Happy Appreciate a Dragon Day

Today is national “Appreciate a Dragon Day”. Really. We’re pretty excited about it…having a dragon hatchling and all. If you get a chance, stop by the Cybrarie and say hi to Firewing, our resident dragon. He really likes it when friends stop by.

To celebrate we’re going to do some of his favorite things – you got it – we’re having a cookout. Yes, it’s the middle of winter, but we’re in southern California at our little castle house and the weather’s perfect today. We’re gonna let the dragon roast some hot dogs and burgers and, of course, marshmallows – his absolute favorite. If you get a chance, stop by and join us – we’d love to see you there! http://Cybrarie.com

Celebratin' with the Dragon

Hey! It's Brady and I gotta tell you - last night was soooo cool!


Last night Firewing stayed up to see how we celebrated the New Year. A lot of our neighbors were celebrating and had small parties going at their houses. We didn't go to any of their parties – we just had one of our own – you know, we try to keep the dragon out of sight of the neighbors.


Have I ever told you about our house and our street? We live in a small town in southern California called Pandora Cove. Don't bother trying to find it on the map, it's a small town and for some reason they just don't seem to ever put it on a stupid map. Anyway, our house is the greatest. It looks like a castle. Really. Well, maybe not as big as a real castle, but it's still pretty big and it's really cool. It's not like any of the other houses on our street that all look exactly alike. Matter of fact, we live on a cul- de-sac so Ry says the other houses are like pawns protecting the king (us) who live in the castle. I know. It's corny but it is kinda cool to think of it like that


Our house is huge (which is a good thing when you have a dragon…even if it is a miniature sized hatchling). Our back yard is really big too and there's no neighbors back there – just a little wooded area around the fringe of our yard – it's kinda like having our own private little forest. It's a great place to play hide and seek…you know, like when we were little kids.


Anyway, Sean and Kylie were visiting for the holidays and we were having our own little party in the family room – watching the TV specials, playing arcade games (Cosmic Kingdom of course), and having some fun when Firewing must've been looking out the windows and saw some of the neighbor kids running up and down the street with sparkers. He got all excited and started flaming his wings (sorry Mom, Sean had the fire extinguisher handy so the tile only got a little singed – I'll scrub it today and make it shine I promise – there wasn't any real damage, I swear!) Out in the backyard Firewing was running around and puffing out little flame shapes – kinda like some people can blow smoke rings - we found out he can blow different shaped flames. It was pretty cool. But, he was excited and started flaming his wings and before we knew it he was flying and making all kinds of shapes and pictures with the flames in the sky – his own version of fireworks. It was GREAT!!


We did get a little nervous when the neighbors started coming over to find out what kind of fireworks we had. Ry talked to the neighbors while I told Firewing in Dragonese to quit flaming!! (I hope my voice changes soon so I can make those low growly sounds in Dragonese better – at least Firewing can understand me!) Anyway, we had to make Firewing come down and hide with me in the forest and stay still and be really quiet so the neighbors don't find him. Mom says we're not zoned for dragons in our neighborhood. Ry just told the neighbors that we found some special fireworks when we were away – didn't get them locally…well, it's not exactly a lie, we found Firewing in the Netherscape, that's not exactly local.


Anyway, the New Year is off to a great start! We had a blast celebrating – how about you?

A Dragon's Christmas Tale

‘Twas the night before Christmas, the old story goes
The year Rudolph was sick with a cold in his nose.
His eyes were all itchy and watery too
He coughed and he sneezed a resounding A-CHOOOO!!

The poor little deer couldn’t lift up his head
How could he possibly fly - and pull that big sled?
His coughs and his sneezes just wouldn’t do
They started an avalanche - burying sleigh and toys too!

Santa thought and he thought then he called an old friend
Dr. Doolittle came running – couldn’t let Christmas end!
Doc spoke to the elf while shaking his head
“That is one sick little deer that must stay in bed.”

So Santa met with his wisest of elves
They debated and planned and said to themselves
“The fog is so thick, how do you suppose
We will ever get through with no shiny red nose?”

“There must be someone who can help us out
But who can it be?” The elves started to pout.
The littlest elf quietly started to sing
“I know of someone. His name’s Firewing.”

“He’s the smallest of dragons from the legends of old
But he’s kind and he’s loving, has a heart made of gold.
With a puff he can breathe fire on high
He has fire enough to light up the sky.”

“This tiny dragon has a talent so rare
He can make his wings flame while flying on air.
With Firewing’s help for the good girls and boys
Santa can get through with his sleigh full of toys.”

The reindeer looked nervous and pawed at the ground
A dragon? For real? THIS was the replacement they found?
The puzzled old elf asked “what’s the matter with you?”
Then Comet cried out “Santa, my friend, we love Christmas too.”

“BUT…a dragon?! For real?! What are you thinking?
He’s a dragon! He’ll gobble us up without even blinking.
We don’t want to end up flambéed as a venison roast,
Not a nice reindeer stew, to eat with some toast!”

The jolly old elf chuckled and said “My dear little friends do not dismay -
Dragons are just like you, they eat oats and some hay,
An occasional apple maybe a carrot or two
But NEVER my friends do they eat venison stew.”

