I Have a Publisher!

I am pleased and excited to announce that I have signed a contract for the publication of The Shadow of Tiamat with Crescent Moon Press. This is home to many fine writers, including my friends Lynn Rush and Ciara Knight. And I've met new friends there already as well. I'm looking forward to working with them, and they are as excited about my book as I am.

Friends, this has been a long road. A long, long, long road...and it is far from over. I started writing the first book in this series in November of 2009. I began it as a passing amusement, indulging in my long lost childhood dreams of being an author. Once I began, I found I could not stop. And I never will so long as I can breathe and type.

I've met a lot of fine people along the way. I've made many new friends, and even lost a few. I've learned, as I have many times in the past but failed to listen, that sometimes the people telling you what you want to hear are the ones you should listen to the least. I've earned a lot of fans on Facebook, and a lot of people interested in my daily thought bubbles on Twitter. And now, finally, after all this time, a small but respected publisher has chosen to take a chance on an urban fantasy novel, set in Joplin, written by--of all things--a former social service worker and academically trained criminologist. I am humbled and honored.

But the most important thing I can say right now is this: THANK YOU.

This happened because of you. ALL of you. Yes, I wrote the books. Yes, I dealt with the stress and strain of rejection, waiting and hoping, lingering by the phone, checking emails everyday hoping for some sign of progress. But I never could have done this without your help. Without every single one of you listening to me, tolerating me, encouraging me, entertaining me, amusing me, humbling me, disciplining me, and strengthening me, I'd have surrendered long ago. Nothing I have done would have been possible without your help. I am no island. This, what has happened here, what happens from here on with this publisher or any other, is as much your achievement as it is mine.

So where now? It isn't over yet. No, it's just beginning! The book will be in print and I'll be touring and promoting. I've made it into an exclusive club now, being a published writer. It's an honor few receive, and I have no idea what the future holds. But you've been with me up to now, and I hope you'll be with me the rest of the way as I detail my journey. But books must be sold, and to be sold they must be promoted. I'll be calling upon you all again, many times in the future, to help me along the way. Buying copies of the book, recommending me to your friends and family, posting reviews on Amazon and other bookseller sites, tweeting and retweeting updates, promoting my book tours, and even sometimes giving me a place to sleep between book signings. I can never reward you what you deserve for this, all you've done for me and all that you may do for me, but I can promise this: it will never be forgotten. And, in one way or another, it will be repaid. I promise.

Thank you all. And this is for all of you. Praise Tiamat!

-Sean T. Poindexter

P.S. What do you think of the new blog layout?

Sean T Poindexter is in Demand! (updated 8/2/10)

This week, I received an email from a book store manager asking when/where my books would be available, because she's had people come into the store asking to order my books. It happened enough times that she Googled me, found my website, and sent me an email.

Are you listening, publishers that have my manuscript?

I'm just saying...

You know how to reach my agent.

Update: 8/2/10: I also have book reviewers asking me for review copies of the book on twitter. When I was with my old publisher (the one that stopped existing before the book could be released) I had a review done by a review site and got 4.5 Stars out of 5. I have every reason to believe any subsequent reviews will be equally glowing, if not better since the book has gone through edits with an editor AND my agent.

From Formspring: Assorted Questions pt.3

As promised!

While writing your books, do you focus on that story exclusively, or do you work on multiple projects simultaneously? asked by mrsbrownstar
 

I usually work on more than one at a time, editing one of my books while writing another. Sometimes I’ll be writing more than one at a time. I did this with Max’s first book, which I wrote while working on the fourth book in the Dragon’s Blood Chronicles. I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep up at that rate once I start having to do promotion, but with the way my attention fluctuates, I have to be working on more than one thing at a time.

Since vampires are host to a demonic virus could they be possessed by another entity like a ghost or something?

The virus that turns people into vamps changes their physical makeup so that they are closer to demons than human. Some demons (Voidborne) can possess others of their kind. Ghosts are a different matter, and aren’t something I’ve addressed much in the books.

Why do penguins march so much when they're such great swimmers? Is it because they're trying to adapt to life on land? ARE THEY PLANNING ON TAKING OVER?!

Decide for yourself…

Could a Komodo dragon beat a vampire? I know it's not an actual dragon but they are pretty badass.

Yes, Komodo dragons are pretty bad-ass. But, their hunting method makes taking down a vampire unlikely. Komodos hunt by hiding in tall grass or trees until something walks by. Then they lash out and bite it. If the target survives (most do) they get infected with all the super bacteria concentrated in the Komodos’ teeth. The subject then dies a few hours or days later, and then Komodos track the smell to the corpse and chow down. Since vampires are immune to disease and heal very fast, the Komodo would have to kill then in the initial attack. At that point, it would depend on the size of the Komodo and the age/power of the vampire. However, vamps can’t regenerate limbs so, if the Komodo got him in the leg, he could probably finish him off. This assumes that the vamp wasn’t carrying a weapon, which most of them would.

You don't ever do the cliche in your books where they knock someone on the head and then they're fine do you?

No. Having been struck in the head a number of times, in my books I treat concussions with the respect they deserve.

What would you suggest for someone transitioning from writing persuasive essays to writing fiction? What common ground do they have?

In both cases, you have to keep your reader’s attention and interest. There will be a temptation to replace most (or all) exposition with dialog. Fight this. Some exposition in dialog is fine, so long as you break up long blocks of dialog with action. Too much exposition in dialog is boring and confusing. In addition to losing track of who is talking, you’re also giving your readers what would in the legal system be considered hearsay. Readers would rather witness the events themselves, rather than hear about them from the characters. Exposition in dialog is fine for characters giving background or establishing events from their past, but major plot points shouldn’t usually be described in dialog. For a perfect example of how boring and annoying this is, read Bram Stoker’s Lair of the White Worm. In Dracula Stoker was able to tell the story from multiple dialogs (in the form of letters and journals) but in Lair… he simply has the main character return home each day and tell his butler about all the spooky shit he saw and did. It is so annoying and dull.

But, the best advice I can give for this is also the best advice any writer can give: read. Read the kinds of books you like, the kind of books you want to write and even books you don’t want your book to resemble. Learn from them. Feel free to imitate their style, because the more you write the more your own voice will emerge.

Whats your favorite?

Cookies and Cream. No, wait...Ringo.

Are we not all predatory animals by instinct? If humans ceased wholly from preying upon each other, could they continue to exist?

No. Yes.

Do you ever get yourself angry on purpose to self-motivate? asked by accuseanaccuser

I don’t usually find anger very motivational for writing. Sometimes I get sad or angry when writing a scene that is sad or angry. 

Do you ever write naked? And if so can you please describe what that looks like? And can you do it in a sexy voice? And in the scene can you please have a Winston Churchill blow up doll? That will really help get things going...

Yes, no, NO, and absolutely not.

Since vampirism is a blood borne demonic virus, could someone become a vampire from having sex with a vampire?

