Psst. Dragons are coming...

STEALING HOPE
A DRAGON'S FATED HEART

Beverly Ovalle
Ardent Books

  Ari stirred, sniffing the air. It was different again, cleaner. He wondered how many years had passed since his last awakening. He set his head back on his hatch mates back. Raising his head up again, Ari glanced around, his golden eyes whirling with color. He no longer had a desire to sleep.

 Ari stood, sniffing and stretching. Looking around he noticed some of his hatch mates also rising.

 “It smells different.” Juevatorj rumbled. Her eyes were whirling, sparkling in the darkness of the cave. “It is clean.”

  Ari sniffed the air again and rumbled in agreement. Crag stretched his wingspan to full-length. All around wings were stretched and tested. Air moved quickly with a half a dozen of them waking up to the world again.

  “Not everyone is waking up.” Ari peered at the ones still curled up together. They blinked at those of them moving around and closed their eyes, not yet interested in the outside world.

Juevatorj bumped heads with Ari. “That’s okay.”

“Yes, that is okay.” A deeper baritone wound through the cave. All of those awake turned their heads toward the sound. “Come my little ones. I will explain.”

Ari, Juevatorj, Crag, Belisa, Hark and Rog lumbered off after the sound of the voice coming from a tunnel that wandered through the cave. At one point they had to swim through the lava. Warmth wrapped around them and they played until they were sharply called to follow. The second voice was a lighter tenor, firm and instant; one they knew better than to disobey. At once, they ceased their games and continued the circuitous path, sniffing at the gold and silver, and collecting bits of colored gems they dug out of the walls.

Ari was the first to stumble out. Rearing back, he was shoved from behind, pushed into the light as his eyes whirled in the too bright sun. He rolled forward, his momentum stopped by a rock. He and his hatch mates chirped in distress, the sudden light harsh against eyes that had spent centuries in darkness, relieved only by the glow of lava.

Deep trilling sounded as they all came to rest outside. Their sire and dam were laughing at their less than graceful exit.

  “Juevatorj, come out of the cave.” Their sire spoke and Juevatorj crept out, belly against the ground and head tucked low. “Do not be afraid.” They had learned to trust that voice since before even hatching.

“Use your first lids, protect your eyes.” Their dam spoke.

Ari and his siblings rumbled happily. Her voice was one of their first memories in the egg.

Their sire and dam spoke often to them, comforting them in the shell. Letting them know how wonderful they were, how beautiful and strong. They greeted them upon each awakening.

 Ari blinked and discovered that the light was not as bright when he opened his eyes again. He trilled in triumph, arching back and spreading his wings in joy. His siblings too, let forth their joy as they learned to control the brightness.

“Very good, my little ones.” His sire had a look of contentment on his face. “We can once again join in the world. We have been sleeping a very long time.”

Blogging From A to Z: DRAGONS!

Dragons!

You know I've been waiting for this one! I'm just a bit obsessed. I write about dragons, I read about dragons, I research dragons.

Dragons' Mate

 

(not the cover I'm waiting on that)

Stealing Hope A Dragon's Fated Heart

A Dragon's Treasure is about 3/4 written 

plus

I've been working on one with my BFF about dragons that are Chicago Fire Fighters. It's been put off for a LONG time and I'm itching to get back to it. 

Windy City Dragons is the working name for it.

I own a copy of Dragonology

It's necessary research you know!

and of course the Frost Dragon Species Guide

I even have dragons as pets. Schwai's at least twice as big as this now and no longer fits on my head thank goodness! Shui is still about this size. 

Yes, I have two.

A Chinese Water Dragon

Follow the other blogs as we race to complete the
http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

Tell me, what are your obsessions?

Lightning Strike

Lightning Strike

By Beverly Ovalle

Publisher:  Secret Cravings Publishing

For generations Levi’s family had guarded a sacred glen in the mountains.  Still far from man this isolated area was a favorite spot of his grandfather.  Levi grew up listening to his tales and fell in love without ever having stepped foot there.

