Category: dragon academy

Feature Friday…

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…what is it?

Well, actually it’s Show and Tell day, when I acquaint you with something I have found (on the net or otherwise) and give you a few salient factoids about the object/website/picture etc, etc.

So, what am I going to show you?

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One of my favourite  EVER Google Doodles…

On 9th June this doodle appeared on the homepage –

The Doodle was in celebration of Les Paul’s 96th Birthday and as well as being a great deal of fun (you can record thirty seconds of yourself playing with the strings and then you get a link that plays it back to you), brought back some very happy memories for me –  sitting listening to my Dad play the guitar and if I had been especially good that day, he’d sing “Puff the Magic Dragon” to me.


This is one of the most beautiful songs about the innocence of childhood that I know.

I used to sing it to my children to get them to sleep and when the book came out a little while back, I snapped it up – especially as there was a CD with it featuring the soothing voice of Peter Yarrow, one of the original singers.

Puff, the Magic Dragon (Book & CD)

My six year old daughter loves it so much that just listening to the CD can calm her down. It’s useful at bedtime as well, because if she’s sleepy she’ll just drift away to the music.

I still want to learn to play the Guitar – maybe one day I’ll be able to and then I might be able to sing it to my grandchildren; assuming either of my children decide to make me a grandmother!

But it was Puff that set me firmly on the Fantasy course and made me love Dragons so much – he’s the reason that I call my muse “Puff” as well, although my Puff is blue and purple, rather than green:


And obviously this representation of him is a Star Pet, but Puff holds a very special place in my heart and always will.

So, what memory from your childhood does this Google doodle bring back? Follow the link below, have a play – maybe even record yourself! But please come back and tell me about the memory it evokes and why it is so special to you.

http://www.google.com/doodles/les-pauls-96th-birthday

E-Books or Print books? You decide…

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I am proud to be a member of the Pfoxmoor Publishing Family.

 

“The Tower and The Eye” Novella series was picked up by them early this year and hopefully the first book in the series will be published at the beginning of 2012 under their Pfoxchase Imprint.

 

…Yes, I know it’s a long time to wait.

 

But, while you’re waiting, Pfoxmoor has a lot of brilliant books that you can read. They’re all available in e-format and some of them are available in print as well – I seriously recommend getting the books in print if you enjoy them in e-format…

 

Why?

 

An e-reader is a wonderful device, it allows you to read anywhere you like, doesn’t go soggy in the rain and you can store hundreds of books on it. Perfect for someone like me who likes to read many different books and genres.

 

But…

 

Print books have more to them than just the story. There is a whole sensory experience to reading a print book that an e-reader just doesn’t have. There’s the feel of the paper; smooth in some books, rough in others.

For me it brings back memories of sitting in the school library at break times, going through the boxes of new books (I was a Library Monitor at school) and checking the pages and adding the school stamp.

 

There’s the smell that books have as well. Brand new books have that sharp, fresh ink smell; second hand or books that you haven’t read for a while have a tangy, soft scent that always reminds me of winter evenings snuggled up with a mug of Horlicks.

 

Everyone has their favourite places to read. In the winter I snuggle up in a fleecy, furry throw with my Horlicks. In the summer, I pull out a garden chair, put my hat on and take in a little vitamin D while I catch up on the adventures of my favourite characters.

 

Of course, both e-readers and books are good for the summer, but e-readers often have a problem with bright sunlight, which is where the print book has the edge, but bright sunlight fades ink, which is where e-readers are better than print.

 

Anyway, back to Pfoxmoor.

 

 

You’ll find a whole slew of different books being brought out by them. The YA books come out through Pfoxmoor and Adult books are brought out through the Pfoxchase Imprint.

 

You’ll find a new section to my website going up shortly, introducing you to all the Pfoxmoor / Pfoxchase books and featuring a review of the book in question. There will also be links to the various places you can buy them (and believe me they are everywhere) and if you want to, you can leave your own comments and reviews in the comments section on each page.

 

Pfoxmoor has something for everyone and I’m sure that you’ll find a book that you will want to read…

>Christmas Present Book List – Part Two…

>Time for the next set of books on my Father Christmas list… oops, I mean my recommendations for your gift buying…


looks around to see if anyone has noticed…

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Poking a gentle stick in the eye of traditional fantasy, “The Unwise Woman of Fuggis Mire” by Raven Dane, is a hilarious romp around the stereotypes.

Morven, the Unwise Woman of Fuggis Mire, is the on duty seer.  She’s been on duty since Angharad, the Extremely Knowledgeable Unless it was Questions about the Weather, retired from the trade to go and live with her sister.  Then the feast of St. Epiligia, patron saint of pointless journeys and voles dawns and Morven finds herself inundated with pilgrims.  Demonica, daughter of the ruler of distant Darkness and Despair, is bored and looking to cause some hellish Havoc. Can Morven assemble a team to stop her?

“The Unwise Woman of Fuggis Mire” is one of the funniest books I have read recently. Its gentle satiric humour and stunning writing remind me of Tom Holt and Terry Pratchett. Suitable for adults and older teenagers, this is one book that is on my Christmas wish list… um, I mean, my highly recommended gift choice list…


Available in Print from Endaxi Press
http://www.endaxipress.com/?P=12

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Do you like Dragons? There have been plenty of films and books about dragons recently (How to Train your Dragon immediately pops into mind) but none of them are quite like “Dragon Academy” by Diane Nelson.
The last greywings on the planet have been sent to New Jersey, along with Nick in an effort to conserve them. Nick has to contend with the other trainers Keith and Maxie as well as the female students of his aunt and uncle’s riding academy, not to mention the overwhelming egos of the dragons themselves. Nikita and Michael are not going to make things easy.
Diane has a smooth writing style that blends fantasy and reality into a believable story. By the end of Chapter One, you really do believe that dragons exist and are flying around the countryside.  Dialogue, descriptions, and humour all bound into the story making it highly entertaining, funny and action packed.
“Dragon Academy” would make a great film. It would also make a wonderful present for anyone who likes Harry Potter or Eragon… like me… Did I say that out loud?




Available in Digital Format at ireadiwrite Publishing and Amazon. Soon to be available in Print

http://www.ireadiwrite.com/Dragon-Academy.html
http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Academy-ebook/dp/B003STD9XU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1291165190&sr=1-1


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Matty and the Computer Crooks by Annabelle Page is a wonderfully fun book that makes the reader feel that you are really there with Matty and his friends, as they work their way through the adventure that ensues after Matty overhears two crooks discussing how to steal the computer’s from Matty’s school.

Aimed at children from the ages of seven and up, Annabelle’s writing style doesn’t talk down to kids, but “Matty and the Computer Crooks” is easy to read and highly enjoyable. A perfect present to encourage your younger gift receivers to read!
Available in Print from Endaxi Press
http://www.endaxipress.com/?P=15
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Well, that’s the end of part two… part three will be around later I should imagine… Toodles!