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:
Linda M David
Title of book and/or series:
The Firestone Crystal
Brief summary of the story:
Agathea Fulstropp (prefers to be called Thea) becomes the first Earth pupil at The Firestone Academy on Planet Aruuliah after coming into possession of a strange crystal. Not only does she have to contend with strange, alien technology and lessons in telepathy and astral projection, but also hostile aliens and a mysterious cave creature that continuously invades her dreams. What can it possibly want from her?
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
On the planet of Aruuliah the sky is pale mauve with just a hint of violet, and has a bright red sun. It is a world filled with an abundance of exotic trees which dwarf everything around them, and strangely-shaped plants and flowers, the like of which has never been seen on Earth. The wealth of colour is amazing, their vibrancy, stunning and the air, clean, pure and fresh.
The Firestone Academy itself is a vast circular complex of gleaming glass and marble buildings set out like the rings of a circle, each joined together by open walk-ways and glass corridors. The centre of the complex comprises an attractive courtyard which is encircled by the Halls of Residence, consisting of Celestial House, Cosmic House and Asteroid House.
The middle ring of buildings house the Chambers of Learning, where all lessons take place as well as several Lecture Halls, the Halls of Dining and Communication Chambers, while the outer ring contains the Halls of Knowledge and Great Meeting Hall. They are bordered by the Recreation Zone where students can engage in sport and leisure activities, buy supplies and sweets and eat at the Fun-Food Café.
If we were to visit Aruuliah as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
Utopia is the planet’s main city and it is, as you would expect, very futuristic. All of the buildings are constructed from glass and marble that gleam and sparkle from top to bottom. The unique structure of each building sees them reaching dizzying heights and are built in such a way that seem to defy gravity itself. They also have their own individual shape and style that manages to fit in with the overall design of the city, giving it a certain sense of majestic splendour. Although the first book is set mainly on school grounds, in the second book there is a trip to Utopia’s famous Leisure Centre, where the students learn to hover-skate.
What dangers should we avoid in Aruuliah?
Aruuliah is not really a dangerous place, however, it is very early on in the series, so there are a lot of things I haven’t discovered yet!
Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in Aruuliah?
Oh, too many to mention! The Fun-Food Café at the Academy has a very interesting menu. Their specialty is the Thunderbolt Sizzler, an extremely hot and spicy burger, Crispy-Crusted Weedroot, which are long, curly crispy-fried chips made from an assortment of tasty local vegetables and Honey-Roasted Warty Bread, a kind of sweet-flavoured pizza. There is also a dessert called a Chocolate-Chilly Shock, which freezes your entire body for ten seconds, allowing you to savour the flavour as it slides down your throat.
The Molten-Lava Shakes are also popular with the students, a steaming-hot milky drink that bubbles thickly when poured and comes in a variety of flavours such as Crystalized Ginger, Candied Orange and Butterscotch Toffee.
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in Aruuliah?
Aruuliah is a peaceful planet, however I have a feeling Book 3 may involve some combat.
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to Aruuliah?
From Earth, travel to Aruuliah is via portal, where an ‘invisible window’ in space opens up and when you just step through, a brief moment of weightlessness is experienced.
Travel to the Firestone Academy is via a vehicle known as a Tierrapod. This is metallic silver in colour and shaped like a giant bullet, with the main body being made from a bright, sparkling metal, while the top and sides are glass. All transport on Aruuliah uses hover technology or flies. They moved on from the wheel long ago!
What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Aruuliah that we don’t see on Earth?
In the first book, we are introduced to sprogletts which are tiny humanoid creatures, about three inches in height. They come in a variety of colours and are completely hairless. Upon reaching maturity, and depending upon their habitat, they take on the characteristics of their environment. For example, those living in or near water may develop fins and gills, whilst those living in an area populated by birds or specific insects may grow wings or feathers. They will blend in and camouflage themselves in order to live in harmony with their surroundings and commune with nature.
There is also a mysterious cave-dwelling creature, but I can’t reveal too much about that in case I spoil the surprise. Other creatures, such as gruzzlings and cheebles are introduced in Book 2.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Aruuliah? If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.
There is no magic as such, however, at the Academy, there is a powerful concentration of energy in the Gardens of Meditation and Tranquility which the students are taught to use to increase their own energy levels. By merging their consciousness with nature and the natural energy it provides, the state of kinaaja can be achieved. There are ten stages of kinaaja and at each stage, students can accomplish different things, such as promoting plant growth, seeing auras and engaging in astral projection.
Is there any advanced or unusual technology in Aruuliah? If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples.
Most mundane tasks such as making beds, taking baths and showers and cleaning are fully automated. There are also Duplicating Machines which are programmed with foods and dishes from a wide range of planets and are voice activated. By stating the name of the planet and dish you would like, the machine dispenses a compartmentalized tray with different sized, shaped and coloured pills. At the push of a button on the tray, the pills transform into the requested meal (which tastes just like freshly-made food). By pushing another button on the tray, any left-overs simply disintegrate leaving the tray clean and spotless.
Tell us about any sports, games, or activities that are available for entertainment in Aruuliah.
Apart from hover-skating, there is a game called Dodge-Ball Dilemma available. The game involves two teams of up to six players, each of whom possess a total of three soft balls, filled with a thick, luminous fluid. Players have to hit the members of the other team with these balls which are designed to burst on impact. A computer-controlled ball is then released which automatically targets any player spattered with the slimy gunge. There are several levels to this game which could end up with as many as five of these balls targeting the players at any one time. Once the player is hit, they are out. Although it is a lot of fun to play, all players end up drenched in a wet and sticky liquid that takes forever to wash off.
Are the days of the week and months of the year the same in Aruuliah as on Earth? What holidays or special events are celebrated regularly there?
Strangely enough yes, they are exactly the same. Students have lessons all week and have weekends off. There are half-term holidays and although the end-of-year-holiday is not called Christmas, the concept is the same.
Is there a particular religion practiced in Aruuliah? Please describe what it involves.
There are a range of religions, as on Earth, however inhabitants tend to lean towards a more spiritual type of existence rather than a religious one.
What is the political or government structure in Aruuliah? Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
There is a main Council of the Coalition of Developing and Evolving Planets, which was established to ensure that all planets and people exist in balance and harmony with one another. The Leader of the Council is Caziel, whose wisdom and knowledge is sought by many.
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
I consider myself to be a spiritual person, so I have tried to incorporate this into the book, such as the meditation practices and awareness of energy. Also, the importance of having balance and harmony in one’s life.
The first part of the second book is actually located on the island of Nevis, where my parents are from. I was able to include information on some of the island’s natural beauty and attractions, as well as their annual cultural festival, Culturama.
What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
I think the main topic in this instance would be issues about race. Thea has always been the only black student at her previous schools (on Earth) and so, has always felt different from her peers. That feeling of ‘not fitting in’ has never left her, however, when she enrolls at the Firestone Academy, every student is different as they are all from different planets, yet it’s not a big deal.
Students and staff are from all over the Universe and are descended from reptilian, animal and bird species, all of whom have evolved into humanoid beings. There are a multitude of skin colours, from the palest to the darkest imaginable in a variety of patterns and markings. There are also a range of appendages and attachments, from tails and horns to tentacles and feelers, additional skin augmentations in the form of spikes and ridges, and an assortment of fur and feathers, talons, claws and webbed feet! Thea finds that now she is the one who has to learn to accept others’ differences in the same way that they readily accept hers.
Author Aautobiography:Linda David was born in Cyprus to parents who both hail from the Caribbean island of Nevis. Although she was raised mainly in England, she has also lived in Germany as well as St Kitts and Nevis in the West Indies. She has always enjoyed reading and was encouraged to do so from a very early age, and that is partly what inspired her to write. Even today she can remember the excitement and wonder she used to experience as a child when reading fantasy and adventure stories, so she hopes that through her own writing, she will be able to inspire and encourage other children’s interest and pleasure in reading as well.
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your books?
My books are available on Kindle and Paperback here.
Where can readers connect with you online?
More information can be found at my website. I can also be contacted through twitter and my Facebook Page.
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Aruuliah. 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 Realm Explorers Part LXVII!
Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series.
Please join us again next Monday for a trip to another world, in Realm Explorers Part LXVII!
-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: James Gardner
Title of book and/ or series: The series title is the Redemption of Aria. The first book is called Silver’s Journey.
