What a wonderful Holiday weekend surprise to find out The Destineers’ Journal of Fantasy Nations has arrived on Barnes and Noble a couple of weeks earlier than originally anticipated – how cool is that?! Firewing’s so excited he’s flaming all over the place!

Well, just a quick reminder that this is the final weekend of our “get your own piece of dragon treasure FREE”. Order The Destineers’ Journal at Amazon…or Barnes and Nobel and email a copy of the sales confirmation to NetherscapeRealm@aol.com to get your choice of FREE silver tone dragon charm pendant OR a FREE silver tone dragon bookmark. Hurry – through this Sunday, April 12, 2009 only.

Have a great Easter weekend, everyone! Hope the Easter bunny brings you all kinds of wonderful Easter treats! As we’ve mentioned before, dragons LOVE marshmallows so I can imagine Firewing will be toasting all his marshmallow Peeps and having a wonderful time – hope you do too!

To see the review of this book on Amazon, follow this link http://tinyurl.com/dhg8pz

We also thought we’d try to give the website (http://Destineers.com) and Cybrarie forum (http://Cybrarie.com) a bit of a facelift. We’ve reformatted the Cybrarie a bit, hopefully making easier to navigate. We’ve divided the “rooms” into categories and added some new feature rooms, like classrooms for the teachers to post lectures from their various fantasy specialties, some writing prompts from Kylie and “Mad Libs” from Sean, and News and Upcoming events to be posted from across the realms. There will also be a resource center with lots of links to fantasy sites (soon to come), and a bookstore.

We hope you’ll like the new changes! When you get a minute, stop by and let us know what you think – we’re growing and loving it!

To celebrate we’re going to do some of his favorite things – you got it – we’re having a cookout. Yes, it’s the middle of winter, but we’re in southern California at our little castle house and the weather’s perfect today. We’re gonna let the dragon roast some hot dogs and burgers and, of course, marshmallows – his absolute favorite. If you get a chance, stop by and join us – we’d love to see you there! http://Cybrarie.com

Last night Firewing stayed up to see how we celebrated the New Year. A lot of our neighbors were celebrating and had small parties going at their houses. We didn’t go to any of their parties – we just had one of our own – you know, we try to keep the dragon out of sight of the neighbors.

Have I ever told you about our house and our street? We live in a small town in southern California called Pandora Cove. Don’t bother trying to find it on the map, it’s a small town and for some reason they just don’t seem to ever put it on a stupid map. Anyway, our house is the greatest. It looks like a castle. Really. Well, maybe not as big as a real castle, but it’s still pretty big and it’s really cool. It’s not like any of the other houses on our street that all look exactly alike. Matter of fact, we live on a cul- de-sac so Ry says the other houses are like pawns protecting the king (us) who live in the castle. I know. It’s corny but it is kinda cool to think of it like that

Our house is huge (which is a good thing when you have a dragon…even if it is a miniature sized hatchling). Our back yard is really big too and there’s no neighbors back there – just a little wooded area around the fringe of our yard – it’s kinda like having our own private little forest. It’s a great place to play hide and seek…you know, like when we were little kids.

Anyway, Sean and Kylie were visiting for the holidays and we were having our own little party in the family room – watching the TV specials, playing arcade games (Cosmic Kingdom of course), and having some fun when Firewing must’ve been looking out the windows and saw some of the neighbor kids running up and down the street with sparkers. He got all excited and started flaming his wings (sorry Mom, Sean had the fire extinguisher handy so the tile only got a little singed – I’ll scrub it today and make it shine I promise – there wasn’t any real damage, I swear!) Out in the backyard Firewing was running around and puffing out little flame shapes – kinda like some people can blow smoke rings – we found out he can blow different shaped flames. It was pretty cool. But, he was excited and started flaming his wings and before we knew it he was flying and making all kinds of shapes and pictures with the flames in the sky – his own version of fireworks. It was GREAT!!

We did get a little nervous when the neighbors started coming over to find out what kind of fireworks we had. Ry talked to the neighbors while I told Firewing in Dragonese to quit flaming!! (I hope my voice changes soon so I can make those low growly sounds in Dragonese better – at least Firewing can understand me!) Anyway, we had to make Firewing come down and hide with me in the forest and stay still and be really quiet so the neighbors don’t find him. Mom says we’re not zoned for dragons in our neighborhood. Ry just told the neighbors that we found some special fireworks when we were away – didn’t get them locally…well, it’s not exactly a lie, we found Firewing in the Netherscape, that’s not exactly local.

Anyway, the New Year is off to a great start! We had a blast celebrating – how about you?

The year Rudolph was sick with a cold in his nose.

His eyes were all itchy and watery too

He coughed and he sneezed a resounding A-CHOOOO!!

