So excited to be back from vacation and find that Abigail has refreshed the look of Cover Art Coverage.  She’s the graphical guru here on the blog, and I don’t know about you, but I love the new look.  While we agree on the blog’s look, we disagree a few times on the covers this week.  Abigail is all thumbs up whereas I have a few thumbs down.  We’re in complete agreement about the Best this week, however, as the stunning WILLFUL IMPROPRIETY anthology blew us both away.  I’m a tough sell when it comes to short stories, but this cover alone has added WILLFUL IMPROPRIETY to my TBR list, can’t wait!

Welcome to Deborah Cooke, author of The Dragon Diaries series.  Deborah is here to talk about her second book in this series; WINGING IT which was released December 6, 2011 by NAL Trade.  In her review, Abigail said, “Deborah Cooke knows how to write a lighting fast story that flies along from beginning to end without ever once stopping to land.” Check out the full reviews of both Flying Blind. and Winging It.  There is also a great giveaway involved! See details below.

"With great power comes great responsibility..."

by

Deborah Cooke

That's a quote from Spiderman, and it's a saying that haunted me throughout the writing of my Dragon Diaries paranormal YA trilogy. This series features a teenage girl named Zoë who is coming into her powers as a dragon shapeshifter. Like all of my dragon shifters, she should develop her abilities at puberty - we meet Zoë in FLYING BLIND when she's 15 and desperate for all the good stuff to begin. She mostly wants to be able to fly in her dragon form, although breathing fire would also be cool.

*This title will be released on December 6, 2011*

Title: Winging It Author: Deborah Cooke Series: The Dragon Diaries #2 Cover Art: Juliana Kolesova Genre: Paranormal YA Excerpt: Yes Source: Publisher Reviewed by: Abigail Paperback: 352 pages Publisher: NAL Trade; 1 edition (December 6, 2011) ISBN-10: 0451234898 ISBN-13: 978-0451234896 Sexual Content: Kissing Rating: Good - A fun read with minor flaws. Maybe read an excerpt before buying.

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This week is a fascinating example of how changing a few details can sometimes make all the difference on a cover, or no difference at all.  Just a few minor changes to J. R. Ward’s LOVER REBORN tightened up the whole composition to make a good cover great, but changing the entire cover model wasn’t enough to get TANGLE OF NEED a thumbs up in my book.  

Black Heart by Holly Black 

Description: Cassel Sharpe knows he’s been used as an assassin, but he’s trying to put all that behind him. He’s trying to be good, even though he grew up in a family of con artists and cheating comes as easily as breathing to him. He’s trying to do the right thing, even though the girl he loves is inextricably connected with crime. And he’s trying to convince himself that working for the Feds is smart, even though he’s been raised to believe the government is the enemy. But with a mother on the lam, the girl he loves about to take her place in the Mob, and new secrets coming to light, the line between what’s right and what’s wrong becomes increasingly blurred. When the Feds ask Cassel to do the one thing he said he would never do again, he needs to sort out what’s a con and what’s truth. In a dangerous game and with his life on the line, Cassel may have to make his biggest gamble yet—this time on love. No Author Comment Available.

Series: Curse Workers #3 Artist: N/A Goodreads: Link	Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Release Date: April 3, 2012 Source: Tez Says
Julia’s Thoughts	Abigail’s Thoughts
This run of covers is much less cinematic than the ones with real models, a much more fantasy feel.  Given the edgy feel of the series, I think the live action covers fit the series better.  This one is rather generically YA.	This has to be the UK cover…it looks nothing like the US versions, but I still think the purple almost disco vibe is a wrong fit for this series in any country.

Previous Covers in This Series

**Visit Dark Faerie Tales today for her Deadly Destination tour of K. A. Stewart’s Kansas City, Missouri from Axel & a chance to win A SHOT IN THE DARK**

We’re hitting the skies for today’s Deadly Destination thanks to Deborah Cooke's Zoe Sorensson.  We get to learn about the realm of Wyvern, a parallel universe that Zoe and other dragon shifters can slip into from FLYING BLIND (available now & you can read my review HERE). Thanks to NAL books, three of you who comment on this post will win a copy of the book!  See details below

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Zoe Sorensson’s Guide to the Realm of Wyvern
by
Deborah Cooke

This destination du jour is Zoë's choice - although she lives in Chicago in 2024, she thinks that's old news. Her current adventure in this trilogy of YA paranormals is mapping the territory of the Wyvern, so let's talk about that mysterious bit of turf.

First a little bit of background on the series. Zoë is a dragon shape shifter. My dragon shifters are known as the Pyr - because they breathe fire - and are an ancient species charged with defending the treasures of the earth. The Pyr - or true Pyr - include humans in that list of treasures: the bad dragon shifters, called Slayers, don't think humans are so precious, and in fact, think humans threaten the earth. (For more on Slayers and Pyr, check out my paranormal romance series called Dragonfire.

