1377526492&sr=1-2

Family Page or Fan Page

This week the YA are discussing the benefits of a Fan Page on Facebook as opposed to a Family Page.

 Like most members of the YA I have a fan page on Facebook: - 

https://www.facebook.com/FantasyFictionWriter

 I also have a couple of private pages for likeminded people as well as my public page. The difference between them is that I try and put only things that I think may interest my fans on my Fantasy Fiction page. I post things about my own and other authors writing, quirky facts and titbits of information. I try to strike a balance between personal information overload yet still give my fans an idea of who I am as a person not just as a writer.  Whatever I post on this blog is automatically published on my Fantasy Fiction page but my Fantasy Fiction page will also have other bits and pieces I find which I think may be of interest.  

Another really interesting and fun outlet is Pinterest. I have a number of pinterest boards at: -   http://pinterest.com/maureeenmurrish/boards/   where I post information about my own and other Indie Authors’ work, such as where to read excerpts and were to buy our books.

  

Hardwick Park Sculpture 

On the board named, Fantasy Island, I have created a place I would retreat to write if I could. Another named, My World, is for a few of the things that make up my world; things that strike a chord, things that could have been written about me and the some of the things that make me smile.

My Pages and Boards give me an opportunity to engage with fans and offer a little bit more about me and the books I write and I love. Am I getting the balance right? Have a look at the links and tell me what you think. Too much info? Not enough? Let me know, I’d love to hear from you.

See what the other members of the YA are saying.

1.	Laura A. H. Elliott	2.	T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series
3.	Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga	4.	Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog
5.	Gwenn Wright, author of Filter	6.	Liz Long | Just another writer on the loose.
7.	Ella James	8.	Maureen Murrish
9.	YA Sci Fi Author's Ramblings	10.	A Little Bit of R&R
11.	Melissa Pearl	12.	Terah Edun - YA Fantasy
13.	Author Cindy C Bennett

Favourite quote.

I felt it was time to share another of my favourite quotes with you. This is one I sometimes feel like trying out myself when I am wrestling with a plot or one of my characters is determined to do things completely opposite to what I had planned! But, I am realistic enough to acknowledge there is very little that will get me out of bed in the middle of the night. Except maybe the fire alarm.

Excerpt from The Bonding Crystal - book one of Dragon World

‘No one goes into the heart of the Great Forest unless they have to,’ Frenzel explained. ‘Then, usually, it is the hunters or explorers who go to consult the forest elves. We are on the edge of the forest. The trees are still young and don’t yet block out the sunlight. The heart of the forest is ancient and dark. Its paths have long since overgrown. It is said that many evil creatures live there now. Though the elves guard their borders, the rest of the forest is dangerous.’

The Bonding Crystal is available at:-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Maureen-Murrish/e/B009M3JH4G/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/onebluemoon

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-bonding-crystal-maureen-murrish/1109506403?ean=2940033070923

YA Indie Giveaway!! Books for free and how to get them.

Freebies!! Everyone loves freebies. Free books are always a hit and this week the YA will be discussing freebies and giveaways and be offering some great books for free too.
So why would authors consider giving away their books for nothing? There are some organisations and individuals who don’t believe that books ought to be given away for free at all.

I believe free books can do a number of things. First, giving free books, as either E book or paperback to faithful readers, is a great way to say thank you. A signed copy will make that connection personal and help connect to a reader. Free books are also a great way to introduce your work to prospective followers benefiting both the writer and reader. Offering books to celebrate milestones; for instance the first 50 or 100 likes on Facebook, shares the occasion.
There is a provision on Amazon which allows Prime Members to borrow a book without charge. And best of all to make a review if you chose to review the book; which is something an author hopes for as it increases the book’s profile and it give the writer valuable feedback.
You can find free books on sites such as iCraveFeebies or TotallyFreeStuff.co, or FreeStuffunlimited.com.
There are book giveaways at LibraryThing where members who are requested to make a nominal fee to join, request books donated by a variety of authors. If they ‘win’ the book then they are encouraged to review though there is no obligation to do so.
Then there is Flamingnet.com. This is a place where member readers choose a book from a list of books donated by authors in either Ebook or printed book format. The reader is then expected to write a review and post it on the site within 6 weeks. For an author it is an invaluable aid to test how the book may be received by their target audience. And for the Reader? Well it offers an unlimited supply of free books in the genre they enjoy and an opportunity to tell the author exactly how they feel about the work! Wins all round!
YA are holding a great raffle which includes The Lost Sorcerer and the first book in the Dragon World series The Bonding Crystal so what you waiting for? Enter and see just what you can win!
                                                                 a Rafflecopter giveaway

