Our Interview with Ritch Gaiti!

                                            

                                                            Bio
Ritch Gaiti, author, artist, and an alumnus of Wall Street, has written novels, screenplays and many magazine articles and has been featured on national radio and TV, including an appearance on the Today Show. Ritch focuses on telling compelling stories and writes in several genres from humor to drama, both non-fiction and fiction. DUTCHING THE BOOK is his first venture into quasi-fiction and is a tribute to the people who really lived it.
Ritch Gaiti’s published books:
· DUTCHING THE BOOK (February, 2012) A NYC fireman schemes a way to beat the track in an American classic of four lifelong friends, betrayal, gambling, romance and the best horseplayer to ever play the game.
· TWEET, (Sedona Editions, 2011), humorous fiction about one average guy who changes the world because he didn’t know that he couldn’t. Recently, Tweet, has been optioned for a feature film.
· POINTS: WOMEN HAVE THEM, MEN NEED THEM (Running Press, 2008), a humorous non-fiction relationship book (under the pseudonym I. Glebe).
He is also a recognized artist focusing on depicting the ethereal west in another time, another place. He exhibits across the U.S. in several galleries and museums. His artwork can be viewed on www.gaiti.com <http://www.gaiti.com> .

                                                 Bio provided by author

We had the pleasure to get a chance to interview Ritch and learn more about him. Ritch is one who likes to write in more then one genre and tell the story from his point of view. Please sit back and grab a warm mug of your favorite beverage and give a warm welcome to Ritch!

1. What makes for a good hook in your stories? Where does your inspiration come from?
2. Real subjects and real people. Interestingly, my inspiration comes from a specific subjects that interest me. I am an eclectic writer—that is, I don’t focus on a single genre or subject…I write best about whatever turns me on. In the case of Dutching the Book—that was a story I had been wanting to tell my whole life. I knew the players and some of the schemes that the pulled of were rule bending and changed horse racing.

2. Are you an organized writer? Do you do things like take notes and make lists of characters? Or do you free write and work it out as you go? Very organized but thought s come from anywhere at anytime. The hard part is recording a thought that has nothing to do with what I am writing at the moment—and not lose it when I get to where it applies. Yet I write freely and apply my organization as I go—so the work product is in a constant state of change.

3. What is your normal writing day like? Do you write when you are inspired or do you have a schedule? Nothing specific but I find that I write best in the morning–(after coming up with great thoughts at 3am when I am totally relaxed).

4. Who is your favorite author and how did they inspire you to write? Harold Robbins—I just got taken into his adventures.

5. It’s easy to see that you have a passion for writing but is there any part of it you don’t like?Interestingly, it never ends. No matter how many drafts I write, another pass yields a better product. I love writing, I don’’t like marketing—too time consuming.

6. Do you make time to read and if you do what are you reading right now?I don’t read much—on vacation, perhaps and if I need to learn about something.

7. How did you get started in writing about tweeting and also about Dutching the book? Is there personal life experience in the writing?I wrote TWEET, because it expresses how the individual has little control over the commercial world. Big companies inundate us with advertising and marketing and don’t take our phone calls. It isn’t about Tweeting, contrary to the title. DUTCHING THE BOOK, is a story I wanted to tell for a long time. I knew the people involved and I interviewed them (over a bottle of vodka)–got great material.

8. Your books have been published with Amazon.com, Does this mean you see the publishing industry headed this way?Seems like they are the 800 pound gorilla. Certainly they are absorbing market share. I wouldn’t bet against them!

9. Do you have any online sites where others can read more of your writings? http://www.Ritchgaiti.com had my books and http://www.GaitiPOV.com is my blog. Ps: http://www.Gaiti.com is my painting site.

10. Do you have any more stories in the works? What kinds of stories do you plan to write next? A book called UP THE CORP, a satire on how to climb the corporate ladder. Funny, yet true.

11. Who would be your first choice to play Ben from your book “Dutching the book”?Matt Damon should play Ben and Ben Affleck should play Sandy—a great place for a reunion! Perfect!!

