Spoiler Warning! Please note that the following questions and answers may reveal some plot points from the various Aisling Grey books. If you haven't read the books and don't wish to know what happens in them, you may want to skip the FAQs.

Q: Is Holy Smokes the last Aisling Grey book? Will we see any more of Aisling and Drake? What about all the things that weren't resolved in Holy Smokes?
A: Without question this is the most frequently asked question. The answer is that while I don't envision any more books with Aisling as the narrator, they still have a very large role to play, so they will continue to be included in subsequent dragon books. And yes, there are a lot of things that were not wrapped up in Holy Smokes--the fate of Fiat and Bastian, Chuan Ren, as well as Kostya. All of that will be dealt with in subsequent books. So those of you who are worried that you won't be able to get your Aisling, Jim, and Drake fix can relax secure in the knowledge that although there will be different narrators for other dragon sept books, they will continue to be involved in the storylines.

Q: Are these books romances?
A: Not strictly so by definition, although they are sexy, and they're being marketed as romances. The Aisling Grey series follows the exploits of Aisling, her pet demon Jim, and Drake, a handsome dragon in human form. I have at least eight books planned in the series, and hopefully will be able to do more.

Q: What's the Otherworld?
A: The paranormal society in the Aisling Grey books.

Q: I want to know more about the dragons. How many septs are there? What are their powers? Elements?
A: There are four dragon septs: the green dragons (thieves; element is water) whose wyvern is Drake Vireo, the blue dragons (trackers; element is air) whose wyvern is Fiat Blu, the red dragons (warriors; element is fire) whose wyvern is Chuan Ren, and the silver dragons (healers; element is earth) whose wyvern is Gabriel Tauhau.

Q: Are the Dark Ones from your vampire romances going to make an appearance in these books?
A: No. The two series are very different, and I don't want to cross them. There will not be any Dark Ones in the Aisling Grey books, nor will there be any dragons in the vampire romances. However, other types of characters (Guardians, Diviners, etc.) may be found in both.

Q: When is the next dragon book going to be published?
A: I intend to have one dragon book out per year. Why only one a year? Because the storyline is finite, and I don't want to rush it.

Q: What is the timeline of these books? Will the characters evolve over the series, and will there be a resolution at some point?
A: The timelines will be pretty tight, depending on the story requirements. So probably a month or two will lapse story-wise between books, possibly more or less if the situation warrants. The relationships (all of them, not just between Drake and Aisling) will develop over the series, so where one resolution might be made, another will be created. It's dynamic, as most relationships are.

Q: Do all wyverns have the eye color of their sept?
A: Yes, with the exception of the red dragon wyvern (who has brown eyes with red highlights).

Q: Will Aisling have to face the consequences of her challenge loss in You Slay Me?
A: Yes, she deals with that in Fire Me Up.

Q: Is being a dragon mate any similar to Christine Feehan's lifemates?
A: Not really, no. Aisling is the only mate for Drake...but it doesn't necessarily follow that she will end up with him. FWIW, she can refuse to be his mate.

Q: Why didn't Aisling know she was a Guardian? Is there a limit to the number of Guardians there can be at any one time?
A: Guardians grow into the position--when the time was right for Aisling to know about the Otherworld, it presented itself to her. There is no specific limit to the number of Guardians, although one has to assume there's a cosmic balance somewhere.

Q: What exactly does being the mate to a wyvern entail?
A: The role of a mate is going to become clearer with each book. Basically, it's a social/political role within the dragon world, as well as one of a personal nature to the wyvern.

Q: In You Slay Me why didn't Aisling sense that the people she met were not human?
A: Aisling was just having her eyes opened to the denizens of the Otherworld in YSM. She was not yet picking up on the subtle cues that an experienced Guardian would have seen. As she learns more, she'll start to see more.

Q: Did Jim take the form of a dog because of the way Aisling summoned him or did he choose that form?
A: Demons chose the form they want to appear when summoned. Most demons appear as humans, because those are the most powerful forms. Jim however...well, Jim clearly has issues.

Q: I want Aisling and Drake to have a happily ever after ending! Are you ever going to get them together?
A: One of the reasons I wanted to write this series is because I could explore the evolving relationship between Aisling and Drake over a number of books, rather than resolving it in the space of one book. Both Aisling and Drake have some issues, and both have a way to go before they can be together happily all the time. However, I intend to keep pushing them in that direction.

Q: Who was your inspiration for Drake?
A: Drake pretty much popped out of my brain fully formed. I knew he had to be sexy, arrogant, and bossy, and I really wanted him to be an anti-hero...posessing heroic qualities, but not necessarily acting in a heroic manner. I especially did not want him rushing in to save Aisling, and knew he wouldn't always be acting in her best interests. Once I had those ideas, he wrote himself.

Q: I would love to see your dragon books as a movie. Would you ever consider allowing any them to be made into a movie?
A: Currently, the Femme Fatale Films production company has optioned the first two Aisling books. I will certainly let people know if the books get put into production for film or TV.

