Dragons of the Valley (Chiril Chronicles #2)

by Donita K. Paul

Overview

War threatens the peaceful land of Chiril… can one painter-turned-reluctant-swordsman really help?
 

With an invasion of her country imminent, Tipper Schope is drawn into a mission to keep three important statues from falling into the enemy’s clutches. Her friend, the artist Bealomondore, helps her execute the plan, and along the way he learns to brandish a sword rather than a paintbrush. 

As odd disappearances and a rash of volatile behavior sweep Chiril, no one is safe. A terrible danger has made his vicious presence known: The Grawl, a hunter unlike any creature encountered before. 

To restore their country, Tipper, Bealomondore, and their party must hide the statues in the Valley of the Dragons and find a way to defeat the invading army. When it falls to the artistic Bealomondore to wield his sword as powerfully and naturally as a paintbrush, will he answer Wulder’s call for a champion?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780307459114
Publisher:	The Crown Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/21/2010
Series:	Chiril Chronicles Series , #2
Sold by:	Random House
Format:	eBook
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	615,981
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Donita K. Paul is a retired teacher and author of numerous novellas, short stories, and nine novels, including the best-selling DragonKeeper Chronicles. The winner of multiple awards, she lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where she spends time mentoring and encouraging writers.

Interviews

Questions for Donita K. Paul

1. Dragons of the Valley is your seventh fantasy novel for readers of all ages, following the DragonKeeper Chronicles and The Vanishing Sculptor. What an accomplishment! What do you love best about reaching young readers and those who are young at heart?

I love the feedback. I am blessed by those who take the time to send me a note. Most of the time it is just a line or two, but it makes "the audience" very real to me. I love the variety of readers from toughish teen guys to grandmas and grandpas. Parents inform me that they read the books together every night and that generates discussion. Teachers tell me of a student who is suddenly "into" reading because of the Dragon Keeper Chronicles. Best of all, is when someone says that the story provided insight to an eternal truth. Wow!

2. Bealomondore, an artist who plays key roles in both The Vanishing Sculptor and Dragons of the Valley, is fairly obsessed with how he or his surroundings look, and issues of decorum. Tell us about his journey of discovery and what you think about the importance of "appearance". Why is this such a big issue with young people?

Yep, this is both an advantage and a disadvantage to Bealomondore. Real people in the real world walk a thin line called AD, "appropriately dressed," and Christians try to balance this issue in a Godly way. On one hand we should not be concerned with appearances. Someone's style of clothing should not equate to their worth. On the other hand, what we choose to wear reflects how we feel about ourselves and the amount of respect we have for those we encounter. I think the importance of this journey to the appropriate attire is the journey itself. Thinking about fashions, what to wear and why, is an examination of something deeper. Knowing what we think about clothing and why is more important than the color, fabric, or style we choose. And with young people, when they see the why behind the choices, they are more likely to choose something that honors God.

3. Dragons of the Valley is packed with action. Tipper, the heroine, is on the move with one of the key sculptures needed to save the kingdom. Beccaroon, the giant parrot, is on a quest of his own. And there is a new villain - the Grawl. Tell us about the Grawl and why he's such a bad guy.

The Grawl is coldly disgusting. He kills with the same emotion as a leopard. Exhilarated by the chase, but totally detached from the taking of life. And then we discover he has an aristocratic façade he puts on and off at will. He's full of pride. He operates out of an isolated emotional framework. This is the character you don't want to meet in the dark, the one that sends shivers down your back because you can predict what he will do (something gruesome) but you can't pin down why. If you can't explain why, there is no hope of dissuading him from a course he has chosen, or the possibility of redeeming his soul.