The poor little deer couldn’t lift up his head

How could he possibly fly – and pull that big sled?

His coughs and his sneezes just wouldn’t do

They started an avalanche – burying sleigh and toys too!

Santa thought and he thought then he called an old friend

Dr. Doolittle came running – couldn’t let Christmas end!

Doc spoke to the elf while shaking his head

“That is one sick little deer that must stay in bed.”

So Santa met with his wisest of elves

They debated and planned and said to themselves

“The fog is so thick, how do you suppose

We will ever get through with no shiny red nose?”

“There must be someone who can help us out

But who can it be?” The elves started to pout.

The littlest elf quietly started to sing

“I know of someone. His name’s Firewing.”

“He’s the smallest of dragons from the legends of old

But he’s kind and he’s loving, has a heart made of gold.

With a puff he can breathe fire on high

He has fire enough to light up the sky.”

“This tiny dragon has a talent so rare

He can make his wings flame while flying on air.

With Firewing’s help for the good girls and boys

Santa can get through with his sleigh full of toys.”

The reindeer looked nervous and pawed at the ground

A dragon? For real? THIS was the replacement they found?

The puzzled old elf asked “what’s the matter with you?”

Then Comet cried out “Santa, my friend, we love Christmas too.”

“BUT…a dragon?! For real?! What are you thinking?

He’s a dragon! He’ll gobble us up without even blinking.

We don’t want to end up flambéed as a venison roast,

Not a nice reindeer stew, to eat with some toast!”

The jolly old elf chuckled and said “My dear little friends do not dismay -

Dragons are just like you, they eat oats and some hay,

An occasional apple maybe a carrot or two

But NEVER my friends do they eat venison stew.”

They were still unconvinced so Santa said one thing more

“Dragons do have one weakness, a treat they adore.

They have quite a sweet tooth, and can’t get enough

 Marshmallows my friends; and marshmallow fluff!”

“Marshmallows?” asked Comet “I hear they’re quite good,

The humans like to toast them over a flame made with wood.”

“Yes,” agreed Santa, “And Firewing is a friend

Who will toast them for you over and over again!”

So off they all flew that one Christmas night

Delivering presents by Firewing’s light.

They laughed and they partied and had quite a time

With roasted marshmallows and friends, it was quite sublime.

So early next morning Firewing crawled into bed

While visions of reindeer friends danced in his head.

He dreamt of the night with his new found friends

They saved Christmas for all, so it wouldn’t end.

But later that morning he wasn’t quite sure

When young Brady eagerly bounced through his door

Had it been real or a wonderful dream?

His head was all fuzzy like…marshmallow cream.

“Come on down, Santa’s been here

I’ll tell you the story of the elf and reindeer.”

Brady babbled excitedly of the well known tale

How they delivered presents and made that sleigh sail.

“He’s left us all presents – the best that could be

Some books are for Kylie, Dragonese tapes for me.

Ryan got a sword to decorate his room,

Sean got a boom box with extra loud boom.”

“But, you got the very best gift of them all.

Come see for yourself” Brady continued to call

A most perfect present, please hurry and see

Your very own fantasy – a Marshmallow tree!”

“It’s loaded with marshmallows and does a great trick

When you pick a marshmallow off, one grows back real quick.

It comes with a note from Santa” he raved

“Heartfelt thanks go to Firewing – for Christmas he saved.”

“What does he mean?” Brady wanted to know

But the dragon just winked and ate a marshmallow.

“Presents are nice – but not the real reason

We celebrate and love this wonderful season.”

“Christmas is more than just presents and toys -  

Its working together to spread love and joy.

The best part of Christmas is the feeling you know

From sharing the love wherever you go.”

He ate one more marshmallow then started to fly

His message emblazed across a clear sky

“Happy Christmas to all – go spread love and good cheer

Be kind to others – throughout the whole year.”

Hey guys!! I was reading a really cool blog over on MySpace. They are having a contest and giving away a copy of book 1 and 2 in this series! Follow the link to the BLOG AND CONTEST to enter to win! (If the link’s not working go to http://www.myspace.com/beverlywriter  and click on her blog entry book giveaways!)

I’ll repost the blog and book review here so you can see what it’s all about. The books sound GREAT and we all know how much I love to read. I am definitely going to check this out! Enjoy!

The publisher of Black Hawk Press is Ben R. Furman, a former FBI counterterrorism chief, who has drawn on this experience to write about high-tech terrorism, chemical, biological, and nuclear threats, and transnational criminal cartels. During his career he investigated kidnappings, extortions, bank robberies, led SWAT teams and was the FBI counterterrorism chief assigned to address threats against the United States by terrorists of all stripes.

He also writes fantasy adventure novels with positive messages for the young adult, juvenile market.