Yes, any fluid transmission can spread the virus. However, only a small portion of the population is susceptible to the virus. Otherwise, the planet would be overrun with vampires. For whatever reason, most people can’t get infected. Even among those who can, the virus is spread best by blood-to-blood transmission. Saliva and semen will spread the virus, but it works faster if one of those fluids comes in contact with blood.

Would the echelon ever consider the killing of a dragon by a non-dragon justified? What if it was for a vendetta they considered dubious?

The Echelon doesn’t care what non-Dragons do. If a non-dragon managed to kill a dragon, they’d consider it that dragon’s problem. The only way they’d consider it worth their time would be if someone had decided to eliminate dragons, and appeared to have at least a remote chance of succeeding. Neither event it likely and both the odds of both are almost nil.

Would it be considered dishonorable combat for a dragon using powers or abilities particular to its type? Like a much smaller dragon that uses shape shifting for example.

Not usually, as long as they were natural abilities the dragon possessed and not augmentations from sorcery or technology. While a few dragons have shape-shifting abilities above the others—like Aoni’a’s ability to take any human form or Wenonah’s ability to take animal forms—it’s unlikely those would be much help in a fight with another dragon, unless they were just trying to hide. There is a dragon in one of the later books who has augmented the natural aura of obfuscation that dragons exude (that’s why most humans can’t see them) to the point that it works on other dragons—at least until she attacks—but her use of that power isn’t considered dishonorable: it’s part of who she is. However, a dragon strapping an air-to-air missile to it’s neck would be in poor taste, to say the least.

How much territory is claimed by dragons, and how big are they usually (the territories)? Where are the largest unclaimed areas?

Dragon’s value quality over quantity, the largest territories tend to be in areas where humans can’t or won’t live. Dragons that enjoy being around people claim entire cities as their territory, while more solitary dragons stay where there are fewer people. The largest dragon territorial claim is probably in Antarctica, where an ancient named Wotan lives. He probably claims the entire continent, though there are several other dragons living there. As far as unclaimed areas, dragons tend to assume any land connected to theirs is part of their claim if no other dragon has claimed it. This only becomes a problem when another dragon tries to claim it or take it away. Fortunately, most of these disagreements end peacefully, as the less powerful dragon submits to the more powerful one without a fight.

How much influence would you say arguing with people online has had on your writing style? asked by accuseanaccuser

I’m not sure, but I know it helped me learn to type really fast.

Angus, what do your cow eyes see?

Grass. A lot of grass.

Sorry for the delay! New Blog coming!

Sorry again, I've just not had the time to do another blog. One is coming soon, though. Tomorrow or Friday at the latest. It will be a collection of Formspring questions along with my answers. Don't miss it!

A Little Taste of Dragons Fighting...

There are still some of you who haven't yet read the excerpt from my first novel: The Shadow of Tiamat. I'm not going to get mad at you, though. You're all very busy. Or, maybe you aren't sure you'll like it. Also, the excerpt is pretty long. Most authors and publishers only give you a few paragraphs. I slapped down the first six chapters. A lot of you have appreciated that, but I'm sure there are many who found it daunting. I don't blame you: I'd be reluctant to read six chapters from a book I wasn't really sure was going to be that good, too.

As a new, unpublished author it is my job to convince you to take a look. That means some very aggressive (and possibly annoying) self-promotion. I used to be embarrassed by it, but I'm so over that now. So, here we go...

When I started writing the first novel, I had no idea I was writing something good. I mean, I figured it wouldn't suck, but I never imagined I might be creating something that could have mass appeal. I expected to self-publish or land a small, ebook publisher and sell a few hundred copies to friends and family. The first person to actually read the book all the way through was a young friend of mine. She is not an avid reader, or even a fan of fantasy or dragons. She is also very, very busy and has a high-stress job...which meant that her down time is precious. I expected she'd read a few chapters and then tell me it was "interesting" but that she was too busy to read the whole thing and give it back. She read the entire book in two days. I should also point out that this was an early draft of the book. It was riddled with typos, spelling errors, awkward usage and even a couple of logical inconsistencies that were later cleared up. She loved it. Still loves it. Her reaction was what convinced me that I had something special here, something that could be big. At the very least, it was something I could make a living doing, and enjoy. 

So, here is the deal. I can talk about how great the book is all day. I could tell you that my beta reader group is unanimous in their love of the book and the series. I could tell you how many of them read the whole damn manuscript (over 110,000 words) in like one night--hint: most of them. I could also mention the actors, writers, producers and musicians who have read at least part of the book (if not all) and loved it. Or, I could mention the 9+ publishers who have requested partial and/or full manuscripts from my tireless agents. I might also bring up that it's in a genre that is about to explode, thanks in no small part to the smashing success of The Passage.

But I won't...that would just be insufferable of me.

Instead, I'm going to give you a little taste of what you might be missing.

The following is the third chapter of my novel, The Shadow of Tiamat. It is the first in The Dragon's Blood Chronicles, of which I have written five, not including a spin-off series of paranormal mysteries starring one of the more endearing characters from the first two books. A lot of the feedback on the book is praise regarding the elaborate but easy-to-follow battles between the dragons, even from people who don't even like fantasy--or dragons. This is a pleasant surprise, but it makes sense: few things are more bad-ass than dragons beating the hell out of other things and/or each other. This is not a very long chapter, and it contains several key characters for the series.

Enough of the self-promotion...now it is time for me to prove to you that my book will be worth reading. I give you dragons fighting dragons:

*    *    *

Three stood in silence in the East African desert: two men and a woman. The night was black under the moonless sky, but they saw clearer than any human eyes could have on the brightest day.

The female broke the silence, “Do you think she will come?” Yomiko stood a few inches from Yor, the only other Asian there. His silence implied impatience. He was her brother and she expected his support.

“She will come,” said the bald man standing several meters away. He continued gazing at the horizon.

His accent was English, maybe Australian. Whatever it was, Yomiko despised the way he talked…not the accent, the words. He spoke like a human. It was disgusting.
 
“Do you think she will suspect?” the female asked, turning her back to Yor.

Though she could see only the side of his face, the curl of his cheek showed the bald man was smiling.

“Of course she will suspect.” Her brother placed his hand on her shoulder. She shook him off. Her bound hair flipped against his wrist as he withdrew.

“She is one of us, love.” The bald man’s scalp was decorated with sharp, angular runes. They seemed to have been carved in with a knife and filled with black and red ink.  He glanced over his broad shoulder at her. “She would be a fool not to.”

“But she will come, Xyus?” She fixed his eyes with her gaze and tilted her head. He reacted to the mention of his name by turning back to the horizon.

“She will come.”

And she did. The cool desert breeze carried her scent to their nostrils. All three raised their heads and took it in, like instinct. A few seconds later, Morrígu came into view.
She was massive, but graceful. Her powerful wings turned the gentle desert air into a torrent. The three on the ground stood resolute, despite the powerful dust storm erupting around them.

