Must Like Children & Cats & Dragons
What if there truly were dragons in Medieval times?
And, what if there are those among us who can still channel the fire of dragons and the inspiration of the ages?
As an author, I find inspiration in many places. I wrote a Christmas story using the inspiration of family pictures so old; I didn’t know who the people were. To take it up a notch, I challenged some friends to provide the last name of the person who inspired them most in life.
The love of family and the inspiration of so many beautiful names created a 30,000 novella in ten days. It doesn’t get any better than that.
Dragons, you say? Sorry, I very nearly forgot where I was.
D’Lacey filled his book with quirky characters and a community of the most unusual squirrels. What more do you need to keep young readers on the edge of their chairs?
Kids will be inspired by kindness, courage, and imagination by this delightful fantasy. Parents will appreciate the journey back to the day when they exhibited a wild imagination. And writers? Well, they’ll be inspired to look closer at everything they see for that spark that opens up an entirely new world.
The Fire Within by Chris D’Lacey
David Rain is a typical college student looking for a place to live while attending classes. Even if things appear a bit odd, any student will grab a space priced reasonably well, and if it comes with a nosey cat and excellent food, well, that’s even better! (Even though the ad very clearly specified the applicant was required to ‘Like Children and Cats and Dragons.’
Mrs. Pennykettle and her daughter Lucy have a rather odd home-based business. They create pottery dragons. Now, you might think that’s a perfectly ordinary business, but David would be quick to disagree. Whoever heard of a pottery business without a visible firing kiln?
Besides, there is something peculiar going on here. The dragon Mrs. Pennykettle made especially for David is carrying a pencil and a tablet. Why is David suddenly inspired to begin writing a book?
That’s the thing with authors, the weirdest activities can trigger a storm of ideas, and those ideas can create something quite magical.
Amazon Description
Best-selling author Chris d’Lacey brings us a magical story about mysterious handcrafted clay dragons who have unusual powers.
When David moves in with Liz and Lucy, he discovers a collection of hand crafted, clay dragons that comes to life and has magical powers. David’s personalized dragon, Gadzooks, can forecast the future, and inspires him to write a story which reveals the truth behind a mystery close to home. The story has an unhappy ending, and when David realizes the consequences of it, he is angry. Then David finds Gadzooks crying and near death, and he discovers that these unique dragons die when they are not loved. Soon David is forced to save his friend and unlock the powers of the fire within.
Other Books In the Series Featuring Dragons
IceFire (The Last Dragon Chronicles #2)
The second in a series from bestselling author Chris d’Lacey. Full of adventure and suspense, this novel about dragons reveals the truth of the icefire.
When David is assigned an essay on the history of dragons, there is only one thing he knows for sure — he wants to win the prize of a research trip to the Arctic.
As David begins to dig deeper into the past, he finds himself drawn down a path from which there is no going back to the very heart of the legend of dragons, and the mysterious, ancient secret of the icefire. . .
Don’t miss Chris d’Lacey’s addition to his rich dragon mythology in his next series, The Erth Dragons!
Fire Star (Last Dragon Chronicles, Book #3)
In the thrilling third book in Chris d’Lacey’s popular series, David Rain faces a dangerous task. ICEFIRE’s evil sibyl Gwilanna is back, this time determined to resurrect the dragon Gawain on the ice cap of the Tooth of Ragnar. Can David and his friends stop her before it’s too late?
The Fire Eternal (Last Dragon Chronicles, Book #4)
Five years have passed since David Rain; now a bestselling author disappeared mysteriously in the Arctic. Slowly the ice is changing; bears are starving; dragons are rising; and the spirit Gaia, goddess of the Earth, is restless, wanting to act upon these changes. But all living things may suffer if she does. As the weather grows wilder and the ice caps melt, all eyes turn from the north to David’s daughter, Alexa. She is the key to stopping it. Can one girl save the world from the forces of evil before she disappears like her father?
Dark Fire (Last Dragon Chronicles, Book #5)
Chris d’Lacey is back with more magic and dragons in the fifth book of his New York Times bestselling Last Dragon Chronicles!
David Rain was lost in the Arctic, and it was up to his daughter, Alexa, to bring him back. This one little girl had the power to save her father, but when she found him, she uncovered a lot more than just David: Dragons have finally returned to Earth as well.
Don’t miss Chris d’Lacey’s addition to his rich dragon mythology in his next series, The Earth Dragons!
Fire World (Last Dragon Chronicles, Book #6)
After destroying a trace of dark fire, David, Zanna, and the Pennykettle dragons vanished. In a brand-new world, Co:per:nica, which runs parallel to that of Crescent Lane, firebirds roam the ancient librarium, a museum for books. But when 12-year-old David and Rosanna accidentally injure one of the Firebirds, they are suddenly thrust into a remarkable adventure. The evil Ix have taken over one of the firebirds, turning it to the side of darkness, but the birds have a secret: They know about the existence of dragons. And from across the universe, one may come to their aid.
The Fire Ascending (The Last Dragon Chronicles, Book #7)
On Earth, at the battle of Scuffenbury Hill, time has been suspended. Dragons and their natural enemies, the Ix, are trapped in a bitter conflict. But at the dawn of history, a mysterious force is rewriting the timelines, turning what was once legend into startling reality. Is David Rain strong enough to save himself and those he loves from being written into a deadly new destiny?
David, Zanna, Lucy, Alexa, and the Pennykettle dragons return, along with new friends and enemies, to embark on their most dangerous and most magical adventure yet. Bridging the magic of the first five books with the world and characters introduced in FIRE WORLD, this action-packed final installment of the Last Dragon Chronicles will have readers racing to the last page.
About Chris D’Lacey
Chris d’Lacey writes books for children of all ages but is best known for his series The Last Dragon Chronicles which have sold nearly four million copies worldwide.
He was born in Malta, but has no memory of the island and has never been back. D’Lacey has lived most of his life in Leicester, England. He now lives in Devon, England.
His early ambition was to be a songwriter, and he did not begin writing fiction until he was in his early thirties. He kicked off with a gentle ‘Christmassy’ story that grew, alarmingly, into a 250,000-word adult saga about polar bears. It is still to come out of his ‘bottom drawer’.
D’Lacey progressed to writing short stories and had a smattering of efforts placed in a variety of well-regarded small press magazines. He had no real plans to try children’s fiction until a friend suggested he enter a competition to write a story for nine-year-olds.
Well, he didn’t win the competition but sent the story to a publisher who picked it off a slush pile. He has now switched entirely to children’s fiction and has published over thirty titles, many of which have been widely translated. ‘Fly, Cherokee, Fly’ (his first children’s novel) was highly commended for the Carnegie Medal.
You Can Connect With Chris D’Lacey
Website
Chris D’Lacey Amazon Author Page
Goodreads
Visit www.scholastic.com/LastDragonChronicles to learn more about Chris d’Lacey’s books.
Looking for more books about dragons?
Check out Author H.L. Burke
Check out Author Marc Secchia