He is the CEO of Rexus, a company that conducts international corporate investigations involving industrial espionage, internal theft, business due diligence and background screening.
Ben is giving away a copy of Book 1 and Book 2 of his series.

To win a copy of the above book and of 2, The Royal Trident, leave a comment on the MySpace blog at the above link with your working email address so that they can contact you. If you blog about this contest, leave a comment there, telling them where you are blogging about it and they’ll give you an additional entry. Contest ends November 30th. The winner will be announced on the MySpace blog on December 1st. Good luck. See the review posted below for more information about the storyline:
Book Review:
Eleven-year-old Samantha “Sam” Mae Costas expects the summer at her grandfather’s farm to be boring, as usual, unless she can find her own adventure. She never dreams she’ll be expected to save a world, however. But on the second day there, Sam and Patch, her grandfather’s dog, are exploring the nearby woods when she discovers a “tiny boy no bigger than her thumb” trapped in a spider web. She rescues the boy, and is soon caught up in a battle between the Awokians who live in Innerworld and the Zogs who the Awokians banished to Bottomworld some 1000 years ago and who now want to escape.

The boy, Prince Buznor of Awok, has been looking for her. She bears the red, diamond shaped birthmark of the one who will keep their world from being destroyed. To do so, she must recover the Crimson Crystal that King Kaylan, Buznor’s uncle, hid in a cave in the Land of Geffen, but the King and the Crystal have disappeared and without the crystal Innerworld is doomed.

So begins the story of an unlikely heroine. Beginning with Sam’s doubts in her ability to save the Aowks, to being ambushed by dwarfs, attacked by bats, and facing Drogon, leader of the Zogs she faces each challenge with courage to help her new friends. Who will win the battle between the Awoks and Zogs? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

Sam’s Quest for the Crimson Crystal is an exciting adventure that proves you don’t have to be the biggest, the strongest, or the bravest to be a hero. Young readers should enjoy traveling with Sam through the magical lands of this book, cheering for her when she succeeds, urging her on when she falters.
This sounds like a great series and exciting contest – be sure to check it out!
_________________

~Kylie                                                                                                                                                        Saving the worlds                                                                                                                                           one adventure at a time!                                                                                                     www.Destineers.com

Not sure how many of you are aware, but today is another very special day – November Day. I know, it doesn’t get much press, but check it out. It’s a day honoring the Pooka, a member of the fairy folk both respected and feared. Well, feared may be a little strong…Pookas may get a little carried away sometimes and carry a joke too far, but feared?! I dunno

Anyway, one of our good friends, Nissa, is a Pooka. He is amazing! He is a shapeshifter so you never know where he is going to turn up…or in what form! I’m not sure what his natural form really is (he is a member of the goblin family…a distant member if you ask Professor Washington! He doesn’t really have a lot of patience for Nissa’s practical jokes, and Nissa, loves a good practical joke – guess that’s why we’re such good friends!) Anyway,  Nissa’s favorite form to assume is this little ball of cotton-candy pink fluff (about the size of a grapefruit) with iridescent wings, but he can shift into anything or anybody. He seems to find this humorous…but it really is a wicked cool talent to have! Anyway…certain traditions are associated with him like the Samhain, the harvest festival for bringing in the last of the crops, for instance.

The Pooka usually lives around mountains and hills, and there are stories of it appearing on November Day and providing prophecies and warnings to those who consult it.

So today, he should be on his best behavior since he is being honored….although yesterday he was complaining Hallmark doesn’t have a card for this particular occasion…yet. Somehow I think he’s trying to get that changed! Anyway, if you see Nissa around, make sure to wish him a Happy November Day; you’ll make his day!

Why not stop by and check it out?

Hmmmm…it kinda explains a lot…

To read the lecture, click on the Cybrarie link above and check out the discusson rooms or go to the website http://Destineers.com , click on the tab for The Cybrarie and the lecture is posted in the Destineer Discussion Rooms. 

Let me know what you think! See you there!

Hi, Kylie here. We’ve had some email requests for stories about our experiences in the Netherscape and about our school. It is my job to keep the chronicles of our lessons and adventures in a very special journal Professor Sinclair gave me. I thought I’d share some of the stories with our readers. It was really hard choosing a journal entry to start with – most of our classes were fun and exciting, but this one particular lesson…well, you’ll see what I mean. 

Just to set the scene for you: I was nervous about entering the Incarnation Chamber. I knew the headmaster said it was set to replication mode, and these were but shadows of the past—nothing that could hurt us, but our lesson was on the Holocaust, one of the bloodiest most violent times in recent history and this was Interactive History class. It was still early in the school year and I wasn’t sure just how interactive the lesson would get. Professor Derrnz said the chamber was programmed to automatically translate everything being said so we’d hear everything in our own language. I could hear my heart thumping loudly so I knew everyone in the chamber could hear it too. They’d know I was afraid.

