“I do so enjoy seeing young people in love.” The voice of an old woman, made both of us stiffen and pull apart, Genevieve patting her hair as I smoothed my suit jacket. We turned and there she was, Queen Victoria. Dressed in black, her face behind a veil, she was descending the stairs followed by a group of attendants. “You must be the young man who saved the world.”
I bowed and found my voice. “Yes, Your Highness, Alexander Armitage.”
Genevieve’s cheeks flushed with bright red hues, she curtsied and said, “Forgive me, Your Highness, I—”
Queen Victoria raised her hand, and Genevieve clamped her mouth shut. “Always a pleasure to see you, my dear.” She stopped right in front of us. She looked at me and then at Genevieve. She smiled and said, “Won’t my nephew be disappointed.” She chuckled and shook her head. “Little twit deserves it.”
Genevieve and I turned to each other trying not to laugh out loud. She reached out and took my hand, but we didn’t say a word.
~ The End ~
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I want to thank my friends. It is friends who make life worth the journey.
I have to start with my writing friends – they keep me going. Thank you to all the writers I’ve worked with on the board of St. Louis Writers Guild. Including the current board members: David, Teresa, Peter, Jen, Lauren, and Jamie. Many thanks to the friends I’ve made through SLWG, some of whom I’ve known for almost a decade! As always I have to thank my critique partners, I credit all the good words to them – Cole Gibsen, T.W. Fendley, and Jennifer Lynn. Their books are amazing and I cannot recommend them enough.
Thank you as well to the writers I’ve gotten to know across this country, either from organizations like the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, from the writer’s conferences I’ve attended, or places like Comic Con, and Archon. It’s an amazing community to be a part of. Thanks Joshua, Ryan, Reggie, and Zachary. I have to give a special shout out to the members of the Write Pack, we have too much fun, and you keep me motivated... David, Kathleen, Jen, Melanie, Meredith, Fedora, Matt, Leigh, Jamie, Peter, Teresa, Amy, Michael, George...
To my lifelong friends, like Derrick and Lee, Olivia, and Ashley, thanks for putting up with me, reading for me, and standing by me. It is greatly appreciated if not always stated.
For my furry friends, a special thanks. To my cat and editing partner SamSam, and all the rest of my animal friends, including those at the zoo, you keep me sane when I need it.
Thank you to the artists! Jennifer Stolzer, who creates the illustrations for the Sparrowhawk and the rest of Alexander’s Sketchbook. Bringing my visions to life. Georgie Retzer whose work appears on the cover and Kristina Blank Makansi for a third amazing cover.
I love all book stores, but I have to mention my friends at Main Street Books in historic St. Charles! Thank you Emily (who named the owl after a real bird named Coal she used to know) and her amazing staff! Drop by and you might find secretly signed copies of my books. Support your bookstores and the libraries; they are the gateways to infinite adventure.
Many thanks to those of you who have read The Iron Chronicles... you are all my friends for coming with me on this amazing journey!
Lastly, all my appreciation to my best friend, my wife Amber.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I see things that never were and say, “Why not?”
Brad R. Cook began as a playwright, then dipped into the corporate writing world before moving into the publishing world. A member of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, he currently serves as Historian of St. Louis Writers Guild after three and half years as its President. A founding contributor to The Writers’ Lens, a resource blog for writers, he can be heard weekly, as a panelist on Write Pack Radio. He learned to fence at thirteen, and never set down his sword, but prefers to curl up with his cat and a centuries’ old classic.
www.bradrcook.com @bradrcook on Twitter, Instagram, and tumblr.
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