Good Day everyone! It's Saturday today which means I, Jeff the Bookdragon, am taking over The Magic Book Corner. 

Welcome to my den and my feature: #a🐉s🧡to🧡witha📚Hero 

Today I have a very special guest – one of my all-time favorite Book Heroes - the lovely 

Crash, Pilot of The Magpie, 

from the novel No Masters or Kings by J.E. Nice

And here is our little Heart-to-Heart 

Jeff: Welcome to my den Crash. As you can see, I kept to my word and have a huge chocolate cake just for you, as well as quite a bit of that strong coffee you like. It sets even my fangs on edge so I expect it should pass your test. Now could you please tell our readers a little bit about yourself? 

Crash: Oh, thanks. *digs into the cake and coffee* This is good! I didn’t know dragons could bake but then, I didn’t know dragons were real until recently. You’re different though. Haven’t seen one like you before. You wanna know about me, huh? Well, I’m a pilot. I’m never happier than when I’m flyin’. I used to be a racer. Ain’t no one quicker than me. And that still stands. Ask anyone. 

Jeff, a little bit abashed – I didn't actually bake the cake Crash – had it ordered because I always burn whatever I try to cook. But I am happy that you like it. *big dragon smile with gleaming fangs included* You are a pilot called Crash. Isn’t that nickname bound to cause a bit of bad luck? 

Crash *grinning*: Ha! You’d think, wouldn’t you? I guess, some captains have been put off by it but only the ones who never gave me a chance. Bucky gave me a chance. I reckon he’s never regretted that. 

Jeff *scratching his jaw with a finely trimmed claw* Why is it that people call you Crash? 

Crash: …There was an…incident. I’m not proud of it. Maybe I got a little cocky. Maybe I pushed a little too hard. Sorry, Jeff. You want the full story, I’ll need more than cake and coffee. 

Jeff: Tell me a little more about your crew. The crew of The Magpie. What makes you guys so special. I already know that and love you all. You most of all, of course. But the readers should also get to know you better. 

Crash: Ah, my crew! Well, ain’t we just the best. I’ve never known a crew like ours. We’re a family. All of us are runnin’ from something, or so it seems. Except Cass. She’s adamant she ain’t runnin’. And, to be fair, I don’t know what the others are runnin’ from. Except Kai, of course, on account of meeting the man she was runnin’ from. 

Our reasons are our own but they’re all good folks. There’s our capt’n, Bucky Winters. The ship is his and she’s a beauty of a ship. A Revenant class and a dream to fly, even though she needs some work. Don’t we all? Ain’t no one perfect. 

Then there’s Jude, the doc, and Seph. He don’t talk much unless you know how to get to him. Harley. I’m usually not allowed to talk to him. And for a while it was just us. But now there’s Kai and Cass too. They’re great. It’s good to have some more talkers on board. 

Jeff: Your Captain, Bucky Winters… what kind of a man is he? 

Crash: Ah, Bucky’s a simple man, I’d say. He looks good, he talks good and sometimes he even thinks good. He’s a good capt’n but I’d say only because Jude and me point him in the right direction more often than not. 

He makes the big decisions, keeps us flyin’, finds us work. Not always good work but as long as we get paid, who cares. 

Jeff: And his sister? She is the doc on board isn’t she? 

Crash: Yeah, Jude’s his sister. She was this bigshot doctor in Diathan Falls back in the day. What can I say, travelling with us is better than being a bigshot, I guess. She tends to worry a lot so I stay out of her way a lot of the time. 

Jeff: Seph is one people are advised not to cross. How do you find him? 

Crash: Are you eating that slice of cake? Mind if I? Seph’s a weird one. You can talk and talk and talk at him and eventually, maybe, he’ll talk back. Unless you ask him an operational question of course. He knows his stuff. I knew I’d cracked him the moment I made him laugh. Ain’t no one else who can do that aboard The Magpie, you know. Lots of people underestimate Seph on account of him being short but I’m short too and you know never to underestimate me. 

Jeff: Of course! *handing the plate with his dragon sized cake slice to his guest* And what about Harley? What’s his story and how does he fit in? 

Crash: Oh no, I was wrong, Harley’s the weird one. He’s an ex-slave. We don’t really talk about it much ‘cause we don’t wanna offend him. He talks less than Seph and he’s less involved. Basically, the way I understand it, he wants to be a lawman only the governments won’t hire him, so he’s a private investigator and bounty hunter until they do hire him. He’s damn good at his job too. Pretty sure Capt’n pays him to look the other way, and of course he flies out with us rent free. Gets full board, room and food, for no cost. All he has to do is not arrest us. Capt’n likes telling bad guys we got a lawman on board. Gives us a certain level of security, I guess. You know, more than Seph and Kai with their guns. 

Jeff: You made a new friend on your last flight – Kai, the girl who ran away in nothing but a torn wedding dress. Tell me a bit more about Kai. 

Crash: You heard about the wedding dress, huh? Yeah, we see some strange things. Here, refill my cup and I’ll tell you. Never met anyone quite like Kai. I don’t reckon any of us have. The secrets that girl has! She’s sure she’s told us all of them now but how can we know for sure? I’ll tell you what I do know about her, she’s a damn fine cook and makes a damn fine chocolate cake. I mean, this one’s good too, don’t get me wrong. And she’ll make coffee just the way everyone likes it. She knows I’m coming for breakfast, she makes it strong. She knows Jude’s up, she’ll leave out the milk and some hot water so the doc can make it weaker. Of course, she’s not just a cook. That girl’s got skills. Kinda nice to have something akin to aristocracy on board too. 

