I enjoy Facebook for a lot of reasons. But one thing I especially appreciate is that it’s enabled me to gather ideas from hundreds of people – ideas that have enriched my writing.
As I was working on my recently-released action and adventure novel, The Student and the Slave, I got stuck several times on story details and wanted fresh ideas. When I put questions out there on Facebook, it was fun to read people’s suggestions and decide which ones I was going to incorporate! I used the same hashtag in each post, so that made it easy to go back later and search for all my questions and people’s suggestions.
Here are a few of the questions I asked, and people’s replies:
I need a good name for an exciting two-person video game that 13-year-old boys would enjoy. It can be about anything. We won’t actually see the game being played; I just want one character to mention that he’s going to kick his friend’s rear in ________ as they go off to play it. (It can’t be a real game!) Any suggestions would be appreciated! #TheStudentandtheSlave
Some of my favorite replies included Swords at Dawn, Combat Lords, Squid Racer, Dojo Showdown, and Duelists at Doom Mountain. I combined a couple of them and added a twist, and here’s part of the scene in which the annoyingly arrogant Raymond ends up mentioning the game to a slave boy he trains with:
“My godfather sent me this awesome video game as an early New Year present, since he won’t be able to come this time. It’s called Showdown at Destiny Mountain, and it’s really expensive. I haven’t had a chance to play it yet, ’cause I have so many others, plus I’ve been busy with my cavvara shil …. So anyway, you probably don’t know anything about video games, but if you were bored, I could show it to you. The two-player version is more fun.”
And another query related to Raymond and his family:
Question for those of you familiar with gyms and workout equipment. What sort of weights and equipment might you be likely to find in the home of a very rich family whose spoiled rotten teenage son competes in a martial art? (For those who have read my books, the martial art is cavvara shil, if that makes a difference.) The teenage son is the only family member who would use any of it. Also, what would be a good name for the room in his home where it’s kept and used? Work-out room? Family fitness center? Something more lavish-sounding? #TheStudentandtheSlave
Suggestions included more details than I could mention, but pretty much everything in the following scene (except the trophies) came directly from my Facebook friends:
On Sunday morning, Steene climbed the stairs to the third floor, where he had been ordered to meet Raymond in the workout room. The boy wasn’t there yet, and Steene looked around, impressed. He had never seen a private home this well equipped with workout equipment: weights, elliptical, cable crossover, punching bag, and a treadmill and exercise bike positioned side by side in front of a large TV. Most of the equipment looked as though it was seldom used. Opening the fridge in the kitchenette, he saw a collection of energy drinks and bottled water. Nearby, a cupboard was stocked with energy bars of various flavors. A gigantic mirror stretched across one wall, and before it spread an open space covered with interlocking floor mats for cavvara shil practice. On a shelf that topped the mirror stood a little collection of cavvara shil trophies: five bronze, three silver, and two gold.
Here was my next question:
I need to come up with a good name for the leader of a street gang. He’s burly (as you might expect) and wears his shoulder-length blond hair in dreadlocks. He has to have an actual, legitimate name, not just a violent-sounding nickname. Ideas, anyone? #TheStudentandtheSlave
There were so many great responses to this one that I picked several to use for other members of the gang. Axel became the leader, though – I loved that name for him right away. This snippet shows some of the others I picked:
Axel introduced everybody, and Bensin did his best to remember the names. Most of them sounded pretty ordinary: Joe, Tanner, Hugh, Randal, Sid, Vance. For some reason he had expected gang members to have violent nicknames, but nobody did.
Then I asked:
I need a name for a classy clothing store that treats its employees (and before slavery was outlawed in that area a few months earlier, its slaves) terribly behind the scenes. Suggestions, anyone? #TheStudentandtheSlave
There were so many creative answers to that one! My favorites included Minx, Couture Closet, Fancy Frills, Entitled, La Mod, Style Street, Racque (pronounced rack), Allure, Fabricated, Illusion, Flawless, Runway Chic, Sublime Design, and Premiere Designs. Here’s the scene in the book where you’ll see which one I picked:
Deiv lowered his voice. “You see that building way off in the distance? Eighteen stories, white with green trim?”
“Yeah?”
“That’s Entitled, Tarnestra’s classiest clothing store. Back before Emancipation, it had a reputation for treating its slaves worse than any other company in the province. Eighteen-hour work days, no lunch break, you mess up or talk back or show up late and they’d beat you half to death. Even after they had to free their slaves, they’ve treated their paid employees almost as bad. There’s more people looking for work in Tavallia these days than there are jobs, so they can afford to be as mean as they want.”
“Okay. So?”
“So, let’s just say that no one felt sorry for them the night they lost a bunch of their most expensive inventory and all the money in their cash registers.” Deiv grinned.
Some of the most fun answers I received were when I asked about a possible gift for a little boy:
I’m looking for fun and educational gift suggestions for a character in the book I’m working on. He’s a 7-year-old boy of above-average intelligence and curiosity with an independent/rebellious streak. He plays chess, is learning martial arts, and skips school whenever he thinks he can get away with it (because it bores him). He’s a former slave who stowed away on a boat by himself for a 3-day journey that resulted in his freedom. Now he’s living with a kind stranger who took him in and has become his unofficial foster dad. This “dad” would like to get him something unique as a holiday gift (they exchange gifts on New Year’s Day in this world). Any ideas? The culture and level of tech in this world are very similar to our own, if that helps. #TheStudentandtheSlave
Suggestions included a puzzle box similar to our Rubiks Cube, a kitten or puppy, a memory-making experience instead of an object, a chess set with the figurines of martial arts masters, an intricate marble run, a compass, mini terrarium kit, mock excavation kit, books about martial arts or chess, butterfly kit, dissection specimens, microscope, telescope, metal detector, origami kit. Here are parts of the scene I used a couple of the ideas in:
Lee met Bensin at the door and led him through the smithy and into the kitchen. “Come see what I got! Garrett and Will both gave me presents on Monday, ’cause free kids get presents for New Year when they’re good, and I’m almost always good.” … Lee grabbed Bensin’s hand and tugged. “See, look, Garrett bought me all those books there that tell about everything in the world.” He pointed to a set of encyclopedias, obviously used but still in good condition, arranged on the bottom shelf of the huge bookcase. “They go through the whole alphabet, but I’m only halfway through the ‘A’ one so far. Now I know all about accordions and agriculture and aircraft, but when I finish reading them all, I’m gonna be smarter than Garrett and Will both put together. And Will gave me a kit to build a telescope. Someday he’s gonna take me camping and we’ll look at the stars with it.”
I’m deeply grateful to all those who gave me such great ideas for so many different aspects of the setting, characters, and other details. The Student and the Slave is a richer story as a result!
