Firestorm of Dragons Interview

We have a treat for you today. Our guest comes from "DragonEye, PI," by Karina L. Fabian. (www.dragoneyepi.net) You’ll find him and his story in the Firestorm of Dragons anthology edited by Michele Acker and Kirk Dougal. Enter the lair and uncover a mythological world of beasts that fascinate and entertain.

Welcome to The Book Connection. Who are you and where do you come from?

I'm Vern of DragonEye, PI. I'm a Faerie dragon living in the Mundane world--if you can call this living.

Have you always lived there?

Obviously not. My original stomping grounds are in the Faerie universe-- Caraparavelenciana, which is approximately equivalent to your Ethiopia. Still got a nice little stash there in one of the abandoned dwarf caves I called home. Had a nice respectful village nearby; even convinced them I preferred a fat cow to a skinny virgin. But thanks to a spell by St. George and a Calling from God, I'm now livin' la vida Mundania in a run-down warehouse I got cheap, and eating rats when I'm especially desperate. Of course, that was before I took on Princess Galinda's case. Now I have my own herd of Faerie-bred cattle. Things started looking up after that.

Then I got a partner, Sister Grace McCartney. Best thing to happen to me in a millennium, but that's a different story. (Note to readers: You can learn more about the adventures of Vern and Sister Grace at www.dragoneyepi.net.)

What is special about this place?

The Mundane world? You tell me; it's your world. But, if you're talking unique phenomenon, I'd have to say the Gap. I didn't name it; I just use it. I'm sure the clothing company cried with joy when some scientist christened it. Anyway, the Gap is an interdimensional portal between Faerie (my world, the world of magic) and Mundane (your world.) For the record, I didn't come up with those names, either and if you find "Mundane" offensive, try calling a barbarian swordsman of my world a "Faerie."

The Gap has certainly changed both our worlds, as magic and technology collide, creatures Faerie and Mundane take part in misunderstandings of cosmic proportions, and evil overlords (or underlings) from both sides seek out new opportunities in worlds domination. Guess I shouldn't complain too much; it keeps me employed.

Do you have any friends?

My first friends in the Mundane world I found through Little Flowers Catholic Church: Fr. Rich, the pastor, made me welcome and even let me crash in his garage (figuratively, not literally) until I found my own place. The Costas--Jerry, Rosa and kids--befriended me from the first day. Took forever to teach the munchkins not to call me "uncle." Jerry and Rosa have 12 kids, so I enjoy sitting by them during Mass. People aren't as likely to stare at me.

Then there's Natura, who runs a great little restaurant and is always handy for a handout and a lecture straight from the 1960s, and her husband Bert, who "bought into the establishment" at an early age. Kind of an odd couple, but that's humans for you.

How about enemies?

The Bible teaches "Love your enemies." And I do. With sauce.

Kidding. I haven't eaten a sentient being in 900 years. Not that I haven't entertained fantasies.

What do you do for fun?

Once upon a time I swam in the Red Sea and sunbathed in our equivalent of the Dollol Depression and visit the elves for a week-long story-telling session. Nowadays, I watch science fiction, a genre unheard of in Faerie, swap really bad puns, learn new languages with Grace (we've learned Esperanto and Tolkein's Elvish as well as Klingon.) Immortal creatures like me value novelty, and memories are among our greatest treasures.

What is one thing everyone should know about you?

Our adventures are far from over. Karina Fabian, who transcribes our case files, has sold two more stories to anthologies (Book of Tentacles coming from Samsdot, and Mother Goose is Dead from DragonMoon.) She's also got two novels based on our more involved cases coming out in 2009 from Swimming Kangaroo. I'll keep folks up-to-date on my website where I blog.

Thank you for joining us today, Vern. We look forward to checking out your story in Firestorm of Dragons!


So, you want to know all about dragons? Run the gamut of stories about the mythological beasts in "Firestorm of Dragons." Humorous tales of extreme sports with genetically-engineered animals and pesky door-to-door salesmen with scales, exist beside conventional stories of treasure and deceit, hunter and hunted, hatred and sacrifice. See how dragons exist today without most humans noticing, or abandon all preconceived notions and imagine a dragon as a 1940s-style detective. Let your experience with dragons end with a trio of stories depicting the possible end of dragons--one uplifting, one poignant, and one heart-wrenching in its melancholy.

Now Available at Amazon.com!

Check out our interview with Doodhan, anther character from this anthology here.