On Sunday morning, I was unexpectedly blessed to see my friend Daniel, who was one of the first buyers of my new book, Tom and the Dragon. I got to shake the hand of Daniel’s 5-year-old son, who (I am reliably told) is following the plot avidly! He has the record so far as my youngest reader. Another friend at church told me he will buy Tom and the Dragon this week and give it to his 9-year-old grandson.
I’m open to speaking invitations about this book and hope to post some reviews soon. Thanks for your interest!
First, I wanted to complete a story that I had started for my older son, Peter, over fifteen years ago. For whatever reason, I had run out of steam with the story back then and set it aside. Tom and Steve, two of the main characters, had just gone through the Dragonfly Gate into the medieval kingdom of Vandar, and I wasn’t sure what should happen next. Frankly, I felt a little in over my head and didn’t quite know how to move ahead with what was becoming a novel. Peter also was becoming interested in other things, so it was easy to set it aside. But I never expected the writing hiatus for Tom and the Dragon to be so long!
But about a year ago, after some of my freelance writing projects dried up, I found myself with some unexpected time on my hands. I should say that, in the intervening years, I had authored or co-authored seven other books, in a nonfiction genre. All told, I have written, edited, or contributed to about fifty books—all before TATD was finished. That experience undoubtedly taught me a lot about the process of writing books and gave me confidence in writing them. I also learned a bit about the publishing industry. I was therefore a better writer and thinker when I decided to pick up TATD again.
Now, to be perfectly honest, my first thought when considering venturing into fiction writing was to finish a book I had written about ten or so years ago. It was, shall we say, a modern thriller, written for adult readers, and, technically, it was finished. However, while an editor friend told me the book had some excellent parts, she also gently pointed out some glaring problems and weaknesses. So I set it aside and turned to more profitable projects. Then a year ago I wondered if I might be able to repair this novel, but the more I looked at it, the more I realized it was fatally flawed, and even a thorough rewrite would not save it.
So I thought of two stories I had done for my kids—Isabella’s Special Days, which was more or less finished, and Tom and the Dragon, which wasn’t. I decided to edit and print ISD as an artsy hardcover book, which I did, thanks to my wife, Christine, who is a talented artist. It’s a lovely book for younger kids and is available on my whimsybystan.com website.
The second one, Tom and the Dragon, was just a partial manuscript on my computer, so I dove in and finished it around summertime. Clearly, through all my reading and experience as an author and communicator, and my added life experience, the book flowed into a really compelling and fun fantasy tale. Since finishing it, Christine and I have been designing it inside and out. She painted the lovely cover, and I’m thrilled with how it turned out.
That’s a long answer to a short question!
What books and authors influenced you in writing Tom and the Dragon?
Well, this will sound like a cliché, and maybe it will sound pretentious, too. But J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings affected me deeply when I first read it in high school so many years ago. Tolkien was not necessarily the best writer I had ever come across, but his attention to detail, character development, and, especially, world building was amazing. He didn’t invent wizards, dragons, and the like, but he placed them in an unforgettable and achingly poignant world and story. The Lord of the Rings tapped into some deep longings I didn’t know I had and helped set me on a spiritual quest. It also populated my mind with ideas for what a great fantasy story should look like.
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and while TATD is not nearly in the same league with LOTR, or The Hobbit, there are similarities. They are not evidence of plagiarism but tribute, and anyone who has read Professor Tolkien will likely pick them up quickly. Here are a few: the hero narrative has an untraditional twist; Edwyn is a sort of Gandalf; victory has its costs; and so on. You’ll have to read the book to find more of them—some of which I probably wasn’t even aware of!
I also have been enlarged in my imagination through The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis. I agree with Lewis, and C.K. Chesterton, that fairy tales aren’t just for children and that adults have much to learn from them. But the story, first of all, must be honest, engaging, and true to life. Other books that seeded my thinking include Where the Wild Things Are, The Once and Future King, and numerous science fiction stories, including The Martian Chronicles, Dune, I, Robot, Fahrenheit 451, and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
But I tried to create my own discrete universe in TATD. The reader is the ultimate judge of whether I succeeded!
What’s next for Tom and the Dragon? Are any more books on the way?
I’m glad you asked! Right now I’m trying to promote the book through any and all means, though marketing and PR are not my strong suits. Amazon and other online reviews by readers really help spread the word and mean so much. Word of mouth recommendations are priceless. I’m considering several speaking opportunities, too. Please contact me through whimsybystan.com if you have ideas or opportunities.
