Thursday Thirteen - 258 - 13 Questions For Daisy Piper, Author of Princess Callie and The Race For the Ruby Cup

Just in time for Christmas, here's children's tween fantasy author Daisy Piper dropping by A Piece of My Mind.

Hi, Daisy! Come in, come in - it's pretty slushy and cold out there. I know my readers are curious about your latest release in the Callie Chronicles series. 







1 – Let’s get readers caught up on the series so far. In Book 1 of the Callie Chronicles…

Callie Richards is an ordinary girl…  except that on her twelfth birthday she makes a shocking discovery.  When Callie gets a message in her cereal saying she’s really a princess from a magical land, it seems like a dream come true.  But Callie quickly discovers that being a princess is a lot more than she bargained for.  With her best friend Lewis at her side, as well as a lovable, near-sighted dragon named Earle, Callie must face her own fears as she battles an evil Raven Queen bent on revenge.

2 – Then in Book 2 we find that…

Callie, Lewis and Earle must go on a quest to find a magical stone.   But as they travel to the ancient city of Antheon, they discover that the legendary stone is sought by friends and foes alike.  As they near the lost city, Callie realizes that nothing is as it seems, and those she holds dear are in grave danger.  In order to protect the land of Albion, Callie may have to pay a price she never imagined.

3 – Now in Book 3…

The international dragon racing championship is on, and Callie and Lewis are excited to compete for the Ruby Cup.  But danger and intrigue surround the event.  Someone in the competition will stop at nothing to win… and the newly discovered ancient scrolls are threatened by evil forces.   As Callie tries to solve an old mystery, long-buried secrets are revealed.  Callie must use all of her powers as she faces her greatest challenge yet.

4 – What’s the best thing about writing the Callie Chronicles?

The best thing is letting my imagination go wild when I write the first draft.  I’m always amazed at how I often don’t know what’s going to happen next until I type the words onto the page.

 5 – What have you found to be the most challenging thing?

Like most writers, I would say revisions are the most challenging.  Even though that first draft is fun to write, there are always things to tweak and improve upon later.

 6 – If Callie could go to a party with other fictional heroines, who would be her BFFs?

I could see her hanging out with Jo from Little Women, Hermione from the Harry Potter series, and Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz.

 7 – What about Lewis? Who would be his blood brothers?

Lewis would totally want to hang with Peter Pan, Harry Potter and Ron, and Elf (as played by Will Farrell).

8 – Many of your readers have strongly responded to Wanda, one of the main antagonists in the books. Did that surprise you?

Yes it did.  Wanda was never a planned character.  She just forced herself into a scene and has been a big part of the books ever since.  Wanda is a bully—she’s a classmate of Callie and Lewis who follows them into the magical land of Albion. She’s a villain, but a very complex one and I enjoy writing her.  I have had many comments from readers who are concerned about Wanda and find her very sad.  Yet even though she’s a villainous character, I admire Wanda’s bravery, spunk and self-reliance.

 9 – The power of The Gray Character! My favorite kind.

When you’re not writing, what sorts of things fill up your creative well?

I’m an avid quilter.  I’m usually working on several projects at once.

I also make dresses for little girls in Africa. 

You can check out the website for this organization HERE  -  Little Dresses For Africa

In the summer months I enjoy gardening, too.

10 – As we head into Christmas week, do you have a favorite holiday recipe you could share?

I have to steal this one from Mom:  Meatballs with chili sauce.  You can make your own meatballs using ground beef or chicken, or frozen ones work well too.  Then, take a jar of grape jelly and a bottle of chili sauce and mix them together.  Cover the meatballs in the sauce and heat.  Makes a great appetizer or main course with rice.

11 – If you had to keep it to three favorite Christmas songs or pieces of music, what would they be?

Okay, just because I’m trying to squeeze a lot of music in, I’m going to pick the entire Nutcracker Suite as one choice, followed by Frank Sinatra’s “J-I-N-G-L-E Bells,” and the haunting music from The Snowman, “Walking in the Air.”

12 – Which Christmas show or movie do you simply have to watch each year?

It’s a tie between White Christmas and The Polar Express.

13 - Thanks so much Daisy, for dropping by today.

Just for you, A Piece of My Mind readers, here's an exclusive excerpt from PRINCESS CALLIE AND THE RACE FOR THE RUBY CUP:

The day of the Albion dragon-racing trials had arrived. Callie and Lewis had been training every day for weeks in order to prepare. They’d practiced take-offs and landings, flying right-side up, upside down, and sideways. They’d flown through narrow rings and hit moving targets. They’d retrieved markers and flown in intricate patterns. It was all part of the ancient sport known as Chiagaruu.

