Author:
Alex McGilvery has been reading since before he can remember, and writing almost that long. He has published 18 books and is author and editor at his imprint Celticfrog Publishing. He lives in Kamloops with his dog and the stories clawing their way out of his head.

The Heronmaster includes the title story, which is the tale of Leaper who grows from a tadpole to become a legend. Murder in the Woods is a noir style mystery with animals rather than people. Nick, a young wolf, is forced to seek out the answer to Bob the moose's disappearance. Sammy is a the story of a young man on a cruise with his new car, the elderly man he takes with him and a red balloon. Madison's Meteor tells the story of Frank Madison, a farmer outside of the town of Madison which has fallen on hard times with the closing of the plant - the main employer for the town. Frank finds a meteor one night and changes start in both him and the town.

The Heronmaster

Spearbeak had them stop well short of the poisoned ground.


Leaper sorted the ropes, picking and choosing until he had eight ropes which would do. Eight herons picked up the ropes while Spearbeak carried Leaper, and they headed upriver to where the human's poison was seeping into the river.


"Have them drop the ropes on the barrel, then wait in the trees," Leaper said, "You'll have to drop me on the barrel, then go wait with them."


"Can you tie knots?" Leaper asked. "There will be danger enough by the end. There is no need for you to risk death too."


"Very well, but stay clear of the poison."


The herons tried, but the ropes wouldn't stay on the barrel. Spearbeak had to hold them while Leaper peered at the knots which attached the leaders to form the heron's harness. He had to tie eight knots and he needed to get them right. The fumes on the barrel made his skin burn, but he tied and checked each knot. 


Chapter 40: The Heronmaster, Part 11