Brief summary of the story: Silver, an average New York teenager, finds himself mysteriously transported to a new world, where he must undertake a momentous journey to Braknór and face countless dangers along the road.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story: Aria is a land of wonders with many distinct cultures, clans, and tribes, each with something different to offer. There are dangerous and uncharted territories to the east, forests that hold their fair share of mysteries and unusual creatures, towns and cities offering varying views on religion, government, and society.
If we were to visit Aria as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
It really depends on the kind of person you are! If you’re a sightseer, then you’d want to stop by Dexon, with its peculiar layout and magnificent castle, and if you’re feeling adventurous, the great walled city of Braknór would be a marvel to behold. If you enjoy traveling to modern day malls on Earth, then you’d be thrilled to visit the town of Crowduria with the most active market in the realm. On another note, any lovers of nature would enjoy spending time in the Arian Plain with its lush, pleasant air and beautiful scenery, or a trip to the Sea of Light that dances to the beat of the stars in the night. And for any thrill seekers out there, the Berullian Forest is the place to be, offering many creatures to hunt as well as a chance sighting of some rare animals.
What dangers should we avoid in Aria?
The answer to this question relies heavily on the specific location in Aria. First of all, you should always keep an eye out for bandits, pickpockets, and your occasional group of unfriendly hunters. But if you should find yourself in the Berullian Forest, keep an eye out for the Zwarkrade, vicious pack hunters that have uncanny wit and dangerous intellect, wild boars… oh, and those pesky branches and roots that seem to have a mind of their own. If you’re foolish enough to journey to the Madgeroost, you’ll most likely have to deal with the Grackle, a seven foot bird with a frighteningly sharp beak and blinding speed (a little tip: don’t look directly into its eyes). Finally, if you survive an encounter with the Grackle and for some unfathomable reason want to stay in the Madgeroost, you’ll have to watch out for exiles from Dexon and Warkreig, but above all, keep low and out of sight. The Madge is always watching.
Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in Aria?
If you want a meal that’s easy on the stomach, you’d probably enjoy Crowdurian stew with beef and gravy, but if you’re a real connoisseur of exotic foods, then you may be offered a Zwarkrade by the Gerridi tribes or boiled fish by the Nazka (if you live that long with them).
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in Aria?
The most common weapon used is a one-handed sword, but the different cultures of Aria have unusual fighting styles. The people of Warkreig prefer massive two-handed swords that can crush down upon an enemy in one powerful blow, whereas the people of Dexon use two shorter swords for quick, deft strokes. Barbarians from the north seem to enjoy ramming their enemies using a heavy wooden shield with a prominent spike in the center, and of course, there are more specific weapons for precise uses like short spears for killing wild boar or longbows with bodkin arrows for armor-piercing.
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to Aria?
The main method of transportation is by horse, but there is an unusual way that Arians use that seems to have dwindled in modern society: walking.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Aria? If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.
Magic plays no role in Aria, but there is definitely something supernatural about the place, especially surrounding the followers of the King, (God) who seem to be blessed in countless ways, sometimes imperceptibly, but sometimes in a undeniably huge miracle.
Is there any advanced or unusual technology in Aria? If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples.
The technology of Aria is set around a Middle Age world that is somewhat parallel to ours. Most of the technology is the same, if not very similar.
Tell us about any sports, games, or activities that are available for entertainment in Aria.
Arm wrestling is a common competition that many taverns host for fun, but for the more serious, there are contests of skill such as archery and swordplay as well as tests of strength, wit, and speed.
Are the days of the week and months of the year the same in Aria as on Earth? What holidays or special events are celebrated regularly there?
The year round calendar is the same in Aria as on Earth, but there are some holidays that the people celebrate. One for followers of the King is the birth of Jesus. The Warkreig have various special feasts and traditions to honor the chiefs of the past who performed great feats.
Is there particular religion practice in Aria? Please describe what it involves.
In Aria, there is no dominating religion. The Crowdurians are a polytheistic society, believing in hundreds, if not thousands of different gods. The people of Braknór most often tend to be atheist, or to be generous, deists, at best believing only in the existence of a god. But all throughout the land, there are followers of the King, who worship Him in prayer and seek to do His bidding. No matter where you go, there’s always some of them around.
What is the political or government structure in Aria? Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
Ethron is the self-proclaimed ruler of Aria and has stretched his mighty hand across the region. However, at heart, he is a tyrannical villain with only a heart for himself. Under his overview, the different cultures of Aria have different leadership roles. Crowduria has a single king (Fergusop), the Nazka and Warkreig have a chief that dictates the law, and the people of Dexon have two kings to balance the power in the nation.
Are there any unique cultural practices that we should be aware of if we visit Aria?
There are no particular practices that would land you in hot water if you overlooked them, per se, but it’s always best to know how each city or town operates so that you can best know how to react. For example, you will always need to keep your guard up in Crowduria because there are plenty of smooth talkers who will try to relieve you of your hard earned cash. Oh! One more thing… It’s a ‘cultural practice’ for any kind visitors to the Nazka to become their slaves for life, so… don’t visit.
Has anything in your actual life inspirited the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
Most of the people groups in Aria are purely born of my imagination, and a lot of the places are merely the fantasies of my mind. But in a very real way, the entire book is an allegory of life, focusing around the different kinds of people you will meet. I feel that many of the pieces of advice given by the sage characters of this book are either truths that I have learned in my life as a Christ follower, or words that God put into my head at the time.
What, if any, “hot button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
There are no real controversies or hot topics discussed in my book; it instead focuses on a young man’s journey to knowing God on a deeper level.
Author Autobiography:
James Gardner was born in January, 1999. He is a homeschooler with a passion for writing. In 2013, he began creating a story about a fictional world named Aria. Through the encouragement of family and friends, he brought the world to life. When he isn’t working on his next book, he enjoys spending time with friends and playing sports. Currently, he resides with his parents in their home in Florida.
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book?
My book can be purchased in print at http://www.amazon.com/Silvers-Journey-Redemption-Aria-Book-ebook/dp/B011SWLFJI/ref=sr_1_1_twi_2_kin?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1438969726&sr=1-1&keywords=the+redemption+of+aria
Where can readers connect with you online?
Readers can connect with me through my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Redemption-of-Aria-by-James-Gardner/475531112616774?ref=bookmarks
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Aria. 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 the planet Aruuliah, in Realm Explorers Part LXVI!
Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series.
Please join us again next Monday for a trip to the planet Aruuliah, in Realm Explorers Part LXVI!
-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: H.R.B. Collotzi
Title of book and/or series:
Avonoa Series: The Secret of Avonoa (Book One), The Shadow of Avonoa (Book Two)
Brief summary of the story:
The Secret of Avonoa:
Parents are wrong. Teachers are wrong. His leader tries, but fails. The young dragon Dak can’t imagine why he still bothers to do as he’s told. However, dragon law could take his life if he disobeys, so he’s forced to pass the Krusible. The most important test in a young dragon’s life, the Krusible is the only way to gain freedom from the Rock Clouds where his dragon ruck lives, but he can’t manage to remain silent for it. If he doesn’t earn freedom, he might as well crawl into a cave and let his fire consume him.
When Dak’s two best friends, Tog and Priya, leave for an exciting mission, Dak is left behind because of his fourth failed attempt at the Krusible. Instead of remaining behind to endure his punishment, Dak does exactly what everyone feared he might, and secretly follows them. Once on the surface world, Dak quickly learns – in the face of temptation, savagery, torture and possible death – the significance of the secret of Avonoa.
The Shadow of Avonoa:
“Stay away from the surface world!” That’s what Hiro told himself. In fact, that’s what he teaches young dragons now. Humans are dangerous, violent, and evil – best to avoid. That’s all Hiro wants now, too. Until a human shows up in his lair and ruins everything!
Princess Anna tricks Tog, Hiro’s best friend, into sneaking her back into Hiro’s life. Even with the story of a dangerous creature attacking, Hiro refuses her pleas for help. But when the dragons learn that previous involvement with the humans has dire lasting effects, Hiro is forced to investigate. With death sweeping over the land, Hiro’s intervention discovers possibilities none could imagine – least of all, him.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
The world of Avonoa is much like our world with forests, rivers, mountains and grasslands, except for a few big differences. Avonoa has three moons and one sun. Avonoa also has an enormous mountain in the center with several floating mountains hovering around it. The Inner Mountain, as it is called, is so high it’s difficult for even a dragon to reach the top. One of the dragon rucks of Avonoa lives in the floating mountains surrounding the Inner Mountain. They are called the Rock Clouds. Other rucks live in the desert (a highly desirable place for the sun and warmth), the frozen northern waste (where dragons have become adapted to the cold and ice), and the islands off the eastern coast of Avonoa (where dragons reportedly swim to hunt).