If you would like to see more of how I incorporated people’s suggestions, The Student and the Slave is on sale for just 99 cents through the end of November. Click here to download your copy before it goes up to $2.99! Or to read the trilogy in order, you can buy The Collar and the Cavvarach here and The Gladiator and the Guard here.
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Take a look at this exciting new young adult action and adventure novel, The Student and the Slave, now available on Amazon! This is the third book in the Krillonian Chronicles, after The Collar and the Cavvarach and The Gladiator and the Guard.
The series is set in an alternate world that is very much like our own, with just a few major differences. One is that slavery is legal there. Slaves must wear metal collars that lock around their neck, making their enslaved status obvious to everyone. Another difference is the popularity of a martial art called cavvara shil. It is fought with a cavvarach (rhymes with “have a rack”), a weapon similar to a sword but with a steel hook protruding from partway down its top edge. Competitors can strike at each other with their feet as well as with the blades. You win in one of two ways: disarming your opponent (hooking or knocking their cavvarach out of their hands) or pinning their shoulders to the mat for five seconds.
First, a Little Information about Books 1 and 2:
Book 1: The Collar and the Cavvarach
Bensin, a teenage slave and martial artist, is desperate to see his little sister freed. But only victory in the Krillonian Empire’s most prestigious tournament will allow him to secretly arrange for Ellie’s escape. Dangerous people are closing in on her, however, and Bensin is running out of time. With his one hope fading quickly away, how can Bensin save Ellie from a life of slavery and abuse?
Click here to read chapter 1 of The Collar and the Cavvarach.
Click here to read about life in the Krillonian Empire, where the series is set.
Book 2: The Gladiator and the Guard
Bensin, a teenage slave and martial artist, is just one victory away from freedom. But after he is accused of a crime he didn’t commit, he is condemned to the violent life and early death of a gladiator. While his loved ones seek desperately for a way to rescue him, Bensin struggles to stay alive and forge an identity in an environment designed to strip it from him. When he infuriates the authorities with his choices, he knows he is running out of time. Can he stand against the cruelty of the arena system and seize his freedom before that system crushes him?
Click here to read about life in the arena where Bensin and other gladiators are forced to live and train.
And now, The Student and the Slave, with another awesome cover by the talented Jack Lin!
Book 3: The Student and the Slave
Is this what freedom is supposed to be like? Desperate to provide for himself and his sister Ellie, Bensin searches fruitlessly for work like all the other former slaves in Tarnestra. He needs the money for an even more important purpose, though: to rescue Coach Steene, who sacrificed himself for Bensin’s freedom. When members of two rival street gangs express interest in Bensin’s martial arts skills, he realizes he may have a chance to save his father figure after all … at a cost.
Meanwhile, Steene struggles with his new life of slavery in far-away Neliria. Raymond, his young owner, seizes any opportunity to make his life miserable. But while Steene longs to escape and rejoin Bensin and Ellie, he starts to realize that Raymond needs him too. His choices will affect not only his own future, but that of everyone he cares about. Can he make the right ones … and live with the consequences?
Click here to order The Student and the Slave from Amazon for $2.99 a discounted price of just 99 cents through November 31st!
About the Author:
Annie Douglass Lima spent most of her childhood in Kenya and later graduated from Biola University in Southern California. She and her husband Floyd currently live in Taiwan, where she teaches fifth grade at Morrison Academy. She has been writing poetry, short stories, and novels since her childhood, and to date has published fifteen books (three YA action and adventure novels, four fantasies, a puppet script, six anthologies of her students’ poetry, and a Bible verse coloring and activity book). Besides writing, her hobbies include reading (especially fantasy and science fiction), scrapbooking, and international travel.
Connect with the Author Online:
Email: [email protected]
Blog: http://anniedouglasslima.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnieDouglassLimaAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/princeofalasia
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnGoodreads
Amazon Author Page: http://bit.ly/AnnieDouglassLimaOnAmazon
LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnLinkedIn
Google+: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnGooglePlus
Now, enter to win an Amazon gift card or a free digital copy of the first two books in the series!
Today I am happy to be part of
Writers Persevere!, an event that authors Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi are running for the next few days to celebrate their release of their newest book,
The Emotional Wound Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Psychological Trauma. This book looks at the difficult experiences embedded in our character’s backstory which will shape their motivation and behavior afterward.
Because Angela and Becca have spent the last year exploring painful human struggles, they wanted to highlight a very important aspect of overcoming difficult circumstances: it can make us stronger. I promised to let Angela hijack my blog today, so please read on!
***
Hi everyone! When you set out to find examples of inner strength, you don’t have to go very far. Right here in the writing community we see it every day. Writers more than anyone understand the swirl of emotions as we work toward publication. We dream of making it and seeing our books in the hands of readers…yet doubt and frustration can be a constant companion. For us, there is a lot to learn, much to steel our nerves for, and unfortunately, a host of real-world problems that can try to derail us. And, even as we slowly move forward and grow, we can sometimes feel like impostors. This is a tough road.
But the fact that writers face this battle, day after day, and KEEP GOING…this should be celebrated! We need to be reminded that we are much stronger than we sometimes believe. We dream, create, and force ourselves to keep striving. Through the ups and downs, we persevere!
Have you encountered something on the writing road that made you question yourself? Have you faced an obstacle that required a force of will to get past?
If so, we want to hear about it! Join Becca and me at Writers Helping Writers from October 25-27th, where we are celebrating writers and their stories of perseverance. Stop in, and tell us about a challenge or struggle your faced, or if you like, join this event by writing a post on your own blog and share it using the hashtag #writerspersevere. Let’s fill social media with your strength and let other writers know that it’s okay to question and have doubts but we shouldn’t let that stop us.
GIVEAWAY ALERT!
We also have a prize vault filled with items that can give your writing career a boost, so stop by Writers Helping Writers. I would love for one of you to win something that will help you get closer to your goal!
If you struggle, remember to reach out to others. We are in this together, and by supporting one another, we cross the finish line together (and then keep going!).
Happy writing!
Angela and Becca
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:
Kristen Stieffel
Title of book and/or series:
Alara’s Call: The Prophet’s Chronicle Book One
Brief summary of the story:
Alara is a young clergywoman whose father, the prime minister, entangles her in his political intrigues. As a result she’s kidnapped by enemy soldiers and winds up at the center of an international conflict in which she prophesies to world leaders—including her father—about how the people of faith are to be governed.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
It’s a secondary fantasy realm loosely modeled after nineteenth-century Europe, with lots of small countries close together, with related royal families.
If we were to visit Alara’s storyworld as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
The southern coasts of Glynrell (Alara’s homeland) and Redíque (where she’s related to the royal family on her mother’s side) have lovely beaches and a mild climate. The western coast of Glynrell, on the other hand, is a rocky coastline. In the north of Glynrell is the Kaesrynne Valley, an idyllic setting known for sheep herding and vineyards.