1.	Laura A. H. Elliott	2.	Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series
3.	T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series	4.	Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga
5.	Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog	6.	K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed
7.	Gwenn Wright, author of Filter	8.	Liz Long | Just another writer on the loose.
9.	Ella James	10.	Maureen Murrish
11.	YA Sci Fi Author's Ramblings	12.	A Little Bit of R&R
13.	Melissa Pearl	14.	Terah Edun - YA Fantasy
15.	Heather Sutherlin - YA Fantasy	16.	Author Cindy C Bennett

Meet Jan Wood-Harris, Talented Artist and Author.

I am delighted to have Jan Wood-Harris here today to tell us about the first book in her Ms. Wood's Wild Art Adventures series:- a unique learning experience in art and nature for children.

A bit about me: I am a self-taught Artist. Producing and selling my watercolor portraits and fine art jewelry for over 30 years (Jewelry artist in the Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach CA 1980-1988).  I have been teaching private Fine Art lessons for the past 20 years through numerous home schooled families, Charter schools and Public school children.

Also an illustrator, I have two children’s books self-published. A Children’s art instruction book,

Ms. Wood’s Wild Art Adventures-The Rainforest,

and a children’s picture book, Ben the English Afghan Hound, and a children’s song book Porch Party (coming soon).

I live by a small lake in Mission Viejo CA with my husband Robert and have two beautiful, artistic grown daughters, Mackenzie and Madison…and my big cat Bronson.

 QUESTION/ANSWER

What prompted you to create your book?

Illustrating children’s books was something I’ve wanted to do for years! When my 2 girls were little I’d buy books for them that would attract me visually..(sorry girls)!, and always thought, “ I could do this”!  But a busy life of teaching and raising my girls just didn’t offer me the focus that it required.  But now they’re grown so when a friend of mine asked me a couple years ago if I’d like to illustrate her true story about a dog she had in the past while living in England, of course I said yes!  So I took her little handwritten story on construction paper tied together with a ribbon and started designing the book from scratch! Even came up with the title, Ben the English Afghan Hound.  Learned all about editing, story flow and pacing, what parts of the story to illustrate, page design, and a whole lot more! Then started researching self-publishing and managed to weave my way through the madness of that quite successfully! So, now I had the bug! While working on ‘Ben’ I started formulating the idea of a children’s how to draw book that my art students would benefit from and quickly developed the idea of Ms. Wood’s Wild Art Adventures.

Can you give us one of your favorite discoveries from your book and tell us why it is a favorite?

I love puzzles!  So when I found a way to create my own puzzle for the book using specific art terms, art history, animal characters, that were all used within the book ….I was practically giddy!

What types of things inspire you and make you want to keep creating?

I’ve been teaching fine art to children for 20 years now, so I’m always trying to find ways to keep my teaching fresh, fun and inspiring to my students.  So I would guess my students are my inspiration!  Winston Churchill said it best, “If you have knowledge, let others light their candle with it”. There ya go!

Who would be your ideal target audience?

I wrote Ms. Wood’s How to Draw book to be a source of art techniques, art history and art terms for the young artist whose parent might need to help and guide them through the book.  But equally so for the young artist that can read the story and do the tutorials all on their own.  I also hoped that it could be used in a homeschool/school environments as a fun, adventurous approach to learning about the world  and the art within it.  Beyond the obvious art benefits, the teacher could also bring in facts about the rainforest, environmental issues, animals of the rainforest to round out the experience of the book.

Describe your typical writing day or week?

Since my focus is teaching each day my typical writing day or week is a constant task of organizing my time which is different each day to fit writing and illustrating in.  To describe the way I wrote Ms. Wood’s, it was late nights (till 2am-ish) in my studio painting, while watching English mystery shows on my I-pad and sipping coffee with my cat laying inches from my work.

Is there a food or drink you have to have when you’re writing and drawing?

