Darby Speaks...with Meg

And we celebrate together! Today is the launch day for THE RUNAWAY DRAGON, the second in a rocking funky-fairy tale series of stories by Kate Coombs. I was lucky enough to be able to pin main character Princess Meg down for a moment on her busy day, and get her to answer a few questions.

That's Meg in the picture to the left, riding her magic carpet beside the ferocious Laddy the Dragon!

Here's our interview:




Darby C: Hey Meg -- You are some rocking princess! With your busy life, have you ever considered taking up skateboarding?

Princess Meg: We don't skateboard much because the castle has too many stairs, plus the stone floors are kind of bumpy. And the cobblestones in Crown are bumpy. So are the dirt roads in the countryside, and then in the enchanted forest, you have to watch out for tree roots. I think maybe a dirt bike would work better. I'll have to ask my friend Lex if he can make up a spell for a dirt bike!

DC: Hey, a dirt bike would be really cool! Now, my story [A WALK THROUGH A WINDOW] is all about how different people came to live in Canada. Tell me a little about where you grew up and where you live now.

Meg: I'm the only daughter of the king and queen of Greeve. I was born in the castle, and I've lived there ever since. But it's not as boring as it sounds because there's a forest nearby with a witch living in it. Her name is Gorba and she's very good at turning princes into frogs. Then on my quest to get Laddy back, I came across an even better forest. It's enchanted, and it's full of surprises. You have to be careful about drinking from the streams, though, or you might end up craving acorns and living in a tree.

DC: What is your family like? Besides Laddy, do you have any pets or siblings?

My parents worry too much about me getting into trouble, just because of the bandits and that one prince last year. I think my mother is a little smarter than my father, but he's in charge of everything. I sort of have a pet. Well, not anymore. I had a pet dragon named Laddy, but he grew up a little and got mad at me, so he flew off. First he scared everybody in the castle, which upset my father. (I secretly thought it was kind of funny!) I just got back from a quest to find Laddy.

DC: Cool -- a quest! Now, I've read your story THE RUNAWAY PRINCESS, and you certainly have a lot going on in your life. What has been the scariest thing you have ever faced so far?

Meg: It was scary when I thought Prince Evilness was going to hurt my parents, but that was last year. This year, I went looking for Laddy and ran into a real giant, also a teenage sorceress with black fingernail polish and a vile castle where she kept a lot of people prisoner. The giant wasn't as scary as Malison. There was this time when everything was really, really bad. But it turned out okay. No thanks to Bain!

DC: Grrr. I remember that Bain! So can you tell me what has been your most favourite, greatest adventure?

Meg: I finally got to go on a quest! The boring part is that my parents sent all these guardsmen with me to keep me safe. But they drank the water in the enchanted forest, and then Lex and I got lost, so that changed things. I LOVED going on a quest! Even if Malison kept trying to conquer everybody.

DC: Okay, so apart from questing, do you have a special skill or talent you’d like to share? Especially if it's secret -- spill the beans!

Meg: Ha! Ask my friends if I'm any good at magic! Well, what I'm best at is statesmanship, but it doesn't work every single time. I'm really kind of bad at magic, but sometimes bad is good, you know? Secretly? Oh. I can do that thing where you make armpit farts. Cam taught me how.

DC: Hey, I can do those, too! Aside from Cam, who would you say is YOUR favourite fictional character?

Meg: My mom used to tell me stories, and there was this one about a prince who was trying to kill a humongous dragon so he could rescue a girl, the kind who flutters her eyelashes a lot. But I liked the dragon best. I have a soft spot for dragons, even though everyone I meet tells me their favorite food is princesses.

DC: I've heard that THE RUNAWAY DRAGON is the second in a series of novels written by Kate Coombs. Can you tell me something about her?

Meg: Kate Coombs? She writes stories and poems, and sometimes she writes book reviews in a notebook she calls Blog. Kate likes fairy tales, so she keeps making them into books. When she's not writing, she goes off and teaches sick kids. But the classes she teaches aren't like mine. No swordplay, not even dancing and statesmanship! (Let's not talk about etiquette lessons. Blech.)

DC: She sounds pretty interesting, actually. After THE RUNAWAY DRAGON ...can you tell me a bit about what's next?

Meg: I wouldn't mind going on another quest. I could go east instead of south! But I'd find a way to go without taking any guards. Just my friends this time, definitely. Only first I have to wait for Kate to finish the new book she's writing. It has a witch, too, but the witch is young, not like Gorba. And she's not nice. (Gorba is very nice, unless you're a prince.)

DC: Okay, so now I really want to read the new witch book! If I want to learn more about you (or Kate Coombs) on-line, where can I look?