What dangers should we avoid in Alara’s storyworld?
Glynrell and Redíque are both very safe nations, although highwaymen are not unheard of. The northern nations of Apanumon and Makut are feudal and one does run the risk of running afoul of a feudal lord if one isn’t careful about, for example, where one hunts or harvests wood. Believers need to be particularly wary in these countries, as violence against believers is common.
Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in Alara’s storyworld?
In most places, the cuisine will be very similar to what one might find in Europe or North America. All forms of game, especially venison and wild fowl, are popular in Glynrell. Glynrellans may wish to take care when visiting Makut, as horse meat is commonly eaten there, but Glynrellans have a cultural taboo against eating horse. Another distinction for visitors to be aware of is that although in most nations the midday meal is called lunch or luncheon and the evening meal dinner, in Glynrell the midday meal (usually very hearty) is called dinner and the evening meal (usually very light) is called supper. If a Glynrellan invites you to dinner, you should arrive around noon.
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in Alara’s storyworld?
Alara’s contemporaries do not have black powder, so there are no firearms. Their main weapons are swords. Glynrellans use both sabers and rapiers, depending on personal preference. Redíquans prefer the rapier, and Makuians the saber. Glynrellan archers tend to use longbows, while Makutians invariably choose the crossbow.
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel around Alara’s storyworld?
Horses and horse-drawn carriages and wagons are the primary mode of transport in Glynrell and Redíque. In Makut and Apanumon, generally only the nobility own horses. The lower classes go on foot or travel by ox cart.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Alara’s storyworld?
The only supernatural element comes in the form of gifts, such as Alara’s gift of prophecy. There’s also a character who has the gift of healing, and another whose gift I’m not going to give away because spoilers. 😉
Is there any advanced or unusual technology in Alara’s storyworld? If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples.
It’s not advanced from our point of view, but within the storyworld, Glynrellans and Redíquans are advanced in their use of indoor plumbing, almost to a twentieth-century level. So a visitor would find the conveniences not quite modern, but still comfortable. In Makut and Apanumon, however, indoor plumbing is found only in the most wealthy homes, and sometimes not even there, as the infrastructure is lacking.
Tell us about any sports, games, or activities that are available for entertainment in Alara’s storyworld.
Glynrellans are very completive in martial arts, which most children there learn as a matter of course. Hunting is a popular activity, but more for subsistence than sport. Horse racing is popular in Redíque. Rugby is a popular sport across the continent.
Are the days of the week and months of the year the same in Alara’s storyworld as on Earth? What holidays or special events are celebrated regularly there?
I don’t go into a lot of detail about days and months, although I sometimes use phrases like “on the fifteenth,” but I haven’t named the months. In Alara’s faith, the holy days are around the calendar: the solstices and equinoxes, as well as the new moon.
Is there a particular religion practiced in Alara’s storyworld? Please describe what it involves.
There are two main religions: Telshanism and Kivatanism. Telshanism is a Trinitarian faith worshiping a maternal creator, a paternal counselor, and a feminine redeemer, who collectively are known as the one god, Telshi. A foundational principle of the Telshan faith is that all believers are equal in the eyes of Telshi. Kivatanism is a polytheistic faith with a pantheon that includes gods of war, justice, wisdom, etc. It’s a paternalistic faith in which women are oppressed. Although members of both faiths can be found in all countries, Glynrell and Redíque are predominantly Telshan, while Makut and Apanumon are predominantly Kivatan. A fifth country, Temhain, which is east of Redíque and south of Makut, has a nearly equal mix of the two faiths.
What is the political or government structure in Alara’s storyworld? Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leaders are they?
Glynrell is the only country on the continent that is a democracy. The others are all monarchies, though in Redíque the monarch is largely a figurehead, and the principal leader is the prime minister. Makut, Apanumon, and Temhain are all governed by kings who rule with varying degrees of dictatorship.
Are there any other unique cultural practices that we should be aware of if we visit Alara’s storyworld?
In Kivatan countries, women are forbidden from making eye contact with men.
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations in your book?
The aforementioned idyllic Kaesrynne Valley is modeled after the Santa Ynez Valley in California, which is not far from where I grew up in Goleta (a suburb of Santa Barbara).
What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?I touch on several things, including monarchy vs. democracy and polytheism vs. monotheism, but probably the only one that may be controversial is patriarchy vs. equality, especially regarding my clergywoman heroine. An agent once rejected this story on the basis of that alone.
Author Autobiography:
Kristen Stieffel is a freelance editor specializing in science fiction and fantasy and is associate editor of Havok, a flash fiction magazine focused on the speculative genres. She provides a full range of editorial services and has worked on various projects including business nonfiction and Bible studies, but she is a novelist at heart and has edited novels in many genres for both the general market and the Christian submarket. Kristen is a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association and Christian Editor Connection and is a Word Weavers International mentor.
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book(s)? Please include links.
Where can readers connect with you online?
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Glynrell. 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 world in next week’s edition of Realm Explorers!
-Annie Douglass Lima
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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:
E.B. Dawson
Title of book and/or series:
The Traveler (Lost Empire Book 1)
Brief summary of the story:
Anissa Robson is becoming an adult in a society she never really identified with. Forced to choose her career path, she becomes an apprentice to a young, headstrong politician who seems to stand for everything she disagrees with. The dreams she has refused to report grow more alluring to her as she becomes disillusioned with her job. But the lines between reality and her dreamland begin to blur and cross over, launching her onto a path she would never have chosen for herself. Is the government medicating dreamers to protect them? Or to hide something from them?
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
Angapo is a remote, tropical world that has been semi-colonized by a more technologically advanced world.
If we were to visit Angapo as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
Don’t go into the towns. They have more conveniences. But you need to see the beauty of the jungle. It is most dangerous at night, but that’s when it can also be the most beautiful. There are flowers that bloom only in moonlight, and phosphorescent insects that sparkle like stars!
What dangers should we avoid in Angapo?
Snakes, wild boars, poisonous insects, raging rivers, treacherous cliffs, and angry militants. Sounds fun, right?
Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in Angapo?
The purple tuber is the main food supply of the Angapoan people. It’s pretty, but a little bit plain and pasty.
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in Angapo?
Indigenous Angapoans have no martial art. They were simple hunters until colonization. Now some of them are learning how to use new weapons and fighting tactics in order to defend themselves.
What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Angapo that we don’t see on Earth?
There are some amazing plants. The dragon plant is beautiful and fire resistant. The wild boars have razor sharp teeth and are carnivorous. You don’t want to meet them in the jungle.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Angapo? If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.
The first sign of anything fantastical is when people start traveling to another world in their sleep. The government covers it up and does everything it can to stop it. Experts have tried to find scientific explanations for it, but it can’t truly be explained by science. We’re going to see more supernatural elements pop up in books two and three!