They were still unconvinced so Santa said one thing more
“Dragons do have one weakness, a treat they adore.
They have quite a sweet tooth, and can’t get enough
Marshmallows my friends; and marshmallow fluff!”

“Marshmallows?” asked Comet “I hear they’re quite good,
The humans like to toast them over a flame made with wood.”
“Yes,” agreed Santa, “And Firewing is a friend
Who will toast them for you over and over again!”

So off they all flew that one Christmas night
Delivering presents by Firewing’s light.
They laughed and they partied and had quite a time
With roasted marshmallows and friends, it was quite sublime.

So early next morning Firewing crawled into bed
While visions of reindeer friends danced in his head.
He dreamt of the night with his new found friends
They saved Christmas for all, so it wouldn’t end.

But later that morning he wasn’t quite sure
When his young friend Brady eagerly bounced through his door
Had it been real or a wonderful dream?
His head was all fuzzy like…marshmallow cream.

“Come on down, Santa’s been here
I’ll tell you the story of the elf and reindeer.”
Brady babbled excitedly of the well known tale
How they delivered presents and made that sleigh sail

“He’s left us all presents – the best that could be
Some books are for Kylie, Dragonese tapes for me.
Ryan got a sword to decorate his room,
Sean got a boom box with extra loud boom.”

“But, you got the very best gift of them all.
Come see for yourself” Brady continued to call
A most perfect present, please hurry and see
Your very own fantasy – a Marshmallow tree!”

“It’s loaded with marshmallows and does a great trick
When you pick a marshmallow off, one grows back real quick.
It comes with a note from Santa” he raved
“Heartfelt thanks go to Firewing – for Christmas he saved.”

“What does he mean?” Brady wanted to know
But the dragon just winked and ate a marshmallow.
“Presents are nice – but not the real reason
We celebrate and love this wonderful season.”

“Christmas is more than just presents and toys -
Its working together to spread love and joy.
The best part of Christmas is the feeling you know
From sharing the love wherever you go.”

He ate one more marshmallow then started to fly
His message emblazed across a clear sky
“Happy Christmas to all – go spread love and good cheer
Be kind to others – throughout the whole year.”

Sam's Quest CONTEST AND BOOK GIVEAWAYS!!

Hey guys!! I was reading a really cool blog over on MySpace. They are having a contest and giving away a copy of book 1 and 2 in this series! Follow the link to the BLOG AND CONTEST to enter to win!

I'll repost the blog and book review here so you can see what it's all about. The books sound GREAT and we all know how much I love to read. I am definitely going to check this out! Enjoy!

The publisher of Black Hawk Press is Ben R. Furman, a former FBI counterterrorism chief, who has drawn on this experience to write about high-tech terrorism, chemical, biological, and nuclear threats, and transnational criminal cartels. During his career he investigated kidnappings, extortions, bank robberies, led SWAT teams and was the FBI counterterrorism chief assigned to address threats against the United States by terrorists of all stripes.

He also writes fantasy adventure novels with positive messages for the young adult, juvenile market.

He is the CEO of Rexus, a company that conducts international corporate investigations involving industrial espionage, internal theft, business due diligence and background screening.


Ben is giving away a copy of Book 1 and Book 2 of his series.






To win a copy of the above book and of 2, The Royal Trident, leave a comment on the MySpace blog at the above link with your working email address so that they can contact you. If you blog about this contest, leave a comment there, telling them where you are blogging about it and they'll give you an additional entry. Contest ends November 30th. The winner will be announced on the MySpace blog on December 1st. Good luck. See the review posted below for more information about the storyline:


Book Review:


Eleven-year-old Samantha "Sam" Mae Costas expects the summer at her grandfather's farm to be boring, as usual, unless she can find her own adventure. She never dreams she'll be expected to save a world, however. But on the second day there, Sam and Patch, her grandfather's dog, are exploring the nearby woods when she discovers a "tiny boy no bigger than her thumb" trapped in a spider web. She rescues the boy, and is soon caught up in a battle between the Awokians who live in Innerworld and the Zogs who the Awokians banished to Bottomworld some 1000 years ago and who now want to escape.

The boy, Prince Buznor of Awok, has been looking for her. She bears the red, diamond shaped birthmark of the one who will keep their world from being destroyed. To do so, she must recover the Crimson Crystal that King Kaylan, Buznor's uncle, hid in a cave in the Land of Geffen, but the King and the Crystal have disappeared and without the crystal Innerworld is doomed.

So begins the story of an unlikely heroine. Beginning with Sam's doubts in her ability to save the Aowks, to being ambushed by dwarfs, attacked by bats, and facing Drogon, leader of the Zogs she faces each challenge with courage to help her new friends. Who will win the battle between the Awoks and Zogs? You'll have to read the book to find out.

Sam's Quest for the Crimson Crystal is an exciting adventure that proves you don't have to be the biggest, the strongest, or the bravest to be a hero. Young readers should enjoy traveling with Sam through the magical lands of this book, cheering for her when she succeeds, urging her on when she falters.


This sounds like a great series and exciting contest - be sure to check it out!
_________________

~Kylie
www.destineers.com