Perhaps because of Tolkien’s influence, or maybe because writing Tom and the Dragon was so much fun, I’ve decided to make it the first volume in what I’m calling The Blue Dragonfly Series—readers will understand the reference. I’m hard at work on the sequel, which is actually a prequel. I expect the series to be three volumes in all, and we’ll see what happens. I hope readers will go on this journey of discovery with me.
But the most meaningful thing to me is not whatever readership or success accrues to Tom and the Dragon. The other night I presented the book as a surprise to Peter, who is now twenty-seven. He gave me a hug and said, “Thank you! You’re the most amazing dad!” Nothing could ever top that!
Tom Gordon – Smart, earnest, frequently annoyed by his little sister, loves drawing castles and studying maps, “the awkward kid leading the league in tripping over his shoelaces,” hidden leadership material, merciful, hungry for his father’s love.
Steve Anderson – Tom’s best friend, great center fielder, dependable, angered by injustice, courageous, selfless, soft-hearted, thinks the best of people (mostly).
Roberto (Robby) Garcia – Big, beefy, sometime coward, loves baseball. “Robby was husky, and his lips were permanently curled in a smirk. His arms were thicker than Tom’s legs, and his legs were thicker than Tom’s body. Or at least they seemed to be.”
Dudley the Dragon / Avarix Ash Maw – Loves Oatmeal Cream Pies, loyal to his friends, dangerous to cows and unworthy knights, susceptible to suggestion (good and bad).
Edwyn the Humble / The Seer – Enigmatic, able to make houses appear and disappear, quick with a quip, often haughty, relies on wisdom more than magic, short-tempered but forgiving, very fond of owls and other avian creatures, open to correction, extremely long-lived, ultra-loyal to Vandar.
King Eldred – Strong but patient leader, can be fooled by traitors and liars (because he expects the best of people), relies on the wisdom of Edwyn and others when making decisions.
Mugwump Cobblenog – Hungry, oft-grumpy troll with a heart of gold, loves 3-D baseball cards, good with his paws, will fight for his friends, virtually indestructible.
Gilda the Hearth-Keeper – Mysterious but unerringly wise kitchen helper who knows all the ins and outs of the fortress, has access to the kitchen, kind and courageous, member of a forgotten race from an ancient kingdom, knows how to put up with men and boys.
Prince Morvash – Jealous younger brother of Eldred, treacherous, smiles too much and prefers iron gloves, brutal to bearers of bad news, organizer of chaos and rebellion: “I choose war—war until you are defeated, or war until Vandar is no more.”
Rowan Greenshade – Dealer in fine vegetables, greedy, duplicitous, poor singer of cringey rhymes, looks out for No. 1.
John Gordon / “The Gordon” – Tom’s overworked and distracted father—an Army veteran with a curious mind, a knack for fixing what’s broken, and a vulnerable, tender streak he rarely shows—meets threats with the fierce protectiveness of a man who loves his son.
Prince Eric – Son of Eldred, a bit haughty (but he’s a prince, after all), brave, maker of maps, possibly likes girls.
Erasmus the Wonder Owl – Likes mice and rabbits, constant, loyal companion to the Seer, available for acts of derring-do upon request, has a very sharp beak.
Extras – Read the book to also meet Fenton Turnip-Trod and Merrick Crop-Crier, Mrs. Gordon, Jessica Gordon, Godric and Gaufrid, Crown Prince Edgar, the Guardian of the Secret Way, and assorted jailers, baseball players, soldiers, ogres, and knights.
My latest work of fantasy, Tom and the Dragon, for readers aged 8 to 15 (and those who love them)!
An Ordinary Boy. An Extraordinary Quest.
Tom Gordon was an ordinary boy. Or so he thought. Until the day his father mysteriously vanished.
In the blink of an eye, Tom was swept into a medieval world of ancient prophecies, a ruthless prince, and one very large dragon. Could he rescue his father, defeat the beast, and save the kingdom?
One thing was certain: this was no job for an ordinary boy.
Tom and the Dragon invites young readers to share in Tom’s adventures as he and his companions grow in courage, loyalty, and friendship.
I’m thrilled to finally publish this book, which began as a story for my son Peter. Christine did the amazing cover. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did creating it!
For more info, go here: https://whimsybystan.com/
To buy it, go here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GJLY13PG?psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp
Missions in the Third Millennium: 21 Key Trends for the 21st Century
A gripping, hard-hitting overview of issues confronting the spread of the world's most global faith. Includes discussion questions and suggestions for further reading.
"Necessary reading."
Scott Moreau, Wheaton College and Evangelical Missions Quarterly