Is there a particular religion practiced in Angapo? Please describe what it involves.
The Angapoan people recognize there is more to the world than what we can hear and see. But there has been a great deal lost from their ancestors. They believe there are spirits in the world.
What is the political or government structure in Angapo? Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
The Angapoans live in small tribes and communities. They are currently under the authority of two separate nations who have interests in their natural resources.
What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
There are a few controversial topics. The main one is colonization. I examine the consequences and complications when an advanced society and a less-advanced society cross paths. There are no simple or easy answers. I also bring up some questions about race, science, and the nature of reality!
Author Autobiography:
E.B. Dawson was born out of time. Raised in the remote regions of a developing nation, traveling to America was as good as traveling thirty years into the future. So, it’s really no wonder that she writes science fiction and fantasy. She writes stories that acknowledge darkness, but empower and encourage people to keep on fighting, no matter how difficult their circumstances may be. And as an avid philosopher, she infuses her work with Socratic questions. When not writing, she tries to make a difference in the world by showing love and compassion to those most broken.Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book? Please include links.
Where can readers connect with you online?
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I am most frequently on twitter @ebdawsonwriting. You can also find me on my
website.
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Angapo. 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 world in next week’s edition of Realm Explorers!
-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.
Author’s name:
Janeen Ippolito
Title of book and/or series:
Lawless: The Ironfire Legacy (Book 1)
Brief summary of the story:
The salvation of humans and dragons lies within a convicted murderer.
Dragonshifter Kesia Ironfire has one goal—to redeem her past by serving the cruel dragon Pinnacle as a soldier in the dragon-human war.
Then a rogue mission to spy on a new airship explodes into sickening green smoke. The same mysterious green smoke that was present the night of Kesia’s crime. When her dragon overlords deny any involvement, she and her tactical partner Zephryn Nightstalker try to investigate–and are sentenced to death.
Still searching for answers, Kesia and Zephryn flee to the human military capital, where Captain Shance Windkeeper has been furloughed after the destruction of his airship. Eager to discover what–and who–blew up his vessel, he agrees to help Kesia and Zephryn infiltrate High Command. In exchange, Kesia must pretend to be his betrothed so Shance can escape an arranged marriage. If only she knew what ‘betrothed’ and ‘arranged marriage’ meant.
But human social customs are the least of her worries. Dark secrets surface as Kesia delves deeper–secrets that challenge the facts of her crime and undermine the war itself.
A steampunk fantasy adventure with a side of quirky romance and snark.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
Sekastra is a large continental landmass on a fantasy planet. The overall setting is fantasy steampunk.
Sekastra is divided into four Scepters, which each function as semi-independent city-states that together form the Congruency. In the northwest is the Scepter of Knowledge, in the northeast is the Scepter of Industry, in the southwest is the Scepter of Pleasure, and in the Southeast is the Scepter of Commerce. In the center is the Pinnacle, settled in the Cloudpeaks. The Pinnacle is ruled by dragonshifters. In between all the Scepters are the plains, where a lot of the smaller cities and villages are located.
In Lawless the featured city-state is the Scepter of Commerce, so this article will focus on that city.
If we were to visit The Scepter of Commerce as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
If you have money, the sky is the limit! Go on tours through the Junglelands, sail one (or all) of the Trebbian Seas (Ilyon, Olyon, and Tryon), and visit the Music Quarter and Art Quarter. When you find yourself out of money (which is easy to do in the Scepter of Commerce), there are beautiful mosaics inlaid in many of the walls and floors. The Central Market is resplendent with gold and silver tiles. Local folklore claims if you toss a penny in the fountains in front of the Central Market, your deity of choice will grant your wish.
What dangers should we avoid in Sekastra?
Well, there’s currently a war going on between the humans and the dragonshifters, and the Scepter of Commerce is military central. It’s far safer to travel by train, although there are bandits and train-robbers, so it can still get treacherous.
Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in The Scepter of Commerce?Lawless focuses on the Scepter of Commerce (each book focuses on activities in one Scepter). In the Scepter of Commerce you can get delicious roasted crenbird and fresh, tart strewsberry juice. There are also a variety of vegetables that come in from the surrounding Junglelands.
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in The Scepter of Commerce?
Money and bribery are much preferred over violence, but since it is wartime, many people are armed with a variety of weapons: cheap Berringer pistols, military-grade Heotzlers, and elegant Starvens that are easy to hide under clothing.
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to The Scepter of Commerce?
In the Scepter of Pleasure, they have shiny ground cars for transportation—but they give off a lot of smelly fumes. For air travel (if you dare), there are airships, but not the kinds with balloons. Instead, they use turbines. The adaptation happened when humans realized dragons could set their hot air devices on fire. There are also trains between each Scepter. In the plains, people often use horses, and there are a variety of ships that travel the rivers to the Trebbian Seas.
What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Sekastra that we don’t see on Earth?
In Sekastra, humans share the territory with dragonshifters, who are simply referred to as dragons whether they are in scale form or skin form. But you shouldn’t see any in the Scepter of Commerce because of the dragon-human war. Theoretically. There are rumors of dragon spies…
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in the Scepter of Commerce? If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.
One unique element of Sekastra are that all humans and some dragons have innate Talents. These Talents can be passed down through families. Talents aren’t always useful or powerful. For every individual who has a Talent for telekinesis or invisibility, there’s someone who has a Talent that lets them detect the color of an object through touch. Talents do not always lend to societal influence or leadership because the steampunk technology is advance enough to counter many abilities.
Is there any advanced or unusual technology in The Scepter of Commerce? If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples.
The overall technology is fantasy steampunk with airships. Devices include voicelators (dragon tech pendants that modified vocal timbre and tone), clipse-mirrors that project visuals (think of it like steampunk Facetime), and wireless commers used for general communication.
The Scepter of Commerce doesn’t have much distinctive tech apart from this. The populace is very pragmatic, so they’ll adapt things from the Scepter of Pleasure, Scepter of Knowledge, and Scepter of Industry that make marketable and practical sense.
Tell us about any sports, games, or activities that are available for entertainment in the Scepter of Commerce.
In the Scepter of Commerce it doesn’t really matter what is being played, as long as people can bet on it. And if you want to play a game, you can find plenty of people in the Low Quarter who will take part as long as you pay them.
Is there a particular religion practiced in the Scepter of Commerce? Please describe what it involves.
The Scepter of Commerce has the same freedom of religion practices as all of the Scepters. There are numerous temples around the city-state, from the elemental temples that Jungleland natives used to worship various spirits to the open-air altars where many airship sailors make sacrifices to Fiarston and Viorstan for safe travels.
There are also worship houses for the Four Corners religion, the oldest religion in Sekastra. Adherents to the Four Corners religion worship Bonilus the Beneficent and strive to imitate his apostles, Allandra and Olosael. There are monastic orders known as the Sons of Olosael and the Daughters of Allandra.
