What do you hope readers take with them when they read your book?
Parched is about a girl who joins a rebel underground group to fight for what she believes in. I hope this book inspires readers to do the same.
Hope To Read – Tech Speak: The New Technologies of Parched
One of the most fun parts of writing a sci-fi is getting to invent cool new technologies. Here’s a few of my favorites from my new novel Parched, and where their inspiration came from.
“Parched by Georgia Clark was an enjoyable and interesting read that gets you thinking about big brother, world domination and what will happen when AI becomes a reality.”
Did you do any kind of research to determine the details of your characters lives / lifestyles? I did a ridiculous amount of research! I interviewed experts I tracked down online, subscribed science-y magazines, read articles, listened to podcasts. A lot of podcasts, specifically, Robots and Singularity 1 on 1.
“This book was intense. There was always something happening and I felt that if I blinked I was going to miss something. . . . Parched was dynamic, mind boggling, and just outright good. It is definitely worth the read.”
Where did you get the idea for Tess? Tess is a combination of me, some of my friends, and other YA heroines. I love creating spunky female characters who are brave, but flawed, who are active, emotional but not just boy-crazy. Tess is not a girly-girl, and neither am I.
“There were some twists, turns and surprising revelations and Tess needed to figure out who she could trust. Once I got involved, I had to keep reading to find out what would happen next. If you enjoy dystopian Sci-Fi, this is a book you will want to check out!”
I Am A Reader – Introduction to the world of Parched
Welcome to the world of Parched: a rollercoaster ride of robots, rebels and romance, of secrets, impossible choices, and a fight for freedom, all in a domed city and a sprawling desert…
“Upon starting to read it, I found that I just kept wanting to read and read and read. Nothing could distract me from wanting to find out what was going to happen to Tess next.”
How To Be A Woman, by Caitlin Moran Warning: Do not start listening to this book unless you’re prepared to have your internal monologue hi-jacked by a Brit. It’s driving me literally balmy! It’s a testament to Caitlin’s distinctive voice as a writer that I’m able to channel her so successfully.
“Even though I am not a huge fan of robots, I felt like this was such a good story. Plus how many sci fi/YA/romance stories are out there that are this awesome!”
Having to select your favorite books is like having to select your favourite cake: impossible! They’re all so good! But I bit the bullet and tried to whittle them down. Best enjoyed over a slice of salted caramel something…
“Parched is exactly what I expected and nothing like I expected. You will enter a world of robots, choices, and the chance to do what is right no matter the cost. It is true to the YA Dysotopian genre but with a spin all it’s own.”
“After I finished reading Parched, all I could think was “wow.” There is so much to take in here, between the richly thought-out world, the customs of each society, and the intricate relationships between all of the characters.”
Lilac Reviews – Meet Tessendra “Tess” Rockwood with Dream Cast
Following her mother’s murder, Tess fled her safe and easy life in the domed city of Eden to spend an aimless year in the rough ‘n’ ready Badlands. Here she changed her name, taught herself the local dialect Malspeak, and learned to hunt, protect herself and survive on her own.
Tess is first introduced to Hunter when she returns to her home of Eden—a lush, technically advanced and socially conscious city that thrives under a clear dome—after spending a year in the rough ‘n’ ready Badlands. He’s her uncle’s teaching assistant, socially awkward if thoughtful: ‘his curious, darting eyes seem to exude intelligence’.
“I just finished reading Parched and I liked it very much. Anyone who loves to read about a future world with robots and some romance mixed in will like this book. I thought the storyline was good and I liked the action.”
Can you tell me more about the book beyond what it listed on the back cover and what inspired you to write it? I grew up watching great sci-fi movies like Bladerunner and Star Wars and have always been attracted to the genre: equal parts exciting/fun and thoughtful/insightful. I loved The Hunger Games and felt inspired to write something of that ilk: a young girl in a brave new world, fighting for what she believes in.
Parched
by Georgia Clark YA Romantic Sci-Fi Hardcover, 312 Pages March 14th 2014 by Holiday House
Sixteen-year-old Tess lived in Eden, a seemingly idyllic, domed city where access to information and water is regulated by the governing Trust. After a rogue robot killed her scientist mother, Tess fled with a terrible secret to the desperate, arid Badlands, where she’s recruited by Kudzu, explained to her as a “nonviolent collective working to undermine the Trust and free the Badlands.” Learning Kudzu plans to destroy Aevum, the Trust’s latest advanced robot, Tess reluctantly returns to Eden, where she finds the luxurious life morally unconscionable and secretly trains with Kudzu. Living with her uncle, who’s involved with Aevum, Tess is strangely attracted to his sympathetic assistant, Hunter. During a Kudzu raid on the Trust’s lab, Tess discovers that Aevum will be used to eradicate all inhabitants of the Badlands—and that Hunter’s not what he seems to be.
Tess’ first-person, present-tense voice lends chilling immediacy to her no-nonsense story of mixed loyalty, disturbing secrets, and ethical dilemmas associated with diminishing natural resources and scientific experimentation.
Georgia Clark is an Australian writer and performer based in Brooklyn. She is the author of the young adult novels SHE’S WITH THE BAND (Allen & Unwin) and sci-fi/romance PARCHED (Holiday House). Widely published online and in print. Won some awards/grants/residencies. Has a play on at the NY Fringe festival. Pretty keen on cheese plates.