Meg: Kate's always talking about a magical place called the Internet, is that what you mean? She says her address is www.katecoombs.com, but personally, I think that just sounds like her name. Maybe it's a spell for opening the magic Internet door. Kate says tell you to read a story called "Half the Kingdom," it's really funny. She put it in her Internet house.

DC: Awesome. I'll go look for it right away. Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with me on your busy launch day, Meg!

And to celebrate Meg's new novel, I think it's time for a contest. If you'd like to win a signed copy of her latest novel, THE RUNAWAY DRAGON, leave your name in the comment section. This time -- how 'bout telling me which you'd rather be -- a Funky Princess like Meg or a Wild Dragon like Laddy...or maybe you like one of the other characters best. Tell me why and you'll be in the draw to win a prize!

As usual, if you tweet or blog about our contest, your name will go in an extra time. Because this interview went up on a Tuesday instead of the usual Monday, Maurice and I will give you an extra day to enter. So deadline will be this Saturday night. We'll draw the prize winner and announce it on Sunday. Until then...keep reading!

~Darby

Winnah!

Yipes -- busy day. Will have to type fast to get this posted before midnight!

Maurice dipped his paw in the hat, and...

The winner of the first Caitlin Decter book, aka WAKE, by Robert. J. Sawyer, as well as a copy of A WALK THROUGH A WINDOW is....

Lou Prosperi!

Congratulations, Lou!

Email my minion: kc dyer at telus dot net and claim your prize! (It'll help if you include your mailing address...)

Thanks to all for playing along! And a huge thank you to Caitlin and her own minion of choice, Robert J. Sawyer, for their collective good sportsmanship.

We'll have a teaser up tomorrow for this week's interview and contest -- be sure to check in and see who's up to chat with me next!

~Darby

Winner...soon!

Author kc dyer is off to read my story today at Summer Dream Literary Arts Festival in Vancouver's Stanley Park today. [She'll be reading at 4:30 if you are able to swing by...!].

Read more about it on her blog HERE.

And when she returns -- Maurice and I will announce the winner of the Robert J. Sawyer / kc dyer prize package!

See you tonight.

~Darby

Darby Speaks...with Caitlin

Did you guess?






This cryptic hint comes from the cover of the Very Cool Story...





WAKE, by Robert J. Sawyer.











Now, I interviewed Mr. Sawyer himself earlier this year, and I have to say that the accompanying contest was one of the more popular ones here at Darby Speaks. So, just for fun, we're going to run another one!

This time, I'll be interviewing Caitlin Decter, the main character in WAKE. And if you want to win this week's prize pack, consisting of a signed copy of WAKE, and a signed copy of A WALK THROUGH A WINDOW, just leave a comment below.

Caitlin's creator is one of the most prolific Science Fiction writers in Canada, so to win a prize, leave a comment with the name of your favourite Robert J. Sawyer character.

Contest closes this Friday, August 21, 2009 at midnight. On Saturday, Maurice and I will throw all the names in a hat and draw the lucky winner.

Want to double your chances? Link to the spot where you've tweeted or blogged about this contest.

And now...let's welcome Caitlin Decter!

Darby Christopher: Hey, Caitlin - You grew up with a challenge out of most people's worst nightmares -- you've been blind since birth. But reading your story, it seems there's nothing you can't do. Have you ever considered taking up skateboarding?

Caitlin Decter: Hah! Maybe I will now. I do feel like I can do just about anything. I've never liked the word "handicapped." I may be blind, but I'm not going to let that, or anything else, stand in my way.

Darby: Go you! If you ever need an expert helper, I am SO there. Now, my story, A WALK THROUGH A WINDOW, is all about how different people came to live in Canada. Tell me a little about where you grew up and where you live now.

Caitlin: My dad is a theoretical physicist. He used to teach at the University of Texas in Austin, but then he got offered a job at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It was his dream job, and he has a hard time being happy, so it made sense for us to move here. I miss hearing people speak Spanish, I miss really hot water, and I miss my old friends at the Texas School for the Blind -- but I'm looking forward to seeing snow!

Darby: If you end up in Waterloo, I bet you'll have all the snow you could ask for! Can you tell us a bit about what your family is like? Do you have any pets or siblings?

Caitlin: My parents only had one kid -- me! I guess the figured that be no way to top that, hah hah. I do have a cat, though: his name is Schrodinger, 'cause the physicist Erwin Schrodinger had a famous thought experiment about a cat. I like having a cat -- he likes to be petted, and I like the way he feels.

Darby: I bet you Schrodinger and Maurice would really get along. Or maybe not -- you can never tell with cats, eh? Now, I've read your story WAKE, and you certainly have a lot going on in your life. What has been the scariest thing you have ever faced so far?

Caitlin: Honestly, I think it was the school dance. Boys! They can be SUCH jerks. :) But I'm getting used to handling them -- just so long as they don't try to handle me! I sometimes think my friend Bashira has it easier than me, 'cause her parents won't let her date.