Yomiko couldn’t help but admire her. She was captivated by the layers of emerald scales, many of them glossy enough to catch sparkles from the faint starlight. Some interlocking and other overlapping, they armored her muscular form like a work of reptilian art. Yomiko found her spectacular; a breathtaking example of their kind. It reminded her why many of their ancestors were worshipped.

In her long life, Morrígu had probably been worshipped as well.

She transformed into her human shape in midair. The creature that was over eighty meters long with a wingspan of nearly twice that reduced to a naked woman. She fell to the ground feet first with a light thud, bending her knees with the impact.

As she stood, Yomiko saw Morrígu’s female form was no less astounding than her draconic one—at least by paltry human standards. She was voluptuous, with full breasts, a slender waist, and curving hips. A mane of sultry red hair fell over her strong, feminine shoulders down to the middle of her back. Her eyes were piercing green; no less so than the emerald scales that had covered her form just seconds ago.

Yomiko looked at her two male companions. Many of her kind had a taste for human women. If her brother or Xyus were among them, they must have found her irresistible.

Without taking her gaze away from Xyus, Morrígu gestured to the others with a nod. “Who are they?” Her voice was strong and proud, full of a confidence Yomiko envied. The accent was Irish, but poised and refined.

“They are to be trusted,” Xyus replied, not taking his eyes off of her.

“That is not what I asked!” She placed her hands on her wide hips.

Xyus introduced them. It was only after they had been named that the red haired dragon glanced to them and sniffed the air. She did it twice, once for each of them.

“Twins?” she said, with no small amount of intrigue. She regarded Yor before Yomiko, but seemed to spend a bit more time on the female. This interested her, but seemed to concern Yor. Her brother stepped forward and placed a hand on his sister’s back and another on her belly.

“Meredith Morrígu.” Xyus glanced over his shoulder at the twins. They nodded in reverence. Morrígu returned attention to her host.

“Xyus, I presume you have called me here at the behest of your master—”

“I have no master!” he interrupted, taking a brisk step forward and lowering his jaw. His gaze fixed her nude form in umbrage. It was a level of contempt Yomiko had never observed between two of her kind.

“Your ally,” Morrígu corrected, making it more than obvious that she did not approve of the finer term. Nonetheless, it seemed to abate Xyus; for the moment.
 
“I have.”

“Then I will tell you what I told the last ally he sent to me.”

“You have no need to tell me,” he explained, crossing his hands. “You may tell him yourself!”

Yomiko noticed an immediate change in Morrígu. Almost like an animal, she went from refined and elegant to feral and poised. The men tensed up in kind, initiating an instinctual reaction in Yomiko to do the same. After sniffing the air, Morrígu relaxed but kept up her guard.

“Fraise is not here,” she declared, unhidden scorn in her tone.

“Not yet.” Xyus mocked her with a chuckle.

Yomiko looked to her brother. She expected to see confusion, but instead saw only wide-eyed curiosity.

She knew Morrígu was smart enough to know there was no need to take to the air. Fraise was large enough that his scent would be noticeable from over a hundred kilometers away. He was nowhere near. If he hoped to arrive before Morrígu had a change to escape on wing he would need to be much closer.

The air rippled. At first Yomiko thought it was the wind, until she realized that it wasn’t just the air moving in waves, but the ground and sky as well. The ripples intensified, like someone had cast a rock into a placid lake.

Morrígu’s eyes narrowed and her jaw tightened. Yomiko wondered if this was what dragons looked like when they felt fear. She’d seen it in humans, but they were so accustomed to fear that expressing it came naturally. For a dragon, even in human form, fear was an infrequent sensation. The intensity was overwhelming.

At the moment, Yomiko shared the rare emotion with her—but not with her brother or Xyus. The former looked around in amazement; the latter raised his eyes to the East in expectation.

The ripples pulled away from them and focused into a single pane of the night sky. From this surface, like a fish breaking from water, emerged three more men. Two of them were in the fore, one with dark brown skin and the other with a smooth, pale complexion. Yomiko didn’t know them, but she knew they were dragons by their scent. The third emerged as the ripples ceased. The sight of him caused Yomiko and Yor to gasp, and Xyus to beam with adoration.

“You said they were to be trusted!” Morrígu roared, throwing a finger towards the twins. Yomiko saw the betrayal in Morrígu’s eyes, but she dared not show any sympathy towards an enemy in the presence of Xyus’ ally.

“They are to be trusted,” the third male said, stepping between his two escorts. His strong face, wrinkled with age, curled into a cold and sinister smile. “Just not by you.”
 
As Morrígu turned her attention away from the twins, Yomiko gazed with wide eyes at the new arrival. She had no doubt who this was, for she knew of no dragon on the earth so ancient that his human form would bear the profound marks of human aging: a head of thinning white hair, wrinkled skin, and glossless, faded eyes. They were features she’d never seen in the human guise of one of her kind.

“Veles Fraise!” Morrígu snarled—giving name to the beast.

“Darling,” he replied, shaking his head. His voice was smooth but discomforting, like a chilling winter wind. “I have not been called Veles in over nine hundred years.”
 
“You have come here to murder me.” Her voice sharpened.

“Oh, Morrígu!” The most ancient among them spoke in earnest. “Beautiful, beautiful Morrígu! I have come only to implore you to reconsider your compassion for these pathetic creatures.”

His accent was unlike anything Yomiko had ever heard. Dragons adopted the manner of speaking of whatever humans they live near or among to help fit in. This was something different, something that harkened to an ancient dialect long lost to the world’s memory.

“You think I have compassion for them?” she spat, almost trembling with rage. “Loathsome talking apes! The mere sight of them repulses me! I feel disgusted hiding in the shape of them!” She gestured to her body, causing her firm, ample breasts to shake as she motioned like tearing off her skin.

“Then why not join me?” Fraise was calm. “Rid our world of these pests? This was always our plan, beloved—”

“This is not what we planned!” Morrígu shook her head. “This…had you come to me two hundred, maybe a hundred years ago, I may have cooperated. But now, it is different. The apes are more powerful. They have weapons that can kill even us. What you seek to do will bring exposure and death to our kind. Nothing more!”

“So it’s not compassion,” Xyus injected, smiling like he would laugh aloud once he completed his thought, “but cowardice, then?”

Morrígu roared and turned fast, fixing Xyus with a murderous stare. Her emerald eyes were alive with hate and disgust.

“You speak to me of cowardice!” she roared. “You, who dare not face me without the protective presence of your master!” She placed special emphasis on that last word, driving home that she was through with politics and courtesy. It did not seem to bother Xyus as much this time as before; though he tensed his hands and set his boots to the ground.

Silence. Even the creatures of the desert ceased making noise. Yomiko noted that the lowest things on this world could sense what was coming next, and were wise to be as far from it as possible.

“So you’ve come to kill me.” Morrígu regained some semblance of composure and turned to face Fraise.