What is the political or government structure in the Scepter of Commerce? Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
The Scepter of Commerce is traditionally run by a ruling council of the leading merchants and counts/countesses in the city. Power is inherited, but is leveraged and balanced by the court system. Currently, however, the Scepter of Commerce houses the High Command of the Congruency military fleet, so the military has ultimate say.
Are there any other unique cultural practices that we should be aware of if we visit The Scepter of Commerce?
The fashion is considered the most modern out of all of the Scepters. A lot of the fashion is adapted to the humid temperatures. Women wear loose pants with blouses and short-sleeved corset coats as daily fashion. Men wear pants, short-sleeved collared shirts, and vests. Military uniforms are standard throughout the Congruency fleet, and consist of boots, black pants, plain black waistcoats, long-sleeved button-down shirts, rank insignia, and caps. The color of the shirt denotes area of service: engineering, command, medical. Since it’s wartime, so everyone is expected to fight if necessary.
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?I may have partly stolen from different biospheres in the United States for different geographical elements of Sekastra and then flagrantly shoved all the biospheres all closer together. I’ve adapted the steampunk elements to the different native cultures and histories of Sekastra, so that is why The Ironfire Legacy books are fantasy steampunk, not Victorian steampunk. The Scepter of Commerce has elements of chromepunk, and the other Scepters also have elements from other ‘punk periods.
Author Autobiography:
Janeen Ippolito is two authors for the price of one! She creates writing resources and writes speculative fiction with monsters, misfits, and mushy stuff. She’s also an experienced author coach, editor, teacher, and the Fearless Leader (president) of Uncommon Universes Press. In her spare time, she enjoys sword-fighting, reading, geeky TV, and brownie batter. A lifelong misfit, she believes different is beautiful and that everyone has the ability to tell their story. Two of her goals are eating fried tarantulas and traveling to Antarctica.
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book(s)? Please include links.Where can readers connect with you online?
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Janeen Ippolito is an extroverted writer who loves to connect online! You can find her on her
Facebook page, on Twitter (@TheQuietPen), and on Instagram (janeen_ippolito). She also cordially invites you to the
Lawless Facebook Launch Party on Wednesday, October 4!
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Sekastra. 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 world in next week’s edition of Realm Explorers!
-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.
Author’s name: D.J. Torres
Title of book and/or series: The Nature of Gods: The Awakening
Brief summary of the story:
When gods and goddesses abruptly overthrow Earth, humans are given two choices – worship or die. Desperate to survive, Olivia and her family devote their days to fulfilling the will of the gods. But the wrath of the gods is insatiable and unpredictable. With her hope crushed, Olivia is resigned to her bleak fate . . . until she meets Nature.
Immediately, Olivia knows this charismatic girl with color-changing eyes isn’t normal. Nature looks like a teenager yet she has the power to control the weather and converse with animals. Nature opens Olivia’s eyes to a hidden world that had always existed in harmony with her own. However, know-it-all butterflies and mystical creatures aren’t the only secrets revealed as Olivia discovers the dark plan of the gods.
When Nature decides to confront the gods, Olivia is catapulted to the forefront of humanity’s battle for survival. Olivia must rely on her courage, strength, and newfound gifts as she faces monster-infested pathways and ever-looming traps. But does she have enough courage or skill to battle brutal gods eager to rule the world and dole out punishment to anyone who defies them? Nature and the world depend on it.
The Nature of Gods is a fantasy adventure appropriate for tweens and middle grade readers.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
Within the world of The Nature of Gods, ancient gods (such as Neptune and Zeus) have risen in a huge display of elemental power. The gods demand all of humanity on Earth to worship their recently unearthed idols. Humanity doesn’t have any power to fight back against these deities that are capable of wielding the earth, lava, sky, and ocean, so people do as they are told and settle into a life of endless worship. But things get really interesting when Nature wakes to discover her world is not how she left it. The world she created was a utopian paradise. Now Nature is on a mission to take back her world from the gods and return Earth to her original design.
If we were to visit as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
Earth is in shambles, so unless you desire to worship these demanding gods for at least eight hours a day, you should probably steer clear of all the cities. However, Nature’s place of slumber is a sight to behold. After she finished designing Earth and all its creatures, she fell into a deep sleep. This is the only place on Earth that is left untouched by modern society and the gods. It is a beautiful tropical island where everything blooms full all the time. The plants respond to Nature’s power so all the flora becomes lusher and brighter in her presence. You will see animals from all walks of life living in harmony with one another. You will even see such sights as a monkey riding atop an alligator. Totally worth the price of admission, right?
What dangers should we avoid on Earth?
You definitely don’t want to do anything to anger a god. Hades can melt you with his bare hand. And if the gods are too busy to discipline you, they will send their monsters to deal with you. But danger also lies within communities. Because people live in such fear of the gods, groups known as Zealots have developed. These Zealots have made it their responsibility to create and enforce rules designed to keep people safe. In the eyes of the Zealots, if you don’t worship, you are considered a threat because you could be the subject of the gods’ wrath via one of their monsters and others might be collateral damage. If you cross the Zealots, you risk expulsion from these communities and are left out in the cold to fend for yourself, which isn’t easy to do in a world ruled by ruthless gods.
Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served by Nature?
Nature is all about eating from the earth, so get ready for a lot of fruit and vegetables, uncooked and unseasoned. While that doesn’t sound particularly appetizing, the food Nature grows is second to none. Her apples are crisper yet juicier than anything you can imagine.
What types of weaponry or fighting styles does Nature utilize?
Earth and all it’s resources respond to Nature, so if you are planning on getting in a fight with Nature, be prepared for the land to slap you silly. Being a warrior is not something that comes easily to Nature. Her desire is not to fight, but when pushed, she definitely packs a punch.
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in Nature’s world?
Nature has wings that take her wherever she wants to go, and if she really likes you, she might just gift you wings of your own. But if you aren’t one of the lucky few to don wings, her animals provide a pretty decent ride. Riding a dolphin is Nature’s favorite way to travel.
What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Nature’s world that we don’t see on Earth?
Nunitzes are everywhere, watching everything, though you would never know. A Nunitz is a Messenger Butterfly. You can identify them by their golden wings. Nature created the Nunitzes with the intent for them to record every memory on Earth. Once she was awake, they were to inform her of everything that happened in her absence. Don’t be startled if they talk your ear off. They are known to be quite chatty, opinionated, and are horrible secret keepers.
Tell us about any sports, games, or activities that are available for entertainment in Nature’s world.
Nittle Tag is the famed game of the Nunitzes. The rules of their game are fairly simple: one player, the Flyer, moves through the field, hiding clues to a secret, while the second player, the Seeker, tries to either catch the Flyer or discover the secret before the Flyer reaches the finish line. The dust on Nunitz’s wings contains memories, so if you’re the Seeker, you have to maneuver through the plants, searching for clues in the Nunitz dust.