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Drums summon the chieftain’s powerful son to slay a man in cold blood and thereby earn his place among the warriors. But instead of glory, he earns the name Draven, “Coward.” When the men of his tribe march off to war, Draven remains behind with the women and his shame. Only fearless but crippled Ita values her brother’s honor.
The warriors return from battle victorious yet trailing a curse in their wake. One by one the strong and the weak of the tribe fall prey to an illness of supernatural power. The secret source of this evil can be found and destroyed by only the bravest heart.
But when the curse attacks the one Draven loves most, can this coward find the courage he needs to face the darkness?
Coming May 25, 2015
AUTHOR BIO:
ANNE ELISABETH STENGL makes her home in North Carolina, where she lives with her husband, Rohan, a kindle of kitties, and one long-suffering dog. When she’s not writing, she enjoys Shakespeare, opera, and tea, and practices piano, painting, and pastry baking. She is the author of the critically-acclaimed Tales of Goldstone Wood. Her novel Starflower was awarded the 2013 Clive Staples Award, and her novels Heartless, Veiled Rose, and Dragonwitchhave each been honored with a Christy Award.
He heard the drums in his dreams, distant but drawing ever nearer. He had heard them before and wondered if the time of his manhood had come. But with the approach of dawn, the drums always faded away and he woke to the world still a child. Still a boy.
But this night, the distant drums were louder, stronger. Somehow he knew they were not concocted of his sleeping fancy. No, even as he slept he knew these were real drums, and he recognized the beat: The beat of death. The beat of blood.
The beat of a man’s heart.
He woke with a start, his leg throbbing where it had just been kicked. It was not the sort of awakening he had longed for these last two years and more. He glared from his bed up into the face of his sister, who stood above him, balancing her weight on a stout forked branch tucked under her left shoulder.
“Ita,” the boy growled, “what are you doing here? Go back to the women’s hut!”
His sister made a face at him, but he saw, even by the moonlight streaming through cracks in the thatch above, that her eyes were very round and solemn. Only then did he notice that the drumbeats of his dream were indeed still booming deep in the woods beyond the village fires. He sat up then, his heart thudding its own thunderous pace.
“A prisoner,” Ita said, shifting her branch so that she might turn toward the door. “The drums speak of a prisoner. They’re bringing him even now.” She flashed a smile down at him, though it was so tense with anxiety it could hardly be counted a smile at all. “Gaho, your name!”
The boy was up and out of his bed in a moment, reaching for a tunic and belt. His sister hobbled back along the wall but did not leave, though he wished she would. He wished she would allow him these few moments before the drums arrived in the village. The drums that beat of one man’s death . . . and one man’s birth.
His name was Gaho. But by the coming of dawn, if the drums’ promise was true, he would be born again in blood and bear a new name.
Hands shaking with what he desperately hoped wasn’t fear, he tightened his belt and searched the room for his sickle blade. He saw the bone handle, white in the moonlight, protruding from beneath his bed pile, and swiftly took it up. The bronze gleamed dully, like the carnivorous tooth of an ancient beast.
A shudder ran through his sister’s body. Gaho, sensing her distress, turned to her. She grasped her supporting branch hard, and the smile was gone from her face. “Gaho,” she said, “will you do it?”
“I will,” said Gaho, his voice strong with mounting excitement.
But Ita reached out to him suddenly, catching his weapon hand just above the wrist. “I will lose you,” she said. “My brother . . . I will lose you!”
“You will not. You will lose only Gaho,” said the boy, shaking her off, gently, for she was not strong. Without another word, he ducked through the door of his small hut—one he had built for himself but a year before in anticipation of his coming manhood—and stood in the darkness of Rannul Village, eyes instinctively turning to the few campfires burning. The drums were very near now, and he could see the shadows of waking villagers moving about the fires, building up the flames in preparation for what must surely follow. He felt eyes he could not see turning to his hut, turning to him. He felt the question each pair of eyes asked in silent curiosity: Will it be tonight?
Tonight or no night.
Grasping the hilt of his weapon with both hands, Gaho strode to the dusty village center, which was beaten down into hard, packed earth from years of meetings and matches of strength held in this same spot. Tall pillars of aged wood ringed this circle, and women hastened to these, bearing torches which they fit into hollowed-out slots in each pillar. Soon the village center was bright as noonday, but with harsh red light appropriate for coming events.
Gaho stood in the center of that light, his heart ramming in his throat though his face was a stoic mask. All the waking village was gathered now, men, women, and children, standing just beyond the circle, watching him.
The drums came up from the river, pounding in time to the tramp of warriors’ feet. Then the warriors themselves were illuminated by the ringing torches, their faces anointed in blood, their heads helmed with bone and bronze, their shoulders covered in hides of bear, wolf, and boar. Ten men carried tight skin drums, beating them with their fists. They entered the center first, standing each beneath one of the ringing pillars. Other warriors followed them, filling in the gaps between.
Then the chieftain, mighty Gaher, appeared. He carried his heavy crescent ax in one hand, and Gaho saw that blood stained its edge—indeed, blood spattered the blade from tip to hilt and covered the whole of the chieftain’s fist. Gaher strode into the circle, and the boy saw more blood in his beard. But he also saw the bright, wolfish smile and knew for certain that his sister had been correct. The night of naming had come.