“My precious friend, I am forbidden by honor to subject you to a fight I know you cannot win—and bound by my affection for you to give you a fair chance.” He sounded quite sure of himself, but Morrígu did not appear to disagree. “But if you will not cooperate, I cannot allow you to leave.”

She nodded, accepting what was next.

“I am here only to see to it you do not flee,” he continued, stepping away from his escort.
Xyus’ eyes were wide and his teeth bared, seething constrained excitement at what was coming. Yomiko was surprised to see the same look on her brother’s face.

“Would you have expected me to flee?” Morrígu was polite, like she were still talking to a friend. Yomiko didn’t imagine she was someone accustomed to retreat.

“Simply a precaution, my dear,” he explained, continuing to walk away. “Though I trust in the capabilities of my younger allies…” He gestured to the assembly—they surrounded her like a pack of beasts. “You are far swifter in flight than any dragon I know.”

“Any dragon,” she added, “but you.”

Fraise nodded once, smiling.

“Goodbye, Morrígu,” he concluded, now several hundred meters away.

Morrígu dipped her head in reverence to her old friend.

Then she was a dragon again. Her change was so abrupt that the gust made Yomiko's hair flutter. Before she could take in the magnificence of her emerald plated form, the great dragon cast a powerful backhand blow against Xyus’ human body, hurling him into the air and off into the desert. Thousands of meters away, he landed with a faint crash. That would keep him out of the fight for a minute or so. She appreciated that Morrígu was smart enough to recognize the strongest among them and remove him from the battle long enough to thin out the rest.

Yomiko wanted no part of this fight, but took to her nature nonetheless. Her clothes ripped to threads and strips as she lengthened into her serpentine form. Yomiko’s body was leaner than Morrígu’s, and her scales were yellow and red. She had no horns, and her legs were set further back on her body. Her tail was less defined, like her entire body was part of it. She reared up on her powerful hind legs and took flight, carrying herself away from the battle.

Morrígu was more than twice the size of any of them. Her neck and head alone were as long as Yomiko or her brother, and almost as thick. Yor’s form was identical to Yomiko’s, except for the dangling scales around his chin that resembled a human’s beard and two short horns.

The other two dragons were more like Morrígu. One of them was covered with shimmering silver and white scales, the other black with a grayish white belly and neck. Both had horns, though the silver one had bony ridges that ran the length of his spine and ended in a set of sharp spikes at the tip of his tail.

As Morrígu occupied herself slapping Yor in the face with her claws, the silver dragon whipped his tail about and drove the spikes into Morrígu’s back.

Though roaring in anguish and pain, Morrígu didn’t slow. Black dragon’s blood gushed from the wound and splattered on the sand with a hiss. Morrígu responded with her own tail, lacking the spikes but as muscular as any Yomiko had ever seen. The heavy end of it crashed into the silver dragon’s knee, and a powerful crack of bone sent her adversary to the ground. Morrígu swatted Yor again, this time ripping scales from flesh and drawing more blood. It erupted in a geyser, spraying across Morrígu’s breast as she twisted her neck about and opened her mighty jaws.

Yomiko knew what was coming next.

Morrígu’s breath attack was a burst of sound so powerful and violent that it tore the air. It radiated out from her throat in a cone, blasting chunks of flesh and bits of scale from the bodies of the two dragons. While the smaller black dragon took the brunt of the damage, he was quick enough to avoid the full force of the blast. Most of it impacted into the ground and caused a crater to appear, as if the earth had been depressed by a massive foot. Her brother took some damage to his hind leg, a wound that would cripple him for days—if he survived.

The effect left Yomiko deaf for a few seconds. The smaller dragon scampered back, trailing blood from the tear in his belly and leg. The silver dragon, still face down on the ground, began to rise, using the three legs that still worked. Morrígu would have none of that. She brought her own leg up and stomped down on the smaller silver dragon, crushing several of the bony plates along his spine.

Morrígu’s eyes widened when the spines pierced her foot, causing a shower of blood to coat the smaller dragon. The pain wasn’t enough to stop her from crushing his spine. The weaker dragon roared in pain, his forked tongue lashing around in anguish as he realized that he could no longer use any part of his body below the wound.

Yor leapt to the air, sinking his teeth into Morrígu’s sinuous neck. She twisted her head about, but was unable to bring it low enough to bite back. As Yor brought the rest of his body up in an attempt to coil around Morrígu, she brought her front legs to bear and grabbed him around the chest.

Her claws dug into his scales, tearing through them like tree bark. Streaks of black blood poured down his yellow and red body. Yomiko thought she heard her brother squeal as the emerald dragon’s muscles flexed. She pulled his jaws from her neck. Much to Yomiko’s surprise, blood erupted from the wound Yor had left. His teeth left black grooves in the interlocking green scales of her neck.

She hurled Yor over a hundred meters away. He landed with a crack and lay motionless for a few seconds before stirring. He was too hurt to stand. Yomiko turned her attention back to Morrígu.

The wound left by the silver dragon was deeper than Yomiko thought. It had torn a fissure through Morrígu’s lungs, and each breath the mighty dragon took caused blood to trickle down her scales. If there was pain, it did not show.

The silver dragon paid a great price for striking so mighty a blow. With a roar of triumph, Morrígu brought her wounded foot down upon the smaller dragons face, crushing his skull with a chilling crack. The silver dragon twitched once before twisting up on itself to become a motionless pile of flesh.

Yomiko’s jaw fell open. It was the first time she saw a dragon die.

With a blur of motion and a burst of flame, Xyus was back in the fight. His natural form was a squat beast with a long horn on his nose and a short neck ribbed with bony armored plates. His scales were dull red, like dried animal blood, except for his belly and the underside of his short neck which were rust colored. His wings were short but powerful. He was likely not as skilled a flyer as other dragons, but his body had other advantages. Xyus looked built for battle, and he seemed to relish the opportunity.

He wasted no time unleashing a cone of scorching flame from his throat. It poured forth like water on Morrígu. She howled in pain and fell to all fours then shielded herself with one of her wings. The flames coursed along the surface of the wing and blackened the skin beneath.

By the time Morrígu recovered from the searing blast, her wing was nothing more than a limp frame of blackened bone. Yomiko winced at the sight of it, and knew this meant Morrígu had resigned to die here tonight. No dragon would ever sacrifice a wing in such a way unless they thought there was no escape. She sought only to cause as much damage to her enemies as possible before they overwhelmed her.

She released another burst of her own breath weapon, amazing Yomiko that she’d been able to regenerate it so fast. The sound was weaker this time, and appeared focused into a beam. It struck Xyus in the face, but his thick armor absorbed most of the impact. He whimpered and staggered back; stunned, but not killed. She managed to take him out of the fight again, though not for long.

Not to be caught unprepared, Yor flew back into the fight and tried once again to clamp down on Morrígu’s neck. She and her brother had a breath weapon: searing flame like Xyus. It wasn’t as powerful though, so Yor appeared to be foregoing its use.
Morrígu caught Yor in air and slammed him to the ground. The earth cracked at the impact, leaving another deep fissure in the desert floor. Again she brought him up and down, crushing his body under repeated blows, until he fell limp against the sand, trembling in pain.

Yomiko hadn’t reckoned her brother could be killed here tonight. He needed help. She scanned the desert for the black and gray dragon, and found him huddled near Fraise, nursing his wounds. He must have been more injured that she thought, or just a coward.
Yomiko looked back to her brother. He turned his head to meet her eyes. Morrígu positioned herself over him, limping and leaving a trail of sizzling black blood on the ground at her feet.

The fight was over for Morrígu. Xyus would soon come out of his delirium and rip her to pieces. Even if she managed to defeat Xyus, she would succumb from her wounds within an hour. The inevitability of it weighed on Yomiko. She knew Morrígu had no reason let Yor live. The emerald dragoness had nothing left to lose, and all that remained was to end the life of another of her aggressors. Yomiko hissed with anger at Yor for getting her involved in this ambush, but was overwhelmed by the fear of losing him.

She leapt on Morrígu and caught the older dragoness off guard. Yomiko was impressed by the sheer power coursing through the muscles of the emerald dragoness. She sunk her teeth into the same wound Yor had inflicted seconds ago. Her jaws, equal in strength to her brother’s, crushed the weakened flesh in their embrace. She found the bloodied grooves he’d carved into the Morrígu’s neck and matched them with her own sharp teeth. Bones more powerful than steel bent and snapped in her mouth, and Morrígu released a hoarse roar as blood bubbled through her lips.

Black dragon’s blood sizzled from the wound, pouring down Yomiko’s throat and chin. It tasted like iron and ashes. Morrígu attempted to grapple Yomiko, but was too weak. The slender red and yellow dragon wrapped her body around the larger one’s neck and constricted. Morrígu let out a gasp—then a hiss—accompanied by bubbles of blood. She resolved to a gurgle as fluid pooled in her throat and lungs.

Morrígu fell to her knees then flopped on her belly. The light in her eyes faded as she took her last look at the world: the reality where she’d spent over seven thousand years.

Yomiko saw no traces of sorrow in the mighty dragon’s eyes.  She would die an honorable death after doing great harm to her aggressors. Nevertheless, the younger dragoness felt sorrow for her, and at the passing of this magnificent creature from the world. Yomiko released her grip and lowered her lips to the fallen dragon’s ear.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, in the language of dragons. They were rare words for their kind.

Morrígu died.

*    *    *

There it is. If that didn't appeal to you, then you probably won't like the rest of the book. That's fine: everyone has their own taste and preference when it comes to books. But, if you did enjoy it and want more, you can download the first six chapters and read it all you want. At the very least, click the little LIKE button on the upper right hand corner, or maybe tell other people about what you read here.

Thanks for giving me a chance! You're the best, and I wouldn't have the confidence to do what I do without you.

--StP

From Formspring: What do you feel is most commercially viable about your books?

That's a great question, but everyone is going to think I asked it myself. I didn't, here is a picture of the Formspring page where I found the question:

flanked by the regular jackassery that I deal with from my friends and family, under another good question at the top (from SharonTheRose) which will be the subject of a blog later this week. I don't know if that proves I didn't make up the question, but I promise I didn't. Again, it's actually a really good question.

I've been told my books are easy to read without being insipid. I rewrote my first book multiple times tightening the prose so as not to demand too much of my readers. I accepted that, as a new and unknown writer, I would have to prove my story worth reading from the very beginning. Fantasy books tend to be very challenging to read, because they ask more of the readers than most books. Fantasy is very much about creating a new world, or at least altering the one in which we live. Few other genre's make this demand of their readers, except some very heavy science fiction and alien horror. This can be daunting for a reader, since most people are busy enough dealing with their own real world and don't have the time or interest to dive into an imaginary one.

That's not to say there aren't a lot of readers who do like a complete immersion experience in their reading material. I've been told by readers that my books accomplish both: they give readers who don't want to have to learn a new fantasy world something enjoyable to read, while also providing hard-core fantasy buffs a new world to explore. If you're wondering how I did that, the answer is: I don't know. It wasn't my intent, it's just how I prefer to write. I don't think a reader should have to prove their intelligence or dedication to an author's work by understanding it. It is the author's job to prove to the reader they have something worth their time.

Something I did intend when writing my books was to tell a story for grown-ups. A lot of fine urban fantasy is written for young adults. There isn't anything wrong with that, but there are a lot of adult fans of those books who I feel are yearning for something a bit more adult. The battles are full-force and bloody, no punches (or claws) pulled. The love scenes aren't are all blacked out. The protagonists are adults, with adult problems.

Finally, I think there are a lot of readers out there who grew up reading the Harry Potter books, then moved on to the Twilight series in their early teens. Now they are grown and looking for a new series, something that's grown-up, too. I humbly submit The Dragon's Blood Chronicles for their approval. And for yours.

From Formspring: What made you decide to set your story (or most of it) in Joplin?

That's a good question.

I wanted my books set (or at least started) in Southwest Missouri because it's an area I know, and there aren't a lot of books set there. As far as I know, there haven't been any urban fantasy books set there, either. Originally, I created a fictional version of Joplin called Langston. I can't remember if Joplin didn't exist, or if Langston was a neighbor city, but the layout of the town was identical to Joplin, just different street names and businesses. I was inspired to change the setting to Joplin by Laurell K. Hamilton. Her urban fantasy novels are set in St. Louis, which is also her home. I sent her a message on Myspace asking if I should continue to use a fictional city or the real Joplin. After our brief discussion on the matter, I came to the conclusion that I'd be much happier basing the books in a real-life city. If nothing else, it will make the book more exciting for readers who live in or are familiar with Joplin.

Other places in my first book are fictional. There is no Scorch Hollow in MacDonald county, though there are about a hundred other hollows with colorful names, like Thief Hollow, Scotch Hollow, and so on. Scottish is completely fictional, and in the geography of my fictional SW Missouri, it occupies a small stretch of highway just southwest of Joplin a few miles from the real town of Seneca. In fact, the children from Scottish go to school in Seneca.

In addition to the area's unique character, the topography of the region lends itself well to urban fantasy. Joplin is an urban area, but it has a small town feel. There are no skyscrapers or subways. We do have a trolley, and taxis, but most people drive or (less often) walk where they need to go. Pickups and SUVs are as common a sight as cars. Anywhere you are in Joplin, you are never more than a fifteen minute car ride to being someplace where you can get lost in the woods. 

People in Joplin tend to be very conservative in their political and social outlooks, but rarely interfere in each others business unless they are asked for help. Likewise, many people here are very generous and family-oriented. That isn't to say there aren't assholes in Joplin. There are, certainly...and plenty of racism and prejudice. Also, Joplin is reputed to be the meth capital of North America. When I worked for the State, I saw some of the effects of that. Local criminal elements tend to be small and disorganized, but they are here. But you have to take the good with the bad wherever you are.