12. If you could meet anyone from any time who would it be and what would be your first question? Leonardo DaVinci— on how he approached so many different disciplines and executed with the same degree of excellence

Our Interview with Gwen Perkins!

                                  

Bio

Gwen Perkins is a museum curator with a MA in Military History from Norwich University. She has written for a number of magazines, exhibitions and nonfiction publications. Her interest in history fueled the creation of the world of The Universal Mirror, inspired in part by people and events of the medieval and Renaissance periods. She lives with her partner and three children in Tacoma, WA.

Bio provided by author’s site

1.       What makes for a good hook in your stories? Where does your inspiration come from?

Most of my inspiration comes from history.  I work at a museum and I’m constantly researching different periods of history, events, and figures.  It’s not infrequent that I scribble down an idea from a post-it note and then use that to fuel something else I’m working on.  The connections may not be obvious to anyone but me but there you have it.

Documentaries likewise spark a lot of thought, simply because the visual information they provide often gives me a springboard for physical description.  And there’s great ideas to be found there as well especially in unexpected places.  My family just watched a documentary on corn, for instance, and while I laughed at them, I also found myself riveted to the screen when the voiceover began discussing corn’s explosive properties.  Who knew?

2.       Are you an organized writer? Do you do things like take notes and make lists of characters?  Or do you free write and work it out as you go?

I used to be a freeform writer and then I never finished anything.  What I’ve since evolved into is something between organization and chaos.  I write a complete outline of plot before I begin a story and set a schedule that I then write to.  As part of the schedule, I plan weeks where I revisit the outline to rewrite it as I need for those times when characters take over and derail the plot.

There is one exception to this, however—I don’t plot romances at all but let those develop organically.  I learned this after writing The Universal Mirror.  Originally, I’d planned for a romance to develop between Meg and Asahel, two characters in the novel.  I couldn’t have been more wrong as to who Asahel ultimately ended up attracted to (though to avoid spoiling readers for the second book, I’ll reserve further comment.  I’m sure some readers will guess.).

3.       What is your normal writing day like? Do you write when you are inspired or do you have a schedule?

I write every single day.  I don’t have a schedule for when that happens—it might be at my lunch hour at work or two words before I fall asleep but every single day, I put something on a page that has to do with my current project.

4.       Who is your favorite author and how did they inspire you to write?

I read so much that I don’t believe I can say that I have a true “favorite.” 

One of the earliest fantasy authors I read was C.S. Lewis and his Chronicles of Narnia, books that have definitely influenced me in both writing and in life.  As a child, I was captivated by the epic grandeur of the story and the nobility that many of the characters display, as well as the redemption themes that run through the novels.  As I became an adult and learned some of the story behind Narnia, I found Lewis’ ability to use metaphor in his storytelling just remarkable.  Every time I read one of the books, I learn something new about myself from his story.  To me, that’s the mark of a truly great author. 

5.       It’s easy to see that you have a passion for writing but is there any part of it you don’t like?

I’m not terribly fond of self-promotion where it pertains to the social media aspects that seem to be a part of writing now.  I see a lot of authors who maintain distance using these devices—Facebook, Twitter, etc—just to blast out announcements and that’s something I’m really struggling with, to be honest.

I prefer just to “friend” everyone and chat with them as I have time rather than consistently seeing my online media spaces as a method of self-promotion.  I love the new viewpoints and perspectives that I get from making new friends online and that’s how I’ve chosen to approach it.  However, that’s sometimes difficult to do given my own limited amount of time and I worry a little about finding that balance.  I’m sure I will, given time.  Part of the joy in this process for me has been how much encouragement I can give to other new writers and to meeting readers as well.

6.       Do you make time to read and if you do what are you reading right now?

I do, although it can be a struggle.  I tend to read several books at once.  Sitting on my desk right now are Blood, Book 1 of the Brotherhood Saga by Kody Boye and The Knightly Art of Battle by Ken Mondschein.  Blood, I’m reading for pleasure.  The Knightly Art of Battle is part of the historical research I’m doing to create the finer details of my current work-in-progress, The Jealousy Glass.

