Structophis

Book excerpt: Structophis is a heartwarming YA adventure from the author of The Book of Deacon, Bypass Gemini, and Free-Wrench. It is based upon a concept and artwork by ProjectENDO. In a small town in Colorado, Markus Spiros was just getting his life on track. By day he worked as a veterinary tech, by night he took classes. His steady little routine was rolling along nicely when his impulsive Uncle Dimitrios threw a wrench in the works. Thanks to an unannounced trip, Markus had to swing by his uncle’s bistro to tend to the ‘special oven.’ When he arrived, he discovered it wasn’t the oven that was special, it was the rare and exotic egg that had been incubating inside it. And now it had hatched. Suddenly, Markus found his life had become a good deal more complicated. The creature was a Structophis Gastrignae—a strange creature that was equal parts dragon and oven—and she’d become quite a big girl. Large as a refrigerator and curious as a toddler, the creature he’d dubbed Blodgette would have been a handful in any situation. Markus had bigger problems than figuring out how to take care of her, though. Owning such a rare and special beast was illegal, so should the cops learn of it, Markus would be destined for jail. Worse, there were certain unscrupulous people who would do anything to acquire Blodgette. Now, with the help of his old classmate Gale, Markus must scramble to stay two steps ahead of the authorities and a corrupt CEO, all while being the best ‘mommy’ he can be to his brand-new pizza dragon.