“My son,” said the chief, saluting Gaho with upraised weapon.
“My father,” said Gaho, raising his sickle blade in return.
“Are you ready this night to die and live again?” asked the chief. His voice carried through the shadows, and every one of the tribe heard it, and any and all listening beasts of forests and fields surrounding. “Are you ready this night for the spilling of blood that must flow before life may begin?”
Gaho drew a deep breath, putting all the strength of his spirit into his answer. “I am ready, Father.”
Gaher’s smile grew, the torchlight flashing red upon his sharpened canines. He turned then and motioned to the darkness beyond the torchlight.
The sacrifice was brought forward.
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From the author of The Land Uncharted comes the second book in the Uncharted series, Uncharted Redemption. Written like a historical, set like a scifi, and filled with romance, Uncharted Redemption continues this suspenseful story of life in a hidden land.
Title: Uncharted Redemption
Author: Keely Brooke Keith
Release Date: February 24, 2015
Publisher: Edenbrooke Press
Description: Levi Colburn, resentful of his father, haunted by his mother’s tragic death, and pained by his love for the unattainable Mandy Foster, breaks from the Land’s tradition and begins to build a life of his own. When rebels tear through the village of Good Springs, Levi vows to deliver justice and restore the woman he loves. As tradition stands in the way of redemption and threats from the outside world begin to appear, Levi must learn his greatest battles cannot be fought with his fists. Romantic, suspenseful, and filled with adventure, Uncharted Redemption weaves dramatic new layers into life in the Land.
Have your ebook of Uncharted Redemption signed via Authorgraph
Uncharted Redemptionis the second book in the Uncharted series. If you haven’t read The Land Uncharted, it’s best to start here: The LandUncharted
Author Bio:
Keely is a bass guitarist and lives on a hilltop south of Nashville. When she isn’t writing stories or playing bass, Keely enjoys dancing, having coffee with friends, and sifting through vintage books at antique stores.
Welcome to Realm Explorers! In this weekly series, we visit a variety of unique worlds created by talented science fiction and fantasy authors. Enjoy your travels! And don’t forget to read to the bottom of the post to find out more about each author and see how to purchase the featured book. Also, you can enter to win a free copy of one of her books this week!
Author’s name: E. Kaiser Writes
Title of book and/or series:The Thaw: series, Winter’s Child, Winter Queen, & Prince of Demargen
Brief summary of the story:
Infused with a strong Christian ethic and a historical feel, they’re set in a quasi-Victorian world where portals to fairyland show up every once in a while. Angels move unseen, doing their work, but sometimes in special cases the Master sends them to interject in a person’s life, and change it forever.
Good vs. evil, patience vs. recklessness, and the undeserved gift of grace for those who pray for it; the Thaw: series begins with Winter’s Child, (combining Snow Maiden/Schneekind/Snegurken with Anderson’s Snow Queen) where a barren king and queen pray for a child, and when in their loneliness, they make one out of snow, their prayers are answered in a special, and unusual way. Sometimes, when we get what we wish for, we don’t know what to do with it.
The story continues with Winter Queen, when princess Ilise allows her avoidance behavior to isolate her from the world… and it’s only when she takes the final step that she realizes the wall she’s built in the name of safety is also the one that will hold her prisoner forever… unless she discovers how to destroy it. The only one who can break a neurosis… is the one who has it.
Third in the series is Prince of Demargen, which finally settles the matter of the Devil’s Mirror. The whole world knows his guilt, and is absolutely correct about it, but how far can a man go to regain respect so swiftly lost? Or is an honorable death the best a fallen star can hope for? The only person who can help him… is the one he most deeply wronged.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
I had a lot of fun setting the Thaw: books in a world that was much like Europe, but without all the wars. So if fairytales are often set in Middle Ages type feel, just imagine that being updated to a Victorian-style era, and going from there.
When planning this my brainstorming partner/sister and I definitely knew we didn’t want to be “in the real world” because it is definitely a fairy tale world. So we basically drew heavily from the map, cultures and customs, and changed anything we felt like. It was a lot of fun!
For one thing, we wanted to utilize the Norse cultures, but we wanted our Noran to be more towards the middle of the map. So we switched where Norway and Sweden are, Noran is interior and Svesser is on the outside.
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to Noran?
The North kingdoms use horses and carriages for land travel, sailing ships for sea voyages, and ferries for crossing rivers. Further north, into the Wild Lands, the folk up there use dog teams and reindeer hitches to pull sleds and sledges through the wintery months.
What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Noran that we don’t see on Earth?
The Thaw: books are set in a world pretty much like our own, although the Angels that orchestrate its seasons are sometimes sent on small missions to interject into the lives of mortals and carry out the will of the Master.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Noran?If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.
Magic has been actively outlawed in the world of our main characters, and this ban has been so effectively maintained for over a thousand years has passed, years measured as the Age of Reason. For in this era inexplicable happenings have virtually disappeared. But the portals to fairyland are beginning to be unsealed, which can lead to the dangerous and rather more rampant effects that exist on the other side of that veil.
Items of prohibited power are leaking back into society, and people have become so used to their safe lives that the first incidents blindside everyone.
But certain individuals rise to the challenge, to keep the ways shut, and make sure the avarice of fairyland stays on its own turf.
Is there a particular religion practiced in Noran?Please describe what it involves.