7.       How did you get started in writing about adventure fantasy? Is there personal life experience in the writing?

I like the escapism of it, for one.  I became more invested in this genre, however, after finishing my MA thesis on Byzantium and the Fourth Crusade.  While I didn’t work that history intensively into The Universal Mirror, it plays a major role in its sequel. 

Because of the world that I’ve created, my life experience comes into play mostly through the character dynamics.  I like to paint my characters in shades of grey, simply because, in my experience, that’s what life is and I think that comes through particularly in Mirror where the protagonists make some hard, if unexpected, choices.

 8.     Your books have been published with Amazon.com and Kindle Direct Publishing? Does this mean you see the publishing industry headed this way?

Yes and no.  I think we are going to see e-books become more prevalent, particularly as resource scarcity becomes an issue.  How that shakes out is going to depend on how bookstores react to Amazon and whether or not the present self-publishing craze lasts.  I personally believe that it will—the art of the memoir has never really died and to some extent, this speaks to that very human drive to immortalize one’s self.  A drive that I think is both commendable and that sets us apart from other species.

However, we haven’t seen the end of the printed book.  You can’t replace the feel or smell of the written page with an e-reader, particularly in genres like children’s literature.  I don’t think that we’ll see parents grabbing their Kindles to read to their children for quite some time and as long as younger generations associate reading printed books with love and comfort, literature will remain in that physical form.

8.       Do you have any online sites where others can read more of your writings?

The easiest place to find me is to look through my website at http://theuniversalmirror.com.  I frequently post updates, author interviews, and excerpts of what I’m working on at my blog and on the social media linked there.  Plus, I love to talk to people so I hope that readers will feel comfortable looking at the site and following me at the place of their choosing.

9.       Do you have any more stories in the works? What kinds of stories do you plan to write next?

he Universal Mirror is the first in a series called Artifacts of Empire.  I’m currently working on the second novel in the series, The Jealousy Glass, which takes two characters from Mirror and sends them across the waters to the Anjduri Empire where they get into all kinds of trouble.  It’s heavily action-oriented and I’m really enjoying that aspect of the novel.  (Particularly because it gives me a great excuse to learn more about Western martial arts!)

10.   Who would be your first choice to play Quentin from your book “The Universal Mirror”?

This is a funny question since I do “cast” novels in my head.  However, I often think of my characters as actors for the qualities that the “actors” might have rather than their literal physical appearance.  I’d actually always pictured Quentin as looking something like the director Paul Thomas Anderson as I was writing him.

Everyone’s mileage varies, however.  When I mentioned to a reader that I’d always pictured Wil Wheaton as Felix, she said “Oh, no, Felix is more BLOND.”  So there you have it.  I’d be curious myself to see how other readers cast the movie.

11.   If you could meet anyone from any time who would it be and what would be your first question?

The last man on earth. 

As to what question?  “How did you get here?”

Our Interview with Karina Kantas!

                                         

                                                            Bio
Karina Kantas writes novels, short stories and when her imagination is working over time, she writes thought provoking/dark flash fiction.
She is presently working on two new novels: Road Rage; an urban thriller, and Broken Chains; MI5 thriller.
Karina writes in the genres of fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and thrillers, just to name a few.
With over thirty publications, Karina Kantas doesn’t just want to be known as an author of exciting MC fiction, so she continues expanding her genre writing.
She is also the owner and editor of http://www.urban-novels.com
Her inspirations are the author S.E.Hinton and the rock band Iron Maiden.
                                           Bio provided by author’s site

It was our pleasure to get a chance to get to know a bit more about Karina. It looks like people will have a hard time pidgeon holing her into a one genre writer. It looks like she has a love of all different kinds of writing. If the story needs to be told she will tell it, her way. Please give a warm welcome to Karina!

 

1.     What makes for a good hook in your stories? Where does your inspiration come from?  

Life inspires me. I also get my ideas from vivid sometimes disturbing dreams. My hook is I think I have found a hole in the overfilling market place with my genre of fiction.

2.     Are you an organized writer? Do you do things like take notes and make lists of characters?  Or do you free write and work it out as you go?

