Wednesday Writers–An interview with Lady Fallon from Susan Hanniford Crowley’s YA Fantasy Lady Fallon’s Dragons

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Lady Fallon’s Dragons, Susan Hanniford Crowley, Sweet romance, Wednesday Writers, YA fantasy romance

Welcome to Wednesday Writers! Today’s guest author is Susan Hanniford Crowley with an interview with Lady Aleasya Fallon, the heroine of her into Young Adult sweet contemporary fantasy romance, Lady Fallon’s Dragons. Susan has also included an excerpt from the book, so keep reading to the end. Welcome, Susan and Lady Fallon!

Interviewer: Thank you for allowing this interview, Lady Fallon.

Lady Fallon: You’re welcome and please, just ask the questions in your heart.

Interviewer: When did you first learn about dragons?

Lady Fallon: I always dreamt of dragons. My parents gave me toy dragons, and when I was older I collected dragon statues.

Interviewer: When I was a child, I would look up and see dragons in the clouds. Everyone said it was just my imagination. Was it?

Lady Fallon: You were likely seeing dragons. Imagination allows us to be open to a bigger world.

Interviewer: How did you become Lady Fallon?

Lady Fallon: I was found by a dragon, actually Trulo, who is sitting on my shoulder. (Trulo whistles a little tune and then settles down again.) I inherited my title and Skye Over Castle from my uncle Lord James Fallon.

Interviewer: What happened to Lord Fallon?

Lady Fallon: He was murdered.

Interviewer (flustered): Oh, my. (Trulo flies over and licks the interviewer on the cheek then goes back to Lady Fallon’s shoulder.)

Lady Fallon: Perhaps we can continue talking about dragons?

Interviewer: Yes, yes, of course. Did he just kiss me?

Lady Fallon: He did. Trulo’s a sensitive soul. He must like you. He doesn’t kiss everyone.

Interviewer (smiles): Thank you, Trulo. What kind of dragon is he?

Lady Fallon: Trulo is a Lyra dragon. The Lyras are currently the smallest known dragon in the world. They enjoy singing, whistling, dancing and before you ask, yes, they do breathe fire.

Interviewer: Are there many Lyras?

Lady Fallon: No, they are an endangered species. Skye Over Castle and lands are designated as an animal sanctuary. We are not open to the public. I sometimes grant special visits, but that is rare as our main focus is to keep these wonderful creatures alive.

Interviewer: Are there other kinds of dragons at Skye Over?

Lady Fallon: We are also the home for the Imperial Dragons, which are the largest known species of dragon in the world. When in flight, they are often mistaken for clouds.

Interviewer: All these dragons must keep you busy.

Lady Fallon (laughs): You have no idea.

Interviewer: I would be remiss if I didn’t ask about a certain Mr. Hampshire. Can you tell us about him?

(Trulo jumps up and squawks a burst of flame. The sprinklers rain on them as the alarm blares.)

Lady Fallon: I will, of course, pay for the damages. Sadly, Trulo and I are needed elsewhere now. Thank you.

Interviewer: That was Lady Fallon of Skye Over with one of her dragons, and she’s only eighteen.

A wondrous tale of contemporary dragons and a young woman fighting for her life!

Eighteen-year-old Aleasya gazed briefly at each person in this exclusive area of the plane. Carefully she put her carry-on in the overhead before taking refuge in her personal suite near the window.

Tears poured down her face in endless silent rivers. Not able to stand it another minute, Aleasya sat up and took her tablet out of her tote. She searched for New York City news. It wasn’t the first story but it was there, the footage of the car being pulled out of the water. The car door was pried open. For the briefest of seconds, she saw her father’s hand with the ring showing the Fallon crest.

They were supposed to meet for dinner. When the time came and went, she called. Every time the phone went to voicemail. It didn’t make sense, her father always picked up on her calls no matter how busy.

Now she knew he would never call her back. In her head, she heard his voice. “Run, Sya Bear, run.” She sobbed, shaking so much that it hurt.

Aleasya gave the dragon prayer ring on her right forefinger a spin. I need help. Danger is closing in on me.

EXCERPT

Alice took her over to a table where a dark blue cloth covered a birdcage. “This,” she said, “is a Lyra.”

With a sweep of her hand, she pulled off the cover revealing what seemed at first glance to be a small blue and gold bird.

