For those of you who are new readers of my tales, I welcome you and appreciate the time you have chosen to spend with me. It's time you can't get back, so I endeavor to make it worthwhile.
Just a brief history of "The Dragon Tamers." 20+ years ago, I first wrote a tale of some helpless bitch who gets caught by the hot commander of a dragon squad... and then they fucked... forcibly. Roscrow said "that bitch is mine" and that was how I wrote it. I liked it that way because rape fantasies are a thing. Roscrow... not so much (and if you've been with me for a while, you've probably noticed that he's the voice that talks the most). That was, uh, not quite how he meant that. The readers, however, loved it. After several "keep going" and "more please," I took glimpses of Roscrow and S're's world and created... a sex story with plot-ish. Mostly just sex. S're wasn't special other than being the main character. Roscrow wasn't special other than being in love with her. A few years later came the version that is still available on my other pen name, Woofajuana. I hit an unscalable plot wall because again, it was not how it was meant to be. So, start again and finished it a second time. I'll spare you the details with the failed publisher offer and just say I went ahead and self-published it without an editor or proof readers of any real sort. It was up for a short time, then I took it down. I was told things didn't make sense. Well yeah. I didn't really understand their world too well. It wouldn't make sense for Roscrow to not know what a Tamer is as a born and bred Guardian. And as a Guardian, Roscrow would never rape. So, had to write it all again. And here we are. No rape this time. None. Plenty of mention of it, though, and there will be threats to have her forcibly bred, but the act itself won't happen.
Since I started posting the story again, I've had a lot of emails to my old, otherwise dead email account (the same one I had back when it was first posted on a very blue site I do not care to mention), as well as messages here and everywhere else I post (even the new site!). I'm still shocked by how many people not only read and liked it, but remembered it! I had no clue where I was going with any of that. If half of you folks had been so vocal 10 years ago, things might have been different. As it is, I've had a mix of surprise, joy, and confusion. One of those confusions was the name. "You added the 's' so I thought this was a sequel?" Nope, sorry. I added the 's' to show S're is no longer the only Tamer, just one of a kind among the many. However, after receiving a few such messages, I admit, this story IS really only about her. I've thought of "The Eternal Dragon Tamer," and adding the 's' will be the sequel. (S're has kids, after all... and so does Roscrow... rapscallion.) I've already seen other novels with the generic name right on Inkitt. So, you guys are likely to be seeing a title change. Maybe not freely posted, but for the published version, most certainly.
Another common confusion has been the leap between "Girl in the Snow" and "The Call."
The first is supposed to be Jasper's memory of the event. It's not S're's memory. That's why there's no perspective from her. It's a second prologue of sorts, not actually the first chapter. The only thing I really want to change about it is making him even more unsure if all his actions are really his own. This comes up later. It's kind of a big deal. (For the new readers, Jasper first started out as a nameless character S're flirted with... then he got a name... then they fucked... and now, he is a main character. I consider it Roscrow's punishment for taking so long to tell me he was an elf! If you love Jasper, I'm really glad. This version of him has a real life model, and I live with him.)
Now for that jump to "The Call." I really thought having Jasper say "for the last nine years" would make it obvious this is a time jump. How they met the rest of the crew comes up slowly through the story. We already know Diana was rescued by Jasper. We'll be getting more into Slina when she can speak again. Black will be back, and quite soon after their return to the mountain. Just a heads up... Roscrow is a shameless racist. Even since the very first version where Roscrow finds a library after a Sarlykein attack- which evolved into the city of Academy- I've always had the sense he hates those lizards. But, besides the length of the appendix, this time jump has been the second most mentioned issue from readers. Okay. I hear you and appreciate you. I think I've solved the problem with an extra paragraph. Why did I start the chapter that way to begin with? A saw a writing prompt that was nothing but that first sentence. "I heard that I make you nervous." And Jasper answered back. I couldn't figure out how to adjust it because, well, that's what he said! After a few weeks of thinking on it, I think I have that answer. On next new chapter drop, I will also post my fix to that chapter.
I remind you all, this is a rough draft, I'm just trying to get the story told. If I don't post, I lose motivation. I would have taken a much longer hiatus if I didn't have you folks waiting. You are why I am keeping a pace. I'm not going to post all of my fixes. Some things will be kept for the published version so it's worth paying for. Otherwise, I'd have to stop at the last few chapters, and I'd rather not. If you like me, support me by buying it when it becomes available. I just hate gate keeping and the millions of needles in everyone's arms these days. However, I do want to provide my readers with a coherent tale and deal with mass confusions for new readers. So, any time there is such an issue, please feel free to voice it, and I will (eventually) come up with a fix that I'm happy to post. Same thing for "Rat and Dragon."
Long story short: I will post a fix to that jump next week with the new chapter. Until then, you'll all be finding out just what interesting changes I've made to R&D from that one's previous draft. I think you'll like it. I hope you all have a pleasant day. And if not, at least it's a day.