Greetings, traveler. It’s been a while—nearly two months—since I’ve updated the blog, so I suppose it’s time to check in! Today I have a progress report, a reminder on books, and a new short story! Enjoy!
Update: Untitled Dragon Rider Project
Untitled Dragon Rider Project has been in the works since October 2024. Yes, you heard that right. Rewrite after rewrite has threatened to break my resolve, but I will finish what I set out to do. As always, I can’t say much about it at the moment. New books are far too liquid to take any real shape, so I won’t bother trying to guess how mine is going to settle. That being said, I do believe I have a new lead on the world. It’s slightly more dramatic while retaining the story’s exciting feel—with some great emotional depth as well. If someone doesn’t cry at least once while reading one of my books, I don’t count it as a success.
Worldbuilding has been the toughest part of Untitled Dragon Rider Project’s development. It’s always been there—floating in the confines of my brain—but putting a finger on it took a great deal of time: over one year, to be exact. I learned to befriend a cranky dragon called ‘rewriting’ during this time, who was generous enough to let me wake him every so often to scrap details from my world and add new ones. He doesn’t let me ride him; he says my twists and turns are bad enough in my books, and they’d make him sick in the air. I kind of agree.
I plan to be drafting Untitled Dragon Rider Project sometime this Fall—with the help of dictation and a dash of confidence. Then again, the months of May and June are an excellent time to write as well. I’d say either Fall of 2026 or Summer of 2027 will be the drafting year, but like I said, new books are too liquid to make major predictions, quite unlike the relentless snowstorms in New Hampshire right now. These dates are more of a hope than a fact. I hope they are fact, though.
Ebooks and a Paperback
Whether you are new to my blog or have been here a while, I’d like to remind you of two of my published works—The Three Little Kittens and Magic and Moments (A Short Story Collection).
Stripe, Milkweed, and Mossy lose their mittens in a snow storm, and they find them… in the clutches of a ferocious bear named Bjarne. 
Michael T. Hare’s Magic And Moments features five short stories set in various worlds—some within our own and some beyond. Ranging from beautiful guardian dragons to ‘thank you’ notes to a beloved partner, this collection is sure to take you on a far-flung quest. What if drawings of dragons came to life? Did you know Rumpelstiltskin wanted to train Snow White to use magic?
Both stories are available for free with a Kindle Unlimited membership and can be found on Amazon. If you have younger siblings or kids, The Three Little Kittens is a great read. It was inspired by my younger brothers’ homeschool assignment, which required them to write a story about a nursery rhyme. Despite being in college, I enthusiastically jumped into the activity and chose the three kittens who lost their mittens; my Ma later persuaded me to distribute the resulting story.
The Three Little Kittens is special because I wrote it for all ages and to teach a valuable lesson. Yes, it may be a short tale, but I believe many people will enjoy the adventure that Stripe, Milkweed, and Mossy share as they search for their lost mittens. Plus, there’s a little twist at the end.
Are you more into YA? Magic and Moments might be your ideal read. It’s got epic fantasy, comedy with talking cats (if that floats your fancy—which, how can it not?), and a sweet romance written in thank-you cards. As always, my stories are wholesome and God-honoring, even when dealing with serious issues. Magic and Moments is also available in paperback for $9.00 on Amazon if you’re looking for a physical copy.
For those curious about what stories are found inside Magic And Moments, I’ve created a brief rundown below:
1. Dragon Courage – Talia’s family goes camping, and she’s nervous about going so far into the wild and away from her home. Nevertheless, when her drawing of a blue dragon comes to life, Talia learns the true meaning of courage.
2. Dear Girl from the Library – A beautiful love story composed of ‘thank you’ notes. All it took was a library, a romance novel, and a bit of gratitude, and thus began love.
3. Escaping the Heatwave – Knight, a stubborn cat who believes colonies do not mix, is convinced by the optimistic Farm Cat to consult another cat colony and escape the Wyoming heat. On their journey, they find friends… and even a little love.
4. Discovery – Prince Yunru, the only survivor from the ravaged kingdom Melzkù, returns for knowledge about how to stop The Wave—a deadly force of magic that runs rampant among the lands.
5. Deals – A child… a deal… a huntsman… and a blade.
If you choose to read one of my stories, please leave a kind, honest review about it on Amazon or Goodreads. I don’t expect anything except your honest opinion, as it helps me evaluate myself and my work and build a good relationship with my readers. But still, I ask that you be kind with your words.
Short Story: Summer Ended
Flowers are immortal, rising and falling like the tide, resurrected only to witness what has changed in their absence since last Summer. What a tragedy it is to be a flower—beautiful and burdened, splendid and sad, ancient and alone.
The flower opened his eyes to the sound of a laugh. Perplexed, he glanced around—as well as a flower could, at least—and saw it belonged to a girl. She giggled, skipping after a bluebird as it swooped and chirped, tiny curls bouncing as she refused to give up her pursuit.
Summer ended.
The flower opened his eyes to the sound of a sob. He saw the girl again, this time older, sitting by a toppled bike, her knee badly scraped. A taller woman comforted the girl, soothing her with sweet songs. The flower could sway back and forth as though dancing to the melody.
Summer ended.
The flower opened his eyes to the sound of a laugh. Only this one was different. A boy walked beside the girl, who was now slightly taller than the woman he’d seen. How many Summers had it been? She strode hand-in-hand with someone new. She loved this someone—it was evident in her eyes.
Summer ended.
The flower opened his eyes to the sound of clapping. It didn’t take him long to locate the commotion, as the yard was decorated with whites and greens. The girl stood beside the boy again, though she now wore a beautiful white dress adorned with emerald, vine-like patterns.
Summer ended.
The flower opened his eyes to the sound of an engine revving. The wind blew him, allowing an unhindered view of what emitted the sound. It appeared to be an enormous truck with the words PROFESSIONAL MOVING printed along the trailer. Beside the truck was the girl’s car—older, more rusty, and containing an extra seat the flower didn’t recognize; it took him a moment to see the infant buckled inside, sleeping peacefully to the sound of the radio. The girl glanced in the flower’s direction, though he knew she didn’t see him. She never did. The car jolted as the boy put it in drive. The girl laughed at something he said, and they were gone.
Summer ended.
The flower opened his eyes to a laugh. Pain filled his heart, a familiar agony that would never cease. A little girl giggled, skipping after a bluebird as it swooped and chirped, tiny curls bouncing as she refused to give up her pursuit.
Summer ended.
* * *
Until we meet again, traveler.
Michael T. Hare 
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