Yes, coffee (raw sugar and a spot of milk) and a granola bar or wheat thins.  Many times when I’d be painting I’d typically have my coffee mug sitting next to my water container for painting and often would dip my brush into the coffee mug, sometimes I’d notice, sometimes not…giggle!

Can you tell us what you’re working on right now (& possibly provide an excerpt & cover)?

Yes, I’m excited to say that I’m in the beginning stages of storyboarding my next Ms. Wood’s Wild Art Adventures-Japan!  This country has always attracted me to their architecture, textiles (Kimonos), Geishas, Samurai, Tea Ceremonies, dragons and their ancient legends and folklore.  So, I’m excited about this upcoming adventure as we have a magical encounter with ancient Japan…and then draw & paint what we see!

 MS WOOD’S WILD ART ADVENTURES -

The Rainforest Book Summary

As a Children’s fine art teacher for many years, I’ve learned so much from my students.  Children have such rich imaginations and are always telling their own stories through their drawings.  Through those imaginations, much can be learned.  So it just made sense to me to combine art instruction with simple storytelling in the this

charming richly illustrated book.

In this first book of the Series the reader and I are off to the rainforest.

We've got to run and catch a plane, painting the clouds we see out the plane window. 

Then, once we arrive in the Rainforest, we’ll draw or paint tropical leaves, trees in Perspective, monkeys, and colorful toucans while sitting under giant leaves in the rainforest. 

        

 

We're chased by a swarm of colorful Bees, fly off cliffs only to land in the soft rainforest fauna! 

While lying on the rainforest floor we look up at the trees - There it is...

 

…Single Point Perspective / a Bugs-Eye View! Then we head off in a hot air balloon...

Yes! A hot air balloon for an 'Aerial View'! 

I offer step-by-step examples of how to draw the cloud, the toucan, the tropical leaves, the monkey, and the trees in perspective in easy, informative mini tutorials.

This book is also filled with examples of master artists who also have painted clouds, plants, birds, and used perspective in their own styles and mediums.

So, of course, I'll be talking about Impressionism, Modern Art, Realism and more.

 

At the end of the book there is a fun crossword puzzle using some of the art terms that we use within the book.  Plus, little hidden 'things' on each page for the reader/artist to 'observe' so that they might enjoy a

 'Fascination with Observation!

This series creates a way for children to enjoy learning how to draw and paint

what they see, while on wild 'art' adventures with Ms Wood and enrich your story time together further by studying more about the environment, animals and geography of the Rainforest. Combining these activities with a fun adventure creates a fulfilling way to learn about our world and how to draw it!

 LINKS

How to draw with Ms. Wood’s Wild Art Adventures

How to Draw Cool Stuff

Jan Wood Harris-Students Art Gallery/Forum

http://www.janwoodharrisart.com/

Meet Dan Canwell

SPOTLIGHT ON DAN CANWELL

  I would like you to meet Dan Canwell a talented new author who gives us a glimpse of his life and a exclusive sneak preview of his upcoming book - *CCCP*. 

DAN CANWELL

Born in Portsmouth in Hampshire in the 1960’s Dan Canwell has long had an interest in 20^th Century history.

With a great deal of research and fiction interwoven with historical accuracy, ‘CCCP’ is a debut novel that seeks to explain the creation and fall of the largest land empire the earth has ever known.

At various times I have been a lawyer, estate agent, waiter, hotel receptionist, egg seller and more. None of which has any relevance to the fiction I have created. I currently live and work in the north east of England surrounded by friends and just grateful that the sun comes up each morning.

How do I summarise CCCP ?

 

It sounds cold to say that it is a fictional account of the fall of the Soviet Union but in essence that is what it is but it is a modern thriller involving the KGB, the CIA, Faberge jewellery, an awful lot of history and some very intense characters. It will make you think of history differently !

Spotlight interview questions

What is your all-time favourite book and why?

My all time favourite book is The Silver Sword by Ian Serrallier, and the ‘why’ is very simple – it was the book that made me want to read. I had read books before but this brought characters to life, so that they were not fantasy but seemed real and three dimensional. The book is also set in an historical maelstrom that has fascinated me ever since. When older and no wiser, with children of my own I read it to them and was enthralled to see that they were just as captivated as I had been all those years before. Although the time period may be fading from living memory, the story of hope against adversity is one that is enduring and can be relevant to people of all ages.

Is there an author you could be compared to or popular fictional characters your book's characters could relate to and why?

