Wingborn
Page 32
Acknowledgements
The story of Wingborn, and the Overworld as a whole, goes back to 2003, when I had a dream about a girl in a little rowing boat being towed over a sea of clouds by a giant eagle – and so Mhysra and Cumulo were born. (There was also a dog, but I don’t know what happened to that one. It certainly wasn’t Bumble.)
Everything took a bit of a twist when I actually sat down to write it, though, and the original Rift Riders book was full of angst and high drama, with Mhysra pretending to be a boy in order to sneak into Aquila as the swordsmith’s apprentice. At the beginning, Cumulo was forced to leave her due to her father’s strict plans, but returned three years later on the night of the Midsummer ball to sweep her away after her first kiss with...
Well, you get the idea.
There may also have been a sarcastic, talking falcon named Spirit, but the less said about him the better.
Anyway, I think my point was that this book has come a long way since those heady days, when I would somehow stamp out three huge chapters a week and post them onto Elfwood for my incredibly loyal readers to devour.
If you’re one of those original Elfwoodians – thank you so much! Your support and enthusiasm back then was amazing. You made it so easy to keep writing.
And I’m really, really sorry about the book that followed. Below the Clouds was weird, and both Mhysra and Lyrai deserved to be dropped from a great height. As for the thing with Jaymes and the dragon... yeah. No idea.
Fast-forward to 2010 and I decided to revisit my old Overworldian friends. Only this time I didn’t want just one girl in the Riders, I wanted more. I didn’t want one extraordinary girl to go out and change the world, I wanted to change the world for all girls. So I dusted off the old book – and pretty much dumped it. I kept the same places and most familiar faces, then rewrote everything else from scratch.
To my Livejournal friends who read that version – you’re awesome. Particularly because some of you also read the original and you’re still around, reading and helping me today.
Extra special thanks goes to:
Pantha. Typo-catcher extraordinaire! I know old Lyrai still colours your opinion of current Lyrai, but he’s better, I promise. Besides, your love for Mouse and Jaymes in particular means I will never forget to include them. Thank you!
Elizabeth F. Because you were always on Lyrai’s side, not to mention Milli’s, and you seem pretty fond of some of the others too. Thank you for still believing in the romance (and giving me the confidence to keep writing it).
And Lynn. Because Bumble would have been forgotten without you. Milli and Stirla couldn’t wish for a better champion for their cause.
Also Brandi and Liss. Life gets in the way sometimes, but I’m still so happy that I know you lovely people.
Thanks and gratitude also go out to everyone who has read, liked and left me comments on this latest version as I serialised it on my blog, Livejournal and Wattpad. It’s been so much fun seeing these characters make new friends and find new fans.
And to anyone who is reading this now. Thank you for giving my strange things-with-wings fantasy with Regency manners and odd monsters a try. I hope you liked it – and that you’ll come back for more.
Cheers, everyone!
About the Author
Becca Lusher is an indie fantasy author from the wild British Westcountry who learned how to fly a bird of prey, gallop bareback and survive as the youngest in a big family all before she was a teenager. Sadly, the years since haven’t been anything like as exciting.
Nowadays she saves her adventures for writing, her weekends for walking and her days for dreaming.
Come visit her for more stories, information, photos (with rocks in) and the occasional hidden extras.
Website: beccalusher.com
Wattpad: @starlightmagpie
Livejournal: saiena
Also Available
DRAGONLANDS SERIES
Blazing Dawn
WINGBORN SERIES
Wingborn
Rift Riders
AEKHARTAIN UNIVERSE
Sisters of Icarus
The Crying Child
The Icarus Child
Unbound and Free
Be With Me
Dark Rebel
The Rebel Returns
Orion’s Kiss
Sing to Me