Month: February 2004

Dragon’s Kin is #1 on the Locus Bestseller List for March 2004!!

Dragon’s Kin is #1 on the Locus Bestseller List for March 2004!!

Wow! See?

Thanks guys!

I’m just numb with shock (but it’s a good shock)!

Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow!

Back from ConDor XI

Back from ConDor XI

I just got back from ConDor XI.

Robert Silverberg was Guest of Honor. Robert was just awared the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc. I first met him when I was twelve and that’s far too long ago. He was in good form and everyone was happy to see him and his wife, Karen Haber.

I also managed to pick up a copy of Far Horizons which he edited and which includes Mum’s marvelous latest Helva story, “The Ship Who Returned.”

David Brin (“The Uplift War”, “Postman”) was also there and I had the pleasure of being on a panel with him. You can find David’s website here.

I was also thrilled at being on a panel with Vernor Vinge (“Fire Upon the Deep”).

The masquerade at ConDor XI had several very high-quality entrees and was a lot of fun to watch.

I got to renew acquaintances with Karen Wilson and Chris Weber, as well as get better acquainted with Sherwood Smith, Mark Haynes, and Art Holcomb.

It was a marvelous convention and I’m hoping they’ll invite me back next year!

Letter from Stephen

Letter from Stephen

I JUST FINISHED READING DRAGON’S KIN . Great work Please Keep IT up Stephen

Thanks Stephen!

Mum and I have started talking about writing follow-on books to Dragon’s Kin and, of course, I’ve turned in Dragonsblood to my editor.

Cheers,
Todd

Letter from Chad

Letter from Chad

Dear Todd,

I’ve read Dragon’s Kin twice now and have loved it both times, great job!

Will you explain more about the anatomical differences between the “proper dragons,” and the “mutant” watchwhers in Dragonsblood? Primarily, I am curious as to the conditions necessary for watchwhers to fly — largely because self-sustained flight is not an ability that was ever ascribed to the watchwhers. Also, is watch-wher coloration as indicative of gender and size as it is for the fighting dragons?

Finally, why did you decide to set your storyline around the time of the Third Pass?

Sincerely,
Chad.

Dear Chad,

I’m glad that you loved Dragon’s Kin! Cool.

The watch-whers will have more of a cameo role in Dragonsblood.

The only watch-wher I recall mentioned in much detail was the old watch-wher at Ruatha Hold. That watch-wher’s wings were clipped and it was chained up. I think just either clipping its wings or chaining it up would have been enough to make the watch-wher not try to fly (or go between).

Watch-whers are very similar to dragons in some respects — their genetic code was based on the fire-lizard genetic code — so watch-whers do have the exact same colors as dragons and fire-lizards (gold, bronze, brown, green, blue).

A very interesting terrestrial factoid I only recently acquired is that the color of our eyes is determined by melanin — the same stuff that makes us freckle or tan. And because of this, eye colors can range from tawny (in lions, at least), through brown, blue, and green. Essentially, one could the full range of dragon/fire-lizard/watch-wher colors with melanin (or its Pernese equivalent).

I set Dragon’s Kin at the end of the Second Interval because Dragonsblood starts at the beginning of the Third Pass — and Dragon’s Kin is a prequel to Dragonsblood.

Now you may ask why did I set Dragonsblood at the start of the Third Pass? Well, you’ll find out when you read the book (sorry, but I think the reason should remain a secret until you read the book).

Cheers,
Todd