People who have read the book have compared it to both Tom Clancy and Dan Brown. I hasten to add that they have said the plot is like a Dan Brown novel with political intrigue and depth, but they have not said the writing matches his……..which is a compliment [I think.] I have to say that I was aiming for a ground somewhere around there although something closer to Ludlum would have been more the target. But I’ll take Clancy and be grateful and stunned with that comparison.

What was it that inspired you to write CCCP?

I had been writing for years and frankly it was mostly rubbish with a few nuggets of creativity. The problem was that I listened to the advice to write what you know about and what I knew was the law. The curse was that I knew too much and so what I wrote became turgid and dull – fine for an anorak but torture for a reader. Over coffee one day with a friend, Lisa Sinfield, I suggested that we write a book together and we quickly mapped out a plot that seemed quite fun. I then added a bit and my ego took over, so I nicked the project with her permission, and set out to research and write the book. Lisa has approved the end result which is pleasing to me. She has some brilliant ideas of her own and hopefully will one day commit them to paper.

What types of things/people/music inspires you and makes you want to keep writing?

I am greatly inspired and amused by friends who seem to think that I can do this writing thing. As for the rest of it, I love the historical research and the lateral thinking that goes into creating the plots – of taking documented facts and making them fit my warped and mildly polluted concept of how the world operates. In my world nothing is ever quite what it appears to be. I can while away hours just ensuring that I have the right type of engine in an aircraft that might only be in the book for a couple of lines, but to me it is important to have the respect for the reader to get the facts like that right. Oh heck, I’m a real geek aren’t I ?

Describe your typical writing day or week.

As I work full time, and it is a job that places a lot of calls on my time, I don’t have a typical writing week. I grab whatever time I can and do what is available – it might be a re-write if I have no internet for research, it might be just jotting in a notebook if I have no laptop, or it might be a full on session lasting hours where I sit in my armchair and create death destruction and mayhem, all in the name of entertainment of course.

Is there a food or drink do you have to have when you're writing?

I am fuelled by toast and tea when writing. Especially the toast. Usually white bread with butter and if I am being really indulgent, marmalade. The tea must be scalding hot, almost orange in strength and needs two sugars just to counteract the tannic acid. And then more toast with a side order of toast and a dessert of toast. Please. I do like toast.

Can you tell us when you think your book will be available and in what format?

CCCP is a labour of love, but more important than that, it is also the learning project where I am making the mistakes that I hope not to repeat in the future. For that reason all I can say is that I am aiming to get it published in 2013 and it will be available in paperback and as an ebook – I am yet to decide on which platform[s]

Can you give us your favourite quote from of your book and explain it?

Oh that’s a difficult one………………but let’s try this bit [it is slightly edited so as not to spoil the plot]

‘You can’t! The yacht is mine!’ Friis was half crying half pleading for his boat which struck Tchort as rather bizarre given the circumstances.

   ‘As you choose Friis, it is immaterial to me. Give me the box.’ Tchort slid a round into the barrel of the handgun.

   ‘You’ve got orders not to shoot me!’

   ‘I might forget. Last chance Friis. Give me the box’ said Tchort calmly. Friis scrabbled around on the bunk and threw a gold box at Tchort who caught it without breaking eye contact with his opponent. Tchort slipped it into his pocket.

   ‘Now the other one, let’s not take a risk that we meet again before we have to huh?’ Friis sat dumb and mute, almost paralysed. ‘The box. Now Friis’ commanded Tchort.

   ‘It’s ……………it’s in the locker behind you.’ Friis pointed to a locker in the space behind Tchort’s head formed by the deck head. Delicately the Russian took a step back and looked towards the locker which was when Friis sprang forward and was felled by one punch to the face delivered with an almost casual violence by Tchort who had never for one moment let his guard drop. Friis slipped and fell into the cocktail of blood and vomit looking up into the disdainful expression on Tchort’s face. Calmly the Russian reached into the locker and to his surprise his hand closed on the second gold box which after a quick examination he also put in his pocket.

   ‘Thank you Friis’ said Tchort. ‘As I said, I have orders not to shoot you.’ He unscrewed the silencer from the gun and fired into the cabin floor three times. The bullets shattered the deck and went through the bottom of the boat, the glass fibre hull easily penetrated. Water began to gurgle and flood into the hull and the rocking motion of the boat on the waves diminished as the Pernilla sat ever lower in the water.