Q: What's the deal with Rene? Are we going to find out more about him in the next book?
A: Rene's role in Aisling's life is revealed in Light My Fire.

Q: Exactly what rules govern the mate of a wyvern?
A: Mates are bound by basically the same rules of the sept. That is, they must put the good of the sept before their own needs.

Q: What separated the four dragons septs in the first place?
A: The origins of the dragons are shrouded, but five septs were established pretty early on. Political differences between the septs have meant there have been occasional wars involving all five groups, most notably the Endless War of the fourteenth century, in which the dragons engaged in an all-out battle for supremacy that resulted in the Black Plague. The fifth dragon sept, the black dragons, disappeared around the beginning of the eighteenth century. The whereabouts of remaining black dragons - if any - are unknown.

Q: Does the strength of the dragon diminish when in human form?
A: Yes. A dragon in his or her natural form is much stronger, and has more abilities, than one in human form. Certain traits, however, are carried over, including the ability to smell gold.

Q: How is their power connected to the form that they take when they are human?
A: Their power comes from the fact that they are dragon, no matter what form they take.

Q: What traits are shared amongst all dragons?
A: Love of treasure, aggression, determination, fidelity...and believe it or not, a fondness for mortals (they taste so good with whipped cream!).

Q: Has Drake ever had a mate before? If so, how many and who were they?
A: No, dragons mate only once in their life. They can, however, have sexual and/or romantic relationships--and most do.

Q: Does Aisling have any other family aside from her uncle? If so, are any of them "magical"?
A: Yes, she does have other family members. They'll make an appearance in Holy Smokes.

Q: Is a wyvern's mate specific to any one dragon? How did Drake know that Aisling was his mate and not Fiat Blu's?
A: Wyvern's mates are different from a normal dragon's mate in that although they are born to be a specific wyvern's mate, they can, by means of lusus naturae, be challenged for by another wyvern. If the second wyvern wins, the mate is transferred over to that wyvern.

Q: If the Blue Dragons don't like water, how do they wash (ha-ha-ha)?
A: They take a lot of spit baths (ew!).

Q: What other elements cause the other septs to cringe?
A: Pretty much anything that isn't their element is something they don't like, with the exception of fire. So, for instance, the silver dragons like going to earth, but don't like to fly. That doesn't mean they won't ever use another element - it just means they will go to extreme lengths to avoid being in the position where they have to.

Q: Are dragons born human or lizardy?
A: Dragons are born human. Female dragons do not lay eggs - they give birth as a mortal woman would, with the exception of scorching the drapes during labor.

Q: In You Slay Me, I thought it was mentioned that Aisling had to prove herself worthy to the green dragons to be the Green Wyvern's mate...or did I imagine that?
A: Yes, she does. She dealt with the result of the challenge in Fire Me Up--assumedly, she's going to have to work on issues with the dragon sept as a whole in subsequent books.

Q: If the blue dragons are psychic or telepathic (or something like that), do the other dragon septs have any other special abilities?
A: The blue dragons tend to be telepaths, although not all of them are. Some of the green dragons can shape shift. The red dragons are warriors, and as such, have an ability to alter small quantities of time. The silver dragons as healers have the ability to heal injuries, and some have empathic traits.

Q: Does Drake have family: parents, siblings, etc?
A: Yes, he does. His mother makes her appearance in Light My Fire; his sibling will be dealt with in Holy Smokes.

Q: What is the hierarchy of the dragon septs? Did Drake inherit the post or did he challenge someone and win?
A: Wyverns are chosen by a means similar to tanistry. This means that the tanist (heir apparent) was picked from the eldest members of the same bloodline as reigning wyvern. It was not a primogeniture system in that the eldest son (or daughter) was automatically deemed to be the heir. Preference was given to the senior members of the family, with an emphasis on whoever had the strength to control the sept. This naturally leads to some battling within the sept when it comes to successions. Drake's particular history is likely to be explored in further books.

Q: Does Fiat Blu have a mate?
A: Not as of Fire Me Up, although that situation changes in Light My Fire.

Q: In You Slay Me, Aisling got a bunch of messages when she returned to her hotel room. Most of them were from her uncle, but one was from a dude named Wart. Who is Wart...do we find that out?
A: Wart was simply someone who saw Aisling at G&T, and was smitten. He doesn't play a major role in that book, although you never know if he'll appear in other ones.

Q: What's all this about a new dragon sept, the black dragons?
A: The black dragon sept was mentioned first in Light My Fire. They will be explored in more detail in Holy Smokes.

Q: In Light My Fire, Aisling is proscribed for using a dark power. What exactly is this dark power?
A: Dark power represents the darkness that exists in everyone, manifested in a form of energy. "Good" beings in the Otherworld can and have used it for good purposes, but it poses an enormous temptation to people, and a very real risk, which is why the Otherworld organizations prohibit its use except under special circumstances.

