Author: lazaruscarpenterauthor

Hello again Crach, would you share with people about your early life?

“My Master, Llwyd ap Crachan Llwyd, had given me the name Crach. Ffinnant is a tiny Hamlet hidden deep in the mountains of Wales and is where I was born. I recall little of my life before becoming an apprentice but there are remembrances and dreams of past joy and happiness. My parents were of normal stature. Father was a woodcutter by trade. His strength was well-known and till this day revered by those who knew him. Mother was quiet, kind and gifted with the sight of prophecy. I dimly recall visitors to our tiny home, seeking counsel and rewarding her service with gifts of chicken, duck and goose. On reflection, I may have, in some small way, inherited some of my father’s strength and my mother’s gift of prophecy.

Master had never indicated any of this was true, but why take me as an apprentice unless something hidden deeply within revealed a vision telling of a journey together? He would teach and I would learn. For ten years, lessons often started early in the morning before the sun rose and continued late on into the darkness. We spent many weeks, sometimes months, away from my Master’s small cottage. We walked, trudged, staggered, but never rushed, down valley and up to mountain top. We often slept in caves, under huge boulders, many times soaked to the skin by lashing rain. Winter was no different from any other season, we just wore more clothes, thus making my little frame heavier. “

More soon from Crach Ffinnant – Dwarf, Prophet & Seer

What can you tell us about Rise of the Dragon, Crach?

“I hesitate to say too much, suffice to say all will be revealed in the fullness of time. So this dwarf errs on the side of caution as all good magicians do. But here a scene from Book Two Crach Ffinnant Rise of the Dragon… to whet your appetite methinks! And as you will see once again.. justice prevails.”

The large golden eye staring at who knows what, flickered in the firelight, his whole body twitched and the sleeping eye awoke. He twitched again, lifted his head and sneezed. Fortunately for us we were not sat in the danger area as he sneezed. Unfortunately for Carron and Wolf, they were. Carron flew through the air, wings totally useless in this sneeze breeze, tumbling and turning, rolling over wolf’s back. Wolf tried to keep his balance but even his great bulk gave up to the onslaught, as sliding on to his side in a rather ungainly manner for an animal so regal, he was blown along the ground.  Suddenly the sneeze created wind dissipated and wolf’s slide came to a halt. Carron still in the air, skillfully flapped his wings, curved a swerve and regaining control, alighted on a nearby tree. The big black raven shook his whole-self several times. Looking like a big ball of swirling feathers the moonlight gave him the appearance of something, not of this earth. Wolf regained his composure after a good shake and a cursory glance of disapproval towards Tan-y-Mynedd. Of course the great reptile thought it was all very funny. I have to admit, it was. Faerydae still sniggering tried to say something but when Carron lost his balance and fell out of the tree, we all laughed so loudly and uncontrollably, we could have woken the dead. My poor old friend Carron was not so amused and strutted around the tree pecking at the trunk, as if it was this ancient oak’s responsibility for the fall. He was just about to give another good peck, when a branch fell off the tree narrowly missing the raven who shocked, took off and flew high up in to the sky circling above us all screeching loudly into the night. We four, faerie, dragon, wolf and dwarf howled with laughter.

Eventually calm returned as did silence and even Carron came back, non-the worse for wear. I have told you before, to be in the way of a great dragon’s sneeze is indeed a most perilous place to be.

We have spoken about your magical friends, Tan-y-Mynedd the Dragon and Carron the Raven. It must be time to tell us more about Merlina your trusted Mare?

“Merlina came into my life when I was seeking a horse to pull our wagon back to Wales, so Master Healan could rejoin his old friend and my old master, Llwyd ap Crachan Llwyd in retirement. From the second I saw her I knew she was the horse I wanted and judging from the look in here eyes, so did she. My magical and healing skills treated and eradicated a boil on the horse traders leg, in turn he traded Merlina for good health. So many years and adventures have passed since then. Carron the Raven often annoyed Merlina, perhaps it was because she was named after Merlin, but I think not.

Carron was mischievous and Merlina quietly enjoyed it, she liked the attention, even from a naughty beak pecking raven. A more gentle creature folk could not know and her intelligence and quiet demeanour saved our necks on dangerous roads many times. She could read my mind and I could communicate very well with her just by thought. Such has great advantage when in situations that demand silence to avoid discovery I can tell you. This dwarf had many of those…. such is the way of The Prophecy.”

CRACH WILL BE BACK

You have a number of magical friends you met during the course of the Prophecy. Who would you say was your favourite?

“I do not have a favourite friend, I love them all equally as only a dwarf can I suppose. Carron the Raven, Tan-y-Mynedd the Dragon and Merlina my trusted steed all have qualities unique to them as indeed do all living creatures. But my teachers are also my friends and you could say, Owain Glyndwr was magical in many ways.”

Carron the Raven is a very interesting character and somewhat mischievous is he not?

“An understatement, if I may be permitted to say so? Carron is a very clever bird and has incredible abilities to change his appearance from bird, to whatever he must in order to do his duties. He has taught me much and always with a great sense of humour and concern. With skills of transformation, knowledge of time portals and so much more, far to complicated to explain here. Suffice to say, no dwarf should be without a raven as a friend.

Yes, he can be irritating, great joy flutters feathers every time he hides my spoon, nibbles at my ear or sticks a pointed beak so far into my ear, I think he may pierce my brain. He can be very annoying to Merlina too, but they are good friends and always have been since the day Carron alighted on the mare’s back, whispered in her ear and then pecked at her long shaggy mane. A little irritation that Merlina never did enjoy. Carron did!

A master of many languages and especially those of a most sacred nature, Carron is an asset in many a tight corner. When I left Glyndwr standing in his garden at Syncarth sat upon Tan-y-Mynedd flying towards the moon and on to the Council of Blue Stone, I would see Carron again in all his glory.”

MORE FROM CRACH FFINNANT COMING SOON

THE BOXES ARRIVE

When the boxes full of my new book arrived the other day I was of course delighted. Opening them enthusiastically, carefully breaking the seal and removing packaging, there in front of me, stacks of my book from  wordsmatterpublishing.com The first thing I saw was the wonderful front cover illustrated by Debbie Eve and designed by WMP. Holding my book in reality is, one the one hand quite humbling, on the other, the most amazing buzz I have ever felt. Tammy Koelling told me I was now a novelist and here in my hands, the hard proof.

So even though one knows the story well, I mean I wrote it, I read it as if I had not. As odd as that may sound, it is how I felt. I finished it in three sittings, laughing at Crachs humour, moved by his honesty, the magic, incredible characters and sub plots within the prophecy and excited by what was coming next. It is rewarding to read your own work and feel you have certainly done your best and created a story that may be read by anybody and a character, dear Crach Ffinnant…. who is so lovable, wise and entertaining in everything he does or says.

So… ‘Did I enjoy reading my own book? I did thank you, very much indeed and I hope you do too. I was certainly left feeling I wanted to read on…. fortunate, Crach Ffinnant – Rise of the Dragon is nearly finished! Bless you Crach Ffinnant…. ‘justice does prevail’ .. you are back!