Other points of interest in Avonoa might be Centaur River, so large and long that it cuts Avonoa in two. The centaurs live on the plains at the head of Centaur River. The Black Forest, named for the trees grown so thick that very little light gets through the branches, even in the winter.
If we were to visit Avonoa as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
If you’re a dragon, you could visit one of the rucks throughout the land. Have a game of Catch It or a race to the other side of the Rock Clouds.
If you’re human, sail on Teardrop Sea or take port in Fallen City in the shadow of Kingstor Noble where the king of the Noble Kingdom lives. Order a snork delicacy at an inn in the Just Kingdom, but never a homemade one from a clan mother. Visit a faerie shaman and try to barter the price of a love potion. Visit the Cave of Invisibility in the Allegiant Kingdom where it is said many have entered, disappeared and returned again to tell fabulous tales of small gray creatures on the “other side”.
What dangers should we avoid in Avonoa?
If you’re a dragon, avoid humans! They’re monsters. Real ones! They’ll try to kill you and rip out your brain. If you speak in front of one, dragon law says you must kill them! If they offer you something shiny, just take it and run. They think dragons barter for lives. Stupid humans.
If you’re human, avoid dragons! But if you get cornered by one, make sure you have something shiny or sparkly to offer it. It doesn’t have to be necessarily expensive or extravagant, just shiny. Usually, you can offer this to the dragon and they’ll leave you alive.
And avoid centaurs! They hate faeries more than humans, but they would sooner kill a human than speak to one!
Also avoid the Black Forest – for all creatures! There are all manner of dangerous creatures in the Black Forest, including scorrands (giant two-headed lizards with rows of teeth like swords) and banshees (large black bird-like creatures that kill by screaming at you)! Also, if you see a small floating bulb that changes colors and is propelled by a single tentacle – DON’T TOUCH IT!
Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in Avonoa?
Among dragons (as the viewpoint this adventure is written from), you would only eat meat, with the occasional sprig of mint as a treat and a single flarote bulb if you’re sick.
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in Avonoa?
Swords! Although several clans in the Just Kingdom have begun adopting spears for use, the Five Kingdoms of Avonoa were built upon the use of the Five Swords of Avonoa. Each Kingdom has a sword imbued with majikal (spelling is on purpose) powers to give the owner (the ruler of each kingdom) that quality. Nobility to the Noble Kingdom, Justice to the Just Kingdom, Honor to the Honorable Kingdom, Courage to the Courageous Kingdom and Loyalty to the Allegiant Kingdom. Having five kingdoms ensures that there’s never an equal divide of power.
Many staff guards (the lowest rank of soldier) are hired into the Noble army and use only a pike or spear until they learn to use a sword. Once skill increases the staff guard can apply and test for a promotion in rank.
They also use bows and arrows and crossbows. King Philip of the Noble Kingdom is rumored to favor the bow. Humans have large crossbows used only for shooting thick, heavy bolts they call “dragon killers”.
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to Avonoa? Mostly horses and wagons are used by humans. Faeries can fly or walk. Centaurs use only their own hooves and dragons their own wings or claws.
*Note: Distance is measured As The Dragon Flies among all creatures! Dragons can fly faster than a horse can run on a straight open space, but obviously for much longer.
What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Avonoa that we don’t see on Earth?
Dragon, centaurs, faeries, and possibly small, gray creatures called goblins, but that might just be myth.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Avonoa? If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.
Magic, or majik as is it known in Avonoa, is widely acknowledged. Every species has majishuns of varying degrees of experience. Anyone can perform majik if they know what to do and how to do it. If not, it can be dangerous and possibly fatal to dabble.
Majik in Avonoa is usually a mixture of objects, ingredients and/or symbols chanted over with specific incantations in order to achieve a desired outcome. Rhythm and cadence are fundamental in the use of majik as well as majikal objects.
Objects must be majikally enchanted to use at a later date, such as majikally enchanted glowing orbs used for light, or majikally enchanted cloth that doesn’t get wet. Crystal balls are majikally enchanted crystal and filled with dragon tears. They are used to see the past, present or future, but they’re extremely rare seeing as it’s difficult to find a dragon crying.
Faeries of Avonoa use majik most often. They have the highest number of master majishuns, or shaman, in Avonoa. A shaman can give many answers to questions and fix many problems, but always at a price. Although the number of faeries in Avonoa is low compared to other species, they are considered the strongest race for their use of majik.
Since centaurs hate everything to do with faeries, they also avoid majik and its uses. They do have majishuns and lesser shaman among them, but they are usually shunned by other centaurs.
Humans have few advanced shaman, but they have some. Most faeries try to keep the secrets of majik within their own families, therefore, it’s difficult for humans to find someone to learn from.
Dragons don’t use majik. They are majikal creatures and each has a strong characteristic of majik, but they don’t put them to use. Although Visi, the prophetess dragon, is a highly skilled shaman, she lives far away from other dragons so they can’t take advantage of her skills.
Is there any advanced or unusual technology in Avonoa? If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples.
Any “advanced technology” would be made from majik. Avonoa is still a medieval-type world, but enjoys comforts from common uses of majik.
Tell us about any sports, games, or activities that are available for entertainment in Avonoa.
Several varieties of games and sports are common among different species in Avonoa.
Dragons enjoy any flying races, like “Catch It”, where an object is thrown and others race to catch it first. However, the most popular game would be “Tossing Riddles”, where they throw riddles back and forth to each other. But don’t be the one to “drop it”!
Centaurs play games of strength and agility. They love doing obstacle courses!
Among faeries the most popular sport is a game called Touratege. A small ball is bounced between hands and feet while participants fly across a field trying to place it in the opposing basket.
Humans play similar games to all of these, but the most popular sport is fighting. Human men from all over Avonoa will gather to watch fighting matches between champions. This sport is the major reason humans are seen as barbaric by other species.
Are the days of the week and months of the year the same in Avonoa as on Earth? What holidays or special events are celebrated regularly there?
Number of days of the week are the same, although they have different names and aren’t mentioned for clarity sake. (Besides, dragons don’t worry about such things.) Months of the year are different though. There are fifteen months in the year. The year is separated up into five three-month seasons. Those seasons are; spring, summer, autumn, winter then fall. Rain doesn’t stop often in fall and this is the season in which book two is written. Book one is written in the winter preceding.
Is there a particular religion practiced in Avonoa? Please describe what it involves.
Almost everyone in Avonoa believes and worships (in some form or another) in the Seven High Gods of Avonoa. Those gods are: Shurka, god of the sun; Shurta, god of the moons; Khurta, god of the stars; Kruh, god of the clouds; Tarsa, god of the wind; Tarka, god of flight; Tartaku, god of the sky. There are numerous lesser gods who are worshipped as well.
There is one group of humans called the Hamees who only believe in one all-knowing, all-powerful god. They are often ridiculed and scorned for their beliefs, but they are a peaceful people. They take solemn oaths to care for others and always be honest.
What is the political or government structure in Avonoa? Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
Avonoa is divided into five kingdoms. King Philip rules the Noble Kingdom, King Torodov rules the Courageous Kingdom, Queen Sarador rules the Allegiant Queendom, King Theodor rules the Honorable Kingdom, and King Grisivere rules the Just Kingdom.
The rulers emulate the characteristics of their kingdom. While the Just Kingdom is just in their punishments, they might be less brave to face those punishments than someone from the Courageous Kingdom, etc.
Are there any other unique cultural practices that we should be aware of if we visit Avonoa?
All species and kingdoms have nuances in their everyday way of life. For the most part, humans are accepting of foreigners and their misunderstanding of those nuances. Humans would be more forgiving than other species.
Among faeries, never bring up the centaurs. Among centaurs, never use faerie language or speak of faerie culture. And, of course, dragons and centaurs can’t stand humans, but faeries tolerate them.
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
Not really, I try to make everything as unique and individual as possible. I love dragons, that’s why I write books from a dragon’s point-of-view. I did name the three highest-ranking centaurs after my three kids. I love names and when I hear a name I like, I’ll use it in my writing. Like Priya, I met an awesome Indian woman named Priya and I had to use it for an amazing dragon!