Callie and Lewis were competing for spots on the Royal Albion Team. If they made the cut, they would represent Albion in what amounted to the Dragon Olympics! Riders and dragons from other countries would converge in the royal city of Arraband for the event, and the winning team would take home King Eldric’s Ruby Cup.

To say that Callie and Lewis were excited would be an understatement. Although Callie had previously been afraid to fly on her royal dragon’s back, now she loved it. Sitting on Earle’s back as he whizzed through the air, making daredevil, hair-raising moves—was the most thrilling thing Callie had ever done.

Lewis had taken to the sport like a fish to water. Back home in the Land of Ur, he was known more for his nerdy devotion to books than daredevil stunts. But here in Albion, he had come out of his shell. He rode his dragon, Cool-Jamz, like he’d been born to it.

Of course, Jamz wasn’t really Lewis’s personal dragon. Only members of the Albion royal family could own a dragon. Cool-Jamz was on loan to Lewis from Queen Arabella in recognition of his loyal service to Princess Callie and to the country of Albion.

“What does that mean, ‘Cool-Jamz?’” Queen Arabella had quietly asked Callie when she learned of the dragon’s nickname.

“Um, it means nice music.”

The queen nodded. “I see. Well, that is a lovely name. I approve.”

Now, standing beside Callie and Lewis in the Dragon Arena, Queen Arabella smiled regally. “You look very handsome in your riding gear, Mr. Farnsworth.”

Lewis wore leather pants and a matching jacket in a shade of dark red, and he carried his helmet under his arm. Callie’s gear was similar, only colored a deep plum.

The queen added, “I expect to see impressive things from you and Cool-Jamz today.”

Lewis gave his trademark grin. “You expect correct, your majesty.”

Queen Arabella chuckled at Lewis’s cheeky reply. “And you, Calandria—I look forward to watching you and your Royal Dragon take to the skies.” She reached out to stroke Earle’s scaly purple nose. “Earle is becoming quite a legend, you know.”

“He sure is.” Callie smiled proudly.

“He even has his own fan club,” Lewis said.

“I am well aware,” Queen Arabella replied, pointing to a purple badge near the collar of her gold brocade gown that said, Air Earle. “I’m a member! Sir Reginald has joined, too. And of course, Lord Graydon and Dr. Monsoon. Did you know that members get twenty-percent off all Air Earle merchandise? I’ve ordered a set of pajamas, towels, and sheets! I simply cannot wait ‘til they arrive.”

“Wow,” Lewis remarked. “Terry and Kevin must be raking in the dough.”

Terry and Kevin were gargoyles who guarded one of the gates to the Royal City. After Earle’s defeat of the Raven Queen’s dragon, the gargoyles had started the Official Earle Fan Club. It was a huge success.

Queen Arabella, once more confounded by Lewis’s use of slang, looked to Callie to explain.

“He means they’re making a tidy profit.”

“Oh, I would imagine so. Word is that the Air Earle back pack is completely sold out, and the jackets and hats are on back-order.”

Queen Arabella turned to her lady-in-waiting, who stood nearby. “Lady Markby, would you?—Oh, I’ll get it.” She waved her hand. With her magical powers, she made the purple jacket—which the woman had been holding—float in the air. It came to rest gently upon the queen’s shoulders. She turned so that they could see the Air Earle logo emblazoned on the back, along with an image of Earle wearing his royal jeweled helmet.

The queen grinned like a schoolgirl. “But I have my jacket! Isn’t it, as you say, Mr. Farnsworth, cool?”

Lewis gave her thumbs up. “Supah cool, majesty. You could also say It rulz!”

The queen followed suit. “It rulz! I shall have to try that one at the next war council meeting.”

Callie couldn’t help but laugh out loud at her grandmother, the Queen of Albion, as she attempted to speak in Land of Ur slang. Queen Arabella and Lewis laughed, too.

Soon, Ignatius P. Entwhistle, the royal dragon master, came along. He led Earle and Cool-Jamz behind him. When Callie saw Earle in all his Royal Dragon finery, it made her heart swell with pride. Not that long ago, Earle had almost died after fighting the Raven Queen’s dragon, Kyros. Now every moment with Earle was like a bonus gift for Callie.