Aleasya looked again. With her heart caught in her throat, she couldn’t breathe only gasp. She couldn’t believe her eyes, and couldn’t take her eyes off it. How could it be true? How could she believe? Looking right at the creature, how dare she not?

“Are you all right, my dear?” Alice asked.

Aleasya nodded and gave her ring a spin. The ring hummed. Remembering her father made her feel grounded.

“You’re wearing a dragon prayer ring!”

“Yes, it was a gift from my father. He got it on a trip to Tibet. It has two parts; the outer part spins.” Returning to the subject at hand, she asked,

“Is it really a dragon?”

“It is,” Alice answered. “Hush, it’s waking. You want to be polite now. After all, you’re just meeting.” The little animal stirred and stretched out its wings. These weren’t feathered golden wings but smooth and stretched like a bat. Tiny bright blue scales covered the body and head. Gold talons gripped the bars of the birdcage, and two golden eyes now fixed on her. The small creature hopped over to the closest bar. When Aleasya stepped closer for a better look, the dragon tilted its head.

The beauty and wonder of what only could be a dragon transfixed her. Here was the creature of her dreams. Everything she knew to be real said this couldn’t be happening. But her heart knew better, and Aleasya fell completely in love with this perfectly wonderful being. She couldn’t stop trembling with excitement.

The dragon trembled too.

“The Lyra is the smallest known dragon in the world,” Alice continued. “They are nearly extinct in the wild, found in only a few remote locations. The Lyra is famous for its song, which is said to give the listener pure ecstasy. This Lyra has not sung since arriving in my store. The legends say that when a bond is made between the Lyra and its human companion, the Lyra will love that person with great devotion all of its natural life. Although small, it is fierce in protecting its companion. The Lyra loves its human so much, that if it is rejected, it will die from a broken heart.”

A tiny but long forked tongue flicked through the cage bars and licked Aleasya’s hand. It was exactly like her dreams. Her gaze locked with the dragon’s, and something deep inside clicked. But she was afraid.

BUY LINKS

Lady Fallon’s Dragons are available at:
Amazon (Kindle and Paperback)
Nook
Kobo
Smashwords
Scribd
BAM (Paperback available through their online store)

About the Author:

Susan Hanniford Crowley has just expanded her work into Young Adult contemporary fantasy romance with Lady Fallon’s Dragons. This sweet romance is filled with adventure, action, intrigue, and lot of dragons. Coming soon: Her first Young Adult vampire adventure sweet romance – EverWarm.
Susan is a member of SFWA and RWA and specializes in vampires and rare supernaturals.
Her steamy paranormal adventure romance books include: When Love Survives, The Stormy Love Life of Laura Cordelais, A Vampire for Christmas, Vampire in the Basement, Vampire King of New York, Vampire Princess of New York, and The Vampire with a Blanket of Stars. Her steamy steampunk romance is Mrs. Bright’s Tea Room. Her steamy mythology romance is Poseidon’s Catch.
When she’s not writing, she is an Associate Editor for Space and Time Magazine, which publishes science fiction, fantasy, and horror.
Susan is married, has children, and grandchildren in addition to two cats. For hobbies, she collects seashells and dragons.
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Wednesday Writers Welcomes Laurie Lucking Author of Common

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book excerpt of YA romance Common, Catherine Castle Wednesday Writers series, Cinderella retelling novel, Common, fairy-tale retelling, fairy-tale twists, Laurie Lucking, YA fantasy romance, YA romance

 

 

Today, it’s my pleasure to welcome Laurie Lucking to Wednesday Writers. Laurie writes YA fantasy fiction with a classic fairytale twists. She’ll be sharing the background of twist of her newest YA romance, Common, along with an excerpt. Welcome, Laurie!

 

Putting a Twist (or Three!) on a Classic Tale

 

Thanks, Catherine.

I have always loved a good fairy tale retelling. It started with Disney animated movies during my childhood: tales of far-off lands with heroes who boldly risked their lives fighting evil, romances that made butterflies flit about my ribcage, and happily-ever-afters that left me with a contented sigh. When I reached my teens, I enjoyed authors like Gail Carson Levine and Robin McKinley, who brought fairy tales to life on the written page with their unique voices and interpretations. I discovered Melanie Dickerson’s books as an adult, and you can guess how quickly I snatched them up!