I always start with a conflict and then go from there. Once the basic plot and characters are formed, the story takes a life of its own. When I’m “in the zone” I always carry a notepad and Dictaphone around with me as you never know when you’re gonna get an awesome idea for a scene. I free write first, and then make lists so I don’t confuse myself.

3.     What is your normal writing day like? Do you write when you are inspired or do you have a schedule?    

 I could never stick to a schedule, unless of course I had a deadline. I write when my mind is so full of ideas it just won’t shut down.

4.     Who is your favorite author and how did they inspire you to write?    

I have read some amazing book from authors, but S.E.Hinton will always be my number one author, as her book The Outsiders inspired me to write my first book In Times of Violence.

5.     It’s easy to see that you have a passion for writing but is there any part of it you don’t like?  

 I love writing, I love the creative process; it’s the numerous read throughs that I don’t like. Unless I’ve just picked up the manuscript after a few months of reprieve, then the excitement and adrenaline comes rushing back.

6.     Do you make time to read and if you do what are you reading right now?   

 I love reading as much as writing. I’m going through around 4-5 books a week at the moment. I’m currently reading George. R. R.Martin’s, A Game of Thrones.

7. How did you get started in writing in this style of fiction? Is there personal life experience in the writing?    

Yes, there is always a piece of Karina in my books. My writing helps me to relive the good and bad times I’ve been through. I get a lot of closure from my books. I’ve always loved reading about rebels and outlaws. But these books are hard to come by. I’m determined to change that. My urban thrillers are not just about violence, blood and bullets; they are about romance, lifelong friendships, respect and belonging. I get to hit out in my books and be the punisher, which I would never do in real life. For a while, I allow my readers to escape reality.

 

8. Your books have been published with Amazon.com, Does this mean you see the publishing industry headed this way?  

 I have five titles. My fifth novel, Huntress, was published traditionally by MMP. The other four, I published myself, through a second party such as Lulu. Then because of the birth of e-readers and the sudden rise in e-book sales, I made sure my titles were available on Amazon Kindle.

9. Do you have any online sites where others can read more of your writings?

My website http://www.freewebs.com/froget/ has excerpts, blurbs and reviews of all my books as well as links to previously published nonfiction.

10. Do you have any more stories in the works? What kinds of stories do you plan to write next?  

 I’ll be staying with the thriller genre as that’s where my passion lies. My completed urban thriller Road Rage is being sent around the offices of literary agents and I’m 50% through the first draft of Broken Chains, my MI5 thriller. I also have a two book fantasy series that’s gathering dust at the bottom of my drawer.

11. Who would be your first choice to play Billy from your book “Stone Cold”?    That’s a hard one, because as I wrote this story I was picturing myself as Billy. Apart from the gruesome murders and the supernatural element, Stone Cold the YA supernatural thriller is based on my own experiences. I’d probably beg the director to allow me to do a screen test for the part of Billy, as I love acting.

12. If you could meet anyone from any time who would it be and what would be your first question?

I’m a huge fan of Iron Maiden. I’d love to meet Bruce Dickinson. Not only is he such an amazing vocalist and front man for the band, he’s also an author. My book Heads and Tales which is a diverse collection of flash and short fiction was inspired by the titles of the songs from Best of the Beast album. My first question to him would be. “Can you sign my book?”

Our Interview with Renee Goudeau!

                                  

                                                      Bio

I live a quiet life in a small town in SW Louisiana. My goal is to change the sequence of my life from I was born, lived, and died to I was born, lived– published a successful novel–and still lived.
                                                          Bio provided by author’s site

It was our pleasure to interview Renee and get a chance to talk to her and find out how she came to be an author on Kindle Direct Publishing. Renee has written a story that is reminisce of  a time gone by. She has written a story that could even be played out today. Prejudices that never seem to completely go away. I look forward to reading more stories from Renee, so please give a warm welcome to Renee!

1. What makes for a good hook in your stories? Where does your inspiration come from?
I think the hook depends on the story you’re telling. An adventure story as opposed to a romance; and the pov. Inspiration? I wrote the same story under different guises for 40 years. Might say I lacked inspiration except for constant changes. But when you’re stuck and the answer comes, there’re no better feeling.