For a dragon, Earle was still small for his age and breed, but he’d already proven that in battle, size really didn’t matter. Even though he’d been born near-sighted, he didn’t let imperfect eyesight stop him, either.

On her first trip to Albion, Callie and Ignatius had fashioned Earle a pair of glasses. Those had worked for a while, but a design flaw with the strap had failed to keep the glasses on Earle’s head when he needed them most. Now, he wore a metal, jewel-studded helmet with corrective lenses built in. A sturdy clasp fastened the helmet closed under his chin.

As a reward for Earle’s valiant performance at the Temple of Kuu’Ra, Queen Arabella had given him some of her own royal jewels; it was these which now decorated the silver helmet.

“Hey, Jamz!” Lewis said, rubbing the dragon’s red snout. “You look totally rad—or shall I say, red. Are you ready to blow the roof off this thang?”

Queen Arabella and Ignatius looked at each other, once again dumbfounded by Lewis’s words.

“He means, ‘You look great, and are you ready to do a really good job?’” Callie translated.

Queen Arabella gave an approving nod. “A positive attitude is very important.”

“So it is, Your Majesty,” Ignatius said. “But Mr. Farnsworth, could I ask that you abstain from using Land of Ur slang during the competition? Communication between riders and their trainer is key, and we can’t rely on Callie to translate all the time.”

“Sure, no prob.” Lewis caught himself. “I mean, yes, of course.”

Callie sighed in relief.

“Well, that is settled,” Queen Arabella said. “I see the other riders are making ready for the start of the race. Lady Markby and I must take our seats on the royal dais.” She pulled Callie toward her for a quick hug. “Best of luck, my dear.” She reached out to shake Lewis’s hand. “And to you, Mr. Farnsworth.”

“Thanks, majesty,” he grinned.

“It’s time to go,” Ignatius said, handing Earle’s reins to Callie, and Cool-Jamz’s to Lewis. As they walked toward the starting position in the outdoor Dragon Arena, Ignatius gave them some last minute words of advice. “Lewis, when you go through Turn Three, remember to bank harder to the left. You always come a hair’s-breadth away from the post, there. And your highness, when you take Earle through the zig zag formation, remember to tuck your head down as he comes out of it, or you’ll be late entering the next turn.”

He had a few other pointers for them, which Callie barely heard, because her heart was pounding in her ears. She was excited, but she was nervous, too. It was a competition, after all. Once you and your dragon were out on the course, anything could happen. And when you were hurtling through the air at top speed, dragon and rider had to work as a perfectly synchronized team.

If not, disaster could strike at any moment. People and dragons could get hurt. Callie had almost lost Earle once before. She wouldn’t be able to handle it if something happened to her beloved dragon now.

Ignatius wished them luck as he headed off to the trainer’s area.

Lewis elbowed Callie as they walked. “Are you ready to rumble?”

She rolled her eyes at him.

“This is so razor,” Lewis said.

Callie stared straight ahead, trying to hide her smirk.

Lewis continued. “Slammin’—that’s what this is. I am so amped for this. I am jazzed up. Stoked. Wired. Psyched—”

“Okay, already. I get it.”

Lewis chuckled. “Just trying to get all the slang out of me before the race. I think it worked. I don’t want to get Ignatius all confused with my bodacious word choices.”

“Probably a good thing,” Callie agreed. Lewis was her best friend, but sometimes she just wished he’d speak like a normal kid! “Put your helmet on. We have to mount up soon.”

Callie lifted her helmet and put it on. She made sure the chin clasp was securely closed. She didn’t want it coming loose during the race. Lewis followed suit.

He and Callie began to do their equipment and dragon checks, making sure all straps were fastened properly. If a dragon rider’s equipment failed during a race, the rider had no one to blame but him or herself. That’s what Ignatius had taught them. No one wanted to make a mistake, or worse, get injured because of a strap that wasn’t tight enough or a buckle that came loose.

There was a communication device in each of their helmets, similar to a microphone and speaker. Lewis had been fascinated to learn how it worked. Apparently, the technology used tiny little creatures called zanthers. These airborne life-forms flew so fast they became invisible to the naked eye. When they flew, they gave off vibrations, which could be heard only by other creatures of their species.

Basically, when Ignatius spoke into his device (similar to a microphone), the creatures flew around in a pattern that mimicked the vibration of his voice. These vibrations were picked up by the creatures inside the walls of Callie and Lewis’s helmets, and were repeated by them a millionth of a second later.