There is only one religion in the Thaw: books, and that is so self evident to everyone involved that it ceases to deserve the term religion. It is universally acknowledged that the Great King of All is watching, and when death claims us we slip out to stand before Him in a judgment that will be final, and for which our mortal lives are simply a preparation.
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
We moved around a lot while I was growing up, but that most often seemed to end up in the northern states. I remember a winter in Minnesota that was so-o cold, and the way the frost covered the windows… looking out over the blue white hills with their trees all bare and gray against a sunrise… The Northern Rockies are no slouches either when it comes to winter weather… so I didn’t have to do much research to write the Cold North type of scenes! Since the kingdom of Noran is somewhat based off of Norway, I did get to do some fun research on traditional foods, etc. I found a list of Finnish dishes and based a lot of the meals in the books on those… and they made me hungry, I can tell you that! J
What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
I don’t think there are any “hot button” topics, unless the use of Angels and having a massively Christian underlayment to a fairytale retelling is controversial. Perhaps a few might think so, but to me it is the most natural thing in the world!
Author Autobiography:
Born in the Midwest, I had a unique childhood of many moves, giving me the opportunity to experience an array of locales and characters all over the nation. We always had three things; faith, family and animals… and I always had dreams. Now we’re finally back on the Plains and make our home on a farm filled with critters!
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your books?
And the usual stuff… which I’d love to connect on! (I’m not super techie, and most everyone I know on any of these I met online… so I’d love to meet more!!! )
Oh, oh, OH!!!! You’ve GOT to go check out the Pinterest group boards for these books! So much fun… (we’ve opened it for fans to pin, so sometimes the name spellings aren’t correct, or everything on there isn’t “straight from the author’s mind” but it is so inspiring to see readers getting excited about the tales! If you’d like to join, just message me on there!!!)
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Noran. Questions about the world or the book? Ask them in the comments and the author will get back to you! Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series. Please join us again next Monday for a trip to Westering, in Realm Explorers Part XXXIII!
And the usual stuff… which I’d love to connect on! (I’m not super techie, and most everyone I know on any of these I met online… so I’d love to meet more!!! )
Oh, oh, OH!!!! You’ve GOT to go check out the Pinterest group boards for these books! So much fun… (we’ve opened it for fans to pin, so sometimes the name spellings aren’t correct, or everything on there isn’t “straight from the author’s mind” but it is so inspiring to see readers getting excited about the tales! If you’d like to join, just message me on there!!!)
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Welcome to Realm Explorers! In this weekly series, we visit a variety of unique worlds created by talented science fiction and fantasy authors. Enjoy your travels! And don’t forget to read to the bottom of the post to find out more about each author and see how to purchase the featured book.
Author’s name:
Katharina Gerlach
Title of book and/or series:
Treasures Retold: The Dwarf and the Twins
Brief summary of the story:
Martin, a dwarf with a magical beard, helps a pregnant woman to escape the king’s soldiers. Little does he know that the twin she bears will change his life forever.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
My (still nameless) world is changing. While in most areas magic is on the decline, xxx by steam engine technology, some areas remain untouched and full of strange happenings. The first book in Treasures Retold is set into one of the remote places. The Forest Kingdom has not seen any technology yet and fairy godmothers are still an everyday occurrence in royal households. However, magic is dangerous, which my characters must learn the hard way.
If we were to visit your world as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
If you like technology check out the stream driven machines in the more advanced kingdoms (like the SEC, a steam engine chariot). If you prefer magical creatures, make sure to visit the Old Forest. But beware, you might not leave it the way you entered it.
What dangers should we avoid in your world?
Both, magic and technology, are sometimes dangerous. You might want to avoid annoying anyone who’s an expert at using one or the other.
Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in my world?
Truth be told, I haven’t thought about that yet since so far it hasn’t been important for the stories I wrote. However, that’s going to change during November when I will start writing the first draft of the 4thnovelette in the series, a retelling of “The House in the Forest” by the Brothers Grimm. It is one of those tales hardly anyone knows, but it has a lot to do with food and eating, so I will have to think about that some more.
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel?
Most common folk still walk wherever they need to go. Farmers use carts (pulled by a man, a donkey, or an ox) or chariots (horse drawn). Rich people in more advanced kingdoms own SECs, steam engine chariots. However, their design and reliability varies greatly.
What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in your world that we don’t see on Earth?
Right in the first book, you will meet a fairy (not the Tolkien kind) as fairy godmother. Of course, there are mechanical creatures, usually small ones like birds, in the technologically advanced kingdoms. I’m sure there are unicorns in the Old Forest but I haven’t been able to coax them out yet. The Old Forest is hiding a lot of creatures that are still unknown to this day. Maybe, an explorer will go there some day to find fear… I mean to find out.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people? If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used. Magic comes in a variety of forms. The Old Forest is filled with it and affects everyone who can’t travel through it fast (and it’s a huge forest). A person might change into an animal by drinking water from a brook. Also, there are humans who have the talent to use magical energies. Wise women, witches, sorcerers and the like might use different techniques but they all share the same source, the world’s magic. Unfortunately, magic and technology are like two poles on a magnet. Where technology advances, magic declines.