Is there a particular religion practiced? Please describe what it involves.
Every continent has their own way of worshiping the elemental deities. In the United States, the gods declared themselves to be Greek deities like Zeus, Neptune, Pan, and Hades. But in South America, the God of Fire is known as Huallallo-Carhuincho. The gods made sure they became all things to all people so their reach would not be limited.
What is the political or government structure of Nature’s Earth? Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
I’ve already touched on the ruling systems within the community, so I will touch on Nature’s rule of Earth. After Nature was done creating Earth, she knew sleep would soon capture her. During her absence, she put four horn bearers in charge of maintaining her design. Vanada, a dragon, was in charge of the sky. Baldev, a dinosaur, was put in charge of fire and creating more land for Earth to grow. Sumudra, a narwhal, was in charge of the ocean and all it’s creatures. Nairi, a unicorn, was in charge of the forest. All the animals respected the four horn bearers, but everything changed with the creation of man.
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?I spend a lot of my time trying to interact with animals. If I can pet or feed any animal, I will be the first in line. I have played with dolphins, hung out with lemurs, and fed giraffes. I am dying to do this monkey experience at a local animal rehabilitation center. I am also really inspired by anything that gets me to think outside of my normal thought process. Whether it is through music, pictures, or fashion, the creativity of others sparks my creativity.
Author Autobiography:
D.J. Torres is the author of The Nature of Gods series. Her works reflect her passion of fantasy, adventure, and escaping into new worlds. After struggling through many awkward years of her own, D.J. began writing to empower young girls to be confident in themselves and own their unique brand of individuality, quirks and all.
D.J. is a renowned nature lover and spends much of her time with animals. She has a huge passion for people, an affinity for yummy desserts, and can’t stop binge-watching TV. If D.J. isn’t writing, you may find her frolicking in a field, mastering her Xbox dance moves, or twisting herself into a yoga pretzel. More than anything, she hopes to pioneer imagination and share her story with you.
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book?
Where can readers connect with you online?I love meeting new people!
www.djtorresbooks.com has all my social media links, but I am most active on my Instagram and I do plan to start blogging more. Stop by and say hi.
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to the World of Nature. 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 world in next week’s edition of Realm Explorers!
-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.
Author’s name:
Kandi J Wyatt
Title of book and/or series:
Journey from Skioria
Brief summary of the story:
Tania is lost, shipwrecked on an unfamiliar shore. With no friends or family, the nine-year-old girl must make her way through the realm of the woodland people to a town she’s never heard of. With unexpected allies from the forest, Tania departs on a wild adventure where storms rage and the forces of nature do their very best to end her journey before it has truly begun.
In a land full of forests, oceans, and small people, what will it take for one young girl to make it home alive?
Lord of the Rings meets Narnia in this standalone middle-grade fantasy by author Kandi J Wyatt.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:Skioria and the rest of the world Tania travels through are based off the area where I live, the Southern Oregon Coast. Skioria itself is almost like the Redwoods with large trees, old-growth forest, and space between. The forest is next to the ocean which enables the characters to enjoy strolls on the beach or even the hazards of a spring storm. You can find out more about the trees of the forest on my website.
If we were to visit Skioria as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
You’ll definitely want some help getting up the trees to go visit Trilicious and Kern. These two Skiorians are accustomed to travelers and will gladly welcome you into their home and share some nut bread with you. They’ll even accompany you to a storytelling hour you won’t want to miss.
Storytelling takes place in a large tree with a window cut out that looks out to the stars. You may even hear the story of Aryx and his dipper. If you do, you’ll want to be sure to allow him to guide your journeyings.
What dangers should we avoid in Skioria?
You’ll want to be careful to stay on the pathways because Skiorians live twenty to thirty feet up in the air. Their homes are carved out of large trees and walkways connect each home to the next.
Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in Skioria?
Pine nut flour is common. It’s used to create pancakes, bread, and many other dishes we know. Acorn soup tastes wonderful especially accompanied with a nut bread.
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in Skioria?Skiorians live in peace with each other and their surroundings. If they fought it’d be with their retractable claws that they use to climb the trees.
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to Skioria?
To get to Skioria you need to use your own two legs. The wooded paths from human civilization to Skioria don’t allow for any technology. You might be able to take a horse part of the way, but the horse would have to be willing to walk down river, across a lake, through the woods, down a long, steep embankment, along the beach for several days, over a mountain filled with trees and ferns, and then through thick huckleberry bushes. I think walking and having a boat available at the first part would be best.
What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Skioria that we don’t see on Earth?
If you visit Skioria while a council meeting is held, you’ll get to meet all the woodland people. The Skiorians although fully-grown still are only as big as nine-year-olds. Think of a stocky dwarf and you’ll have the idea—complete with beards, long hair, and hairy arms and legs. Just north of Skioria among thick huckleberry bushes lies Terra. Terrans are shorter than Skiorians to accommodate their surroundings. They also have shorter and less hair so they don’t get caught in the huckleberry branches. The most exotic people who visit during council meetings are the Avarians. You may mistake them for three-year-olds until one turns around and you see a blond beard! They’re short and slender people who love wearing bright colors. The other shock you may have is watching how they leave the pathways of Skioria. Don’t let your mouth drop open, and most definitely don’t scream when they step off the tree and float down to the ground.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Skioria? If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.The Skiorians wouldn’t even know what you meant by magic. They live ordinary lives fishing, gathering berries or nuts, and weaving using the fibers in the forest. If they’re superstitious it’s more along the lines of sharing myths and stories of how things came about.
Tell us about any sports, games, or activities that are available for entertainment in Skioria.
The kids enjoy making their way to the bottom of the trees and finding a clear spot to play tag or other chasing games. Trilicius’s favorite activity is to go fishing. He has a special song he sings at the top of his lungs and off-key. It makes him happy, and he still catches fish.
Are the days of the week and months of the year the same in Skioria as on Earth? What holidays or special events are celebrated regularly there?
The days and months roll by the same in Skioria, except they track them by the cycle of the moon. As for holidays they celebrate the longest day and the shortest day of the year as well as the first sighting of various constellations.
What is the political or government structure in Skioria? Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?The council leader has the most say in the community. Conifer is the current leader who abides by the rules and holds all others to those rules. As a leader he’s fine, but as a father he fails. His son, Fyrh can never live up to his father’s expectations.
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
I live on the Southern Oregon Coast. As I gazed out my window at the tall evergreens and old-growth forest with ferns, ivy, rhododendrons, huckleberries, and myrtlewood, I wondered what creatures would live in. The sound of chipmunks chattering, the sight of squirrels winding their way up the trunk of trees, and the flicker of birds’ wings among the rhododendron gave way to the people of the forest. As for their cultures, I tried to go with the personalities of the squirrels, chipmunks, and birds I saw.