After the race, the creatures were taken out of the communication devices and returned to where they lived, at the Department of Royal Albion Communications.

It was pretty cool, and because the system wasn’t dependent on batteries, as it would have been in the Land of Ur, these unusual radios never conked out!

Lewis commanded Cool-Jamz to crouch down so he could place his foot in the stirrup of the saddle. While Callie double-checked another strap, Lewis mounted his dragon and got comfortable in his seat.

He looked down at Callie and gave a macho grin. “How d`ya like me now?”

Callie giggled, shaking her head.

She reached forward and gripped Earle’s saddle for balance as a sudden wave of dizziness came over her. Either she was spinning, or her surroundings were. And she wasn’t spinning.

“Uh-oh,” she said.

“Uh-oh?” Lewis asked.

“Uh-”

But Callie never got the chance to say oh.

©

5 on Friday - Set 127

Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.

As the kick-off to our 20th anniversary celebration, my husband and I enjoyed a stellar night out on Tuesday at the Schooner Room to see John Pizzarelli, headlining the jazz festival here in Halifax.

It was an awesome evening.

Joining us for such a superb performance were my Aunt Noel and Uncle Charlie, who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary out at the lake where my sister and Newt were married. I'm sure Auntie and Uncle thought John Pizzarelli was singing every love song for them, because Brad and I sure thought he was singing them for us.

Here's a shot of my aunt and uncle saluting one another at their 50th.

1 - Harvest Moon 

2 - Satin Doll

3 - I Feel Fine

4 - C Jam Blues

5 - Hit That Jive Jack

At the end of the show, where my family had their own table up front (Mom, Aunt Noel and Uncle Charlie, my Uncle Warren visiting from Michigan, my cousin Julianne MacLean, my sister Michelle and her husband Newt, plus Brad and me) we bought copies of his new CD which he autographed. Then we got our picture taken together--great job, Brad!

L to R: moi, John Pizzarelli, Julianne and Michelle (AKA Daisy Piper)

Thursday Thirteen - 220 - 13 Fond Memories From My First Trip to New York City

1 - My trip to New York last month was a writing conference trip - but I still managed to experience the joys that can only be found in the City That Never Sleeps.

Like discovering The Naked Cowgirl as we crossed Times Square on our way back to the hotel.













2 - My biggest delight while in New York was discovering that every bite of food I tasted was THE BEST (insert food item) EVER.

It all started with this seemingly innocuous order of angel hair pasta in a simple pomodoro sauce.

It came from the hotel restaurant - Encore - and I happily but unsuspectingly lifted a forkful of pasta to my mouth.

"Oh my God," I said. "Taste this," I said to my sister.

She took a bite.

"Oh my God," she said.













3 - It hadn't really sunk in yet that every meal we were to eat while in New York was going to be a symphony of delectability.

But during our second meal, eaten at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, the realization dawned that we had entered an alternate reality where every ingredient was imported from heaven.












4 - Granted, this looks pretty yummy. Jumbo shrimp wrapped around a crab filling, served over rice in a bed of garlic butter.

Now, keep in mind I come from Canada's east coast. I've eaten my fair share of seafood, fresh from the waters of the Atlantic, prepared by chefs with loving attention to detail.

And really - how tender and bursting with flavor can a jumbo shrimp be, anyway?

LOL! Exactly. Apparently, every other shrimp I'd eaten in my entire life were all fakes. I'd never eaten a real shrimp until this plate of captivating crustaceans were set before me.












5 - I thought our waitress was going to scoop me up and take me home when I ordered Huevos rancheros during the Nova Scotia / New Brunswick writers' breakfast.

Which brings me to one of the greatest joys of my trip to New York - the unparalleled level of service we received at every turn. Having worked in the service industry myself, I stood in awe of the incredible skill displayed by every staff member at every venue we attended. Every one of you made me feel like royalty. You made my dreamy trip even dreamier.












6 - After our stroll through Rockefeller Center, my cousin, my sister and I passed an Italian restaurant that caught our eye - so we went in.



























7 - In the lobby was a rogue's gallery of famous diners at the historic establishment, including my favorite singer of all time - Frank Sinatra.

On the walls were huge caricatures by Al Hirschfeld, including A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum featuring Zero Mostel which was our view for the evening.

Once again, when our meals arrived, we were shocked by the exquisite delicacy contained within such vibrant taste. My cousin ordered the same trio as me - lobster ravioli (to DIE for,) eggplant lasagna (complex and incredibly fresh) and fettucine alfredo - the signature dish (*fall over thud*.)













