by Dan Knight
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“Welcome to the book trailer for Cretaceous Clay & The Yellow Stone.” A dragon sunbathed under the stage lights. He occupied a fair portion of the stage. He curled around a black dwarf in a camp chair marked with a large gold star.
“It’s called a trailer since it trails the book.” The dragon chuckled.
“Kevin, it wasn’t funny the first time, and it still isn’t funny.” The dwarf looked apologetic. “Kevin is one of those guys you know.” He shook his head. “You’d rather not invite him to the company picnic, but you can’t say no because you’d feel like a heel. When he shows up though, he turns out to be the life of the party.” The dwarf patted one of the dragon’s claws. “Kevin comes in handy at a barbeque.”
“Hey, Evan, I resemble that remark!” Kevin missed his mark and the joke fell flat. “You guys are jealous! Breathing fire takes talent. Too little and I ruin the shot. Too much and I’ll barbecue the stunt men.”
“Kevin, get on with it. Introduce yourself. Everyone’s waiting.”
“Oh, yeah, I suppose I should get this show on the road.” Kevin let smoke rise from his nostrils. “Hi, folks! I’m Kevin the Clever, and I portray the Dragon Lord in the Chronicles of Cretaceous Clay. I’m the real power behind the Black Dwarf.”
“All right, Kevin,” the dwarf stood up on cue. “If it’s not too much trouble, can you introduce a real star?”
“Don’t let that star on your chair go to your head Evan.” Kevin’s eye twinkled. “Evan portrays the Black Dwarf. He thinks he’s smoked Jack in the Ninth Ring, but we know Nimrod can’t do anything right.”
“Have you checked the script?” asked Evan. “Maybe Nimrod’s got a trick up his sleeve?”
“Jack’s name is in the title, Evan. I think we can assume he wins.”
“So? Nimrod’s made progress. Jack’s an outlaw, and he’s lost his flyer. I’d appreciate it if you don’t attack my illusions.”
“Delusions, Evan. Nimrod’s got nothing. Jack’s destroyed his lair in the Black Wharf and driven him out of the Ninth Ring. He’s got Nimrod’s staff and he’s picked up more clues to what makes Nimrod tick.”
“Kevin,” The dwarf sighed. “What’s next on our agenda?”
The dragon loomed over the dwarf and grinned. “Before we tell our Gentle Readers more about Yellow Stone, we have to answer some questions from the peanut gallery don’t we?”
“Yep, Kevin, that’s right. Several fans have asked us the same questions. We’ve gotten in touch with the author and she’s authorized us to share some of the background details.”
“So who is the author, Evan?”
“As most of us know, Jack Clay is the legendary hero of the Gap. Like Robin Hood, authors have told and retold his story again and again since the incredible events during the Gap changed the world. Jack has appeared as an incurable romantic, a vigilante, a comedian, and in the controversial version, ‘Interview with Jack,’ he even became a conflicted vampire.
“The author of our series is Kathryn Ann Dayna. Twenty five years ago, Kathryn retired on a hobgoblin’s stipend. She decided to write a version for young adults to make ends meet.
“We caught up with Kathryn on the moon where she is currently a writing instructor at Doxos Luna. She gave us her best answers.”