Q: Is Aisling pregnant?
A: The possibility of a pregnancy is dealt with in Holy Smokes (Nov. 2007).

Q: If Aisling is pregnant, will her baby be affected by the fact that she's a prince of Abaddon?
A: Assuming she was pregnant - and the possibility of a pregnancy won't be resolved until Holy Smokes - her baby would not be affected by her use of the dark power, or beings in Abaddon unless her physical form was destroyed (and quite frankly, I'm not likely to let that happen).

Q: Will you write any books based on any of the other individuals in the Aisling Gray series?
A: Yes. I'm already thinking about other dragon sept books featuring different dragons, wyverns, mortals, and members of the Otherworld.

Q: If Drake's father was a black dragon, can Drake break the curse on the silver dragons?
A: No. According to the terms of the curse, "no mate shall be born to any of its members until a black dragon was accepted as wyvern." That means a black dragon must be made wyvern of the silver dragon sept in order to break the curse.

Q: What is the gestation period of a dragon?
A: The same as for a human. Dragon women give birth in human form, and yes, the baby is born in human form as well. They learn to shift into dragon form sometime in the first five years.

Q: If Drake's father was a black dragon, what sept is his mother in?
A: She was a black dragon's mate. She has nothing to do with the green sept.

Q: If the red dragon's element is fire, why do the other septs all breathe fire?
A: Fire is one common element in all dragons, whether or not it's their element. It can be assumed, however, that the red dragons can do more with their fire than the other septs.

Q: Why are all of the wyverns born on January 1st?
A: It's a bit like thoroughbred horses all being assigned the date regardless of what day they were actually born. Whether or not they were actually born on that day (and most are), that is the date which is given as their birthday.

Q: I don't understand how Drake's father can be a black dragon, and he can be a green one. Can you explain how that happened?
A: Drake's fraternal grandmother was a green dragon who married a black dragon. Their union produced Drake's father, a black dragon, wanted his child to be the wyvern of his sept. But Drake's fraternal grandfather was beheaded, and since his grandmother was a reeve, and there were no green dragon descendants in her family, she married again, this time to a green dragon. That marriage produced a child who was Dmitri's parent.
Here's where it gets interesting--at the time Drake was born, Drake's grandmother was still the last of her (green dragon) family. Because Drake's father was a bit of a psychopath--and because Catalina offed him when Drake was relatively young--his grandmother invoked the right to claim Drake as a green dragon. She did this shortly after Catalina killed Drake's father, the sept recognized Drake as a green dragon, and eventually through the right of tannistry, he took over as wyvern.
So long story short: Drake was born to the black dragons, but claimed as a green dragon. Why the black wyvern was willing to let go a member, and what others thought about that is a tale for another book.

Q: What happened to the black dragons?
A: The sept was destroyed from within by the dread wyvern Baltic.

Q: Is there anything in your books that's based on true facts or did you make up the whole dragon septs?
A: Everything in my Otherworld has its origins in my own fertile--albeit warped--imagination. I do a lot of research on various mythologies to find out how various cultures have treated subjects in which I'm interested, and often use little bits and pieces from a variety of sources. But on the whole, it all comes from my imagination.

Q: Will the black dragons appear?
A: The black dragon sept no longer exists. Whether or not there are still existing members is a matter for much speculation amongst the other dragon septs.

Q: Are there any Guardians in America?
A: Yes. They are located pretty much everywhere (although I suspect there isn't one in Antartica).

Q: Will Aisling's ex-husband show up?
A: At this time, there are no plans for him to be included in a book, although that might change.

Q: Are you planning on making anything happen between Aisling and a guy that isn't Drake in any of the books...romanticaly speaking, that is?
A: No. One of the traits all my heroines (and heroes, for that matter) share with me is a strong belief in fidelity. Aisling is in love with Drake, and will not have a romantic relationship with anyone else but him.

Q: How did you come up with the Aisling Grey character? Is it recreation of someone you know, or did she just come to you one day?
A: Both Aisling and Drake sprang pretty fully formed from my imagination one day. She's not based on anyone in particular, although she does share some traits that unfortunately, people associate with me (foot in mouth problems, clumsiness, etc.).

Q: I'm sure I read somewhere on your site once how to pronounce "Aisling" but I can't remember where (or how..) so would you be so kind as to give the correct pronunciation please?
A: It's pronounced ash-ling.

Q: Why is there no histroy on the black dragons in the dragon handbook?
A: The sept no longer exists, so it's not very high on my priority list of things to include in the dragonsepts.com site. However, I do intend to get to it at some point. But first up are demons, wards, and information about the Court of Divine Blood...

If you have questions you would like to have added to the FAQ, feel free to send them to katie@katiemacalister.com. Be sure to put Dragon FAQ in the subject line, or it'll be placed in the reader e-mail queue.