The Gift of Charms is an enthralling children’ s tale of magic, adventure, and suspense, with a heart-warming centre. The first in the Land of Dragor series, transports the reader to the magical Land of Dragor, where dragon clans live hidden from man. Their great wars with humans and the evil dragsaurs are over and the dragons live in the caves among smoking mud pools and around The Fire Which Must Never Go Out. There is unease in the air of their mist-filled valley and the coming of a strange egg heralds a new era. Unlike the normal delicate lilac, this shell is multi-coloured like the contents of a treasure chest. The newborn hatchling Yoshiko is treated with suspicion by the elders. The last time a coloured egg was laid, legendary warrior leader Surion was born from a red shell and with his gift of fire the dragons went to battle with the humans. Will Yoshiko bring a blessing to the clans, or a curse? Could Dragor be about to meet its saviour, or its destroyer?
Firstly a
big thank you for this lovely invitation to Tony Riches' Blog. I am Julia
Suzuki, author of The Land of Dragor series, a children’s adventure series with
an appeal for the child within us all too!
My formative
years were enchanting, and the strongest inspiration for my current authorship.
The earliest recollection I have was being sat in my bedroom with the breeze
blowing in through the window on a beautiful summers day, listening to the
sounds of animals merged with the thrill of happy human cheers!
It wasn’t
the usual garden sounds though; not dogs, not cats, not birds - nor of children
playing in the garden as they would normally do. But it was
the noises of real beasts: lions and monkeys, zebras and cheetahs! Our family
home was uniquely set on the closest edge to a Zoo and Theme Park in
Staffordshire; we were separated only by the Millrace at the bottom of the
garden on the ‘Deer park Estate’ by Drayton Manor Park in Tamworth,
Staffordshire - the Drayton Manor Theme Park.
One summer,
my Father lovingly handcrafted myself and brothers wide canoes. In the years
ahead we would regularly set off for secret adventures. Down the millrace we
would paddle, and into the fields we would go; playing wildly in the woods,
loving nature, embracing the outdoors - pretending we were the animals. Boating with
my eldest brother: in my element!
My
imagination started to grow with my love of books. My winter
months were spent indoors often reading. I loved all the now vintage books: Beatrix
Potter, CS Lewis, Enid Blyton and others of that period. I would often
close the book and write my own endings and so my joy of creative writing
began.
At the age
of seven I was enrolled in elocution lessons with a local speech and drama
school, run by a former teacher from a local convent. She was very strict and
austere but bought out the best in the group of girls that attended. Here I
would recite pages of literature and poetry from memory to the London School of
Music examiners who would come up to examine us. I continued through to the
senior grades.
My favourite and most memorable recital was from the
book The Snow Goose; such a sad tale that even in recollection pulls at
heartstrings. Into
adulthood a business career followed. After University studying marketing, a
career with Disney licensing then followed. After this I worked in
international licensing for the leisure entrepreneur David Lloyd in his resorts
business. I had the good fortune to travel to many of the most beautiful places
in the world inspiring me further. My urge to be an author was growing daily,
and I recently gave up this career to become a full time writer - and so the
first book the Gift of Charms came to be!
I had been
thinking back to the wonderful vintage books I had read and wishing there were
more like this - but with unique and modern edge and an interactive web
presence. Being a mother I knew first hand what parents were looking for when
purchasing a book for their children, yet more than that, I felt strongly that
I knew also what they sought themselves: gripping action, lots of adventure -
all the classic aspects of heroes and villains, mystery and magic, quests and
suspense, and the dream of happy endings.
I wanted to
write books with universal appeal, that were fantastical and 'out there' and
yet still felt somehow real; to fulfil the expectations of book lovers and
also hook non-readers back into reading. For me this had to be in the form of a
series set in a place we would all be excited to visit.
I designed
the land, integrating beautiful countryside, mountain trails, great waters and
caves to explore. All the things I loved as a child and still do today. The
most beautiful places that I had seen on my international travels formed the
setting of Dragor: the amazing mountains of Colorado, the great deserts of Palm
Springs, in California, the vast waters in the Lake District, and the seaside
caves of Cornwall - not forgetting the enchanting wilderness of Scotland.
Dragor would be my ideal place to live - full of magnificent scenery, bursting
with animals and nature's magical flowers and plants. A place of adventure,
excitement and promise.
Julia
Suzuki
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About the Author
Julia Suzuki is a British fantasy author. She is known for her unique style; threading together adventure and suspense in magical, epic setting, with plots that are topped off with beautiful messages. Julia has a BA Hons degree in Business as well as being a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. She also studied Speech and Drama with the London School of Music. Her works are nostalgic to the older reader and exciting to the younger. Julia has always had a love of all things magical and this, together with her experiences and a keen interest in personal development, inspired her to become an author, combining her creative talents with the philosophies of happiness and success that she has learned. Find out more at her website juliasuzuki.com and follow her on Twitter @JuliaSuzuki_uk
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