What is the political or government structure in your world? Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
My world houses thousands of small kingdoms. Some are so small, you could travel through in a day – on foot. But each one is unique in a way, and people are usually very proud of their little (or big) nation. The king in the first episode of my fairy tale retelling is middle aged and has a son he loves very much. And he makes mistakes…
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
I’ve always been a great fan of fairy tales. I’ve read so many that I don’t count the fairy tale books on my shelves by numbers but by meters. Even after cleaning out a lot (mostly picture books because my kids are too old for those now), I still have 3m of fairy tale books left.
Author Autobiography:
Born and raised in Germany with a “spare” family in Scotland, I’ve always felt at home in the English language. When I couldn’t find a publisher in Germany, I began writing my novels in English. Twice, I was really close to getting a publishing contract. Once, the publisher folded and the second time, the editor left. After that, I decided to go Indie and have never looked back. By now, I’ve published seven novels and countless shorter works. I won two awards and got the German quality Indie publishing label Qindie for one of my books.
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book(s)?
All my novels and short stories are available on amazon.com (or .de, .co.uk etc)
Some stories are also available through Smashwords and other retailers.
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to this world. Questions about the world or the book? Ask them in the comments and the author will get back to you! Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series. Please join us again next Monday for a trip to another fantasy world, in Realm Explorers Part XXXII!
-Annie Douglass Lima
Welcome to Realm Explorers! In this weekly series, we visit a variety of unique worlds created by talented science fiction and fantasy authors. Enjoy your travels! And don’t forget to read to the bottom of the post to find out more about each author and see how to purchase the featured book. Also, one of this author’s books will soon be FREE! Read to the bottom for the link to download it!
Author’s name:
H. L. Burke
Title of book and/or series:
Beggar Magic
Brief summary of the story:
In Gelia City people are divided into two classes based on their ability to access the magic of the Strains. Leilani Weaver, a young Common girl, befriends a Highmost girl, Zebedy Brightly and the girls develop an unbreakable bond despite Zebedy’s greater social status. When Zeb pulls Leilani into her world, Leilani discovers a hidden threat to the Strains, but no one will listen to her. Defending her beloved Strains may cost her not only her friendship with Zeb but also her life.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
Gelia City is built in concentric rings separated by canals. The area around the city is a mix between woodlands, country estates, and farms, but doesn’t really come into the story much. The first ring of Gelia is the Trade District where skilled laborers have shops. This is Leilani’s world. Her father is a weaver, and she anticipates a life in a trade. Next is the Merchant District, with banks, money changers, and markets, then Civics Circle where the Guard (the peace keeping/military force of Gelia) are garrisoned and also where public courts are held. The Leisure District consists of parks, monuments, and the Cathedral, and then the Manor District where the Highmost live and work. The Highmost divide up into Manors the same way the Common group in guilds, devoted to specific studies and uses of the Strains.
If we were to visit Gelia City as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
Definitely the Leisure District. Most of Gelia City can be experienced in a quick walking tour, but if you want a nice rest and relaxation trip, the parks, fountains, hedge mazes, and green houses that make up the Leisure District allow for a perfect day of de-stressing. However, each Manor has its own aesthetic, including massive libraries, statues, and telescopes. You could easily spend a day exploring each Manor in turn. . .except for Civics Manor. Civics Manor is dreadfully dull.
What dangers should we avoid in Gelia City?
Gelian society is generally peaceful, but as Captain Goodly, a member of the Guard, says, it is a different place after dark, so I wouldn’t go traipsing about the city at midnight. You might get mugged. Most Gelians are peaceful because taking another life will alienate the Strains. They refuse to speak to anyone who has done such a deed, rendering that person Wordless. In a society where your worth is judged by how well you can wield the Strains, most people won’t risk killing . . . however, you can still rob or beat up a man without killing him.
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in Gelia City?
Weapons are not commonly wielded in Gelia City (for the reasons given in the last question) but the Guard is an exception. Each Guard is issued a saber and a dueling pistol with a single shot, and while most Guards retire never having discharged their weapon other than in practice, they are adept in the use of them. Guards also wear bracers of imbued silver that can repel attacks from the Strains.
A slightly less savory character actually finds a way to weaponize the Strains, creating grenades of pure sonic power, but these things are not generally found in Gelia City.
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to Gelia City?
Gelians tend to keep to their own classes and neighborhoods, and the city itself is not that large. Other than horse drawn wagons used to transport goods, most people stick to their feet. They have been playing with the idea of a Steam Barge system that would run in the canals, but the first barge launched ran into a bridge, and they haven’t been able to find the funding to continue the project.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Gelia City? If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.
Everything in Gelia focuses around the Strains. The Strains are unique to Gelia, which is a small, isolated nation. They are everywhere, manifesting as sounds. You can’t see them or feel them, but they speak to folks. The Common hear them as various sounds – music, birdsong, even natural sounds like falling rain – but the Highmost can hear their voices, and the Strains speak directly to them and obey their commands. The Strains are sentient and unique to each individual, like guardian angels. Common folk learn to use them in small ways, to help them in their work or maybe get a box off a high shelf, but it is more difficult for them to access and control them, which is why Common magic is called “Beggar Magic”.
Since the Strains are purely audible, those who are deaf are unable to use them at all and are often given jobs that both Common and Highmost do not want. Many deaf men enter the Guard because of this, since the Guard may sometimes be required to take a human life in service, which would deprive them of the Strains.
Is there any advanced or unusual technology in Gelia City? If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples.
