Month: June 2007

Letter from Cheryl

Letter from Cheryl

Todd McCaffrey,

I am reading Dragonsblood right now, started yesterday, and I’m on page 303.

I love this story, and you’ve done your mother’s world justice. I love all the Pern stories I’ve read so far, though not in order that they’re supposed to be in, but the order that I’m able to get a hold of them.

I first started reading these stories, when I came accross A Gift of Dragons. The stories were so compelling that I was hooked.

I must say that Dragon’s Kin was particularly touching. It was because I enjoyed a story which you had co-written with your mother, that I decided to read one you had written yourself.

I have not been disappointed.

I want to someday be a writer of fantasy novels with dragons, myself. So you could say that I idolize you and Anne.

I hope to see many more Pern novels from you.

Thank you, Cheryl!

I’ll warn you that writing about dragons may become a more difficult proposition because so many people have thought about it (Naomi Novik’s “His Majesty’s Dragon” being a very popular example).

Mum and I have a new collaboration, Dragon Harper, coming out this December (in the US, January in the UK) which tells more of Kindan’s life (and, of course, you meet him in Dragonsblood).

Cheers,
Todd

Note from Clay

Note from Clay

I was just noticing the cover art for your next Pern novel. It never ceases to amaze me how those of us here in the old US of A seem to get the short end of the stick when it comes to the cover art! The UK version is far and away superior to the US version.

How come? On another note, it would be nice to see some of this cover art in the form of a calendar someday. (

Hi Clay,

Yes, there is a difference in the artwork. If you ever find other European or other language editions, you’ll see ever more of a difference!

Artwork is the province of the publisher and Del Rey has felt that the current line of artwork has done very well (note that they used the UK’s artwork for Dragonsblood).

As for a calendar, that possibility is more up to the publishers or the individual artists.

Cheers,
Todd

Letter from Kris

Letter from Kris

I am anxiously awaiting the newest addition to the PERN series. Is there an ETA to when this book will be released in Canada?

I have been reading this series ever since I was 13, and cannot wait!

Thanks

Kris

Hi Kris!

I’m glad to tell you that Dragon Harper will come out in the States December 26th, 2007 and in the UK in January, 2008.

Cheers,
Todd

Letter from Stephanie

Letter from Stephanie

Of course I love all the books ever done…think I have read them all but the Dragon’s Fire I now. I want to get the Dragon Harper…didn’t know about it! Great!
I was thinking last night, this may seem a bit too far fetched but since dragons can go between and even in time….there is always the possibility one with rider could end up on another planet, maybe save or bring back some great species….
wish we had magic to move our whales, dolphins, etc animals to another planet until we clean up this one!
Or just an adventure….the possibilities are endless.

Well, I’m glad to hear such a positive attitude! “Until we clean up this one!” Yep, we’ve got to clean up our planet and it’s nice to see that people are thinking that way.

As for going between planets, I figured that as space and time are one, a jump back in a year is equivalent to a jump of a light-year. That puts the maximum theoretical safe range of a space jump at about 25 light years (Lessa jumped over four hundred but she nearly died). The big problem is that one would have to know where one was going — and one couldn’t both jump back in time and in space (at least no more than a combined 25 light-years, say, 15 light-years in space and 10 years in time, for example).

But there are enough stories on Pern to last a while.

Also, no one has ever said whether or not more animals than dolphins were brought to Pern.

Cheers,
Todd