Today's Teaser Tuesday is from The Dragon Shield by Diane Gardner.
Enjoy & Comment!
“What do you know about your sister’s shield?” Ian shut
down the computer.
“What do you mean?”
“She says it’s magic. What do you know about that?”
“You mean the shield she just made, her dragon shield? I
don’t know. She says she got the idea from her friends.” Brad shrugged.
“School friends?” Ian spoke softly, hoping to sound casual,
but his inquiry was anything but random.
“Nah,” Brad laughed. “I don’t think so. I think they’re
imaginary. She’s kind of mental.”
“Imaginary?” Ian asked. “How’s that?”
“Well, I don’t know. Maybe they’re really there. Sometimes
I hear voices outside, like a bunch of girls out in her fort, but I never see
anyone except Elisa. I can never figure it out,” he shook his head. “Unless
she’s a ventriloquist of some sort. You know kids these days. I know she talks
to herself.”
Ian didn’t say anything but it struck a harmonious chord in
the symphony of his thoughts. Elisa does know the Kaempern children.
They taught her how to make a magical shield just like theirs. Perhaps they wanted a spare shield here for
safekeeping because of the war.
With a shove of his knees, the desk chair rolled back
slightly as Ian rose and walked to the kitchen to refill his coffee cup.
“Why?” Brad asked.
Ian cringed; he probably shouldn’t have said anything. The boy was too inquisitive.
“Why do you want to know about her shield? Do you
think it’s magic?”
Ian laughed quietly, “I have no way of knowing something
like that.”
Brad’s eyes lit up. “You believe in magic though, don’t
you? You just admitted it. Heck, I bet you more than believe in magic. You
practice it, don’t you? Going into another world, and all.” He jumped up.
“Wow. Do you think her magic shield has something to do with the Realm?”
How could Ian deny what was playing over again and again in
his mind? He shrugged his shoulders.
“If I get it for you, will you take me in?” Brad asked. He
jumped up and raced to Ian’s side.
Ian scowled. The boy’s face glowed.
I shouldn’t have said anything.
“Absolutely not, and
don’t even think about taking your sister’s shield. No,” he replied quickly.
“And I wouldn’t take you in regardless. It’s a wicked world in there. It’s no
place for a boy your age.” Ian warned.
“Abbi said you went in at my age.”
Abbi told him that? What’s she trying to do, anyway? I’m going to
talk to her about divulging so much information about the Realm to these kids.
This is not good!
“Maybe I did--but it
was the wrong thing to do, and I’ve regretted it ever since. I should never
have gone in. Never. I’m not going to let you make the same mistakes I made.”
“Well, I’m probably more mature than you were, no offense.
Mom says I’m grown up for my age.”
Ian raised an eyebrow. Maybe a little more arrogant than
most kids your age. Mature? Not so much. Excitable? Absolutely. Can you control
your temper? Highly doubt it. What would you do if you came face to face with
that kid’s dagger? Disastrous.
“I can fight, I’m
good. I would be your right hand man.”
“No.” Ian
gently touched the kid’s chest with his finger, “Get any such notion out of
your mind. I’m not taking you into the Realm.”
Dianne Lynn Gardner
Author-Illustrator
Young Adult Fantasy-Adventure Fiction
Dianne Gardner is both an author and illustrator living the
Pacific Northwest, Olalla Washington. She’s an active member of the Society of
Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and the National League of American
Pen Women. She has written Young Adult Fantasy novels as well as articles for
national magazines and newspapers and she is an award-winning artist.
Dianne spent many years living out in the desert wilderness of the
American Southwest, lived in a hogan made from adobe and cedar for thirteen
years, co-owned 25 horses both pure bred and Native American ponies, traveled
horseback and by wagon throughout the Navajo reservation, herded sheep and
goat, worked in the forest planting trees and piling, farmed on barren soil and
even lived in a teepee for a short while. She spent many long years using
survival skills as a way of life.
Later she studied pastoral counseling and was a Pastor’s apprentice at a mainline church. She and her husband have been feeding the homeless for
over twelve years. Today she shares both her survival experiences and her love
for people, especially young people, into her writing as a way to not only to
give her readers a firm understanding of her stories’ characters, but a rich
appreciation of nature.
Publisher’s website: http://www.hydrapublications.com/shop/deception-peak/
Official book blog: http://dragontargeseries.blogspot.com/
Dragon Shield Trailer http://youtu.be/ukSqegM63m4Author’s
website http://gardnersart.com
Twitter @DianneGardner
Author Central on Amazon
The Dragon Shield on Amazon
6 comments:
Love the excerpt! Thanks for stopping by Diane.
Thanks so much for having me! Lovely blog!
Love the excerpt. How quickly they think they're grown up.
Thanks for checking out the blog Shelia!
How true, Shelia! And thank you again Jenn!
I have a Kickstarter campaign for Ian’s Realm going right now until April 13 if anyone is interested. Don’t know if I can post the link here but it’s on my blog and website. There are some deals on the books, some posters and original artwork available.
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