The biggest thing inspired by my own life is the season of Fall. I love rain, so I decided to create a season just for me. Three months of nothing but rain!
What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
I try to avoid controversy in my writing, but a major issue all these creatures have is not accepting each other for their beliefs and cultures. In the second book, The Shadow of Avonoa, the protagonist, Hiro, begins to see how those judgments against other species might be wrong. Book three, The Heart of Avonoa, is where Hiro really begins to change his mind and heart about the differences between others and himself.
Author Autobiography: I was born in Berlin, Germany as an army ‘brat’. Early in life I found a love for telling stories, but when my parents told me to stop lying I kept them inside my head. When I got older (and hopefully wiser) I decided to turn those ‘lies’ into stories again. I began a serious (if you can call fantasy ‘serious’) writing career in 2010. The Secret of Avonoa is my first published novel with book two in the Avonoa series, titled The Shadow of Avonoa, NOW AVAILABLE!! I also have a couple of modern-day sci-fi novels that I plan to re-vamp into young adult novels when my dragon series is finished. I currently live in Minnesota (yes, by choice) with my husband and our three kids.
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book?
AMAZON! The Secret of Avonoa is available in paperbackor on Kindle. The Shadow of Avonoa is available in paperback, I’m still working on getting it available on Kindle, but hopefully soon!
Where can readers connect with you online?
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Avonoa. 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 the fantasy world of Aria, in Realm Explorers Part LXV!
Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series.
Please join us again next Monday for a trip to the fantasy world of Aria, in Realm Explorers Part LXV!
-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.
(This one is temporarily on sale. Get it at 99 cents for three days only!)
(This one is temporarily on sale. Get it at 99 cents for three days only!)
Author’s name: C.E. Wilson
Title of book and/or series: To Nowhere/Standalone
Brief summary of the story:
From the moment Lyris is treated to coffee by a beautiful stranger, she has no idea that her life is about to change forever. In her enthusiasm to start at a new school with a new boyfriend, Lyris is almost able to look past his oddities. Almost. The way he eyes up her striking red hair. The way he loves that she’s seventeen. “The perfect age.” And the way he’s gone from all but begging to show her a specific room in a specific house to making her swear never to even think about it again.
When Lyris doesn’t take his strange warnings seriously, she finds that nothing could have prepared her for what lay behind that door.
Suddenly, Lyris finds herself in a world no one would believe. A world where she’s only a few inches tall and giants aren’t creatures from fairy tales. Where humans are no longer the dominant race, but pets auctioned off to the highest bidder. Lyris understands the true danger of such a place, but there seems to be one person on her side. Her kind and surprised captor. And while Brindt appears to be sweet and trustworthy, he also straddles the line between seeing her as an equal and a cute animal.
Lyris has to get home… before the one person she can turn to becomes the one person who can’t let her go.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
The world that Lyris finds herself in is a place that I don’t think too many humans would want to visit. It’s very similar to our own world in many respects, but it has one pretty large difference (pun intended!) – it is a land where humans are no longer the dominant race, and rather are pets kept by sixty-foot giants. Very Brobingnagian. 😉 Only in this world, unlike Jonathan Swift’s, pet humans are pretty commonplace thanks to other humans called Targeters. These are the ones who pick and choose certain humans and sneak them through the portals to bring them back into the world of giants.
If we were to visit To Nowhere as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there? I would strongly recommend not visiting if you enjoy having your independence or being seen as a person. Giants in this world are always looking for a cute new pet and if you’re not careful, you may end up thrown in a cage and played with by giant children… just like your pet hamster as a kid. If you do find yourself there, be sure to try the bluemelon.
What dangers should we avoid in To Nowhere? I would avoid the giants if at all possible. Not that you could. Once you’re trapped in this world, odds are the best you can hope for is a kind owner who might see you as an entertaining pet. Good luck.
Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in To Nowhere? There are a lot of blue foods in this world. Bluemelon and starfruit especially. Plus, humans might find it odd that the giants in this world do not eat meat. In fact, they find it disgusting and primitive that humans do.
What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in To Nowhere that we don’t see on Earth? Haha, I’m pretty sure people don’t see sixty foot giants roaming around on Earth. Ahh! But that would be so cool if we could!
Is there any advanced or unusual technology in To Nowhere? If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples. Collars for pet humans play a very special role in this world. By wearing a collar, humans are able to actually communicate with giants, if the giant is interested that is. The issue is that they’re expensive and it’s easier for giants to treat humans as pets if they aren’t able to understand what these cute little living dolls are actually saying, so few humans are allowed the privilege of wearing one. They are a neat little device used to manipulate the throat muscles so when a human speaks a sentence, a giant can clearly understand them through an earpiece. But like I said, few humans are allowed such an honor as to speak with their giant owner.
Are there any other unique cultural practices that we should be aware of if we visit To Nowhere? Redheads are considered the most valuable type of human. Red hair is extremely rare among giants in To Nowhere, so any redheads who come along are much sought after by wealthy giants. There used to be interest in brightly colored haired humans, but once they found out the color was fake, they lost interest.
What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book? It’s not so much a controversial topic – most people would agree that slavery or ownership of one sentient being by another is wrong. What is dealt with here is more the idea of dehumanization – if you are able to see another creature as being less than human it opens the door for a lot of things that are normally considered monstrous. In this book, since human beings are so much smaller than the giants and are rarely able to communicate with their captors, it makes sense for the giants to keep humans as pets. Crazy huh? And kind of scary. I touch on this issue a lot in my books including my older book “The Promise” and my upcoming release “The Boy with Words.” I love to talk about overcoming differences in a world where some crazy physical or social factor creates a schism. Usually, I tackle size, but there’s nothing I love more than when two characters overcome their differences to trust and care for one another.
Author Autobiography: C.E. Wilson is currently living in Pittsburgh, PA with her husband, daughter, two dogs and two cats. She loves horror movies and shoujo manga. She is at peace when it rains and enjoys the fall because of football and all things pumpkin. Her favorite subject to write about is size difference, but enjoys trying her hand at all things fantastical.
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book?
Amazon Kindle ebook (on sale for just 99 cents from September 6-8): http://www.amazon.com/To-Nowhere-C-E-Wilson-ebook/dp/B010WC51UY/ref=pd_sim_351_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0TSNEVE1VY903W2TKXEB
Smashwords ebook Formats: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/563861
Paperbacks coming Fall 2015!!!!!!!!!
Where can readers connect with you online?
Writing on the side: http://cewilson5.deviantart.com/
Reading on the side: http://www.goodreads.com/CEWilson
And general shenanigans: http://www.facebook.com/people/Ce-Wilson/100003313330557
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to To Nowhere. 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 Realm Explorers Part LXIV!
Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series.
Please join us again next Monday for a trip to another world, in Realm Explorers Part LXIV!
-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:
Lelia Rose Foreman
Title of book and/or series:
Shatterworld
Brief summary of the story:
Amish Wannabes take a ship to another world to set up a peaceful, agrarian society. Once they are self-sufficient, they intend to throw away most of their technology. But twelve-year-old Rejoice does not want to grow up to become a farmer. She wants to be an astronomer. She struggles to understand what God wants her to be as she discovers intelligent aliens in the sea and then discovers an asteroid that is going to destroy the colony’s new world.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
New Earth, or Shatterworld, as Rejoice prefers to call the world, had been hit by large asteroids five hundred years prior to the coming of the humans. Most life on land and sea had been obliterated. Ninety percent of the world is covered by ocean.
If we were to visit Shatterworld as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
Sailing in the shallow waters would be fun, as would playing with baby hexacrabs. The occasional fair or feast is fun, but for the most part, the colonists engage in work as a godly discipline. They are not thinking about tourists.
What dangers should we avoid in Shatterworld?
Sailing in deep waters would expose you to a variety of sea monsters. Hurricanes can be severe.
Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in Shatterworld?
The colonists work hard and they do like to eat what we would consider comfort foods.
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in Shatterworld?
They’re pacifists! No fighting. They don’t even like contact sports.
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to Shatterworld?
The colonists use VTOLs, space shuttles, boats, rollers, and camels to travel. And walking. Walking is good for the soul.
What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Shatterworld that we don’t see on Earth?
The most important are the hexacrabs: sentient, undersea aliens with six armored legs, six tentacles, and three eyes on stalks. The hexacrabs are trying to rebuild their shattered civilization and are looking for their lost libraries, all while fighting off sea monsters and these new creatures, the humans.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Shatterworld? If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.