8 - I wish I'd taken a picture of Alvin, our wonderful waiter. He was the epitome of charming but unobtrusive service. He truly raised our wonderful evening into one of the best dining experiences I've ever had.













9 - Of course, then we went to the unpretentious-looking Italian restaurant just across the street from the hotel. You would have thought we would have known by then to expect to be blown away - but we didn't.












10 - My cousin and sister both ordered the bowtie pasta in a cream sauce with the most savory salmon on Planet Earth. They are still talking about it. And I can vouch for them, because my sister shared a bite of hers.













Of course, I was ascending my own path to Nirvana with my seafood pasta in a simple tomato sauce. Plump shrimp, luscious crab, and my favorite of all, succulent scallops.

I may faint.

Accompanied by my absolute favorite celebratory drink - prosecco. I had a lot of prosecco while we were in New York.













11 - Non-food-related highlights of the trip included our walk through Central Park on the way to the ballet at Lincoln Centre.

I especially loved these bridges, as Hugh Jackman chased the mugger under one of these in one of my favorite films, Kate & Leopold:

"I warn you scoundrel, I was trained at the King's Academy and schooled in weaponry by the palace guard. You stand no chance. When you run, I shall ride. When you stop, the steel of this strap shall be lodged in your brain."













My cousin and sister on Bow Bridge.


























12 - A definite highlight for me was the art work at almost every turn, on almost every building.














13 - But I think the best part of my trip to New York was having so much time together with my sister and cousin.

We grew up like siblings in one another's homes. Once university hit, however, our adult lives took over, and the most we've been able to enjoy lately have been the occasional overnights.

So having five whole days together was definitely the very best part of my New York trip. Thanks for making such wonderful memories.

Thursday Thirteen - 201 - 13 Questions For Daisy Piper, Author of Princess Callie and the Totally Amazing Talking Tiara

Today is a very special day here at A Piece of My Mind.

Today is the official launch of my sister's debut Tween release, Princess Callie and the Totally Amazing Talking Tiara.

For the Tween market, she's writing as Daisy Piper - you can check out her website HERE.

1 - Daisy, what attracted you to the Tween market?

I just naturally gravitated towards it. My favorite TV shows are iCarly, Wizards of Waverly Place, and SpongeBob, so I guess I'm really still a kid at heart!

2 - You've published directly to Kindle and Smashwords. Do you find that your target readership prefers the electronic device format?

It's been suggested in several news stories lately that by the year 2020, 95% of all reading will be done on a screen. Right now, there are 15 million Kindle devices out there, and some companies are developing e-readers specficially for children, to be released by Christmas 2011. So, right now, e-reading is in its infancy. But I definitely think it's the way of the future. I myself have a Kindle and Kobo, and I love them.

3 - Do you think it's easier or more difficult to capture a young reader's attention for a full-length story in this age of the 140-character tweet?

I think it's definitely more of a challenge. Most young readers use multiple forms of social media on a daily basis, communicating at the click of a button. You have to catch and hold their attention quickly, and keep your story moving in order to compete with the myriad choices of entertainment out there.

4 - What role is social media playing in the way a Tween writer reaches her audience?

It's playing a huge role. Twitter, Facebook, blogs--these are powerful tools for any writer to use in reaching their readers, especially a tween audience. Tweens are texting each other about what interests them: hot new movies, music, and books. Things can go viral very quickly.

5 - Who were your most influential Children's/YA authors when you were a young reader?

C.S.Lewis
Madeline L'Engle
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Joan Aiken
Judy Blume
Richard Peck

6 - Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I'm a little of both! I do plot the book before I start writing, but as the story develops, it always takes a few twists and turns I hadn't planned.

Do you stick to a schedule when you write? And do you have daily or weekly word or page goals?

I am very good at setting page count goals and sticking to them when I have a deadline. But I've also been known to just "wing it" sometimes, too.

7 - Tell us about Callie.

Callie Richards is the main character of the series. Two years prior to the beginning of the story, her mother was killed in a car accident. Since then, Callie has had to deal with the emotional toll of losing a parent, as well as navigating tweendom without her Mom's guidance.

On the morning of her twelfth birthday, a mysterious message appears in her cereal. She thinks it's a practical joke, until more discoveries lead her to a magical land which desperately needs her help.

But Callie finds out that things aren't always what they seem, and being a magical princess is a lot tougher than she bargained for. Callie is a wonderful, spunky character that I hope my readers love as much as I do.