Darby: Yeah, I know my fair share of weird boys, too. But some of them are okay, I guess. So in all your experiences, what has been your most favorite, greatest adventure?

Caitlin: Going to Japan! OMG, that was amazing. I couldn't see it, of course, but I could hear it and smell it and taste it, and it was wonderful. So many people! I've never been anywhere that crowded in my life! But I'd love to go back. I miss it, and I miss my friend Dr. Kuroda, who lives in Tokyo.

Darby: I've never been to Japan, but I've heard it's awesome. But when you're back home, do you have a special skill or talent you'd like to tell us about? Especially if it's secret -- spill the beans!

Caitlin: Um, well, I haven't told anyone this -- not even Bashira! -- but, actually, I can see the World Wide Web. Something went wrong when Dr. Kuroda wired up the implant he put behind my retina, in hopes of curing my blindness, and instead it shows me this view of webspace, of what all the interconnections look like. It's awesome! And it makes me happy being the only one who can see it -- it's like it's my special place.

Darby: Holy crow, Caitlin -- that is SO cool! I wish I could see it, too. Listen, I know you sometimes read with talking books or braille. Who is YOUR favourite fictional character?

Caitlin: Sherlock Holmes! I love reading about him, and his ability to solve mysteries. He's so intelligent! I wish he'd use more math, but he's still really cool. But, you know, truth is stranger than fiction, and my favorite book is THE STORY OF MY LIFE by Helen Keller -- she's my hero!

Darby: So you like fiction AND non-fiction, eh? Speaking of fiction, I've heard that WAKE is just the first in a series of novels written by Robert J. Sawyer. Can you tell me something about him?

Caitlin: Rob is awesome! He's pretty old, but he really seems to understand what it's like to be a teenage girl -- and I hear he was blind for six days when he was a kid, so maybe that's helped him understand me a bit. I wish he'd lay off the corny puns, though. Puh-leeze!

Darby: After WAKE ...can you tell me a bit about what's next? What plans have you and Rob been hatching?

Caitlin: After WAKE, it's WATCH -- featuring more of the adventures of yours truly, Caitlin Decter, aka Calculass! And after WATCH, there's WONDER, which Rob is supposed to be working hard on right now *looks at Rob*. I'm in all three, but so is Dr. Kuroda, my mom and dad, and Hobo -- who is amazing! He's an ape who paints pictures of people. I can't wait to meet him!

Darby: If I want to learn more about you (or Robert J. Sawyer) on-line, where can I look?

Caitlin: Rob's all over the place: Facebook, Twitter (as RobertJSawyer), the web (http://sfwriter.com), his blog (http://sfwriter.com/blog.htm), and there's a good entry on him on Wikipedia, too. Me, I'm on Facebook and LiveJournals (as Calculass) -- friend me there! Oh, and check out http://WakeWatchWonder.com for some cool stuff about me!

Darby: Wow -- that's amazing, Caitlin. I can't wait until the new WATCH book arrives and I can read more about your adventures. Thanks for chatting with me today!

Well, Caitlin fans....there you have it. All the secrets you never thought you'd know about Caitlin and Rob Sawyer, too! So now it's your turn. Spread the word -- blog and tweet about this contest, and enter yourself, by leaving the name of your favourite Robert J. Sawyer character in the comments below. Contest closes Friday night -- ready, set....GO!

~Darby

Wee Teaser....

I've got a new interviewee all lined up for tomorrow's blog...






Who in the World Will it be?

Heh heh.

See you tomorrow!

~Darby

Winnah!

Here is the beaming, enthusiastic face of Maurice, my Nan's cat.

[Neither beaming, nor enthusiastic, actually. More like brooding and mysterious.]


Nevertheless, Maurice is prepared to announce a winnah of the Linda Gerber /Aphra Connolly summer six=pack prize package!


And the winner is... A Flight of Minds!

YAYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!

Congratulations, Flight. Send my staff [aka kc dyer] an email with your mailing address, and the prize will be on its way to you, asap.

You can reach her here: kc dyer @ telus . net. Just take out the spaces and there you have it!

You can read kc's blog HERE, if you're interested.

Many, many thanks to Aphra Connolly and HER staff writer Linda Gerber for granting us the interview and donating a book to our draw.

Stay tuned for another interview and contest, coming on Monday! We're getting into the rhythm of a contest a week here at Darby Speaks -- so if you didn't win this week -- try, try again. And remember, your name goes in the draw a second time if you blog or tweet about our contests.

See you Monday -- and congrats again to A Flight of Minds!

~Darby

Contest Closes at Midnight tonight!

Which gives you one more hour to enter your comment to win a Linda Gerber novel -- DEATH BY BIKINI. Check out my interview with the Amazing Aphra!

~Darby