Donita Loves Bunnies!

I have the incredible pleasure and privilege being in a face-to-face critique group with Donita K. Paul. And one of the biggest things I have learned that Donita loves bunnies. There have been quite a few times when we've been sitting around the table, listening to a member reading a scene, when all of a sudden Donita shouts out "Oooh! Bunny!" and everything comes to a quick stop as we all look at the little furball scamper across our host's back yard. And then just as quick it is back to work.

It is a joy to be able to work with Donita because she is such a humble and loving person. Always seeking to bring out the best in others. In fact I have often felt that she is the earthbound embodiment of an Emerlindian Granny. Quick to laugh and with a real talent for encouragement and mentoring young writers. Which is also apparent on her website, where she actively interacts with her readers and encourages them to excersise their creativity (the Dragonkeeper.us library is made up of reader submitted stories and information as well as Donita's own bits).

She has made an impact in my own writing as well, far more than just mercilessly slaughtering my commas, but in helping me gain confidence (along with the rest of my group) and pushing my rough talent toward a polsihed craft. Even if it took her over half the book to realize that the Saurians weren't wearing little shorts, but were in fact just wearing their thick skin (and battle gear when appropriate).

To know Donita is to love her, because she loves openly and widely. And that warmth comes across through her characters and her writing style.

Dragonknight, is the best book yet in this series. Following Bardon's "sabatical" as he tries to decide if he truly wants to be one of Paladin's knights. The book starts off with Bardon saying, "People. Always too many people." and that sets the mood for this book perfectly. The wide and varied cast of characters that fall into Bardon's life will charm your socks off. But most of all, seeing Bardon growing and realizing where Paladin and Wulder are calling him, and how he responds, is what it is all about.

The Dragonkeeper chronicles are all about journeys and quests, but the outer ones are simply there to highlight the true quests within these books. The inner quests that each character must go on as they continually discover that what Wulder has planned is far more than they ever would have done on their own.

So be sure to check out the beautiful and wild world of Amara, where dragons fly, and wizards dwell, and where the impossilbe happens every day.