When I delved into writing, I couldn’t wait to put my own spin on some classic tales! My first manuscript (which will hopefully be rewritten someday!) explored the premise of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, giving the older sister a back story that explained her cagey behavior and creating what I considered to be a more satisfying ending. In approaching Common, my debut novel that just released on Valentine’s Day, I began with a “Cinderella”-type setup of a servant girl in love with a prince. But rather than center the primary action around a ball, I wanted to explore the relationship and characters much further. I started with a childhood friendship between the maid, Leah, and the prince, Raphael. To increase the conflict, I added a surprise betrothal, a plot against the royal family, and a mysterious group of nuns. Though Leah is every bit as “common” as Cinderella when it comes to her skill set and station in life, she ends up on an adventure to save her country and her beloved prince. Her journey causes her to rise not only beyond her circumstances, but above challenges to her courage, confidence, and faith.

Other stories I have in the works draw inspiration from “Sleeping Beauty,” “Snow White,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and Peter Pan. I appreciate the opportunity to bring new life to the timeless themes and love stories of fairy tales and other classics, and I hope my readers will cherish their adventures in my imaginary lands, smiling with satisfaction when they reach the happily-ever-after at the end.

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Common

By Laurie Lucking

 

Only one person knows of the plot against the royal family and cares enough to try to stop it—the servant girl they banished.

Leah spends her days scrubbing floors, polishing silver, and meekly curtsying to nobility. Nothing distinguishes her from the other commoners serving at the palace, except her red hair.

And her secret friendship with Rafe, the Crown Prince of Imperia.

But Leah’s safe, ordinary world begins to splinter. Rafe’s parents announce his betrothal to a foreign princess, and she unearths a plot to overthrow the royal family. When she reports it without proof, her life shatters completely when the queen banishes her for treason.

Harbored by an unusual group of nuns, Leah must secure Rafe’s safety before it’s too late. But her quest reveals a villain far more sinister than an ambitious nobleman with his eye on the throne.

Can a common maidservant summon the courage to fight for her dearest friend

Excerpt:

Rafe took my arm and steered me in the opposite direction, keeping silent until his friends’ footsteps retreated. “Are you really all right, Leah?”

I tried to pull away. He was whispering so close to my ear, I could feel his breath on my neck.

“What was going on back there? Who were those young men?”

“I’m fine, Rafe, truly. Those were two of the stable hands. I’ve known them all my life, and they’ve been teasing me almost as long. They get on my nerves, but I can assure you they’re harmless.”

His jaw remained set. “Even if they meant no harm, they need to learn the proper respect due to a lady.”

I laughed, then checked myself and lowered my voice. “A lady? I appreciate the thought, but you need to remember I’m merely a servant. As such, I don’t command quite the same level of gentility required for a noblewoman.”

“Well, perhaps you should.”

A lady’s maid stared at us as we passed, sending searing heat into my cheeks. “While we’re on the subject of my lowly status…are you sure this is a good idea?”

“What do you mean?” His brows knit.

“Walking through the corridors like this.” I waved my free hand at our linked arms.

Rafe puffed out his chest. “I’m the prince, aren’t I? How could I do any less than escort the maiden I rescued to safety?”

“I’m not sure that quite constituted a rescue.” I stole a glance at him. “Is it customary for you to attend to damsels in distress in such a manner, then?” I bristled at the idea of Rafe walking through the halls arm in arm with other young women, but I shook it off.

“Well, no. But I still don’t see how this could be objectionable.”

“I’m concerned what people might say…”

“Oh, Leah, will you cease your endless worrying? I’m trying to be your knight in shining armor, and you’re ruining it.”

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Want to read more? You can find Common here.

About the Author:

An avid reader since birth (her parents claim she often kept them up late begging to hear just one more story), Laurie Lucking discovered her passion for writing after leaving her career as an attorney to become a stay-at-home mom. She writes young adult fantasy with a strong thread of romance, and her debut novel, Common, released on February 14, 2018, from Love2ReadLove2Write Publishing. Laurie is the Secretary of her local ACFW chapter and a co-founder of Lands Uncharted, a blog for fans of clean young adult speculative fiction. A Midwestern girl through and through, she currently lives in Minnesota with her husband and two young sons.

Connect with Laurie at these Social Media Links: Website, Blog, Facebook