These Christians love God and have banded together in a discipline that they believe will draw them closer to God. They don’t ever think about magic.
Is there any advanced or unusual technology in Shatterworld? If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples.
If you are at all familiar with science-fiction tropes, you will recognize all the technology in the book.
Tell us about any sports, games, or activities that are available for entertainment in Shatterworld.
How entertaining do you think sermons are? Soil creation? Feeding chickens? Oh, discovering and being attacked by aliens?
Are the days of the week and months of the year the same in Shatterworld as on Earth? What holidays or special events are celebrated regularly there?
The colonists follow the Christian calendar, but divergence is coming.
Is there a particular religion practiced in Shatterworld? Please describe what it involves.
Although none of the colonists started out as Amish, the practices they cobbled together most closely resemble the Christian Amish.
What is the political or government structure in Shatterworld? Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
The colonists start out with a form of socialism, sharing all things in common, until they can separate onto individual farms. The man with the biggest voice is Brother Smith, the financier and organizer of the colony. The next most influential is the pastor. Everyone likes to think things are run by consensus.
Are there any other unique cultural practices that we should be aware of if we visit Shatterworld?
Please respect their pacifism, their modest dress, and their sexual mores.
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
When we were stationed in Japan at Yokota AFB, my husband explored the concept of pacifism, because if that was God’s will for us, we wanted to engage in the practice. There would have been repercussions for adopting pacifism, as the US Air Force had paid for his dental school, but if that’s what God calls you to, that’s what you do. We did a lot of study and reading. My husband retired a colonel, so you can guess which way we went. I like writing about people who aren’t me, so I wanted to write about a people the way they see themselves. What would happen if they met aliens who wanted to fight them?
What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
Pacifism. Some people consider monogamy and/or Christianity controversial. Is having some main characters with mild Asperger’s controversial?
Author Autobiography:
I’ve raised and released five children, one of them a Wookie. The Air Force gave us the privilege of living in Japan and a number of states, including Texas, Alaska, and Oregon. I have some minor engagement with ministry in Rwanda, and have begun libraries in eleven primary schools there. I also introduced Golden Grain amaranth to farmers there, which was a big hit, and purslane, which was not. They introduced me to the concept of loving and working under murderers.
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book?
Shatterworld can be ordered as an ebook or paperback from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo, or from any bookstore.
Where can readers connect with you online?
www.leliaroseforeman.blogspot.com, on Facebook as Lelia Rose Foreman, on Twitter as @LeliaForeman
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Shatterworld. 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 the dystopian/fantasy world of To Nowhere, in Realm Explorers Part LXIII!
Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series.
Please join us again next Monday for a trip to the dystopian/fantasy world of To Nowhere, in Realm Explorers Part LXIII!
-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:
Jessica L. Elliott
Title of book and/or series:
Charming Academy series
Brief summary of the story:
The Charming Academy series begins with Charming Academy, the story that tells what happened before, “Once upon a time…” Each following story is a retelling of a classic fairy tale with a few new twists and turns, particularly in giving more details about what the prince was doing. My goal was to create fairy tales that both girls and boys would love.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
The series takes place in Sanalbereth, a fairy-ruled empire that is meant to be a past version of Earth. As the princes go on their quests, they run into the same kind of places you might find at home, only a little wilder and more dangerous.
If we were to visit Sanalbereth as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
Well, you should certainly stop in Biberseth, the capitol city, to see Charming Academy for Boys and Fair Damsels Academy for Young Ladies. Then you can see where all the excitement beings as you watch princes and princesses train for the dangers of being on a quest. But if you really want to know where to go and what to do, you’ll have to talk to Uncle Sebastian. He knows every nook and cranny of the place and is a great storyteller to boot. I believe he lives in Rendorlin, but he travels a lot so you could find him just about anywhere.
What dangers should we avoid in Sanalbereth?
Be careful when traveling to stay clear of the highwaymen and bands of thieves in the mountains. There are also dragons, sea serpents and other beasts that would gladly see you as a main course. Most dangerous, however, are the witches. I’m not talking about the Sisters who work at the schools. We’re talking wicked witches. They may look sweet and charming, but watch out!
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to Sanalbereth?Most people ride horses or take carriages. If you’re lucky enough to encounter a kind-hearted dragon, she might let you ride on her back. But don’t count on it. Your best bet would be to visit Phillip in Maltisten and buy a horse from him. He’s got the best horses in Sanalbereth.
What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Sanalbereth that we don’t see on Earth?
There are many wild creatures in Sanalbereth. There are dragons and sea serpents and occasionally you’ll find enchanted princes as frogs, beasts or other things. If you’re very quiet in the woods, you might be lucky enough to come across a unicorn. You can also find fairies, imps, mermaids and other enchanting peoples.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Sanalbereth? If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.
The fairies have a kind of magic that gives peace and abundance to the peoples of Sanalbereth. They can also use it to send messages and teleport themselves and others at the end of a quest. There are also witches. Some are good, like the Sisters who live at the schools. They use their magic mainly for disciplinary purposes (don’t ever stick your tongue out!) but also to protect the schools and students. Some witches are evil and they are often a source of trouble to questing princes. One prince very nearly became a dog biscuit! The magic in Sanalbereth is often very subtle and might be overlooked by the casual observer, but it is there.
Tell us about any sports, games, or activities that are available for entertainment in Sanalbereth.
Depending on where you are, you can find jousting tournaments and dressage competitions throughout Sanalbereth. The people here love their horses. There also art competitions, dances and festivals to meet all you entertaining needs.
Are the days of the week and months of the year the same in Sanalbereth as on Earth? What holidays or special events are celebrated regularly there?
The calendar is the same. The fairies celebrate the changing of the seasons and each province has its own festivals and celebrations. For example, the farming provinces always have a splendid Harvest Festival.
What is the political or government structure in Sanalbereth? Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
Sanalbereth is an empire divided up into provinces ruled by human kings and queens, most often Prince Charmings who have completed their quests. The empire is ruled by the fairy king and queen who oversee the governance of Sanalbereth. The king is good-hearted and kind. He and the queen regularly travel to the different provinces, especially at times of weddings and coronations within the royal families.
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?Real life often inspires my writing. Uncle Sebastian’s love for travel and adventure stems from my own wanderlust, though I haven’t been able to act on it as often as he has. My characters often have bits and pieces of people I know. But the best example of this is in the second book, Finding Prince Charming. Allegra is terrified of frogs because I am terrified of frogs, and really all amphibians. Can’t stand slimy things! *shudder
What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
I can’t think of any super controversial topics in my books, but each of them deals with different challenges. In Prince Charming’s Search, a character is suddenly faced with abuse and manipulation. Becoming Prince Charming takes a look at split personalities and The Ultimate Prince Charming follows two characters overcoming grief. So I guess depending on who you ask, these could be considered controversial. However, I’ve tried to handle each one delicately and show a positive outcome.
Author Autobiography:
If you ask my mother, she’ll tell you I’ve been writing since I could hold a pencil and telling stories even before that! I went to Emporia State University where I graduated in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. Never quite found a teaching job and after getting married, I started looking at writing again. The Charming Academy series is based on bedtime stories I told my youngest brother when I visited home on weekends during my college years. I have three adorable children who keep my life busy and crazy! My husband is a teacher and moved us to southwest Kansas where we have fallen in love with our community and this beautiful area of the state.
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book(s)? Please include links.All of my books are available in print at Amazon. You can also order signed copies directly from me at my website. I’m still working on getting everything in ebook, but for now Charming Academy and The Ultimate Prince Charming are available on Smashwords.
Where can readers connect with you online?
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Sanalbereth. 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 the planet of Shatterworld, in Realm Explorers Part LXII!
Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series.
Please join us again next Monday for a trip to the planet of Shatterworld, in Realm Explorers Part LXII!
-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: Laurie Penner
Title of book and/or series: Secrets of Gwenla
Brief summary of the story: Trapped inside a towering fortress, young Julyiah seeks to understand Gwenla’s ancient riddles. As truth is revealed, Julyiah’s heart takes her to both breathtaking and terrifying places. Evil forces try to stop her, for she has discovered how to free the enclosed community from some old and deadly deceptions.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story: Victory Valley is a lot like a peaceful secluded valley on Earth, except that it is completely enclosed within fortress walls, and has been for 400 years. No one is allowed outside the walls, so no one knows what is out there. A spring rises from the upper end of the valley and runs through the lower end, providing water for farms. The ranchers raise cows, sheep, and goats. Only a few horses and dogs were permitted inside before the walls were sealed. Tall trees are rare, because the Agricultural Authority only allows edible or useful plants to grow in the limited space. Underneath the ground level, the city of Durnee lies in a huge cavern, where the wicked master of the Underground enslaves the poor, and profits from his evil deeds. Valley leaders teach that people who live down there have been deceived by the Lying Wind, but some valley dwellers still travel there by night to gamble, drink, or visit the infamous Durnee Hotel.
