Individual Stories Included In Trilogy

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Creation of the Dropas Characters

The actual Dropas characters are whimsical life forms I created in my books and artistically rendered by my brother, Timm. They are 1.25” in real life w/mitten-like hands and symbolic of never losing sight of the child in us (among other things). They are magical, creative, artistic, fun-loving, loyal, and are always looking for an opportunity to play a joke/prank on their human companions and other Dropas. 

Dropas Trilogy Background

Existence of the Dropas began in 1993, evolving from concept, then stories to pass the time, and eventually into the adventure that continues to grow. Realistically, the Dropas are still in the incubation stage but are ready to hatch. It is time.

The main purpose for writing the Dropas Series of books was to share a story with its readers. Individually, the three books in the original trilogy are about unity, passion, and hope. The books’ deeper meanings are ones of the mind, the heart, and the soul. It is a dual adventure: an outward journey of preserving humanity and an inward journey into self-discovery. The stories also focus on perseverance and positive attitude to accomplish anything one truly wants to achieve in life.

The stories were written with the intent of reaching as large an audience as possible. High-level reading fourth graders can begin the journey with the Dropas and will be captivated by the fantasy adventure itself. The uniqueness of this series is that as a child, they can read for just that, the fantasy adventure. But, as an individual matures and experiences the pits and valleys of their own life, they will understand and comprehend the symbolism and positive messages at a much deeper level.

With the initial release of the self-published books: Book I in 1999, Book II in 2002, and Book III in 2004, feedback was better than imagined. Anticipated reactions were consistent with age groups. Children enjoyed the journey, the characters, and the creativity. Adults, not only enjoyed the adventure, but the story touched them in different ways. Many expressed attachments to specific aspects of the story related to their own life experiences. Others, and this is by far the most rewarding response of all, expressed that they have been inspired in some way - the way they do things, where they are and want to go in their life, and what they want to change.

Marketing and promotion efforts came to a sudden halt when I had to return to the work force in the fall of 2003 as a teacher. I devoted time to writing challenging curriculum, starting a new district gifted program, and then being the head of a private school. Although sales declined significantly, it gave me an opportunity over the next fifteen years to reflect on the story. Not completely satisfied with the writing, I returned to the trilogy in 2018 to re-write the story. The premise, plot, and character backgrounds remain the same, but the writing has been polished and offers a more compelling and enjoyable reading experience.

The Journey Continues...

Although the trilogy is complete, I have outlined a fourth book that continues the Dropas odyssey. Whether or not I return to the computer to flesh out the adventure is yet to be determined. Inspiration played a key role in initiating the journey. Perhaps it will light the fire inside of me again.