These were just supposed to be shadows from the past…shadows can’t hurt you, right? I kept telling myself this…but the night before Sean and I had watched one of those horror movies he likes so much. Shadows are never just shadows…shadows ALWAYS hurt you in those movies. Please don’t let this be like the movies…

*****

Journal Entry: September 5, 2007

Why am I breathing so loud? Do you know what fear tastes like? I do…it’s in the back of my mouth right now, it’s hot and dry and swallows up all your spit. It’s like someone wadded a big ball of cotton and rammed it down the back of my throat. It tastes bitter, acidy. It takes all my breath away so I can’t even scream. Why is my skin so clammy? I can’t stop sweating. My chest physically hurts; my heart is beating so hard. The shadows are going to find us and it’ll be my fault. I’m not so sure I’m going to like this class. Just reading about these times in history is horrific enough, but to witness it up close as it really happened…I don’t know about this. Okay. Deep breath, Kylie. Here we go.

I take a deep breath and follow the class into the chamber.

Suddenly, it was mid-day November 9, 1938…again. There is frenzied chaos everywhere, people running every which way. I feel the fear choking me as my eyes dart across the landscape taking in everything.  I can’t move. My legs suddenly feel very heavy and rooted to the ground. A Ukrainian peasant, middle aged of moderately wide girth runs by exclaiming, “The troops have arrived, they are executing Jews in town. Run! Hide!”

Sounds of screams, running…surround us. People flood into the streets, running amuck, yet there is nowhere to run – no way to escape. Even the birds are trying to get away, I hear wings fluttering softly at first, raising to a heavy beating sound as they squawk and flap about panicking now too. The ground is shaking – I can feel the trucks filled with soldiers rumbling down the dirt road. My hair is bristling on the back of my neck. Aaagh! What’s that?!?! My heart is racing. Gun shots! There is gunfire everywhere! They’re coming! Strike that –they’re here!

I can’t breathe; cold perspiration runs down the back of my neck, matting the tiny hairs that are standing upright. “Professor!” I scream in horror. “Where do we go? What do we do? They can’t do anything to us, right? You’re sure?” My head pivots wildly taking in the scene around me. Tears spill uncontrollably down my cheeks.

“Kylie!” I hear the headmaster calling out to me. “Try to stay calm.”

His voice is soothing, but he sounds so far away from the chaos around us. Why does he feel so far away? I trust him. I know he will keep us safe. I want to find him, I need to find him. Everything is dark and spinning around me.

His distant voice calls out to me; a warm safe feeling is enveloped in his voice.  “Remember, we are in the Chamber and it is set to Replication mode only. They can neither hear nor see us. However – we will see and, to a degree, experience what the people here are experiencing, but we have the safety net that we cannot be harmed. Sadly, we can do nothing to save these people from the shadows of the past and the fate that awaits them. Quickly class, stay together. We need to take cover.”

I stumble blindly towards the sound of his voice and feel a gaggle of arms reaching for me, and then holding me, pulling me close. Through my teardrops, I see Ryan’s stony face as he pulls me to safety behind the shelter of bales of hay where the class is gathering out of the line of fire.

Professor Derrnz’ voice continues “I am truly sorry for what you are about to witness, you may not understand now, but it is a very unfortunate necessity. This is the only way you can know, it is a lesson you cannot learn at the level you need to understand it from simply reading about this time in a book. It is cruel, but it is a lesson you must experience in person for it to touch the very depths of your souls for you to truly understand. Again, I am sorry. Quickly! In here!” His voice is curt as he leads us into a storage room of some sort made of cinder block.

I can see light passing through some cracks in the stone, but I don’t think the attackers see us. There is mayhem everywhere. The screams of people being exterminated literally only a hundred feet away from us haunt me. Goosebumps travel down my spine sending uncontrollable shivers through my body. I can’t stand on my own and feel myself slump hard against the cold stone wall. I don’t think I will ever be able to close my eyes again and not hear the terrified screams, the rat-a-tat-tat of gunfire and then the most horrific sound of all – the deafening silence. And the smell…blood spilling out on the hot pavement, gunpowder, perspiration. It is nauseating and I feel myself starting to retch.

I feel compelled to watch, horrified as I am, I can’t turn away. Through a distorted teary-eyed gaze I watch one soldier as he chases a young mother trying to run away carrying her squirming terrified toddler. Her eyes are huge as she turns to him begging for their lives. Rat-a-tat-tat. The sound echoes in my head. She crumbles on top of her baby, small crimson rivers pooling from the bullet holes that riddle their bodies. I can’t hold back the tears and fall over sobbing convulsively. I feel the arm of the headmaster around me, gently pulling me back towards the door to the exit, back to our own world and time.