The technology level in Gelia City is roughly Victorian, but they are far more dependent on magic than on technology. They have telescopes, steam engines, gas lamps, and pocket watches.
Is there a particular religion practiced in Gelia City? Please describe what it involves.
Gelians worship and omniscient, omnipotent Creator, often called simply “the Maker”, who created the world then gifted them with the Strains to guide and aide them. Most Gelians tend to focus so heavily on the Strains that they do not pursue communion with the Maker other than prayers left on holy days, which are written on strips of paper and burned at the Cathedral altar. The Cathedral is run by the Sanctified Brothers who see to the poor and distribute texts describing the creation of the world and praising the Maker for his gift of the Strains.
What is the political or government structure in Gelia City? Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
Gelia City is run by an academic oligarchy. Each Highmost Manor is ruled by a senior scholar who oversees various fellows. Every five years they elect one of these senior fellows to serve in the Highmost Seat, overseeing disputes between different manors. The Guard and courts are overseen by Civics Manor with approval from the Highmost Seat and judges are appointed by a council of senior fellows from all Manors.
Similarly, the Common folk have a guild system with different trades joined into multiple guilds which meet to settle disputes and set guidelines for business practices.
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
While the majority of my characters are Gelian, Leilani, my main character, is the child of immigrants, her grandparents having come to Gelia from Rynar fleeing a famine. I chose to make Rynar resemble Japan in a lot of aspects due to the three years I spent there. My husband is military so we were stationed in that country for some time, though living on an American base did allow me to function without learning more than a handful of Japanese phrases.
What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
One of my characters is deaf which I don’t mean to be controversial, but in researching for his character, I found out that it really can be. There are a lot of opinions in that community about how to handle things like lip reading and sign language and I realized my character would not please everyone. I just did my best to make him real. Also, Gelia City is not our modern world. It is a world where people are judged by their ability to use magic that is audible, so the deaf would be even more marginalized than they are in our world. It was important to me to show that my deaf character was capable and content, not seeing himself as disabled, but I also needed to show how he would be realistically treated by people in this society.
Author Autobiography:
I grew up in Oregon in a rural area and always had plenty of free time on my hands to spend with books and exploring the woods. I married my high school crush who had grown up to be a handsome US Marine, and we have two daughters together. My long term goal is to be a cat, but if that doesn’t work out, I’m content with “writer/mom” on my resume. I am the author of multiple fantasy novels, including the four part series “The Dragon and the Scholar Saga”, the first book of which, Dragon’s Curse, will be free 12/31/14-1/4/15 on Amazon Kindle – click here to download your copy! The series is a full length fairy tale centered on the friendship between young scholar, Shannon, and a dragon with a mysterious past.
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book(s)?
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Gelia City. Questions about the world or the book? Ask them in the comments and the author will get back to you! Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series. Please join us again next Monday for a trip to another fantasy world, in Realm Explorers Part XXXI!
-Annie Douglass Lima
Welcome to Realm Explorers! In this weekly series, we visit a variety of unique worlds created by talented science fiction and fantasy authors. Enjoy your travels! And don’t forget to read to the bottom of the post to find out more about each author and see how to purchase the featured book.
Authors’ names:
John Williams & James Colletti
Title of book and/or series:
The Crimson and the Frost
Brief summary of the story:
For untold millennia, the harsh frozen wastelands had been ruled by the immortal King of Winter. His power so absolute, no one dared to challenge his dominance until a mysterious old man in crimson robes and his devoted followers took up residence in the heart of his realm. In their possession was a strange and powerful artifact known as the Heart of Polaris. The ancient stone radiated a dome-like aura that protected their town from the extreme conditions of the frozen North.
The King of Winter arrived to cast out the trespassers but when he reached out toward the veil of magic energy a stabbing pain shot up the length of his arm. A wave of contempt rose in him at the insolence of those who dare deny him access to a vast section of his own kingdom.
For centuries the town had lived in peace, undisturbed, while the wicked king waited patiently for his chance at revenge. Now, the Heart of Polaris has gone missing and there is nothing to stop the King of Winter and his army of savage grimghouls from launching a full-scale invasion.
But the expulsion of the intruders will not satiate the King’s of Winter’s age-old thirst for vengeance. When the town’s magic combines with his own he will have to power to bring on a new ice-age. The fate of the entire world hangs in the balance as two powerful adversaries head down a collision course toward war.
Brief description of the location you created for this story:
Blanketed across a desolate landscape sits a sprawling town like an island of warm radiance amidst a stark, frozen canvas.The architecture and atmosphere is part carnival and part old-world, European hamlet. The buildings were constructed in various sizes and styles, yet it all works in harmony.Inthe center of this mythical metropolis is a tall, glistening tower fashioned from tourmaline. At the very top sits a chamber that houses the Heart of Polaris stone. The tower harnesses the artifact’s energy and from the spire cascades a faint dome of pink and amber hues that shimmers and flows like the Aurora Borealis…that is until the Heart of Polaris goes missing.