If we were to visit Victory Valley as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there? Be sure to see the towering North Wall, where the wealthy leaders live. It has some spectacular stones and other rich ornamentation. The Listening Hall is available for hearing the Music, but you have to get past the guards, who check you for unwanted air movement when you enter. Near the Listening Hall are rooms where you can read the sacred books and listen to safe music anytime, for a price.
What dangers should we avoid in the Valley? Stay out of the Underground and be wary of any breeze, because it might be the Lying Wind.
Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in the Valley? Yes, be sure to try the napcot fruit, good fresh or dried. Several of the women make excellent breads, plus you’ll want some leaky root for dessert. Nutritious chakia roots are abundant in the Underground, but they don’t have much flavor.
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in the Valley? Weapons have not been needed much yet, though a time is coming when they will be. The Valley Law maintains order by carrying swords, though they have rarely been needed (yet).
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in Victory Valley? Horses, wagons, and carriages.
What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Victory Valley that we don’t see on Earth? Teka bushes provide valley dwellers with dinner-plate sized leaves for paper, and they grow prolifically both above and below ground. One can write on a Teka leaf with a piece of charcoal, erase it and reuse it several times. When it grows limp, it makes a sturdy cleaning cloth, never wearing out completely.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in the Valley? If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used. All of the adults in Victory Valley have an unusual ability to live both in the real world and in their hearts, at the same time. A child reaches this ability after he or she passes through the Understanding, which might be a good or bad experience. Whenever an adult hears true Music, his or her heart takes off to breathtaking places, and at that moment, amazing things might happen in the physical world as well as in the heart.
Is there any advanced or unusual technology in the Valley? If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples. Light rocks come in various sizes and qualities, but any light rock will glow after being charged in the sun. One can carry a small one to light a pathway. Larger, clearer ones light a house or entire area. Warming rocks are used both to heat and to cool, depending on how they’ve been temperature-charged. Sound rocks can record music. Many songs were recorded back in Gwenla’s time on these rocks and put into boxes. When someone opens the box, the song plays back. The music cells and Listening Hall have plenty of music boxes for the people to listen to while studying the sacred books.
Is there a particular religion practiced in Victory Valley? Please describe what it involves. Music is a major part of a valley dweller’s life in worship of the One, and the leaders expect the people to attend the Listening Hall every week to hear teaching from the sacred books and listen to songs from the music boxes. Listening to the Music or the Voice outside of this format is considered wayward, even though the books themselves talk about this phenomenon. The kind of music people hear in the valley is a matter of great importance and plays a key part in the outcome of the story.
What is the political or government structure in the Valley? Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she? Normally there are five male leaders in charge of the community and the religion, although when Gwenla was alive, her word was dominant. If a leader gains distinction or seniority, he might be included as one of the three high leaders.
Are there any other unique cultural practices that we should be aware of if we visit the Valley? When you greet someone, be sure to ask, “Where are you?” rather than, “How are you?” Since you can’t see into someone’s heart, the person could be falling off a cliff or in the middle of a fire and you wouldn’t know it, other than by studying their emotional state or asking them.
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book? What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book? In my own life, as in many others, there is often a question of how much we should be controlled by government or religious leaders. This theme is represented in the book.
Author Autobiography: Laurie has been writing for over forty-five years, starting when she was fourteen years old on her first inspirational mystery/romance novel. Whether it’s non-fiction or a novel, Laurie’s goal is to encourage people with personal issues to build character in the midst of their trials.Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book? On Amazon: Secrets of Gwenla e-book Secrets of Gwenla paperback
Where can readers connect with you online? Secrets of Gwenla Facebook Page Laurie Penner, Author/Editor Page Laurie Penner Website
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Victory Valley. 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 the fantasy world of Sanalbereth, in Realm Explorers Part LXI!
Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series.
Please join us again next Monday for a trip to the fantasy world of Sanalbereth, in Realm Explorers Part LXI!
-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:
H. A. Titus
Title of book and/or series:
Forged Steel, Book 1 of the Crucible Series
Brief summary of the story:
Downtown. Coffee shop. 2 AM.
One minute, Josh is firing off sarcastic remarks at his best friend Marc – the next, they’re running from shape-shifters. Apparently, even best friends don’t share all their secrets.
Now Josh is in danger. He can see the monsters among the humans.
When Marc is kidnapped, Josh finds himself pulled into the schemes of the fae courts, and throws in his lot with Marc’s allies: the lovely Larae, a human named David, and the fighter, Eliaster. But what began as a rescue mission becomes something much more involved…
And all Josh wants to do is get out before it’s too late.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
Much of the story takes place in our world, as it is urban fantasy. However, the fae have in many locations established underground cities collectively known as the Underworld. An Underworld city is usually established underneath an existing human city, in a cavern hidden by fae glamour to human eyes and instruments. There are hidden Overworld entrances in various locations–in Forged Steel, those locations would be a breakwall on Lake Michigan (for the Chicago Underworld), and the lowest level of a parking garage (in Springfield, Missouri). Each Underworld city is comprised of residential areas ringing a central business area known as the Market. At the outskirts of the cavern, there are usually several mansions or nicer homes where the elite rich fae live.
If we were to visit The Underworld as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
The Market would be a must-see. Weapons shops with swords and daggers, booths where you can get traditional Celtic food, weird little shops that are a mix of restaurant, bar, and personal goods store, fae glamour potions–it’s all there. It’s kind of a mix of a human carnival and a medieval festival.
What dangers should we avoid in The Underworld?
Don’t go down any streets that look deserted, or where there are only a few people. Stick to crowds and don’t wander off. Also, if you see any fae with any sort of raven tattoo, run. They’re most likely a member of the Lucht Leanuna, who want to bring their evil king Fear Doricht into our world, and they do not like humans in the least.
Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in The Underworld?
Irish Boxties are griddle cakes made of ptotatoes, milk, flour, and seasonings. Cranachan is an oatmeal pudding with raspberries and cream–it’s traditionally washed down with really strong whiskey, but there are a few places that also serve it with homemade cream soda. Another popular dessert are sandbakkels, which are Norwegian cookies with lots of butter and sugar.
Fae are also, strangely, really fond of hot curry. You can find it everywhere, with any sort of meat you want.
Basically, don’t expect to find any diet food. Fae really don’t understand that human obsession.
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in The Underworld?
Swords are preferred, though most fae carry a gun or two as backup. A popular type of sword is called a glamour sword, which is any kind of sword infused with fae glamour to keep humans from noticing the weapons quite as much. Since fae have short tempers and are volatile, a lot of them also know at least some hand to hand combat, and a lot of the fae warriors are basically glorified street brawlers.
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to The Underworld?
As it’s underground, there aren’t a ton of vehicles in the Underworld. Mostly mopeds and dirtbikes/motorcycles. A few fae who do a lot of things aboveground have regular vehicles, and you’ll see a lot of the richer fae with muscle cars, supercars, and flashy, high end vehicles. Fae like to show off.
What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in The Underworld that we don’t see on Earth?
There are all sorts of sidhé (which is pronounced shee) other than fae. Trolls are common, as well as goblins and cat-sidhé (goblins with mangy fur, claws, and pointed ears). Other monsters include the bean sidhé (what Americans know as the banshee), the sluagh, (pronounced sloo-ah, rumored to suck out people’s souls), the faoladh (benevolent werewolves who are known as protectors, especially of the elderly and of children), and the droch fhola (pronounced drok-o-la [yes, as in Dracula], which is theorized to be the actual basis for the Irish Bram Stoker’s novel, rather than the legends of Vlad the Impaler.) That’s a sampling. There are many creepy, deadly monsters in the lives of the fae, though thankfully they seem to be pretty scarce in modern day.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in The Underworld? If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.
Fae, and most other types of sidhé, have a natural “magic” called glamour. They use it to alter their appearance, most often to appear human, though they can also use it to appear younger, older, or disappear altogether. Some glamour also gives fae other abilities, though this is rare. All fae posses glamour, as well as very few half-fae.
