Senta and the Steel Dragon – Characters


My new series, Senta and the Steel Dragon tells the story of the creation of a colony. Because of this there are many characters in the story– somewhat over two hundred named characters. I can put them into three main categories: main characters, major supporting characters, and minor supporting characters. In each of the three books, I follow four main characters, though not necessarily the same four as in the previous book. These are the characters into whose thoughts and emotions we see.

Senta Bly: Senta is a major character in all books. She is a young orphan girl who becomes the apprentice to a powerful sorceress. (She is the title character for book 3 and the series)

Iolanthe Dechantagne: The head of a powerful and wealthy noble family who leads the expedition to found a new colony in a mysterious land, she is a main character in books 1 and 5.

Terrence Dechantagne: A main character in book 1, Terrence is Iolanthe’s older brother, who everyone looks to as a heroic leader, but who harbors deep doubts about himself and lives with a dangerous addiction.

Zeah Korlann: Originally the Dechantagne butler, Zeah is a major character in books 1 and 5. He realizes his potential along the way to be more than a servant.

Yuah Korlann: Zeah’s daughter is a main character in book 2, 3, and 4, but is a major supporting character in the other books. Hopelessly in love with Terrence, she struggles with her place in the world, and deals with ethnic prejudice.

Radley Staff: Radley is a main character in book 3 and in one chapter of book 5. He is a naval officer on the battleship which transports the colonists. Later, after he retires, he returns to the colony.

Saba Colbshallow: Saba is a minor supporting character in book 1, a young man who works as a gopher for the Dechantagnes. By book 2, he has grown up. He is a main character in books 2 and 3.

Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest

Hi Wesley,

Thank you for participating in the 2010 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award!

We’ve received your entry, “The Voyage of the Minotaur.” Your unique ABNA ID is: YWRGPU4J

On February 25, Amazon will announce the round two entries at http://www.amazon.com/abna.

Good luck in the contest!

Need to update your contest information?

– To update your name and e-mail address, log into your CreateSpace account at:
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– To update your contest entry, including the author name that will appear on Amazon.com if your entry is selected as a quarterfinalist, log into your CreateSpace account and click “Edit Entry”:
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You may update your entry until 11:59 p.m. eastern time on February 7, 2010, or until the first 5,000 entries have been received for your category, whichever comes first.

Connect with other contestants! The Amazon.com forums are a great way to meet other entrants:
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Review contest key dates:
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Interested in self-publishing? CreateSpace offers services and tools to help you distribute your book on Amazon.com and through other sales channels. Start publishing with CreateSpace:
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Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest

Ihave entered The Voyage of the Minotaur in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel contest of 2010. The grand prize is a publishing contract from Penguin. Part of the process is a vote by readers who visit Amazon. If I make it that far, I’ll be sure and let you know where you can go to vote. In the meantime, wish me luck.

Senta and the Steel Dragon – Setting

Senta and the Steel Dragon is the story of a world not too different than our own Victorian/Edwardian age of Colonial Imperialism. This world however is different because in the past, mythic creatures like dragons were common. Magic is still present. In an age of steam power and rifles, wizards are sought after for service in the army and navy. In this world, the continent of Sumir is the place of origin and primary home of humanity. The people of Sumir have begun to colonize the rest of the world, which up until now, was dominated by non-human creatures.

I began creating this world, by imagining a world larger than our own, with more land as compared to ocean. I cut out a shape that I imagined as this world’s Pangia, then tore it to pieces and moved them around to simulate continental drift. When I was done, I set another piece of paper over them, and traced the outlines of the landmasses. Then I made several more drawings, attempting to make each of them more true to life. It helped that as a child, I liked to sit and look at the atlas.

The Voyage of the Minotaur – Another Rejection

I got my rejection letter from Baen books today. I have a list of about 5 more literary agents and a dozen or so publishers who will be getting queries from me next. If I haven’t got a positive response by summer, I’ll self-publish it, so I can move on to the next project.