If we were to visit as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
For a hot beverage that will send your tastebuds into overdrive, visit the Heavenly Grounds coffee shop…or if you want to treat yourself to some of the world’s greatest cuisine, stop by the Perfect Palette. I recommend bringing your manners; the master chef can be a bit of a curmudgeon. There are also so many wondrous discoveries to be found beyond the doors of the Chateau Crimson including an enormous greenhouse/atrium and a great-room full of priceless collectables donated by past kings, emperors and other significant historical figures. You will find priceless works of art, statues, old, yet immaculately kept tomes written in various languages and a whole host of weapons and armor. Just, please keep your distance from the entire rear wall of the room. It is the one that appears to be crafted from black ice.You may be drawn to the soft pulsations of lighter blues and violets which crackle with vine-like electric currents just beneath the surface of the wall. This is Vast, the all-seeing wall. Touching it is highly prohibited…the last person who did almost went mad.
Also, if you come across a hallway with no doors or windows…no paintings or decorative wainscoting…only walls and ceiling of smooth stone I would suggest you stay clear of it and move along. It eventually leads to an imposing, medieval looking iron door…the type of door that is meant to keep people out…or secrets in. If you open that door, you will see a stairwell descending into pitch darkness. Please shut the door and walk away.
What dangers should we avoid in the frozen north?
The lands beyond town are quite hazardous. Besides the frequent sub-zero temperatures, treacherous snow covered terrain, ever shifting and breaking ice and the very likely possibility of becoming hopelessly lost, these lands are also patrolled by a vicious lot known as the grimghouls. Vaguely canine (or feline…no one knows for sure), the lithe movements and confident gait of these ferocious beasts across the frozen landscape are akin to the great hunting cats of the Serengeti. They are magical creations of the King of Winter, born of the winter elements. Their animated bodies were created from chunks of ice, snow, and a soupy slush that perpetually circulates and swirls along their powerful forms like a canine-shaped ice flow. Within the mass of translucent ice and slush that make up their bodies, glows a blue iridescence. It is as if their insides are alight in azure flame. Their temperament is hateful and their sole purpose is to do the bidding of the wicked Winter King.
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in the frozen north?
Most of the residents of town are peaceful folk but there are a handful that have some serious fighting skills. For instance, Tracker (that’s her nick-name since she never knew her true given name) is a scout and, of course, a tracker. She and her great-wolf companion Loki are typically the only ones who venture out in the wilds outside of town. She is self taught in various styles of martial arts and her weapon of choice is a retractable metal baton. However, before the end of this story, the entire town will be forced to summon within them a fighting spirit and the courage to persevere through one of the most terrifying times of their centuries-old lives.
What types of supernatural/ fantastical beings might we encounter?
Most notably, the King of Winter is a god-like, unpredictable force of nature. He is one of the many sentient personifications of nature’s elements. He is a lean figure with a long white mane, sharp features, and a complexion of pearly, iridescent blue. The gaze of his silvery-blue eyes has been known to send a rush of icy fear through the souls of even the bravest of men. There are also his minions, the above mentioned grimghouls…but they aren’t the only magic-born creatures in his arsenal. He has at his disposal telepathic frost-eagles that watch over his lands and thrust images into his mind if some occurrence needs his attention. There are other frightening creations, conjured by the King of Winter, that make an appearance toward the end of the story that I would rather not give away.
Two other ‘forces of nature’ make, what I would call ‘cryptic’ appearances as well.
The head of town, the “Crimson Wizard” as some call him, is also immortal. His followers are a collection of elves from all regions of the world that have joined his cause over the centuries.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people? If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.
Well, the Heart of Polaris is at the heart of this story. It started out as a red sunstone but was later infused with a dose of extraordinarily potent magic by one of the most powerful beings in the entire universe. One of its many abilities is to protect the town and its residents from the harsh surroundings. Under close observation you will notice thousands of tiny facets radiating prisms of light that dance to a pulsating rhythm. Just below the jewel’s undulating surface appears to be a limitless depth within, like a roiling crimson ocean. I would love to get into detail about its origin and how it got its name but that is one of my favorite chapters and I wouldn’t want to spoil it. There is also another potent magic that plays a significant part of this story called the Soul of Winter. I can’t really get into that either 😉
Is there any advanced or unusual technology? If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples.
The elves, with their superior ingenuity, created the tower in the center of town. At the top is a chamber that houses the Heart of Polaris stone. The tower acts as a conductor for the stone’s magic creating an an atmospheric aura protecting the town from the elements of the extreme north. Fortunately, it protects from the King of Winter as well since he is the personification of those harsh elements.
What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
There is a small debate regarding global warming and the impact humanity has made on the planet.
Author Autobiography:
Cousins and co-authors John Williams and James Colletti are close in age and have been a creative team for as long as they can remember. The pair shares a common drive and tenacity that has transformed all of their creative aspirations into realities.
From early childhood John and James would dream of being famous musicians, air-guitaring to their favorite bands. In their teen years they decided to leave the world of pretend and with the determination that came naturally to them, they taught themselves how to play guitar. Forming the rock band Soulvyne with a handful of other talented musicians, they recorded an album, performed all around New York State and opened for such notable acts as Blue Oyster Cult and King’s X.
As movie and television buffs the pair, once again, was determined to be a part of another industry they loved. Through the years both have had successful careers producing and editing for such companies as MTV, VH-1, Miramax, FOX, The Speed Channel, Food Network and TruTv as well as directing nationally broadcasted music videos and an internationally released independent film.