In the world of Dragonfire, there is only one female Pyr at any given time. She's called the Wyvern and is said to have special powers beyond those of the guy dragons. This is all theoretical for Zoë, who as daughter of a Pyr must be a dragon shifter herself, but all of that changes at the beginning of FLYING BLIND. The guy shifters come into their powers at puberty and (big surprise) so does Zoë. The issue for Zoë is that there's no one to tell her what she can do or how to master her skills - the fact that she exists as Wyvern is dependent upon the last Wyvern being dead.

Zoë loves lists, so, here's her list.

Six Things I Know about the Realm of the Wyvern:

1. You can't get there from here. At least not on purpose. The realm of the Wyvern is in a parallel universe, I guess, because you can't just decide to go there like you decide to go to the tofu burger joint. Time is strange there, too, and not necessarily related to the time in the real world. You can go to sleep in the middle of the night, slide into the realm of the Wyvern and find yourself in bright sunlight. The entries and exits seem to be easiest to find when I'm dreaming - or maybe they find me then. I first thought it was a dream world, but it's much more than that.

2. There's snow. When I dream and it's snowing (like I've stepped out onto the tundra) I know I'm in the realm of the Wyvern. I'm not usually dressed for this. In dreams, you don't feel temperature differences, right? So, there's more going on that just dreams. Maybe it's astral travelling to the Arctic - it's not an out of body experience exactly because my toes get cold - my body is right there with me, wherever the heck I am.

3. The usual rules, barriers and expectations don't apply. Things can appear and disappear without rational explanation in the realm of the Wyvern. I can talk to dead people sometimes, and mythic characters in others. I can know things that I don't know in real life - and I can do things in that realm that I can't do in real life. You would think that if the realm of the Wyvern was a kind of dream state that I wouldn't be able to bring back souvenirs - but I can. So, it must be another place entirely, one to which the Wyvern (that's me!) holds the keys. Maybe it's astral travelling to the past - or to the realm of myths.

4. There's possibility there. I can see things that might not happen or that maybe never did happen. They exist as possibilities, and in this realm, they still exist, like shadows or ghosts. I can see in the memories of other people, too. So, every view in this realm is filled with shadows, ideas, and chances. I need to figure out what's real and what's just possible, never mind how to use this information to help my dragon shifter buddies. In this way, the realm of the Wyvern is adventure or a maze, an enchanted forest that will turn you loose wherever and whenever it chooses. It's definitely alive, this realm, and it's definitely watching.

5. I can learn new Wyvern tricks in this realm. This is partly because I can connect with past Wyverns - as well as other dead people - although they tend to tell me things in an enigmatic way. There's always some key to the riddle that I have to work out to understand what's going on. So, in a way, the realm of the Wyvern is like a game. Or a challenge. (I like that. I'm good at puzzles.)

6. I'm going back, as soon as I can figure out how to get there from here.

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About Deborah Cooke

Deborah Cooke has always been fascinated with dragons, although she has never understood why they have to be the bad guys. She has an honours degree in history, with a focus on medieval studies. She is an avid reader of medieval vernacular literature, fairy tales and fantasy novels, and has written over forty romance novels and novellas. She has also been published under the names Claire Cross and Claire Delacroix. Deborah makes her home in Canada with her husband. When she isn't writing, she can be found knitting, sewing or hunting for vintage patterns. Visit Deborah Cooke online: Website|Blog|Facebook

Want to read more from Deborah?

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Giveaway provided by NAL

3 copies of FLYING BLIND by Deborah Cooke

Available now from New American Library

Description:

The next generation of shape-shifting dragons from the popular author of the Dragonfire novels.

Zoë is the Wyvern of the Pyr – the one female dragon shape shifter with special powers.  But Zoë is at the bottom of the class when it comes to being Pyr, and her powers are AWOL. Worse, there’s no reference book to consult, and the last Wyvern is dead….

Everything changes when Zoë’s best friend is bullied and Zoë reacts. Before she can blink twice, her inner dragon is loose, and she’s suspended from school and headed to a shape shifter boot camp with guys she’s known all her life. But soon she’s doubting her powers – and even some of her friendships.

Zoë quickly realizes she has to master her powers yesterday – there’s danger ahead and boot camp is a trap. A secretive group, the Mages, want to eliminate all shifters and the Pyr are next in line – unless Zoë and her friends can solve the riddle and work together to save their own kind…

Click HERE to read an excerpt | Click HERE to read our review

Order from

Giveaway Guidelines

1. Open to US/CA addresses only. No PO Boxes

2. Leave a comment for Deborah & a way to contact you unless it’s listed in your profile

3. All Deadly Destinations winners will be announced on August 7th

4. See our Giveaway Policy if you have any questions

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Interested in guest blogging on All Things Urban Fantasy? CONTACT ME

Please join me in welcoming veteran paranormal romance author Deborah Cooke to the site today.  Well known for her Adult Dragonfire series, Deborah will be launching a new paranormal YA spin-off series on June 7th from NAL called the The Dragon Diaries featuring the next generation of Pyr dragon shifters.  If you missed my review yesterday of the first book, FLYING BLIND, I called it, “Swift and fun, just like I’d imagine flying on the back of a dragon…the innovative mythology and mature storyline should please readers of any age.”

