Arrival of The Star Shard imminent!

View the page for the book here: http://www.fredericsdurbin.com/?page_id=1393

Some readers may remember “The Star Shard,” a ten-part series in Cricket Magazine (April 2008-April 2009). At long last, a full-length novel version is being released on February 28, 2012 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt! The book is nearly three times the length of the original story — there are more adventures, more monsters and magic, more exploration of the Thunder Rake’s shadowy depths! Please watch this site for upcoming book events in and near Pittsburgh!

And welcome to my brand-new website! Thank you very much for coming! Construction will be ongoing for some time as the gnomes with their picks and shovels labor to make these caverns ever more hospitable. Please visit often to discover what new side passages and buried treasures have been unearthed!

By way of introduction: I am a writer of fantasy fiction for children and adults, including stories in Cricket Magazine, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, and Black Gate. My first novel, Dragonfly (Arkham House and Ace Fantasy) is a dark fantasy for adults and for precocious children. For more about Dragonfly:  http://www.fredericsdurbin.com/?page_id=1384

It’s a delight to have my web site and blog together in the same place at last. This is now the Grand Central Station of all things Frederic S. Durbin on the Web. Please come to the blog for an always-happening discussion of the writer’s life as well as interviews with other writers, musicians, etc.

You’re also invited to visit my Author Page on Goodreads (www.goodreads.com), where I’m currently leading a Q&A discussion . . . and if you’re a Dragonfly aficionado, you can test your knowledge of the book by taking a Dragonfly quiz there, too!

Creative Writing Instruction

If you’re a classroom teacher or librarian in the Pittsburgh area, I am also an exuberant presenter on creative writing. In addition to readings and book events, I love to deliver interactive programs on writing-related skills ranging from basic mechanics to story-building. Some highlights include:

  • Creative writing techniques
  • Focus on the joy of reading and writing
  • 22 years of teaching experience
  • Groups of any size
  • Length and content custom-tailored to every classroom or program

Each mini-workshop includes a free packet of additional resources for teachers. To schedule a presentation, please contact me at mothkinf@hotmail.com.