2.Are you an organized writer? Do you do things like take notes and make lists of characters?Or do you free write and work it out as you go?

I’m totally disorganized except for my research. And I have tons of that. I try to do a timeline and such but never stick to it.

3.What is your normal writing day like? Do you write when you are inspired or do you have a schedule?

I try to write everyday but with one thing and another don’t always accomplish it. But it’s really better to make it a good work habit.

4.Who is your favorite author and how did they inspire you to write?

 I don’t have a favorite. I like everything from Lee Childs to Cervantes–from Ernest Gaines to Arna Bontemps,both Louisiana writers and knowing what they wrote did help me a lot.

5.It’s easy to see that you have a passion for writing but is there any part of it you don’t like? Sure. It can be a real drag and totally depressing when it’s not going well. If I’m passionate about it, it’s that often I want to throw the computer against the wall.

6.Do you make time to read and if you do what are you reading right now?

I’m only reading marketing advice right now but ordinarily I love to read. Even grocery store handouts!

7.How did you get started on the fantasy writing style you chose? Is there personal life experience in the writing?

Wrong question for DANGEROUS SECRET, but another one that’s on the fire is a comic fantasy! Yes, of course there’s personal life experience in the writing. I’m not dead–yet–and I absorb things just as everyone else does.

8.Your books have been published with Amazon.com, Does this mean you see the publishing industry headed this way?

 I think, yes. But my real reason for doing it is that I wanted to get my book out while I’m still alive–I’m serious here–and the Big 7 way takes too long–years and years sometimes.

9.Do you have any online sites where others can read more of your writings?

 I did have another book that I took down–chickened out, called The Book Of Creation. And I have a short story that Amazon makes you pose as a book: End of Eden: A short story. But people have felt cheated that it’s a short story–I guess they thought as opposed to a long story. I mean it’s in the title! But who knows?

10.Do you have any more stories in the works? What kinds of stories do you plan to write next? Yes. I have the “comic fantasy” for lack of another genre right now and I’m thinking of a sequel to DANGEROUS SECRET that involves a lot of research again.

11.Who would be your first choice to play the old woman from your book “End of Eden; A short Story”?

Someone younger than me? Betty White? I’ll bet she could do a serious part. Other than that, I’m sorry I don’t do movies.

12.If you could meet anyone from any time who would it be and what would be your first question?

Two people: P.T. Barnum and I’d ask what marketing ideas he had since they were so successful. And Jesus–I know another author you interviewed said the same thing–but I’ve often wondered why if he could write (and the Bible stresses he wrote in the sand) why none of his writing survives when Paul and the Big 4’s all have? Maybe he couldn’t afford parchment and ink or he traveled around too much.

Fire Heart

Fire Heart

The fire was raining down from the sky. At the last of the light of dusk a long low wail rose from the forest of ash. It was a dragon trying to save his rider as the life energy slowly ebbed from her body. “I am so cold” she whispered to Fire heart. Her body spasmed and curled closer to the dragon. “Hold on, i can save you. I just need my magic back.” Fire heart cried to her. The battle they had just fought had drained him of most of his magic. As with all things he needed to rest to restore it. “It’s too late for that.” she said softly to him, with shaking hands she touched his strong chin with hard scales of deep green as if trying to take the memory with her to the afterlife. “Don’t go after him alone, please.” she said to him as her eyes closed and her grip softened. Sensing the sudden loss of life energy, Fire heart pooled his very little remaining magic into her. He felt her hand tighten a little. Her eyes opened slowly and she whispered, ” promise me, promise me that you wont go after him alone.” Slowly he nodded his head in agreement. Feeling his energy sustaining her, she found her sword and held it tight as she cut him off mentally and used the last of all she had to magically imbue her sword to pick his next rider. With a soft sigh she breathed no more. The air was rent with the sound of Fire heart mourning the loss of his beloved rider. Fire heart put all of his pain and sorrow into his song of loss. His song stirred the trees and sent up clouds of ash long into the night and into the early morning light of a new day.