Be sure to visit all the stops on the Flying Blind Tour hosted by The {Teen} Book Scene

 

You can read all the previous Top 10 Lists HERE

Top Ten Ways to survive Pyr boot camp

by

Deborah Cooke

1. Bring chocolate - and hide it from the guys.

2. Nail shape shifting - so you can do it really fast.

3. Accept a dare - especially if it comes from a hot guy.

4. Stay in touch with your best friend - otherwise the testosterone levels will make you crazy.

5. Think fast.

6. Bring extra socks - it's cold out there.

7. Dress for war - this is a fight to the finish.

8. Listen to advice - even when it comes from an old woman in your dreams.

9. Research the variables - so you know what you've got to work with.

10. Don't believe everything you're told - especially if it sounds too good to be true.

 

Book Details

FLYING BLIND by Deborah Cooke

Available June 7th 2011 by New American Library

 

"Zoe is a wonderful heroine--smart, strong and sympathetic. Bring on book two!"-Kelley Armstrong #1 NYT Bestselling Author of The Awakening

The next generation of shape-shifting dragons from the popular author of the Dragonfire novels.

Zoë is the Wyvern of the Pyr – the one female dragon shape shifter with special powers.  But Zoë is at the bottom of the class when it comes to beingPyr, and her powers are AWOL. Worse, there’s no reference book to consult, and the last Wyvern is dead….

Everything changes when Zoë’s best friend is bullied and Zoë reacts. Before she can blink twice, her inner dragon is loose, and she’s suspended from school and headed to a shape shifter boot camp with guys she’s known all her life. But soon she’s doubting her powers – and even some of her friendships.

Zoë quickly realizes she has to master her powers yesterday – there’s danger ahead and boot camp is a trap. A secretive group, the Mages, want to eliminate all shifters and the Pyr are next in line – unless Zoë and her friends can solve the riddle and work together to save their own kind…

Click HERE to read an excerpt

*This title will be released on June 7, 2011*

Title: Flying Blind Author: Deborah Cooke Series: The Dragon Diaries Trilogy#1 Cover Art: Juliana Kolesova Genre: Paranormal YA Excerpt: Yes Source: Publisher Reviewed by: Abigail Reading level: Young Adult Paperback: 336 pages Publisher: NAL Trade (June 7, 2011) ISBN-10: 0451233883 ISBN-13: 978-0451233882 Sexual Content: Kissing Rating: Good - A fun read with minor flaws. Maybe read an excerpt before buying.

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Description

The next generation of shape-shifting dragons from the popular author of the Dragonfire novels.

Zoë is the Wyvern of the Pyr – the one female dragon shape shifter with special powers.  But Zoë is at the bottom of the class when it comes to being Pyr, and her powers are AWOL. Worse, there’s no reference book to consult, and the last Wyvern is dead….

Everything changes when Zoë’s best friend is bullied and Zoë reacts. Before she can blink twice, her inner dragon is loose, and she’s suspended from school and headed to a shape shifter boot camp with guys she’s known all her life. But soon she’s doubting her powers – and even some of her friendships.

Zoë quickly realizes she has to master her powers yesterday – there’s danger ahead and boot camp is a trap. A secretive group, the Mages, want to eliminate all shifters and the Pyr are next in line – unless Zoë and her friends can solve the riddle and work together to save their own kind…

Review

Dragon mythology is one of the few in paranormal fiction that is still relatively fresh, and Cooke runs wild with her dragon world.   If you’ve read her Dragonfire paranormal romance series, you’re already familiar with these elemental based dragons and will even recognize many of the parents in FLYING BLIND.

Zoe is the protagonist in FLYING BLIND, a fifteen year old impatient to grow up and develop her Pyr abilities (along with a nice set of boobs).  She’s likeable from page one, if a bit on the young side of fifteen for a YA title.  She’s displays a brave, loyal streak throughout the book that helps to temper her occasional recklessness.  She believably worries about boys and is no stranger to jealousy (but she isn’t ever petty about it).  It all added up to a very realistic teenage girl.

I have to mention one scene that really threw me very early on when Zoe and her friend get into a fight with a few nasty girls from school while everyone is showering after gym class.  I couldn’t get past the fact that this physical fight was supposedly taking place while everyone was naked and yet no mention was made about that.  It all seemed very unrealistic to me.

Overall, the writing is swift and fun, just like I’d imagine flying on the back of a dragon.  The characters do kiss the line between YA and Middle Grade, but the innovative mythology and mature storyline should please readers of any age.  If you’re looking for a break from vampires and werewolves or you’re a fan of Cooke’s adult Dragonfire series, you won’t be disappointed with FLYING BLIND.   The next book in the Dragon Diaries Trilogy is called WINGING IT and will be published on December 6th 2011.

Previous Books in Series	Also Reviewed By:
N/A	The Reading Frenzy ChicaReader A Cupcake and a Latte