Outside of their hectic careers they would find the time for a more personal creative outlet away from all of the stress and deadlines of the entertainment industry…writing. They collaborated on a handful of screenplays and used their industry contacts to shop them around. There was one co-written script they both were particularly proud of. One film producer in England read it and said, “I love this! It would make a great movie but right now we’d have a tough time raising the 150 – 200 million it would take to make a film this epic and grand-scale. It is too new and unknown by the masses. There is a reason the Harry Potter movies got made, that series had a huge built in fan base from the books. Maybe scale your story down.” Never ones to compromise, John and James decided to tell their tale another way. So they re-worked it into what has become their first novel The Crimson and the Frost. During the novel writing process the story became so much more than the screenplay ever was and they are even more proud of it.
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book(s)?
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to the frozen north. Questions about the world or the book? Ask them in the comments and the author will get back to you! Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series. Please join us again next Monday for a trip to Gelia City in Realm Explorers Part XXX!
-Annie Douglass Lima
Synopsis: After graduating from the Secret Seminary, Hannah and Simon are ready to return to their homeland. Their training has equipped them to carry the gospel to a country ravaged by darkness and despair. If necessary, they’re even prepared to face the North Korean labor camps, but the hardest part of their mission isn’t the hunger, cold, and incessant danger. The hardest part is cutting off contact with one another.
In this world of spies, secret police, and informants, staying together might not just compromise their ministry. It could cost them both their lives.
A Christian romantic suspense from the author of The Beloved Daughter, which won awards from Women of Faith, Grace Awards, Readers’ Favorite, The Book Club Network, and more.
You can also sign up below to help spread the word about Alana’s fundraiser to help rescue North Korean refugees on a modern-day underground railroad.
Torn Asunder by Alana Terry
Torn Asunder is the newest suspense novel from award-winning author Alana Terry. Torn Asunder is the story of Hannah and Simon, two North Korean refugees who sneak back into their country to serve as underground missionaries. In this world of spies, secret police, and informants, Simon and Hannah learn that staying together won’t just compromise their ministry. It could cost them both their lives.
Torn Asunder launches today for just 99 cents, and all book sale proceeds today support the work of Liberty in North Korea, an organization that runs an underground railroad for North Korean refugees. You can get the paperback or the ebook for 99 cents for a limited time only. And remember the best news ~ Your purchase will help save a North Korean refugee!
Excerpt from Torn Asunder:
Simon gritted his teeth. His head felt like it was sinking. The general kept his voice level and pleasant as he slipped the device over Simon’s pinky. “Now, you just tell me who you delivered your Bibles to, and I’ll let you leave here with everything intact.”
Simon tried to swallow. His whole jaw was swollen from his scuffle in the woods. He shut his eyes and hoped the general couldn’t feel him tremble.
General Sin chuckled to himself. “Silly me. I forgot.” He slid the device off Simon’s finger. “This kind of tool won’t work on a big, strong man like you.” He strode over to Hannah and yanked her hand before Simon could even cry out. He jammed her ring finger into the opening.
Simon struggled against his iron restraints. “Let her go!”
Hannah sucked in her breath. General Sin still glared at Simon. “This is your last chance. Give me the names, and I’ll release her unharmed.”
Simon’s field of vision blurred over. He wanted to scream. The metal from his handcuffs sliced open his wrists. He pictured himself breaking free and tackling the general to the ground.
“Better talk.” General Sin yawned. “I hate getting my uniform messy.”
Hannah’s hand trembled, but she didn’t make a noise.
“Three …”
Simon clenched his jaw, unable to tear his face away from Hannah’s wide, terrified eyes.
“Two …”
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuylXuid7Ys] Want more?Buy Torn Asunder on amazon now. And remember, all book sales today will be donated directly to Liberty in North Korea, a group committed to seeing North Koreans achieve their freedom in THIS GENERATION.
Want to help spread the word? See below to click and tweet, or share this image on your timeline. Then be sure to scroll down to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a $100 gift card, surprise grab bag ($60 retail), great CD from Cherie Norquay, and free prizes to everyone who enters! And don’t forget to leave a comment and tell us what you think of Hannah and Simon and those like them who sneak into hostile mission fields to share the gospel.
Or copy and paste into an email or Facebook status: Torn Asunder is a new Christian suspense novel by Alana Terry about two North Koreans who serve as undercover missionaries. It’s on sale for only 99 cents, and all book proceeds today will be donated to Liberty in North Korea’s underground railroad for North Korean refugees.
Did you help spread the word? Enter the Rafflecopter drawing at the bottom to claim your prizes!
Annie’s Review:
This is truly a gripping as well as a sobering story. As I read about the characters and the difficulties they faced, I had to keep stopping to pray for Christians in North Korea and around the world who really are going through situations like that right now. This is fiction, but it reflects the hard fact of religious persecution that most of us in the West seldom think about. Though many of the events in the story were extremely unpleasant, the book is nevertheless an interesting read and was hard to put down. The characters are vivid and so real that I felt I knew them personally. The author has done a beautiful job of bringing romance and hope out of a dark and serious story.
If you enjoy this book, you may want to read the other two in her series as well: The Beloved Daughterand Slave Again. All of them can stand alone, but they do share a few characters and settings. I enjoyed the others and highly recommend them all!
Parched
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story: 
What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Noran that we don’t see on Earth? 
Is there a particular religion practiced in Noran? Please describe what it involves.
Author Autobiography:
