S.G. Rogers: Got Dragons? #wintwobooks

Got Dragons?
by S. G. Rogers

Although they’ve received a bad rap from time to time, I like dragons. J.K Rowling certainly portrayed dragons as pure flying terror in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I suppose Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey was a big influence on me growing up. In McCaffrey’s Pern novels, dragons bond with humans to become partners. When I was writing The Last Great Wizard of Yden, I envisioned dragons as a combination of horse, dog, cat, and friend.

Of course dragons can’t be any of those things if they no longer exist. When 16-year-old Jon Hansen finds his way to Yden, he discovers the evil Wolf Clan wizard Efysian has killed off all the dragons. To restore them to their rightful place, Jon uses his extraordinary magical ability to draw things to life…

Excerpt:

“Is that a good idea?” Casey asked Jon.

“Efysian killed off the dragons. It's time I brought them back.”

“No, I mean dragons breathe fire, don't they? How do you know it's going to be a friendly dragon?” Casey asked.

The completed drawing shimmered against the dawn and began to take shape. Suddenly Jon was consumed with doubt. “You've got a point, Casey,” he said. “Maybe we should wait inside.”

Unfortunately, the turret staircase was now filled with the echo of cygards in pursuit. Jon’s heart sank when he noticed Lyesh leading the charge. Kira brandished her sword. “We are cut off!”

Jon winced as a colossal‑sized dragon materialized in the open space where his drawing had been. “Get behind the turret!” he yelled. “Fast!”

The turret was made out of stone blocks he hoped would provide protection from fire. Although the four of them made it to safety in time to avoid a blazing‑hot blast of dragon fire, the cygards unwittingly ran right into it. As the other cygards screamed in agony, Lyesh lurched past the turret, in flames, and flipped over the parapet. Several seconds later, he hit the ground with a sickening crash.

Fred dug his elbow into Jon’s ribs. “Good going, cheese wiz,” he whispered. “We're all gonna be human marshmallows.”

They waited in eerie silence.

“Maybe the dragon flew away?” Casey whispered.

Jon craned his neck, but the only thing he saw overhead was a black bird circling in the sky. Suddenly the tip of a huge bright red tail curled around the turret and whomped the stones beside them. The whole tower shook with the vibration, and Fred let out a startled yelp. The tail coiled out of sight once more and then there came a grating sound, like sandpaper on wood.

“What’s that noise?” Casey whispered.

Jon shook his head. “I don’t know.”

Bracing himself against injury and/or death, he edged around the side of the turret to peek at the monster he’d created. The animal was as big as a single‑engine Cessna airplane, and its scales shone like a freshly washed fire engine. The grating sound was the sound of the dragon’s tongue licking its hide.

“It’s grooming itself like a cat in the sun,” Jon said over his shoulder.

The dragon's eyes caught him. As Jon froze in fear, the creature lowered his head and nudged a crisped cygard with his snout. The dragon seemed to wink and snort with laughter. Then he folded up his fifteen‑foot wings, lolled over on his back, and waited for Jon to scratch his tummy. Gulping, he worked his way closer. When he put his hand on the dragon's belly, the animal arched his back in invitation. The dragon's tail smacked the floor with pleasure as Jon stroked him. Unable to contain his joy, Jon hollered in delight.

***

Okay, I admit it. On Yden, dragons can be pure flying terror—if you happen to get on their wrong side. I just happen to be on the side of the dragons. *winks*

~ S.G. Rogers

To learn more about S.G. Rogers, visit her blog.

The Last Great Wizard of Yden has been nominated for book of the month at iBookBuzz.com! If you love dragons, please vote.

Voting is open only until March 14th.

For his sixteenth birthday, all Jon wanted were the keys to the family car. Instead, he got a lousy magic ring…

Artistic prodigy Jon Hansen yearns to fit in, but when he stumbles onto a supernatural kidnapping, his life changes forever. Unfortunately, his search for answers uncovers a magical secret—one that makes Jon a danger to everyone around him.

The Wolf Clan wizard Efysian has been draining the magic from Yden. On a quest for eternal power, he’s willing to kill to feed his addiction. To harness the ultimate source of energy, he travels to Earth. This time, however, he has a persistent witness to his crime.

Can Jon survive long enough to outwit the most evil wizard the magical world has ever known? Or will Efysian add the young wizard to his gruesome collection of trophies?

To buy The Last Great Wizard of Yden, go to:

Amazon or BN.com.

… or wherever online books are sold.

Contest!

You can win a copy of The Last Great Wizard of Yden by S.G. Rogers AND a copy of Faery Special Romances by Jacquie Rogers just by leaving a comment! Be sure to include your email address. Winner will be drawn 9pm Pacific Time on March 11th.  Be sure to check out my post over at S.G. Rogers' blog for another chance to win both books!