How I Started Writing DragonEye, PI--from Vern's POV

Natura had invited me to her restaurant. In those days, I didn't pass up free meals, even when I knew a catch was coming. She'd set me down at the table with a friend of hers, Karina Fabian, a middle-aged mother of four with a huge mop of hair--dark brown with streaks of silver, the shiny kind. I like silver. She was nervous, but who isn't when first confronted by my grandeur? She relaxed as we ate, traded small talk and puns, and I waited to find out what this meal was going to cost me.

Natura waited until after the second course.

"So, like, I think you need some good publicity," Natura said.

"I don’t like reporters," I growled, then turned to Karina. "No offense."

"No,none at all," she agreed.

Natura made a tsk sound. "Karina isn't a reporter. She's a writer! You know, like fantasy and science fiction? Totally open mind, and she's like Catholic and everything. You should let her write your stories."

"You don’t think McGrue does enough of that?" Kitty McGrue, reporter for the Los Lagos Gazette, seemed to want to make a career out of twisting my successes into some kind of diabolical Faerie plot. Didn't Natura think I had enough punishment?

Natura huffed. "Let Karina tell them from your point of view. Like, I've already told her some of your cases and she's was really grooving on you. She'd be able to share your story, Vern, how you want it. She'd get stories, and you'd get good press. I think you'd be good for each other."

"My point of view?" I didn't mean to ask. I didn't mean to consider it. Was it the food or Natura?

Karina said, "First person, even. I'll record the stories, write them up, and run them past you for approval."

"And I can make changes?"

She shrugged, "I do it for the priests and deacons I interview for Montana Catholic. I am a reporter, too, but mostly positive features and how-to stuff. I'm not into mudraking."

"See? Like, priests even!" Natura enthused. Not that she cared much, but she know it'd win points with me.

I looked at my empty plate, considering.

"I'll feed you," Karina said.

"Deal."

"Dragon Eye, PI" appeared in Firestorm of Dragons. It was the start of a beautiful friendship.