DragonSpell (38 page)

A
BOUT THE
A
UTHOR

Donita K. Paul
comes from a family of storytellers and teachers, so it is only natural that she loves spinning imaginative tales interwoven with lore. A retired schoolteacher, she keeps her hands in the mix by being one of the professional storytellers in the Sunday-school department of her church.

Donita has two grown children, two grandchildren, and two dogs. She currently lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in the shadow of Pikes Peak. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading all genres, from picture books to biography.

Praise for
Dragonspell

“In
Dragonspell,
Donita K. Paul has created an amazing world of fantasy adventure. From riding on dragons to jumping off cliffs to moving mountains, this story is sure to spark a reader’s imagination—young and old. And with a message of identity transformed from slavery to servanthood, it’s a book families will love reading and discussing together.”

—C
HRISTOPHER
P. N. M
ASELLI
, children’s author of
Reality Shift
and founder of
TruthPop.com

“A reluctant heroine, her fainting dragon, and an assortment of colorful companions make for a delightful read in Donita K. Paul’s
Dragonspell.
This is adventure and fantasy at its finest—a must-read for the imaginative soul.”

—L
INDA
W
INDSOR
, award-winning author of
Along Came Jones
and the Fires of Gleannmara trilogy

“
Dragonspell
is a fine, well-written tale guaranteed to entertain both old and young alike. This was proven in our household when our eleven-year-old son snatched up the book and devoured it. Upon returning it, he exclaimed, ‘It’s good!’—high praise from a rabid fan of Tolkien, Lewis, Jacques, and company. I can only nod my head in agreement.”

—C
HRISTOPHER
A. L
ANE
, author of children’s and adult fiction, and winner of Gold Medallion and C. S. Lewis awards

“Inventive, engaging, witty, insightful, touching, and profound—
Dragonspell
is all this and more. If Donita K. Paul’s only intention was to create a world where readers encounter novelties and wonders at every turn, then she has succeeded admirably. But she actually does much more than that: She enables us to see our relationship with God and His world through new eyes. A delight for all true fans of fantasy literature.”

—J
IM
W
ARE
, author of
God of the Fairy Tale
and coauthor of
Finding God in the Lord of the Rings

“Enchanting! A perilous quest, a timeless battle, an unlikely heroine, and a rousing adventure in a world of magic and mystery—Donita K. Paul has concocted a tale brimming with eternal truth and seasoned with delightful and amazing characters that linger in the senses long after the last page.
Dragonspell
is destined to become a classic for a new generation of adventurers!”

—S
USAN
M
AY
W
ARREN
, award-winning author of
Happily Ever After

“The greatest thing any author can do is to catch you up and transport you right into the very scene, the very action, the story…in such a way that you live the book, not merely read it. That is exactly what Donita K. Paul does with
Dragonspell.
For a few hours, you will take a journey to a place you have never been, with a story you will never forget. Enjoy the trip!”

—S
TEPHEN
B
LY
, author of
Paperback Writer
and
The Long Trail Home
, winner of the Christy award

“
Dragonspell
is a tightly written fantasy quest set in an extraordinarily rendered storyworld. With seven intelligent races, seven evil races, several delightful dragons, one weird wizard, and an endless supply of exotic plants and animals, you will
not
be bored.”

—R
ANDY
I
NGERMANSON
, author of
Oxygen
and
Premonition
, winners of the Christy award

“No one will ever be able to read this and doubt that Christian fantasy is a viable genre for spreading God’s Word.”

—C
HRISTINE
L
YNXWILER
, president of American Christian Romance Writers

“Charming, well-drawn characters, a story chock full of adventures and misadventures, a land populated with dragons, doneels, emerlindians, grawligs, and all sorts of other fascinating inhabitants—I ask you, what more could any reader want? With
Dragonspell,
Donita K. Paul has nailed a complex and engaging fantasy world. Whether nine or ninety, you won’t be disappointed.”

—K
ATHLEEN
M
ORGAN
, author of
Consuming Fire
and
All Good Gifts

“
Dragonspell
has a heart-thumping, page-turning plot that is sure to captivate and enthrall even the most reluctant reader!”

—P
EGGY
W
ILBER
, author of
Reading Rescue 1-2-3

D
RAGONSPELL

P
UBLISHED BY
W
ATER
B
ROOK
P
RESS

2375 Telstar Drive, Suite 160

Colorado Springs, Colorado 80920

A division of Random House, Inc.

Scripture quotations are taken from the
New American Standard Bible
^®
. © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission. (
www.Lockman.org
).

The characters and events in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to actual persons or events is coincidental.

Copyright © 2004 by Donita K. Paul

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

W
ATER
B
ROOK
and its deer design logo are registered trademarks of WaterBrook Press, a division of Random House, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Paul, Donita K.

Dragonspell/Donita K. Paul.— 1st ed.

                                                                                                                              p. cm.

1. Young women—Fiction. 2. Master and servant—Fiction. I. Title.

PS3616.A94D73 2004

813’.6—dc22

2003027715

www.waterbrookpress.com

eISBN: 978-0-307-44621-3

v3.0