But the number one reason I used Joplin in my books is because I knew the area. That might sound lazy, but I felt it would be inauthentic to write about a place I didn't know very well...for example, had I set the book in Kansas City or Dallas. One of the cardinal rules of writing is to write what you know. At the time I started my first novel, I worked full-time for the State, so I didn't have a lot of time to research a new city or make one up with the level of detail required to make the setting engaging. So, I guess the big answer would be: because it was easy.

Follow-up novels occur in other places, like Chicago, the Yukon Territory, the Channel Islands and Africa. Max's first two books happen in Joplin. I haven't done much thinking about his third novel, if there will be one. That's years down the line, if it happens.

What Kind of Book Have You Written?

This is probably the most common question I get asked right after people ask what I do. Or when my friends, sick to death of my tireless self-promotion, ask with feigned shock, “You wrote a book?!?” That just never stops being funny, you loveable bunch of jackasses…

In general, people want a short, understandable answer when they ask what a book is about. If I was writing about cowboys, for example, they’d want me to say, “It’s a western.” If I wrote space battles and stories about meeting aliens, they’d want, “It’s kind of like Star Trek.” Or they want a hybrid example, combining two things that heretofore haven’t been combined in a memorable way. Like if I wrote a zombie thriller set in the Old West, I could say it’s like Tombstone meets Dawn of the Dead.  Unfortunately, I’m not very good at defining my own work in these terms. When I try, I usually come off as a prick. For example, I once told someone that my first book is like a cross between Laurell K. Hamilton’s Guilty Pleasures and Cormac McCarthy’s The Borders Trilogy. Yeah, see what I mean? Really prickish…just writing it makes me want to kick my own ass.

I could just say my book is about dragons—since they are the focus of my main series; the word Dragon is even part of the series title!—but that doesn’t really do the trick. Sure, my book is about dragons, but so are a lot of books: everything from children’s books to erotica. When most people hear that your book is about dragons, they assume you’re writing traditional fantasy. Not that I have anything against that genre, but it isn’t what I write. There are many fine authors who do; I’m just not one of them.

I could tell them it’s a love story, but that makes it sound like a romance novel. Again, nothing against that genre, it just isn’t what I’ve written. Yes, there is romance in the books, especially the first one, but the focus of the story is much bigger than that. I could say it has vampires in it, but then they think I’m writing a vampire book. Yes, there are vampires, as well as other monsters like demons and werebeasts, as well as sorcery and so on, but they are just part of the whole world I’ve created for my books—a parallel world that, on the surface, looks just like ours but contains far more than we know about. That is the essence of writing fantasy, but the contemporary setting takes it out of the traditional fantasy genre. So I could say it’s an urban fantasy, but not everyone knows what that means.

In short, when asked what my book is about, I tell them they are about dragons and other supernatural creatures who hide among humans, and a young woman who gets introduced to their world by accident when she falls in love with a dragon. Sometimes I mention the vampires, but only in reference to them getting their asses kicked by the dragons, or that they operate like criminals instead of aristocrats as in a lot of other vampire stories. I’m not putting down anyone’s work, I’m just pointing out how mine is different.

Sometimes I put attention on the action aspects of my book, if it seems like that is what the potential reader asking would like. Usually, younger male readers get more excited about the action elements of the book: the dragons fighting vampires, dragons fighting other dragons, etc. A lot of female readers like this aspect as well, but they also enjoy the romantic element: Meg and Garrett are established as a couple on the first page of the book, so it’s no mystery that they are going to get together, and that eventually Garrett will reveal himself as a dragon. The story that unfolds is how she deals with falling in love with someone who isn’t human, has never been human, and has a very faint idea of how to even act like a human or handle a relationship with an adult woman. The idea of a man being in love with a woman but having absolutely no idea how to act as a result is something with which most women can identify.

I sometimes get asked if there is sex in the book. Yes, there is sex in the book. The whole book isn’t sex-sex-sex, but there are a couple of love scenes: one big one and a few smaller ones scattered about. There isn’t as much sex as there is violence, but I rarely get asked about just the violence. I don’t know if people are just more afraid of reading the sex than the violence, or if they just really want a book full of sex. Either way, the book is written for adults so the violence is described with the same level of detail and color as the sex. It’s just how I write, and most people who have read it appreciate that. I’ve only had one person say they didn’t like the sex, and another who said there wasn’t enough of it. I figure I can’t make everyone like the book, so just write it the way I want.

And that’s what I do: I write the kind of book I would like to read. I try not to imitate anyone else and write what I think is a good story. And that’s what I tell people when they ask what kind of book it is. I say, “It’s the kind of book you could imagine me reading and really enjoying.” Take what you know about me, and pretend someone wrote a book for him. That’s what kind of book I have written. I hope a lot of you like it, too.

From Formspring: Do you ever worry about coming off as too preachy in your writing? (note: not an insult)

Do you mean in my blogs or my books? If you mean my blogs, then yes: I am occasionally concerned that I might alienate readers--and potential buyers--when I take a stand on something. However, I learned a long time ago that no matter how hard you try, people are going to read whatever message into what you've said that the want to find. So, you're better off just saying what you want to say. I can tell someone I respect their intelligence even though I don't agree with their position, and if they want to think I'm being condescending or preachy that's what they are going to think anyway.

As for my books, I try very hard not to put any kind of political or social message into them. This isn't that difficult with the Dragon's Blood Chronicles, but I sometimes find it harder to do with Max's books. Max has a certain outlook on the world that is colored by his experiences from doing social work in Southwest Missouri. In either case, I'm not writing books to make a political or social point, I'm just trying to tell a story. I am guessing people might take one away from it, but the world in my books is only superficially like the real one. My books have dragons living in mansions in the woods and vampire meth-dealers. It's fantasy, not what I think the world is really like.

From Formspring: Would Meg and Garrett be a "super couple"?

I'm not sure what that means, but I think a more appropriate term would be heroic couple. I think super couple is something they use for soap opera couples who move the story forward through their relationship: like Bo and Hope on Days of Our Lives or Zack and Kendle on All My Children. Yes, I know who those people are. Shut up, now you know who they are, too.

In contrast, I think a heroic couple is just that: two heroes paired together romantically. So, Holmes and Watson wouldn't count (unless you really read into their stories) but Han Solo and Princess Leia would, because she really likes that he's a scoundrel and he really likes that she's hot and rich. Other examples include Johnathan and Mina Harker from Dracula; or John and Maureen Robinson from Lost in Space. But, super couple and heroic couple are relative terms, and I have often heard them used interchangeably so if you prefer to refer to Meg and Garrett as a super couple, I won't stop you. However, a super-couple doesn't have to be heroic: the fictionalization Bonnie and Clyde, for example, or Megatron and Starscream, who--and I don't care what anyone says--were totally a couple.