The various encounters along the journey all come from places between Gold Beach and Langlois, Oregon. The mountain resides south of us as Humbug Mountain. The brownish-red water in the ocean actually happened the year I wrote the story and was from a landslide. The lake they cross is famous in our area for windsurfing, and has a river that spills out of it and flows north. Our family kayaked the river and found where a creek (as big if not bigger than the river) met the river. The goal of the journey is to reach a town where humans live and find the store owner. That store was patterned off Langlois Market. If you ever find yourself on the Southern Oregon Coast, be sure to stop in and have a hot dog or the Cransan, a turkey sandwich with cranberry sauce, both are excellent with the homemade mustard.
What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
The book is a middle-grade fantasy journey. It really has no ‘hot-button’ or controversial topics. Instead I focus on friendship.
Author Autobiography:
Even as a young girl, Kandi J Wyatt, had a knack for words. She loved to read them, even if it was on a shampoo bottle! By high school Kandi had learned to put words together on paper to create stories for those she loved. Nowadays, she writes for her kids, whether that’s her own five or the hundreds of students she’s been lucky to teach. When Kandi’s not spinning words to create stories, she’s using them to teach students about Spanish, life, and leadership.Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book(s)? Please include links.
My books are available in all formats—ebooks and print—and can be found on most outlets.
The Dragon Courage series: Where dragons and humans live at peace with each other most of the time, and dragon riders learn to survive they must rely on family and friends and set aside justice for mercy, revenge for peace, and bitterness for forgiveness.
The One Who Sees Me: A stand-alone Biblical retelling set in medieval times. When life doesn’t make sense Faru learns there is One who cares about servant girls as well as masters.Where can readers connect with you online?
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Skioria. 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 world in next week’s edition of Realm Explorers!
-Annie Douglass Lima
Christine Dillon’s second published work of non-fiction, ‘Telling the Gospel Through Story’ was released in May, 2012 and published by Intervarsity Press, US.
The story behind the writing of this can be read here.
For the first time ever, Telling the Gospel Through Story will be on sale for US$3.99 (60% off the normal price) from today until August 30th. Click here to get your copy!
It was voted 2013 Outreach Magazine Resource of the Year in Evangelism.
Paul Cedar comments on Outreach Magazine’s choice: “Christine Dillon has learned the art of storytelling in the trenches of both Western and non-Western ministry contexts. She believes all of us can learn to share the Good News of Jesus Christ effectively through storytelling. This wonderful ‘how to’ book is not merely a brief introduction to storytelling, but is an in-depth biblical and practical study of this important subject. Regardless of your present approach to evangelism, you will find this book to be a significant help as you have the opportunity to introduce others to Jesus Christ.” [From OutreachMagazine.com, March/April 2013 issue]
Back cover of ‘Telling the Gospel Through Story’
Everybody loves a good story.
In an age when prepackaged gospel formulations leave people cold, well-told Bible stories can be used powerfully by God to touch people’s hearts and draw them to himself.
After ministry in both Western and non-Western contexts, Christine Dillon has discovered that Bible storying is far more effective than most other forms of apologetics or evangelistic presentations. In fact, non-Christians actually enjoyed storying and kept coming back for more. Storying provides solid biblical foundations so listeners can understand, apply and respond to the gospel. Then they can go on to fruitful maturity in God’s service.
This book includes practical guidance on how shape a story, how to do evangelism through storying and how to lead Bible discussions. With particular insights for trainers and those working in cross-cultural contexts, this guide provides you with concrete steps for sharing the Story that everyone needs to hear.
Facebook: ‘Storying the Scriptures’ – you need to ask permission to ‘join’ this private group
Reviews
Christianity Today – “Dillon’s method seeks, as all methods of evangelism should, to understand a hearer’s worldview. She shapes her telling of the biblical story of redemption in a way that listeners will grasp and remember. She builds narrative richly and robustly without compromise. Furthermore, she understands how to get past the barriers and preconceptions of her hearers.” [Read more at ChristianityToday.com]
“Christine has given us a most welcome introduction and primer in her book Telling the Gospel Through Story. While her context is cross-cultural, she makes a strong case for pastors and evangelists everywhere to understand the importance of, and the ways and means to share, biblical narratives. This book will be helpful in all gospel preaching and homiletics in general.”
— Lon Allison, executive director, Billy Graham Center, Wheaton College
“Human beings make sense of our lives through stories. Yet all too often when it comes to evangelism, Christians offer some abstract theological propositions for people to agree with or not, rather than inviting them to enter the Story the Bible is narrating. Christine Dillon calls us to recapture the beauty, power and mystery of storying the gospel, and does so with the wisdom of a practitioner.”
— Sean Gladding, author of The Story of God, the Story of Us
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:
Hope Ann
Title of book and/or series:
Legends of Light:
Prequel: Rose of the Night
1. Rose of the Oath
2. Song of the Sword
3. Shadows of the Hersweald
Brief summary of the story:
A war, founded in ancient legends, changes the lives of those it touches forever.
Elissa, a villager from the northern mountains, attempts to save her brother and ends up trapped in a hidden valley with a strange host and a treacherous enemy.
Evrard, the Wingmaster of the Prince’s army, races against his own weakening powers to discover the location of his twin and save her from deadly mistbenders.
Haydn, a pardoned rebel from Tauscher’s army, confronts shadows of myth and former comrades in his struggle to keep his sister safe and find the stolen Stormestone.
Each Legends of Light novella focuses on one of the nine aspects of the Fruit of the Spirit while also following the conflict between the Prince and Tauscher and retelling popular fairy tales in a clean, exciting, and inspiring manner.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
Mountains and deserts, glittering cities and quiet villages, Aslaria has it all. From the Hersweald Forest stretching into the mountains in the north, to the Shadowfen in the south and the Silver Sea to the west, this is a world rift with unique objects such as stormestones, fen serpents, mirror dimensions, and dangerous draigynos.
If we were to visit Aslaria as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?Go to Zahava, definitely. It’s a great city, the largest in Aslaria, with a huge wall separating a peninsula from the mainland. The Aber River runs through its center and spills into the Sea. It’s this exit that is the coolest part of the city, mainly due to the the King’s palace rising over the river and sprawling on either side. Great arches and pillars and cool courtyards. Battlements cast the river in a deep shade and colored draperies and narrow walkways cross the river high above. Spending an afternoon traveling down the river, then making your way to the top of the castle for the view is well worth the effort and expenditure.
What dangers should we avoid in Aslaria?