   ‘Goodbye Friis’ said Tchort ‘please remember that I did not shoot you but if there is a hell then I hope you rot in it’ and he turned and made his way up the steep ladder to the cockpit, locking the cabin hatch behind him. Friis had not moved but now began to scream and shout as Tchort untied the tender and calmly stepped into the smaller boat, started the motor and set course back towards the marina at Norsminde. Within ten minutes the yacht had sunk leaving only small whirlpools on the surface which like Friis’s life gradually faded away to nothing.

Social media at    https://www.facebook.com/dan.canwell.writer

Website at           http://www.dancanwell.com

The Characters of Dragon World, Book One

As the Dragon World series grows so too do the list of characters. As a quick reference I have put together a list of characters from the series. It’s a bit of a two edge sword though as I recognise that it could be a spoiler if you have not yet read all the books and you start learning of characters you have yet to meet. To get around that I have split the list into the three books of the series. Book one, The Bonding Crystal, will therefore have the most extensive list. Books two and three will consist of the extra characters you will met in those books. I have uploaded the character lists for book one. Book two’s list of characters will be on line soon and book three’s list will be available as soon as book three is published. Any questions, any suggestions, missed anyone out? Just get in touch I would love to hear from you.


CHRACTERS OF DRAGON WORLD.

Book one

The Bonding Crystal

Maureen Murrish

  

Abigail Gibson - Robby’s friend and self-appointed protector.

Alan Parker - A member of the gang who bully Robby at school. Also known as Porker.

Amanda Davies - Abigail’s aunt who lives in one of the three tower blocks in the town with her nine children and husband, David.

Andrew McRoss - Robby’s father.

Angelica - The maiden rescued by the dragon, Lenaker, and who became the first Talcorne of Moilana.

Bernice Biggins and Dolapo - A fellow bondling in the council clan and her dragon.

Bess - Robby’s horse at the farm.

Chester - Robby’s fletchat.

David Davies - Abigail’s uncle.

Dimble - The dragon Robby, Abigail and Frenzel meet while traveling to Moilana on first arriving in Jaswinder.

Gredfel - A goblin leader.

Haldar and Onis - A junior minister who Skelso tried to whip and then expel from Jaswinder while Haldar was a bondling. Onis is his dragon.

Helen McRoss - Robby’s mother.

Jack Gillespie and Kendra - fellow bondling in the council clan and his dragon.

Katrina and Trinder - fellow bondling in the council clan and her dragon.

Lenaker - The dragon that saved Angelica from slavers before Moilana was established.

Lex - a young unbonded dragon from the forecaster clan who Abigail and Dimble become friends with.

Lillis Ricaby and Tasnin - Fellow bondling in the council clan and her dragon.

Lord Cravell and Aldrin - Second minister of Moilana and his dragon.

Lord Featherstone and Bowe - Third minister of Moilana and his dragon.

Lord Skelso and Falstow - A junior minister and his dragon.

Lord Whickstaff and Traijus - First Minister of Moilana and his dragon.

Maltore and Cenar - The guard and his dragon on guard at the gate when Frenzel Robby Abigail and Dimble first arrive at Moilana.

Master Dickens and Blake - The games master and his dragon.

Master Hardy and Rafe - An explorer and his dragon who teach the bondlings compass reading.

Master Tollo and Eco - Master Tollo the survival/explorer master and his dragon.

Master Widcup and Khun - History/protocol teacher and his dragon.

Michael O’Shay and Quadri - Fellow bondling in the council clan and his dragon.

Mrs Billings - the brownie pack-leader.

Nelly Windlass - The leader of the gang which bully Robby at school. Also known as Big Nell.

Nicholas and Ansel - fellow bondlings in the council clan and his dragon.

Olgolgath - the longest lived dragon ever recorded.

Peter Whitfield - Member of the gang who bullied Robby at school. Also known as Witless.

Ristler - A snuffler goblin.

Rosie - Abigail's pony at the farm.

Sapna and Shelly - The first minister’s messenger and her dragon.  

Sibyl - Abigail's fletchat.

Tepti and Thrawn - A half elf and her dragon. Guardians of the sacred mountain.

Yolanda and Gilly - the keeper of the Valtran accommodation for the council clan and her dragon.