Meg isn't as much a hero in the first book as she is someone who seems to stumble into one great situation after another until something bad happens. She doesn't decide to take an active role in her fate until near the end of the book, which is actually a big turning point for her and the focus of much of her narrative. Garrett goes through something much like this as well. By the second book, the couple is making things happen together. So, I'd say that they manage to become a heroic couple by the end of the first book and into the second, but for most of the first they are just getting things hammered out. I don't necessarily mean "hammered" in a sexual sense, but there is quite a bit of that. The events surrounding their lives grow apparent in the second book, and their role in it together is solidified by the third.

From Formspring: How do dragons get different breath weapon types? Will a fire dragon always produce another fire breathing dragon etc.?

Every dragon has a connection to some element of matter. They are like living conduits for it, and most can use it as a weapon. This is something else that I can't talk about without giving away too much of the books. The best I can do is say that at one time, there were dragons with multiple elemental types. Eventually, they evolved to only have one, but many carry a recessive trait for one or more other elements.

A hatchling will have the breath weapon of either the father or mother. In rare instances, it will have something that is an approximation of the two combined. In ever rarer cases, a recessive trait will emerge and the dragon will have the elemental connection of one of the parent's ancestors. It is impossible for a dragon to predict, and against their own laws to manipulate via sorcery or technology -- this constitutes damaging an unhatched egg, which is an unthinkable crime for dragons.

From Formspring: Does that mean that a multiheaded dragon (if there are any) would have one brain in its torso or something?

No. One of the heads would be dominant, but the multi-headed dragon could switch between them at will. So, to kill it, you'd have to either hit the heart or destroy all the heads. I know it doesn't really make sense. All I can say to that is: they're dragons.

Dragons.

From Formspring: Are there draconic religious fanatics? Like Tiamat-ic fundamentalists? How well do dragons tolerate crime in their ranks? What would even be considered a crime among dragons?

I'm combining two Formspring questions into one since they are kind of related.

For the first question...the short answer is no. The long answer is no, with an explanation. The dragons don't worship Tiamat. She isn't a god to them, more like a mother to the race. Most dragons believe she is waiting for them in the afterlife. Some dragons don't care, but most do. These dragons believe that Tiamat observes and judges their actions, and that they should seek to make her proud. I guess it might be possible that there are dragons who get angry at non-believer dragons, but it's difficult to imagine they would do anything about it. Dragons don't really care what other dragons do, so long as it doesn't effect them. The skepticism of another dragon has no effect, positive or negative, on another so they aren't likely to care...unless the other dragon is being a dick about it. Then they might get violent.

As for the second question, yes there are laws. The dragons follow a code of conduct and honor called the Lex Draconic. Literally, the Law of Dragons. Most of these laws were set forth by Tiamat herself, but along the way other rules have been added. Most dragon laws concern interactions between dragons, but there are also laws concerning how they are to interact with other races, including humans. Dragons are not forbidden from killing humans, but they are forbidden from taking a position of authority over them. Dragons once did that very thing, and it didn't end well for the humans beneath them.

Similarly, the rules for how dragons resolve challenges is detailed. For example, it is considered an act of dishonor to attack another dragon that cannot possibly defeat you. This law is intended to protect very young dragons, who are hopelessly outmatched against older, bigger dragons. It goes without saying that damaging an unhatched dragon's egg is the worst crime any dragon can commit. Dragons reproduce so infrequently, with only three or four dragons born in a century. If unchecked, killing hatchlings or destroying unhatched eggs could easily lead to the extinction of the race.

Dragons have a number of ways to deal with lawbreakers. The most obvious punishment is death, but it is very rare that a dragon ever does something heinous enough to warrant such a penalty--or, that he gets caught. Examples of crimes that would warrant death include destroying an egg, killing a hatchling, or murdering another dragon in anything other than an honest challenge (i.e. one where they at least stand a chance of survival).

More commonly, dragons are given punitive penalties. This may not sound like much, except that dragons are obsessed with their hordes and territory. Taking some of it away--or worse, forfeiting it all--is terrifying for a dragon. Remember that most dragons have been collecting treasure for hundreds, even thousands of years.

Regardless the amount forfeited, the dragon is also subject to a period of banishment. During this time, other dragons are forbidden from dealing with them. They essentially become invisible. If the dragon attempts to force an interaction--by challenging another dragon during his time of banishment--he puts himself at risk for greater punishment, up to and including death.

But perhaps the worst punishment for a dragon is the knowledge that he's lost the respect of his or her fellows. Dragons are very particular about their reputations among other dragons. They don't really care much what anyone else thinks, but to lose face to other dragons is simply more humiliation that most dragons are willing to risk. That isn't to say they won't do it, it just means they have to be careful about it...and the reward has to be HUGE in proportion to the risk.

The following are examples of rules almost no dragon will violate, even under the worst circumstances:

• Damaging or destroying an unhatched egg.
• Killing a hatchling or the killing of a dragon in a clearly unfair fight.
• Using sorcery or technology to kill another dragon, even a superior one.

The following are examples of rules most dragons won't violate, but might be tempted if they think it is in their best interest:

• Taking a formal position of authority over lesser races (i.e. humans).
• Excessive involvement in the affairs of lesser races.
• Killing a dragon who has already yielded. 
• Stealing from another dragon's horde.
• Spending an extended period of time in another dragon's territory without asking permission.

From Formspring: How do you decide when a chapter is finished? Is it like changing scenes from a movie, only mentally? Do you ever find yourself splitting chapters because of length or pacing?

I tend to assume my readers are busy people, and therefore lean towards shorter chapters. This allows for as many breaks as the reader needs. The chapters are short enough that the reader can stop, but connected enough that they can keep reading without interrupting the flow of the story.

As to where the paragraph breaks occur...that is difficult to pin down. I don't like to end a chapter on action just to start it up again in the next chapter. However, I will end on action and move on to a different scene. Knowing when to make this a section break or a new chapter is more instinct than anything else. This is especially true in the fourth book of my series, which involves a lot of battles. I had to jump around to different characters a lot, and you can't do that without a section break or new chapter.

I also tend to have more than one story going on at a time, so I have to jump between them with care. I'm working on Max's second book right now. In it, there are two seemingly unrelated stories evolving together, and they don't sync until near the end.

After I finish a draft, I do a lot of editing; this includes re-arranging chapters and so forth. I've split up chapters or combined to shorter sections to make a new chapter. I'm kind of obsessive about it, but really I think it's just about the flow of the story.

From Formspring: How many easter eggs do you include in your books?

I like to write an entire series ahead of time, which allows me to plan things well in advance. The significance of certain details in the first book aren't revealed until much later in the series. I don't know that I've ever taken a count, but it's my hope that readers will find things in later books and remember, "Oh, that's what that meant!"

