I'm so excited to have the Bradley's Dragons Blog Tour stopping by today! This tour is hosted by The Children's Book Review and sponsored by Second Story Up...
The Hunters are Coming
The first time a hunter came for him, Bradley Nash was only nine years old. That was three years ago.
Now, he lives with his family in a Florida trailer park. He doesn’t remember the attack, doesn’t know anything about hunters, or dragons, or even magic.
As his twelfth birthday approaches, however, his peaceful life starts falling apart.
The hunters are coming, and if Bradley doesn’t figure out exactly who and what he is, everything he’s ever known will be destroyed.
“The novel teems with drama from the first page, and readers will be swept up by intrigue and action.” —The Children’s Book Review
Ages 8-12 | Publisher: Second Story Up | July 7, 2020 | ISBN-13: 978-1733077743
What three words best describe your book, Bradley's Dragons?
Exciting, thought-provoking, and compassionate.
Grab a copy of Bradley's Dragons and answer the following:
Favorite chapter?
Chapter 16, when the fae arrive. There’s a scene where Bradley is watching the skies through his trailer’s kitchen window, and he sees his first dragon battle. When I wrote it, I pretty much just bawled my eyes out. I love the scene. For me, it captures all the fears, insecurities, and helplessness of a 12-year-old boy realizing the world around him is much bigger than he thought.
Favorite page?
Page 249, when Bradley sees Antleen for the first time. I should correct that. It’s not the first time he’s ever seen her, but it’s the first time he’s really understood her.
Favorite setting?
I like riding the raft in the swamp. “Afternoon in the swamp was a time of green shadows and brilliant colors. Where the sunlight broke through the canopy, it dazzled the water and painted the leaves yellow and bright green. Flowers turned their heads toward it and dragonflies flitted through its light, snatching mosquitoes out of the air. Where the sun didn’t reach, deep shadows transformed logs and cypress knees into strange, otherworldly things.”
Flip to a random page and give us a 1-2 sentences teaser:
His dad opened his eyes and squeezed Bradley’s hand. “What about you? Haven’t you ever dreamed of being anything?”
Bradley looked down at his father’s hand, but nothing came to mind. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
Can you tell us a bit about your young hero, Bradley? What makes him unique and what do you love about him?
Bradley has spent the past three years dealing with a crippling fear of strangers. At school, he sits in the back of his classes, always worried that he’ll have an anxiety attack. As embarrassed and insecure as he is about those anxiety attacks, he tries not to let them define him. He and his friend, Chris, have built a raft, and they love to go fishing in the swamp around their trailer park. He’s person filled with contradictions who is discovering that the world is much more complicated than he thought. I love that despite everything going on inside him, he’s most worried about the people around him.
Fill in the blanks:
I'm awesome at Eating pizza. My kids (who are now in their teens) and I just had a pizza throwdown. I was victorious by a single slice. Not my proudest parenting moment, but, hey . . . it’s good to have a talent.
I'm embarrassed to admit I sometimes cry when I’m writing or reading. I don’t know why. I guess books just get past all my defenses.
The last great book I read was I just finished Skyward, by Brandon Sanderson, and I really enjoyed it.
If you were to create and bake a cupcake inspired by Bradley's Dragons, what would it look and taste like, and what would you call it?
It would have to be shaped like an alligator wearing a pair of sunglasses. It would be best served with chili and sherbert, and would taste like lemonade.
A newspaper columnist, editor, and award-winning game designer, Patrick Matthews’ first novel was published by Scholastic in 2013. Bradley’s Dragons is his third published novel. Mr. Matthews writes fast-paced fiction that takes readers on exciting adventures but also gives them a chance to think about the world around them, to consider hard questions before they need to be answered.
Enter for a chance to win a Bradley’s Dragons prize pack!
One (1) grand prize winner receives:
- A hardcover copy of Bradley’s Dragons, autographed by Patrick Matthews.
Eight (8) winners receive:
- A hardcover copy of Bradley’s Dragons, autographed by Patrick Matthews.
Giveaway begins September 1, 2020, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends September 30, 2020, at 11:59 P.M. MT.
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Hey there cupcake! You look lovely today and I can tell you're thinking very smarticle thinky thoughts....so go ahead and post 'em!
After much thought and only recently being introduced to blog awards and blogger tagging, I'm going to have to declare this an award/tag free blog. I'm honored, humbled, and so very grateful for simply being considered for an award, but I simply do not have the time to return the favor. If I could, I'd award y'all with dozens of yummy cupcakes ;) Thanks for understanding.