Jeff *setting the mead jug back on the table after having refilled Crash's cup*: And how about your new engineer? You’re the one who recruited her. How is she fitting in aboard? 

Crash: Oh, Cassidy, Cassidy. Yeah, I’d been banging on at the Capt’n for ages about needing an engineer. The Magpie was ready to fall outta the sky and he just wouldn’t get it sorted. Then, lo and behold, I find Cass and sure she’s no ship engineer but she marched right onto The Magpie and had her fixed in seconds. She’s a wonder. What was the question? Oh, yeah, she’s settling in well. I share some cake with her and sit in the loading bay and watch her work on her little projects while we talk. It’s nice. 

Jeff: And Benny is one of a kind! I am very curious about Benny. You understand that, right? Given his nature…. Can you tell me a little bit more about him? 

Crash: I’m a bit sore that I missed Benny in full action. To be honest, I don’t know much about him. Kinda glad I met him before I met you though. Who knew dragons were real? Right? I mean, you did, obviously. But we thought they were myths. Maybe they still are. Way I understand it, Benny ain’t of this world. And you’re not either, are you? 

Jeff *nodding his great head in confirmation* I'm not either. You are right. But back to you now. The crew is your family Crash, though not by blood. A bunch of misfits taking care of each other. When exactly did the Magpie become your home? 

Crash: When? Good question, that. When. You know, I might need another slice of cake to jog my memory. When. Must been a good few years now if not more. Couldn’t tell you exactly. It all happened fast and to be honest, I never expected to stay long. Nice that I did though. You’re right, they are my family. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. 

Jeff *cutting off another cake slice for his guest* Do you always take care of each other? 

Crash: Always. Without a doubt. Sure, there may be an argument involved but we’ve got a code to live by and you take care of family. As long as you’re part of the crew and you fit in well, we got your back. 

Jeff: The Magpie crew isn’t the most law abiding. What exactly is it that you do? 

Crash: I don’t know why you’d say that. What gives you that idea? That we ain’t law abiding? I’m law abiding. Mostly. Depends on the law I guess, and if it’s stupid…or gets in the way. We got a wannabe lawman on board, remember. We have to be careful. We do jobs, mostly delivery and picking stuff up. Boring but you get to see some sights, meet some folks. Ain’t nothing illegal about delivering, is there? We’re the middle people, the messengers. That’s all. And then every now and then some other type of job comes up. I dunno. Capt’n has his contacts. 

Jeff (*rapidly changing the topic*): You all seem to have a talent at jumping from frying pan into the fire. Is bad luck trailing you, or something else? 

Crash: Well now, I wouldn’t call it bad luck. But I see your point. Sometimes things get a bit out of hand. We’ve got a sense of adventure, that’s all. And when you’re living on the edge, sometimes you lose your balance and fall. That’s why we got each other’s backs, to lift each other back up, to catch each other. 

Jeff: What is the best part of your adventures aboard the Magpie? 

Crash: Flying. I like the flying bits. I mean, the bits on land are okay. Stopping to eat whatever Kai’s cooked is better. But the flying bits are the best bits. We sure could use a navigator though. I never could read maps and Bucky’ll say he’s good at it and then you realise he’s got the map upside down and you’ve been flyin’ for hours in the wrong direction. Don’t suppose you know any good navvis? 

Jeff: And what was the worst? 

Crash: Getting shot. Yeah, hard to top that one. 

Jeff: What should readers expect if they were to jump on board and read your tale? 

Crash: I like to think fast-paced action but Capt’n’d only say that’s just me talking too fast. But you’d get to meet the crew and I reckon that’s worth a lot. Plus, you can see Benny in all his glory. You know, the bit that I missed. 

Jeff: Will I get to read more of your adventures? Perhaps in a sequel? 

Crash: Absolutely. All of our stories will get told, one way or another. I’ve been told there’s a plan although I haven’t been let in on it. Capt’n says I’d tell everyone, which I think is unfair. I mean, I’d only tell you and who would you tell? 

Jeff, harrumphing - we'll have to get your author over to my den in that case. Very soon. Because I am curious to know what that plan is. And you'll be the first one I'll share the news with. 

That’s all from my lovely guest today but, as I said, we’ll get her author here soon for some answers. For now, I bid you all a good evening. One spent with a very good book. You should try Crash's book in fact. As Laura put it, it is one of the coolest books we have ever read. 

Here is the blurb: 

‘We take what is lost and we make it found.’ 

Kai is running. 

Out of breath, out of options, she stands on a landing pad wearing only a torn, muddy wedding dress and searches for a way out. 

There is solace and safety to be found on The Magpie, with her misshapen, half-formed crew led by Captain Bucky Winters. Kai isn’t the only one on board with secrets, and her secrets aren’t the only things chasing them. 

Can Kai outrun her groom? 

More importantly, can Kai outrun her destiny? 

No Masters Or Kings is past-paced action fantasy with hints of steampunk, perfect for fans of The Ketty Jay series and all the Browncoats out there. 

About the author: J E Nice

Fantasy author J E Nice lives in multiple worlds. When she’s not at home on the outskirts of the vibrant city of Bristol in the UK, she’s planning her escape to Scotland and adventuring with ghost hunters, fae, dragons and sky pirates. She’s been writing her whole life and has tried to write books that aren’t fantasy but a dragon will inevitably pop up. Along with a detective. She has a thing about detectives. 

You can find her and her books at www.jenice.co.uk. 

If she isn’t there, chances are she’s on Instagram at @writeintothewoods, sharing her days, writing updates, dog videos and photos of cake. 

Because, cake. 

Get her book here: https://jenice.co.uk/books/no-masters-or-kings