8 - And Lewis?

Lewis Farnsworth is Callie's best friend. He's always there for Callie when she needs him.

He's incredibly intelligent, and reads books like Physiology of Amoebae, and A Short History of Rocks. He has a quirky sense of humour, and provides a lot of comic relief in the story. One reader mentioned to me that Callie and Lewis reminded her of an old married couple, even though they're twelve!

9 - What about Wanda?

Wanda Morris is the class bully, who gets swept up in Callie and Lewis's adventure in the magical world of Albion. This character actually "bullied" her way into the story, as I was writing it. I had not planned her at all, but during one scene she just appeared.

I knew she had an interesting story of her own, and would make a great addition to the plot. Even though I've cast Wanda as a villain, she's actually one of my favorite characters, because she is so complex.

10 - What was the inspiration for the Talking Tiara?












The Talking Tiara is based on the Russian Fringe Tiara, also known as the George III Tiara, from the personal collection of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. I was attracted to the spiked fringe of this tiara because to me, it resembled teeth. I pictured these teeth and jaws growling and snapping, with magical powers of their own.












I just LOVE that tiara. And I love that it was Queen Elizabeth's 'something borrowed' on her wedding day.

11 - You know that I'm also more than a little partial to dragons. Is there a dragon featured in the story?

Every princess needs a dragon, and Callie is no different. In the magical world of Albion, Callie is given a royal dragon to act as her life-long protector. She names him Earle, and though he's big, has purple scales and can breathe fire, he's a lot like an uncoordinated puppy with wings. Earle will definitely steal your heart!


12 - This is the first book in a series. When will the next Princess Callie e-book hit e-reader screens?

Princess Callie and the Fantastic Fire-Breathing Dragon, Book II of the Callie Chronicles, will be available shortly - late Spring 2011. Check my website for updates.

13 - Will Princess Callie and the Totally Amazing Talking Tiara be available as a print book?

Yes, it will be available very soon, through CreateSpace, Amazon's print-on-demand platform.

Well, thank you for launching your book here at A Piece of My Mind - this has been a whole ton of fun!

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And as a special treat for my blog readers, you can use this FREE COUPON CODE from Smashwords until MARCH 19th:

SK79Y

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Here's an exclusive excerpt from Princess Callie and the Totally Amazing Talking Tiara - enjoy!


They used Callie’s flashlight to guide their way down the bumpy road. Soon they came upon a big double wooden gate. It stood in the middle of the wall, flanked by two torches that burned orange in the black night. Above the gate, two hideous looking gargoyles stood guard. A weathered iron plaque proclaimed Grimstead Gate to passersby.

Callie’s breath caught in her throat and her heart pounded painfully in her chest. “Lewis, this place was in my dream. It’s exactly the same--the gate, the torches, everything! But I’ve never been here before. How do I remember a place I’ve never been?”

“Beats me, Cal. Maybe we’ve discovered another dimension. You know, this would make a great science project. Something like this would garner a lot of attention in the scientific community. We’d have our pick of universities lining up to give us scholarships.”

“Scholarships? Lewis, we’re only in the sixth grade,” Callie pointed out.

“It’s never too early to start planning for your higher education.” He grinned.

Then something happened that made Callie’s breath catch in her throat. A voice came out of the night. Then another one. They weren’t just any voices. They were gruff and scary, and seemed to be talking about her.

“I tell ye, it’s her.”

“Her, who?”

“Princess Calandria—of the Royal House of Arraband.”

“’Ow d’ye know?”

“I’ve seen pictures, so I ‘ave.”

“Where? Where ‘ave ye seen pictures?”

“In the Albion Times, if ye must know. I’m a regular subscriber--the Arraband Chronicle and Gargoyles Weekly, too. I like ta keep up on current events, which is more than I can say about you.”

Callie shone her flashlight around. Even with the glow from the two torches it was still quite dark. “Uh… Hello?”

“Uh-oh. I think she heard us.”

Callie looked at Lewis. He seemed as uncertain as she did, but he said, “We did hear you. Where are you?”

Callie shone the flashlight around the gate, but they still couldn’t see anyone who might be attached to those strange voices.

“Up here.”

Callie slowly shone her flashlight up the wall above the gate. A hideous face looked down at her and grinned brightly. “Hi.”

Callie screamed in fright and fell back onto the dirt road. Lewis shouted in fright too, but managed to stay on his feet. The gargoyles were talking!

© Daisy Piper, 2011