Another type of magic, blood magic, is employed by Fear Doirich’s followers. This is regarded solely as evil and unnatural, as the practitioners use it to harm others, and occasionally, bind demons and monsters.
Some fae follow Druidic practices, though they’re pretty secretive about their beliefs and rituals.
Many fae believe in God, whom they call “the Almighty”, and they certainly believe in angels and demons, though stories of supernatural involvement come from long ago and most believe they’ve been embellished in the telling.
Is there any advanced or unusual technology in The Underworld? If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples.
Fae generally aren’t very good with technology, so that tends to be pretty limited. Some fae have basic cell phones and computers, but other than that, they tend to steer clear of it.
Tell us about any sports, games, or activities that are available for entertainment in The Underworld.
Well, there’s always hand-to-hand combat events, and sword matches. Some fae treat these with the same enthusiasm that wrestling meets in the Overworld. Fae also enjoy darts, rounders (similar to cricket), and soccer.
Are the days of the week and months of the year the same in The Underworld as on Earth? What holidays or special events are celebrated regularly there?
The four mid-season holidays are important to fae, as it was then that their original world Tir Ni-all was said to be the most easily accessed by those on earth. Rather than Halloween, fae celebrate All Souls Day on November 2, when they remember and honor their ancestors, especially those who fell in battle. They also celebrate Yule (Christmas).
Is there a particular religion practiced in the Underworld? Please describe what it involves.
Typically, religious fae fall under three categories–Christian, Druidic, and the Lucht, who follow Doiricht as if he is a god.
What is the political or government structure in The Underworld? Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
Fae politics are pretty fragmented. Fae are typically split into two courts, Seelie and Unseelie, and each Underworld city has a Highlord from each court. Underneath him, there might be various counselors and lords who have separate tasks (such as acting as a liaison between the Highlord and the local faoladh pack), but it depends on the size of the city.
Are there any other unique cultural practices that we should be aware of if we visit The Underworld?
Fae are extremely respectful of their dead and cremate the remains rather than allowing them to rot in the earth. They also tend to look down on humans, especially humans who do not adapt to the culture.
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?I grew up in Springfield, Missouri, where the first book partially takes place. Eventually, in The Crucible series, the characters move up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where I currently live. I have plans to use a lot of places up here, because it’s such a unique area that has a lot of potential for fae wars and intrigue…not to mention a few abandoned open-pit copper ore mines that will make perfect dumping grounds for bodies. *evil grin*
What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
I didn’t deliberately set out to write about anything controversial. I just wanted to tell a good story. But some folks have found it controversial with how my characters never really rise above their ‘flawed hero’ status. At the end of Forged Steel, I leave the two MCs with some unresolved issues that I plan on bringing up in the rest of the series. Certainly things will get better for them, a lot better in some certain cases, but I don’t ever really plan on them becoming “perfect” or fully putting their problems to rest, because I don’t see that as something that’s realistic. In my own personal life, I may be able to put some of my issues to rest for a time, but inevitably, they will rear their ugly heads again, and I think that’s normal, because we’re flawed human beings.
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book(s)? Please include links.
And on Kobo! J
Where can readers connect with you online?
My wesbite is hatitus.com, and I’m active on Instagram and Twitter, with occasional forays into Facebook.
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to The Underworld. 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 the enclosed fortress of Victory Valley, in Realm Explorers Part LX!
Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series.
Please join us again next Monday for a trip to the enclosed fortress of Victory Valley, in Realm Explorers Part LX!
-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. This one is available for FREE! There’s also a giveaway at the bottom to win a fun little prize!
Author’s name:
RJ Conte
Title of book and/or series:
Lucent Sylph: A Short Story
Brief summary of the story:
Lucas Thissel has something he fears: an alien species of palm-sized glass fairies called Lucent Sylphs. They came through a portal from a metaphysical dimension, and they indenture themselves as slaves to human beings. Too much neglect or unkindness, and they will cloud over and disintegrate. Too much love and their hearts are overcome and burst.
And one has attached herself to Lucas.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
Unlike our universe, which is physical and scientifically measured by our five senses – the dimension of Sylpha is completely metaphysical, meaning that everything is boiled down into single energy/emotion forces. Sylpha has a “sun” type of inner core blasting an umbrella of love and positive emotion. Lucent Sylphs don’t have bodies in Sylpha. They are love/energy forces. However, the umbrella of their “sun’s” core only extends so far. Outside of its reach, Lucent Sylphs die.
How are Lucent Sylphs born?
Lucent Sylphs are born from moments of extreme joy. They are asexual and genderless creatures, taking on a gentle female appearance in our world. When they are extremely overwhelmed by moments and feelings of love and happiness, they spontaneously produce an infant version of themselves which are encased in self-sustaining energy cocoons. Lucent Sylphs live for just under one of our human years in these cocoons, maturing. When they are born, they feed off of the “sun’s” positive energy force and go on existing in Sylpha. They have homes and living spaces of sorts, which would be indiscernible to a human’s five senses.
Lucent Sylphs cannot give love-energy to each other on Sylpha or on earth. On Sylpha, they get it from their “umbrella-sun.” On earth, they can only get it from humans, who are conduits of emotion. They can feel attachment to others – and they feel strongly – but it translates into nothing that they can ingest. Therefore, on earth, Lucent Sylphs don’t seek out each other, because they would starve and die. They are only equipped to take in affection, not give it out – unless it is in birthing other Lucent Sylphs, something that could never happen on earth due to the inability to sustain great joy in a stable, positive environment.
How do they die on Sylpha?
When a Lucent Sylph dies of old age, and they are inside of the Love-Sun bubble’s umbrella, they are sucked back into the sun’s life force, and continue the circle of life. They live much longer than we do.
What made them seek contact with earth?
Too many years of peace and success on Sylpha has led to an overpopulation problem. Not only are too many Lucent Sylphs being born, but too few are dying, which causes the Love-Sun to shrink. The Lucent Sylphs end up crowded and unable to bear their numbers, which leads to poverty and positive-emotion-starvation. After hundreds of years, this will lead to unrest and unhappiness, which will reset the problem of overpopulation and help them build, but, in the meantime, it’s hard to watch your own kind get pushed out into the negative atmosphere and disintegrate, as well as poverty and starvation slowly killing off your family members you birthed back when you were happy.
Since this is not a three-dimensional world, things we’d find physically impossible, like traveling to the nearest star, is easy for them. Channeling a sufficient amount of positive energy, they opened up a portal to a parallel point in a physical realm (earth) where they can barter for an element that can be turned into more Love for their sun’s umbrella: our gold. The element Au, when passing through a dimension-sorting, metaphysical portal, turns into positive energy on their planet.
Therefore, when new Lucent Sylphs are born, many are marked for “death on earth” right away and sent in their cocoons – with a certain emotional wavelength (that turns into a pod) included to send the gold back – to earth.
Here on earth, we are a people of sinful, negative, selfish emotions. Love is small, corrupted, and we are stingy with it. Our physical bodies are weak compared to love-energy forces. We have no driving “sun of love” to keep emotions stable. Living on our planet, for them, is like living with too little oxygen that occasionally just turns off for the fun of it.
Why does a Lucent Sylph look like a glass fairy on earth?The translation of one alien creature into another is incomplete. Due to the suffocating lack of love on earth, a Lucent Sylph – a powerful, strong, long-living creature on her planet – ends up translating into a fragile, tiny, see-through being on earth. There just isn’t enough positive emotion present on earth, as the conditions aren’t perfect, to give her size, flesh, or many internal organs. She has a “heart” and veins that hunger after love and search out positive energy sources, but not much else of them translates well into a 3D physical universe.
My book cover was designed by me, and I chose the images, leaving it to a graphic designer to put the images together. However, due to not being able to communicate the circulatory system well, I went back in and drew all of her veins in by hand on the cover. 😛
I’ve also included a sketch I drew myself of Nissa – the main Lucent Sylph in the story. It’s light, since I only did it in pencil, but I hope to someday paint it in watercolor.
Lastly, here’s an anime picture I inverted. It is also a good, glassy representation of what Nissa might look like. 🙂What language do they speak on Sylpha?