Many things—it depends where you are. To the south, one of the most treacherous dangers is the fen serpent. A nocturnal hunter, it can grow to be twenty feet in length and has a very venomous bite. In the woods to the north, you have draigynos to deal with. About ten feet long, these lithe, wingless dragons live in the treetops. Once they catch a scent and start a hunt, few things besides death can sway them. Oh, and wolves. They aren’t as bad as they used to be, but packs still roam the wilds and can be very dangerous indeed.
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in Aslaria?
Swords and daggers are common weapons, along with the bow. The definition of a fair fight will shift depending on where you travel, however. City-folk tend to expect an announcement of hostility and a chance to prepare themselves. Out in the villages and mountains, the victor will win his cause by stealth, treachery, smoke powder, or all-out strength—whatever happens to be handy.
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to Aslaria?
Horses or feet, normally. And small boats, of course, for those who dare brave the rivers. I have heard rumors of griffins to the east but have yet to discover if there really are any still alive or if they are only legend.
What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Aslarai that we don’t see on Earth?
I’ve already mentioned the fen serpents and draigynos. There are also the dragoss reeds to the south. A leathery, yellowish plant, the fibers can be shredded and woven into a sturdy rope.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Aslaria? If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.
Magic… ehhh. It depends how one uses the word. There are certainly things we can’t do or don’t have in this world. Take Stormestones. These glowing rocks are the heart of a select number of mountains. A Keeper can break off pieces of this stone, fill them with rain, and carry them elsewhere to provide rain where there is none. At least that is what they were made to do, but many men have turned them into weapons and now they have almost vanished.
There is also the Melody Realm. An alternate mirror dimension, the Wingmaster can view the undercurrent of light and darkness that most Aslarians can sense, but not see. Using his song, he can hold the darkness at bay, fighting invisible battles that can affect the whole land.
Is there any advanced or unusual technology in Aslaria? If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples.Some. Take smoke power. An unoriginal name, I grant you, but sprinkle and light a pile of this and soon you’ll have enough smoke to veil your movements. Some men have even claimed to be able to combine it with a flash powder, allowing one to throw a handful in the air and envelope themselves in a cloud of smoke.
Are the days of the week and months of the year the same in Aslaria as on Earth? What holidays or special events are celebrated regularly there?
The days are numbered from first to seventh, and the months are numbered according to their season. They run similar to earth’s months, however. Oath Day is celebrated each year near the beginning of spring—an event that recognizes the King’s Oath to save those of Aslaria from Tauscher’s hold.
Is there a particular religion practiced in Aslaria? Please describe what it involves.
The religion isn’t very structured—it is more in the larger cities than in the villages. Those who follow the King meet to speak of His writings and to remember His promise in the King’s Oath. They trust that the Prince will come and defeat Tauscher, destroying the Stieg der, and they try to follow the King’s law as best they are able.
Are there any other unique cultural practices that we should be aware of if we visit?
Betrothal is done in the form of exchanging bracelets. Silver is most common, though the materials might be cheaper if one is poor or quite lavished if you are a nobleman. A young man wanting to court a lady will leave a ribbon in her hair or tucked in her glove, normally at some dance. If she accepts him, she’ll tie it around her wrist, at which point he’ll come and replace it with a bracelet. Otherwise she might return it or (as some girls are known to do) keep the ribbon in a collection of their own.
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
Mist. I love mist, so I used it quite a bit in Song of the Sword. I also like to take the names and a very slight tint of a culture for my books. Rose of the Oath has a German/Saxon slant. With Song of the Sword, I went with French and when I got to Shadows of the Hersweald, I delved into Welsh names and a rougher type of feel.
Author Autobiography:
Hope Ann is a speculative fiction writer who lives on a small farm in northern Indiana. She has self-published three Legend of Light novellas and writes regular articles for Kingdom Pen as the Writing Team Captain. Reading since the age of five, and introducing herself to writing at age eight, she never had a question that the author’s life was the life for her. Her goal is to write thrilling Christian fantasy and futuristic fiction — stories she longed for while growing up. After graduating from homeschool, Hope now teaches writing to several of her eight younger siblings. She loves climbing trees, archery, photography, Lord of the Rings, chocolate, and collecting shiny things she claims are useful for story inspiration. Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your books? Please include links.
All three of my books are in Kindle format. They will be available in one print book this fall. You can find the various formats below:
Where can readers connect with you online?
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Aslaria. 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 world in next week’s edition of Realm Explorers!
-Annie Douglass Lima
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Here was my next question:
Suggestions included a puzzle box similar to our Rubiks Cube, a kitten or puppy, a memory-making experience instead of an object, a chess set with the figurines of martial arts masters, an intricate marble run, a compass, mini terrarium kit, mock excavation kit, books about martial arts or chess, butterfly kit, dissection specimens, microscope, telescope, metal detector, origami kit. Here are parts of the scene I used a couple of the ideas in:
Book 2: The Gladiator and the Guard
About the Author:
What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
E.B. Dawson was born out of time. Raised in the remote regions of a developing nation, traveling to America was as good as traveling thirty years into the future. So, it’s really no wonder that she writes science fiction and fantasy. She writes stories that acknowledge darkness, but empower and encourage people to keep on fighting, no matter how difficult their circumstances may be. And as an avid philosopher, she infuses her work with Socratic questions. When not writing, she tries to make a difference in the world by showing love and compassion to those most broken.
Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in The Scepter of Commerce?
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book(s)? Please include links.
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
D.J. Torres is the author of The Nature of Gods series. Her works reflect her passion of fantasy, adventure, and escaping into new worlds. After struggling through many awkward years of her own, D.J. began writing to empower young girls to be confident in themselves and own their unique brand of individuality, quirks and all.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in Skioria?
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Skioria? If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.
What is the political or government structure in Skioria? Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
Even as a young girl, Kandi J Wyatt, had a knack for words. She loved to read them, even if it was on a shampoo bottle! By high school Kandi had learned to put words together on paper to create stories for those she loved. Nowadays, she writes for her kids, whether that’s her own five or the hundreds of students she’s been lucky to teach. When Kandi’s not spinning words to create stories, she’s using them to teach students about Spanish, life, and leadership.
The One Who Sees Me: A stand-alone Biblical retelling set in medieval times. When life doesn’t make sense Faru learns there is One who cares about servant girls as well as masters.
If we were to visit Aslaria as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
Is there any advanced or unusual technology in Aslaria? If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples.
Hope Ann is a speculative fiction writer who lives on a small farm in northern Indiana. She has self-published three Legend of Light novellas and writes regular articles for Kingdom Pen as the Writing Team Captain. Reading since the age of five, and introducing herself to writing at age eight, she never had a question that the author’s life was the life for her. Her goal is to write thrilling Christian fantasy and futuristic fiction — stories she longed for while growing up. After graduating from homeschool, Hope now teaches writing to several of her eight younger siblings. She loves climbing trees, archery, photography, Lord of the Rings, chocolate, and collecting shiny things she claims are useful for story inspiration.