Now Levi’s family, led by his grandmother, wanted to sell the land.  With only his grandfather and Levi against it, Levi has to prove to the rest of the family why they needed to continue their guardianship.  Believing in his grandfather’s tales despite himself, Levi went armed with his camera and his well-known expertise behind the lens and headed out for proof. 

Providing that proof and protecting the secrets of the glen from the world, Gaia needs to convince Levi to continue that protection.  Daphnaie, the embodiment of his every dream, is sent to show him why, stealing his heart in the process to save her world.

Excerpt:

Levi’s photos always had a way of showing truths the naked eye couldn’t see. That was one of the reasons both of his grandparents had agreed to him coming here. He had started photography when he was a medic in the Army, taking photos of the aftermath of Iraqi Freedom. Unable to stomach more death and destruction, and desperately needing a peace he couldn’t find, he finished his enlistment. He published the photography that exposed so much of the war, earning almost instant fame. But it didn’t bring him peace. He turned to photographing nature around the world, his treks into the wilds of the world bringing him a measure of what he sought.

He couldn’t wait to see the photo. Wanting to capture the aftermath of the strike, he looked through the lens in preparation for another shot. He thought he saw movement. He straightened up, no longer looking through the lens. Levi saw a figure fall, he swore from the damaged bark of the tree itself. He hadn’t seen anyone in the tree, but then again he hadn’t been paying attention to anything but the deadly beauty of nature.

Moving swiftly to the base of the tree, he found a crumpled heap in the shape of a person. Reaching for the slight arm sticking out from the pile of decaying and burnt leaves, Levi knelt, feeling for a pulse. A faint heartbeat reassured him that the person was alive. Levi brushed away the fallen leaves that surrounded the figure. To his surprise it was a young woman and she was naked. Stunned, Levi stared at her for a moment. His heartbeat quickened. He had seen no evidence of anyone else around. In any case, this was private property as far as the eye could see. From the mountains to the prairie, his family called this land theirs even if none of them lived there any longer.

Shaking sense back into his head, Levi took out his cellphone to make an emergency call, wishing he had brought his satellite phone. The connection was bad this far into the mountains. Getting a recording, he tried giving his location, hoping his message got through and help was on its way. Hanging up, he looked at her, wondering what she was doing there.

Levi thought the lightning had burned her clothes away, though there was really no evidence of clothing to begin with. She couldn't have just been out in the woods with nothing on. Climbing trees no less! Her skin looked as if it had been in contact with fire, yet she herself was not burned, just slightly pink, most of the damage to her hair, which looked as if it had burned around the edges.
The lightning strike had been different, but then so had the storm. Both had seemed almost alive, deliberate. Maybe his grandpa had been right after all.
Leaving her for a moment, Levi took his sleeping bag from his knapsack and laid it out beyond the fire damaged grass, making sure to unzip it to be able to put her in it. Checking her limbs, he didn’t feel any breaks. He tried not to notice how shapely those limbs were.

Ignoring his libido, Levi checked her over as he had been trained. It didn’t matter how long he had been away from the battlefield, Levi’s instincts kicked in, checking the vitals of the wounded woman in front of him. It was usually a man though, his thoughts drifting to the images he’d rather forget. Forcibly bringing his mind back to the present, Levi continued his assessment. She needed him now. An undressed female was bound to present him unexpected problems. An attractive female, as this little bundle was, presented a whole different problem that was knocking insistently at the buttons of his 501’s.

Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GDW08LK  

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00GDW08LK

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lightning-strike-beverly-ovalle/1117308055?ean=2940045413466

All Romance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-lightningstrike-1335710-149.html

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/lightning-strike-4

Sony: https://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/beverly-ovalle/lightning-strike/_/R-400000000000001162191

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/374674

Secret Cravings Publishing: http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&cPath=4&products_id=745

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18692049-lightning-strike

The history of Dragons

Of all mythic creatures that rise from the water, prowl across land, or fly through the air, the dragon is the most famed. Stories of serpentlike beasts with fabulous powers inspire awe in almost every part of the world. Rain-bringing dragons in Asian tales can shrink so small that they fit in a teacup--or grow so large that they fill the sky. Dragons in Europe can slaughter people with their putrid breath, or spit fire and set cities ablaze. The earliest dragon legends date back thousands of years, and the creature still haunts our imagination today.

"The dragons of the mountains have scales of a golden color, and in length excel those of the plain, and they have bushy beards, which also are of a golden hue; and their eye is sunk deep under the eyebrow, and emits a terrible and ruthless glance."

--Greek scholar Philostratus (c. AD 170-245)

European Dragons

The dragons that lurk in European stories are powerful, wicked and dangerous. In Christian tradition, they can symbolize Satan or sin. Some nest in caves and guard marvelous treasure. When hungry, they may snatch and devour sheep or cattle that wander too near. They may also eat humans--particularly young girls. Epic poems from the Middle Ages tell of warriors and knights who battle cruel and voracious dragons. In some stories, the hero slays his foe and wins fortune and honor. In others, he fails and is killed.

Asian Dragons
The dragons of East Asian legend have sweeping powers. They breathe clouds, move the seasons, and control the waters of rivers, lakes, and seas. They are linked with yang, the masculine principle of heat, light, and action, and opposed to yin, the feminine principle of coolness, darkness, and repose. Dragons have been part of East Asian culture for more than 4,000 years. In the religious traditions of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, they have been honored as sources of power and bringers of rain.

Stories of dragons appear all throughout history and almost every culture has their own idea about dragons. Some reasons for this could be the finding of dinosaur fossils. Dragons could be used to describe the indescribable bones of unknown creatures. There are stories about dragons in every part of the world, with the exception of Antartica. Even though there are no people in Antartica, which in that way would seem to make it attractive to dragons, the climate proposes a problem for these creatures who like fire or live in water, but not ice water.

Dragons appear most in fairy tales and myths. In most cases the dragon is the keeper of some treasure, either gold and precious jewels or a maiden in despair. A knight in these stories must come to rescue the girl, or to retrieve the riches. To do this he must slay the dragon.

Dragons are mythical creatures that appear in many different cultures and time periods. Dragons have been described as monsters, serpents, reptiles, or beasts. There is something magical about dragons that has kept our intrigue over many centuries.

Dragons are usually thought to have wings and breathe fire. They also are said to have scales and claws. Some also have horns. Almost always they are said to be venomous. Some dragons may have two or more heads. They may also have more than one tail. They may have two, four or even more legs; however, most are known to have four legs. Dragons are said to eat things such as rats, birds, snakes, bats, or even humans, especially children.

Dragons are very intelligent creatures. They live in remote areas, far away from humans, in places that are dark, damp and secluded, such as caves. Dragons were first thought of as creatures who lived in water. Later they became associated with fire. Sea serpents may have been the first dragons, and may be the reason for this association.

Almost all dragon stories portray the dragon as the villain from whom the hero must protect the city or the princess. But some dragons can take on the form of the protector. The biggest differences in dragons usually come from different cultures, especially the cultures of the East and the West. Each culture seems to have their own idea about dragons.

A dragon statue in Ljubljana, Slovenia 

The belief in dragons was based not just in legend but also in hard evidence — or so it seemed. For millennia no one knew what to make of the giant bones that were occasionally unearthed around the globe, and dragons seemed a logical choice for people who had no knowledge of dinosaurs.

Where did the myth of the dragon come from in the first place?

Here’s a run-down of the likeliest suspects.

Dinosaurs, The Nile Crocodile, 

The Goanna, Whales and wait for it...

The human brain-cause we are afraid of monsters!

Information gathered from the American Museum of Natural History, Draconika Dragons, Live Science, and the Smithsonian