By late morning his throat was raw and his voice was almost gone. Fire heart fell into a dreamless sleep. He slept curled around her body protecting it while he was in a deep dreamless sleep. He slept for two days and two nights. When the moon was full he woke to the sound of a soft thump, thump, thump. The sound was getting fainter as he listened. Slowly he opened his eyes to see what looked like a tree swaying in the wind. He looked again and could see that the tree was carrying his beloved rider away. He could see her hair swaying in the breeze as she was being carried away. He quickly looked where her body had been, surely this was only a dream. She was gone! Quickly he got up and went after the tree that he had seen. She would be easy to spot since all the other trees in the area had been stripped bare by the raining fire. The tree he saw had all of its leaves on it. Rage filled his body as he tried to get up to go after her. His body was spent though from the previous battle and then mourning the loss of his rider. Slowly he got to his feet and walked after the tree. He could see her just ahead of him. Fire heart could barely walk let alone run after the forest guardian of old. He followed a bit behind her trying to just keep up and put one foot in front of the other. The dead trees seemed to be moving closer together, making it harder to follow. With a mighty lunge he jumped clumsily into the air barely making it above the trees. Something landed on his back with a thump that made him loose his height and land clumsily in the branches of a weeping willow. Still exhausted from the battle and the loss he gave in as the tree wove a cradle for the dragon to sleep in. Just before he drifted off to sleep he whispered her name, ” Calea, I’m sorry.”
Eve, the tree girl, who had been clinging desperately to his neck spike on his back as the dragon had wobbled violently before landing in the tree, had summoned all of her nature magic to cause the tree to make the cradle for the dragon to sleep in. Slowly with the body of Calea still in her arms she climbed down gently to continue with her purpose. Eve was a tree Ent. It was the job of Ents to collect dragons and riders who had passed away. Ent’s took the bodies to be buried in the mountain with no name. No one knows the way except for the Ents. The branches of the willow that now cradled the dragon eased her to the ground with her burden. Eve continued on to the mountain to place Calea inside. Calea was laid to rest with the other dragons and their riders in a beautiful crystalline mausoleum where they never change. They remain the same as when they passed. Eve finally finished arranging her so she looked as if she might have fallen asleep. Eve left the mountain to go back to the dragon and care for him. She stayed with him as he slept. After several more days, Eve was starting to worry about the dragon. “surely he should wake soon. He will need nourishment soon.” She thought. Eve had the tree that the dragon slept in cause more branches to cover Fire heart even more so that anyone passing would only see a large willow tree. Eve left the dragon to speak to the elder Ents. Eve approached the oldest and wisest of the Ents and softly said, “Elder Willow?” Nothing. Eve spoke a little louder this time and said again, “Elder Willow?” Elder Willow was a small old tree whose branches were knarled and twisted with age. Suddenly she stirred from her restful slumber. “Yes Eve?” Elder Willow said in a soft and wispy voice. Eve drew closer and spoke, “I am sorry for bothering you Elder Willow but I have a dilemma. There is a dragon whose rider has passed away. I have taken the rider to the place of rest but the dragon is grieving so that I fear he will die if he does not wake soon and eat or drink.” The elder Willow sighed a deep sigh and said to Eve, “My child you are correct in thinking that the dragon could grieve himself into death. When a dragon looses his rider to death its like a part of them has died also. I think the dragon will wake soon and we must be there to offer food and drink when he awakens.” Eve, Elder Willow and several of the others gathered food and drink for the dragon and headed towards him when Elder Willow cried out, “wait!” Quickly all the Ent’s turned themselves back into trees. Eve called softly to Elder Willow, “Willow! help me! I cannot change!” Soon there were only trees where moments before the Ent’s had stood. A dark shadow flew over head above them. The Ents below could feel the evil and anger that the medium sized black dragon and its large human rider were emanating. They circled the area twice as if searching for something before moving on.
The Ents started moving again. This time with a watchful eye towards the sky and the area around them. When they reached the tree where the dragon still slumbered they began to rustle the leaves as they climbed the vines towards him. Slowly Eve undid her magic and lowered the sleeping dragon to the ground. He stared to awake with sleepy eyes that didn’t want to open. As they slowly slid open to reveal blurry images. All he could see was the flutter of leaves and several he could hear animal sounds. Slowly his surroundings came into focus and only saw trees or what looked like trees. When he realized he was in the gardens of old. Slowly and shakily he got to his feet and dipped his head in a low dragon bow. The sounds stopped and he looked up to see Eve and other Ents gathered around him.
“My name is Eve, we mean you no harm. How did you come to be here?” Eve asked walking up to Fire heart. Fire heart looked at her sadly and told her his name and how he came to be there. “My rider, was there a pack with her? A sword also? I need those things so I can find my new rider. I made a promise.” Fire heart said with a heavy heart. Willow came forward with a bundle in his arms and held them out for Eve to take. Eve picked up the satchel and the sword which still bore the blood of the previous fight. As soon as Eve touched the sword she felt it. She felt the pain of the loss of Fire heart. She felt his sadness and his breathing. She felt every part of his body and knew now where some of the wounds were. Fire heart looked at her and knew that he was looking at his new rider. He too felt everything that she had felt. They had bonded.