Senta and the Steel Dragon – Illustration

A couple of microraptors chased each other from a huge pine to a maple and back, while a pair of buitreraptors and a lone mahakala dug around in the snow near the edge of the road. Most of the proper birds had flown south for the winter, but these strange Birmisian birds were ever present.

Images Copyright 2010 Clipart.com

Brechalon – Chapter 1 Excerpt

The interior of the bookseller’s shop was dark and crowded and it smelled of old leather, old paper, and old glue. Terrence took a slow, deep breath, enjoying the fragrance the way some people might enjoy the scent of a rose. An old bespectacled man lifted his head from behind a massive volume of Dodson. He raised his eyebrows when he saw Terrence’s blue and khaki cavalry uniform. Terrence removed his slouch hat and fished his wallet from an interior vest pocket of his tunic.
“What can I do for you, Sir?” asked the bookseller.
“Revenge,” said Terrence without smiling.
A momentary look of panic crossed the older man’s face, but then his eyes widened.
“Garstone?”
Terrence nodded.
“Yes, I have several copies behind the counter. Not the type of thing I’d expect an army officer to be reading.”
“Don’t judge a book by its cover,” said Terrence. “One would think that a bookseller would know that.”
“Indeed.” The man paused and then pulled out several different editions of the infamous work of Kazia Garstone. H looked up to study his customer’s face. “So many people are interested in this one, either for its politics or its, um indecencies.”
“You don’t have a first edition?” asked Terrence, his face giving nothing away.
“Oh, I do. But I’m afraid it’s not inexpensive.” Opening a small cupboard behind him, the bookseller pulled out a book wrapped in linen and placed it on the counter. With great care he unwrapped the cloth exposing a green leather-bound book with gold leaf edging. “Two hundred fifty marks.”
“I wonder what Garstone would say about such profiteering,” said Terrence opening his wallet and pulling out five crisp banknotes that together equaled the stated amount.
“I don’t think she would mind. You know, if you’re interested, I might have a lead on a signed first edition of Steam.”
“Really? How much?”
“Four thousand marks.”
“Kafira’s tit!” said Terrence, chuckling as the other man winced at his blasphemy. “I’m afraid that’s beyond my allowance.”
The man nodded knowingly. “Would you like me to wrap it up for you?”
“Nope.” Terrence took the book and tucked it under his arm. “Is there still a fish and chips cart by the park?”
“Oh yes.”
Terrence exited the store and turned left, heading for Hexagon Park. He had to jog across Prince Tybalt Boulevard, which was at least twice as crowded as Avenue Phoenix. He was almost hit twice, but arrived at the park’s edge unscathed. Hexagon Park, as the name implied, was an expansive park built in the six-sided shape of a hexagon. It was filled with fountains, ponds, walkways, flower gardens, orchards, and at its center, a plaza with a steam-powered calliope. Terrence could hear the music playing even at this distance. Along the sidewalk at the edge of the park, several vendors were selling food from carts. Terrence purchased a newsprint cone filled with fried fish and golden chips and made his way down the cobblestone path to the center of the park, taking a seat about fifty feet from the bright red music machine.

The Voyage of the Minotaur – Update from Baen Books

I got an update from Baen Books:

We’re running behind, but should read your manuscript within a month.

In the meantime I am working on a new draft and should be ready within a few weeks so I can either send it to Baen or submit it somewhere else.

Senta and the Steel Dragon – Illustration

Ssissiatok fell in line behind Tissonisuk, an older male she knew from the village. Unlike most of the others, Tissonisuk was not hunkering down to make himself look smaller for the softskins. He was standing up at his full six foot seven height. The line moved forward until Tissonisuk reached the table with the softskin seated behind it.

Images Copyright 2009 by Clipart.com

Senta and the Steel Dragon Book 0: Brechalon

As I write this (SundayDec. 6th at 4PM) I have just finished the first draft of Senta and the Steel Dragon Book 0: Brechalon. I am going to put it aside for a bit before I try to do a revision. That way it won’t be so easy to skip over things that need to be changed. My planned publication date is February 3, 2010.
Next up: a re-edit of His Robot Girlfriend.