Of course, this only works in moderation. If you keep overloading readers with references to subtle details in earlier books, they will eventually stop reading you. I've been told one of the strengths of my writing is that it is involving, but approachable. You don't have to learn a new fantasy language to figure out what's going on, or consult a massive concordance or keep doing Wikipedia searches every few paragraphs. I know there are readers who actually prefer that level involvement with their books, and I think people who enjoy that will find much in my work to keep them busy. But, at it's core, I'm just trying to tell a good story.

I'm not Ernest Hemingway or Frank Herbert. They were titanic authors who wrote timeless stories. The mere presence of their name on a work of literature is enough to attract an audience. I'm confident about my work, but I'm not going to impose too much on my readers. In other words, I assume that I have to earn their interest; it's not just a given like one of the above-mentioned great writers. I think the worst thing a writer can do is fall too in love with their own work. It's important that a writer enjoy what they write, and write what they enjoy...but equally important is to remember you have to earn a reader's trust and respect with your writing. Make them work too hard for it, and you take the fun out of it. People don't mind reading James Thurber or Franz Kafka with a concordance or online encyclopedia nearby. They won't be so patient with a less known writer like me.

On the other hand, there are a few things in my books that I keep hidden from most people. I do this for fun, and also to see if anyone picks up on them. I'll admit that it will be quite a rush to see people try to figure out what a certain character's name means, or if there is any significance to seemingly innocuous details. Some of these secrets I may share when the books come out. Others, I may keep to myself and a small circle for my friends.

Why? Because it's fun, that's why.

From Formspring: Do you ever feel nervous about writing parts for women in your books?

I did at first. I was concerned it would be obvious that it was a man writing as a woman. I was also afraid that I'd get the love scenes all wrong. So, yes: at first I was a little nervous about it. That didn't last very long. I found out that it wasn't any different from writing for any other character who was different than me, all I had to do was step into their mind and try to see things from their point of view. Not how I would see it if I were in their situation, but rather how I would see it if I were them in their situation.

Incidentally, I've found doing this doesn't just make me a better writer, but also a better person. One of the biggest mistakes anyone can make in dealing with other people is to think they see things the same way as you...or that they should. Right or wrong, people see things differently based on a lot of things. Highly motivated, self-starter types who can handle risk don't understand people who play things safe and put up with a horrible situation out of fear of change, and vice versa.

Also, talking to women helps. I learned a long time ago that women like it when guys take an interest in what they have to say, not just in their bodies. And most women are open to questions from men, if for no other reason than it educates at least some part of the male population about what women want and think. 

From Formspring: If they made a live action remake of The Brave Little Toaster, who would you cast in the lead roles? And as who?

Good question.

I've put a lot of thought into this, and decided this would be a digitally animated picture, somewhere in the league of Toy Story or Wal-E. So, really all we have to cast are the voices. To that end, I humbly offer the following casting choices:

The Brave Little Toaster - Bobcat Goldthwait, though he'd have to start doing cocain again.
Donkey Moses - Ice-T. He has donkey acting experience. Also, I heard somewhere he's Jewish. I'm pretty sure that isn't true but...it's funnier if I pretend it is.
Hitler - Gary Burghoff. I think he's due.
RoboShark 3000 - Gary Busey. Don't question me on this.
Refrigerator Perry - As himself, though actually a refrigerator. Which, to my understanding, he is not in real life. It was just a nickname...which doesn't make any sense, because I've never known refrigerator's to be very good at basketball. He played what? Football? Whatever, I don't care. He has a funny nickname so we're using him.
Father Pickle - Glenn Danzig. I don't want to get sued by Veggie Tales for this, so I'm casting the exact opposite of someone they'd ever cast to voice a Christian cucumber.
Toobie, the Stuttering Pedophile - Orson Wells. I don't care if he's dead, just splice shit together from Citizen Kane!
Napoleon Dynamite - Jon Heder. Why is he even in this movie? Because Tiamat wills it, that's why! Who are you to defy Tiamat? Nobody, that's who. Now sit down and read the rest of the blog!
Corky the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Baby Cyborg - Toby Keith. I figure he is qualified for this, since he actually has fetal alcohol syndrome. Not sure about the cyborg part, but I hear he's made some movies so...we all know he can act. I mean, they don't just let any stupid jackass star in a movie, do they?
Megatron - Frank Welker. As it should always fucking be.
Rape Duck - We don't need an actor for Rape Duck, just a dubbed quack from an actual duck. It might be more authentic if we find a duck who has actually attempted to rape someone.
Mamma Bes - That lady from What's Happening? I don't remember her name and I'm too lazy to look it up on IMDB.
Teddy Roosevelt - We'd just use a computer voice for this one, because that is actually how he sounded. Not many people know this, but Teddy was a robot. Prove he wasn't. I dare you.

From Formspring: How big can dragons in your book series get?

The short answer is, "Pretty damn..."

Dragons do most of their growing in dragon form. The more time they spend in human form over the course of their lives, the slower they will grow. Older dragons (5000+ years or so) are much bigger at that age than younger dragons (3000 years or less) will be at age 5000 because the younger dragons must spend more time in human form, thus stunting their growth. There were once far fewer humans on Earth, and those that there were didn't have much in the way of technology. Even modern weapons have a hard time damaging dragons. Stone spears and rocks are basically hopeless. Also, primitive humans were kind of stupid: they assumed everything they saw was magical and should be avoided if it was too big to eat. Many of them treated dragons as gods. A dragon could afford to spend the majority of his time in dragon form, thus allowing him to grow. Those days are passed, and while dragons are very powerful, they have to hide out among humans. This stunts their growth a bit.

On average, a hatchling is about the size of a Ford Taurus. They grow rapidly in their first 100 years, and as such are required to spend more time in dragon form than most older dragons. This is the dragon equivalent to puberty. Dragons don't have an infancy, since they are hatched with intelligence that exceeds most humans. They also posses some of the knowledge of their mother, especially things that happened while the egg was still inside.

As far as how big a dragon can get, I can't really say without giving away part of the books. As you've probably guessed from reading the excerpt, Veles Fraise is very old. In dragon form, he is GIGANTIC. Think aircraft-carrier size. The odds of another dragon ever being able to get that big are slim, since Veles was able to spend most of his life in dragon form, without having to hide among humans. This is part of why he hates humans as much as he does. Garrett Terago, in dragon form, is large enough that Meg can lie comfortably on his snout or fit in his hand. Benjamin Ardeth is a couple-thousand years older, and therefore bigger by about half, but Ardeth is old enough that part of his life was spent while humans didn't dominate the planet. So Garrett Terago will probably not grow at the same rate.

Some dragons enhance their shape-changing ability to allow them to assume different forms. Another character introduced in the first book, Aoni'a, is able to take any human form she wishes. She can even change her gender--and does. However, honing this kind of ability limits her growth, so Aoni'a is a bit smaller than other dragons her age, like Garrett Terago. She is therefore not as powerful in dragon form, though far from helpless. In subsequent books, a dragoness who is capable of disguising herself as animals is introduced. This requires a much greater strain on her growth, and as such she is very small for a dragon her age (she's fairly young) and therefore not as powerful.