“You’re gonna pay for this, Torry.
I promise--
you’re gonna pay!”
Colton yelled as he headed toward his bike.
“Come back, Colton! Don’t run. I’m gonna finish you, now! Then I’m gonna burn you and your house down!”
THE FIREDRAKE
Some time ago a local fire department official said that he would appreciate any sort of media product that would help with fire prevention in my home town of Plainfield, NJ. I asked what type of problem fire fighters had to deal with in Plainfield. His simple quick answer was, “Kids love to play with fire.” He gave me many examples of how boys, in particular, craved matches, lighters and fire. He felt if young folks could better understand the destructive nature of fire, they would be more inclined to restrain from such reckless play.
At about the same time, my young neighbor, Brandon Napoleon, came over to my house for a visit. I was in the garage as I told him that I was thinking about writing another book for young people. I asked Brando to name a topic that he would enjoy—he told me he loved mysteries. But while he was talking to me he was mindlessly playing with a match he had found on the garage floor. Watching him with that match reminded me of my young godson, who openly admitted to being a firebug. It suddenly occurred to me how many kids I had known over the years who truly loved to play with fire.
So I decided to incorporate Brando’s suggestion of a mystery into future books (which eventually became, The Black Rock Mystery and Merlyn, the Re-animator) and focus on a true mystery—kids and their often tragic fascination with fire. The Firedrake is a not a text book or a lecture for young people, it’s a novel and I think one of my best stories. I doubt that any child who reads it will ever think of fire the same way again.
At about the same time, my young neighbor, Brandon Napoleon, came over to my house for a visit. I was in the garage as I told him that I was thinking about writing another book for young people. I asked Brando to name a topic that he would enjoy—he told me he loved mysteries. But while he was talking to me he was mindlessly playing with a match he had found on the garage floor. Watching him with that match reminded me of my young godson, who openly admitted to being a firebug. It suddenly occurred to me how many kids I had known over the years who truly loved to play with fire.
So I decided to incorporate Brando’s suggestion of a mystery into future books (which eventually became, The Black Rock Mystery and Merlyn, the Re-animator) and focus on a true mystery—kids and their often tragic fascination with fire. The Firedrake is a not a text book or a lecture for young people, it’s a novel and I think one of my best stories. I doubt that any child who reads it will ever think of fire the same way again.
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An early character conception by artist Steven Cromer
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A first draft of the cover