Dragon

Dragon

The mother dragon was dying. With the last of her strength, she clutched her egg, she flew to the one place she knew her egg would be safe. They were called the Dragon Monks. Their deity is a dragon. She knew that he would be by the west wall this time of day tending to the little flower garden there. It was behind some trees so she knew she could give him her precious egg and no one would see.
The sun had just set when she landed beside the wall exhausted. No one had seen or heard her. Quietly she walked closer to the wall and listened for Brother James. She knew that he came to the wall on the inside of the monastery everyday to tend to the flower garden.
She could feel the strength draining from her body. She knew death was only hours away. All dragons knew when their death was upon them. After a few moments she heard the sound of Brother James working the soil with his garden tool. With only her mind she spoke to him, “Brother James, I need your help.” she said leaning heavily against the wall.
She heard his hurried footsteps as he went to a doorway not far from where his flower garden was. Soon he was beside her.
“Aldea, you are hurt! I will go get the others and we can help you!” Brother James said with alarm in his voice.
Aldea stopped him with her paw and said, “No, there is no time for that. You must take my egg. It must be protected. Take the egg inside and protect it. Hurry, the Dark Knight who hunts me is not far behind.”
Aldea slipped the egg into Brother James’s hands and quickly slipped away into the night. Brother James made to stop her but she was gone too quickly. He hurried inside the monastery and went to the main temple.
The Deity was a large statue made from white marble with rubies for eyes. It’s hands were outstretched as if waiting to accept something. James put the egg in its hands and as soon as he did the mouth of the dragon opened and flames encircled the egg. James stumbled backward fearing he would be burned. The eyes seemed to be searching for any hidden dangers. James watched in amazement as the flames seemed to caress the egg but not burn it. The Abbot came in and said, “James what is going on here?” Surprise showing on his face. He watched in fascination at something he had never seen before. James hurried to where the Abbot stood, “Sir, Aldea was here, she left the egg with me. I didn’t know what to do so I brought it here and this is what happened when I laid the egg in its paws.” James was still watching the flames encircle the egg. The Abbot thought a moment before turning to James and saying, ” We shall leave it here and go about our business. I think the egg will be safe where it is now. I want you to go about your business too. Don’t tell anyone where the egg came from. If the rest don’t know they can’t tell.” The Abbot made sure no one was left in the room and locked the door for the evening. Everyone went about their business as if nothing had happened. There were a few eyes that had strayed to the sight of the egg encircled in the flame of the dragon but otherwise no one acted if the egg was even there. The Monks continued with their daily lives as usual for the next several weeks. One afternoon during meditation, while the monks were praying, the fire stopped with a great whoosh. The monks looked up and saw that the flames had indeed stopped. The egg was green and black with just a touch of white here and there. The egg remained unmoved until the small hours of the next morning when the egg started to hatch by dawn’s early light.