"I've heard about LOSCON for years," says Gerard. "An invitation to their dealer room is a real honor. I can't wait to sit amongst some of the best writers in the country, including Vernor Vinge, their guest of honor. He's a talented author and a very down to earth guy. I'm looking forward to an exciting weekend."
Kevin Gerard’s award winning books are unique in that the central character in the fantasy dragon series is a young Hispanic boy named Diego. The series is targeted to middle school and young adult readers.
In ‘Spirits Of The Sun’, young Diego Ramirez, an 11-year-old Hispanic youth, wins a writing contest. His prize is a statue of a handsome, glistening black dragon. After hearing the name Magnifico spoken aloud by family and friends, Diego awards it to his new dragon. If he only knew how fitting the name was, he might have known what lay ahead. Magnifico is the leader of the Sol Dragones, an assembly of dragons that live within the magical fires of the sun. As Magnifico comes to life and grows to his mature size, he becomes quite mischievous, playing tricks on Diego to embarrass him. As he discovers his bloodline, however, Diego assumes greater control over his dragon and his destiny.
"Readers will enjoy these books," states Mr. Gerard, "because it is the first fantasy adventure epic series with a Hispanic boy hero. This is a story Hispanic children will love because the main character 'looks like them'."
‘Diego’s Dragon, Book Two: Dragons Of The Dark Rift’, expands the story, as Diego and his girlfriend, Racquel, and their dragons, Magnifico and Estrella, fight to see the true Mayan prophecy come to pass, a time of peace and renewal for all creatures. Vipero, Magnifico's enemy, wants the earth to be destroyed in a galactic upheaval, another interpretation of Mayan folklore. There are three more books in the planning stages, and each will focus on some aspect of Hispanic/Latino history, with fantasy adventure providing the background.
Kevin Gerard is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below or by email at kevin@cryingcougarpress.com. Autographed copies of both books will be available at the convention. Both 'Spirits Of The Sun' and 'Dragons Of The Dark Rift' are available at his website and from Amazon.com. More information is available at the website.
Profile:
Kevin Gerard lives in San Diego, California. Along with writing fantasy novels for young readers, he teaches statistics at Cal State San Marcos. When not writing or teaching, he enjoys walking the grounds at the San Diego Zoo and hitting the waves at Cardiff State Beach. When students ask him why he became a writer, he responds by telling them he wanted to do something spectacular with his life by making a contribution to the world.
