Tag: Imaginary Friends

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Dragon On Her Shoulder

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If you have read the Maggie Sloan Thriller series, you might remember Kiki, the tiny imaginary dragon in Book 5 who rode on the shoulder of Maggie’s new friend, Tonya.

If you haven’t read any of the Maggie Sloan books, it’s okay. You can start with Book 1, I Always Wanted to Be a Spy. It’s available as an ebook, paperback, or audiobook. You have choices.  Maggie Sloan Thriller Series

Not to give too much away, but Maggie has two friends who are imaginary men; one is Palace Guard.

Here’s a tiny excerpt from “See Beyond the Fog.”

Tonya, who has been hard of hearing since birth, said, “I didn’t have many friends when I was a kid; only an imaginary dragon, and she was my best friend; she still comes around once in a while, but she really is shy. My husband can see my Kiki; can Kevin see your imaginary Palace Guard?”
“Yes, he can. Do you have any idea how strange this conversation is?”
“Yes, and it’s also why I don’t have many friends. When someone talks to me in a rude way, Kiki pretends she is wounded by their words and reels then drops to the floor and plays dead; unfortunately, I laugh.”
I giggled, and Palace Guard grinned. “I’m afraid I’d laugh too.” 

I went to a weeklong writers’ conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. So, given the fact that I believe in imaginary men and tiny dragons, can you imagine how excited I was to see an author with a dragon on her shoulder? I chased her down the hallway to get a photo with her dragon, Cobalt. I didn’t see anyone else waiting to get a snapshot with Cobalt, so I’m pretty sure he must be imaginary too.

Dragon on the shoulder

N. A. Davenport, author, writes YA and middle grade books. Check her out on Amazon. N. A. Davenport, Author Tell her Palace Guard sent you.

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A Review from the UK ~ I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A SPY

JAB

An Unexpectedly Unique Heroine

30 July 2019

Maggie Sloan always knew that she wanted to be a spy. She is unusual, almost emotionless. More than just a loner, she separates herself from the world, looking in at it, observing everything, making copious notes and filing them away, but not truly engaging with other people. This in an adult would be odd enough, but Maggie has been this way since a child. But do not pity her, because Maggie has grown up happily enough. We see snapshots of her early life – an absent father and over-protective mother – which seem to be filled with trivial episodes, yet like an expert quilt-maker, Judith A. Barrett creates an image of this character which is so strong, that she is far more flesh and blood in this, her first book, than many others become through a whole series. And I truly hope that this is the beginning of a series, because I want to spend a lot more time with Maggie. There is death and betrayal along the way to Maggie connecting with other people, but the delight she finds as she learns to live: to cook, colour-coordinate (she was always in first black, then grey shades), open up to love, learn fighting and weapon skills and ultimately put everything she ever learned into practice, is truly affecting. Oh, and she sees imaginary people – a side-effect of a medical procedure – which is presented so matter-of-factly that no one can question their existence. Maggie will haunt you long after you put the book down.

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Have you read I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A SPY? Maggie Sloan Thriller, Book 2 is in the works!