‘Sons of Gold and Fire’ is out now!

Life is full of surprises. Sometimes, they’re not so bad.

This post was intended to announce that pre-orders had gone live for my latest, “Sons of Gold and Fire,” the second book in the Gold and Fire series. Instead, through the “magic” of technology, a celebration of pre-orders turned into a release day party.

It’s available right now on Amazon. Soon to be available at other retailers and for request in your local library.

“Sons” picks up the story of our favorite boy and his dragon two years after the events of “Dreams of Gold and Fire.” Aron, now 14, has been training as a squire under Sir Gareth. He’s struggling to find the discipline he desperately needs and at the same time impatient to be called back to Lanfield to begin his formal education as a knight.

All has been quiet on the goblin front since Aron and his dragon friend Doubloon routed the attack on his village, but that’s about to change. A raid out of the blue ends with his younger brothers being kidnapped. When his father and Sir Gareth follow in an attempt to rescue them, they disappear as well. It’s left up to Aron and Doubloon to bring them all home. But it won’t be quite as easy as the boy thinks.

If you enjoyed “Dreams of Gold and Fire,” I think you’ll like this one even more. I do. There are bigger adventures with more danger, but there are also some light-hearted moments infused with more humor. We meet a couple of new friends along the way … well, at least one friend, and one … I’m not so sure.

Among the new characters is one near and dear to me. I’ve been dying for people to meet Skrunt since I first put him on the page. I’d love to chat more about him and talk about the wonderful surprise that he gave me toward the end of the story, but not yet. I want people to meet and learn about him in the same way that Aron and I did.

The first in the series, “Dreams of Gold and Fire,” won the 28th annual Critters Readers Poll, was nominated for the Kearsells Indie Book Awards, and is a nominee for the 2026 Imadjinn Award for best middle grade book. It’s perfect for boys 8-14 who don’t think they like reading, but can be enjoyed by readers of any age.