“Lucent” means “transparent,” and “sylph” means “fairy.” Humans named them. Even “Sylpha,” the land, was named by a human. There are no such thing as names or language on Sylpha. People recognize and communicate with each other on specialized emotional wavelengths. Languages on earth are easy for Lucent Sylphs to translate and mimic, since they are tangible and auditory. They don’t require controlled emotion and are simplistic in nature compared to how Lucent Sylphs communicate on Sylpha, which requires all of their heart and soul. A Lucent Sylph can speak in any language required of it on earth.
What dangers do Lucent Sylphs encounter on earth?
Our atmosphere, weather, heat, cold, etc. doesn’t harm them in the slightest. You could take a jackhammer to a Lucent Sylph and you wouldn’t crack their thin, fragile-looking bodies in the slightest. Drop them in boiling water, throw them off a cliff, pitch them into outer space, etc. It wouldn’t harm them. They are not made of physical elements, even though you can touch and feel them. They don’t need our air, water, and sunlight to stay alive. They have wings because gravity works so much less on them, and, on Sylpha, they, more or less, “swim” through their atmosphere like a sound or light wave. The flying or swimming translates into wings on earth.
However, ignore them or feel hatred for them in your heart? They’re dead in a flash. Obsess over them and adore them? They explode. They’re vulnerable in a very unique way.
Why bother paying the gold? Why not just cheat them and enslave them fully?
Dishonesty, deceit, and cheating a Lucent Sylph fails every time. Even if you don’t say it out loud, your selfish negative emotions will kill them. The first Americans that tried to get away without paying their dues back to Sylpha for their Lucent Sylph pet, saw their fairies disintegrate in seconds. They come over willingly to keep the overpopulation problem lower and to beg for gold to be sent back and be converted into love-like energy. They promise servitude in exchange. They expect to be treated fairly. No Lucent Sylph is going to leave the portal area without making sure the gold goes through. There’s no way you can cheat them. You emanate a non-physical emotion that can’t be measured by science. But it is food, water, and oxygen to a Lucent Sylph. They will see through you in an instant and die on you. Do what they say if you want to enjoy their unique company.
Is there a particular religion practiced in Sylpha?
Lucent Sylphs worship God, our Father, and the Maker of their world – the giver of Love. He is the creator of their love-sun, that set their planet in emotion. Unlike human beings, they need no words to be spoken or written down to teach them about God. Instead He speaks straight to their hearts about His tangible love, righteous holiness, and power. J
What is the political or government structure in Sylpha? Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
Elders are respected, on the whole, and everything is peaceful, devoid of negativity and ill-will, due to living under a love-umbrella, and being creatures of love. No one is elevated above anyone else. Decisions are made, typically unanimously, as a group. They aren’t quite a Borg group out of Star Trek or anything – they have their own will – but it is very much muted compared to humans’ individualistic thoughts and ideas. Lucent Sylphs are focused on the greater good, organization, and peace. However, they are not angered by humanity and its blatant negativity and sinfulness. Instead, they are compassionate, and consider themselves mere observers and servants. They are incredibly humble creatures, who would do whatever their master told them to do.
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
I have gone through some very, very difficult circumstances this year. I have lost people in every way imaginable: I moved away from where I had been living for a decade, I lost people spiritually and emotionally, and I lost a little sister to death. The balance of loving others and being willing to be hurt was weighing very heavily on my mind when I wrote this story. I wrote it in 24 hours, in a fit of emotion, and then took the next four months to edit it.
What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
Alcoholism, neglective parents, and the brevity of life.
Author Autobiography:RJ Conte, formerly Rachael Lynn Thomas, has kissed only one boy in her entire life. And she married him, inspiring her to write about sweet or powerful love stories ever since.
RJ Conte writes realistic, issue-driven fiction that explores human nature and the depths of the soul, while pointing readers to their Creator. She has four other novels and novellas (all featuring a unique love story) here on Amazon.com
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book(s)? Please include links.
All for free!
I want to make Lucent Sylph available everywhere for free, but I am currently trying to convince Amazon.com to do so for me! If you’d like to support me and pay the 99 cents, it’s available on Amazon.com in ebook form here.
And, in paperback, on Lulu.com
Where can readers connect with you online?
I write a blog on parenting, publishing, painting, and perorating at http://blonderj.wordpress.com/
I also have an author Facebook account and am on Twitter.
I am currently running a giveaway for only today. Win your own glass fairy (pictured at left)! Simply share a link to Lucent Sylph on your blog, wall, or any social media TODAY, and comment on this post or my blog telling me you did so. Winners will be announced tomorrow, the 4th. 🙂
If you’d like to test your heart, and see if you would be able to keep a Lucent Sylph alive, there’s a fun quiz on Playbuzz that will tell you your result! 🙂
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Sylpha. 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 the Underworld, in Realm Explorers Part LIX!
-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: Inge Meldgaard
Title of book and/or series: The Seed Gatherers
Brief summary of the story:
Set in the year 2457, on the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia, a crime committed by two young Norwegians affects the entire community living at the base of the Dandenong Ranges. If caught, Yngwie and his friend Torleif, who are expert communication systems hackers, must answer to the Federation Special Investigation Unit. Others who use the event as inspiration plunge the forests and its people into chaos. The lives of scientists, forest guardians and seed gatherers are placed at risk, as are their cats – extraordinary creatures bred in special centres and with the power to influence human emotions.
In this third book of the series, that began with ‘The Cicada’, followed by ‘A Death In The Making’, the story gradually links back to earlier, unresolved questions. It also continues to explore the relationship between the cats and their human companions. When the geneticists at the breeding centre in Werribee realise the cats can perhaps no longer be controlled, they are faced with an ethical dilemma. Similarly, after a new and intriguing forest inhabitant is discovered, those who know of its existence must decide whether to reveal its secret.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
By the year 2050, the world’s population had reached ten billion, and by 2090, had risen to twelve billion. Finally, by 2135, with a population of fifteen billion, Earth was in a state of crisis. Species extinctions increased exponentially and the planet’s ecosystems were at breaking point. The sick, the frail, the prematurely born and the disabled could no longer gain access to dwindling medical supplies and overextended facilities, so died in their hundreds of millions. Life expectancy dropped to a meagre fifty-six years in even the least affected countries.
As the world’s climate became increasingly unstable, and the wealthier nations began to feel the direst impacts, an awareness of the need for global government developed. The United Nations Assembly was transformed into the World Federation of Nations. Economic and technological aid, together with political incentives, were offered to those countries unable, or unwilling, to introduce population control or effective resource conservation measures. Some resisted what they perceived as interference and closed their borders, nationalising foreign-owned industries in a vain attempt to exclude the outside world. Others saw themselves as powerful enough to defy both the Federation and the inevitable consequences of their actions, so declared war – and solved their population problems by losing. Yet, by the middle of the twenty-third century, the world was finally at peace, although by this time had lost most of its natural forests and other wild places, while humans now numbered a mere three billion.
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used for travel?
The ancient centres of inner London, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Amsterdam were now ghostly ruins, surrounded by water and inhabited by shadows, while the newer, and yet still relatively old, cities of Vancouver, Miami and New Orleans had been destroyed by the unleashed violence of tidal waves. The tidal waves followed a worldwide series of massive earthquakes, during which Japan and the American state of California were destroyed, together with countless other vulnerable regions and low-lying island states.
Melbourne was more fortunate than many other coastal cities, being sheltered from the worst storms by Port Phillip Bay. Some of the older buildings in the central area were lost, but those which had been well built, or were strategically placed on the summits of low hills, survived as islands in a shallow and gentle sea. The noise, smell and dirt of the city’s streets were, in time, replaced by the grace and silence of solar-electric powered watercraft. The walls of the buildings, once covered in grime from exhaust fumes, returned to their original colours, and after almost two hundred years, the sunlight now sparkled on clean waters.
What is the political or government structure in 25th century Earth?
The World Federation of Nations has member countries with democratic national governments and where relevant, State governments. Everyone is required to work a 25-hour week to the best of their ability, and in return are provided with all essential services, delivered by government organisations, receive a quota of scarce resources, and in addition, a number of credits with which to buy goods and services produced by private enterprises.
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in 25th century Earth?
Although the world is now finally at peace, realistic attitudes towards the occasional need for self-defence, together with a wish to promote self-confidence and physical fitness, means children usually begin martial arts training at a young age, with an emphasis on Wing Chun kung fu, due to its overall philosophy of non-aggression.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in 25thcentury Earth? If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.
To some extent answering this question gives a significant part of the story away, so let’s just say that cats are not the only creatures who have developed strange powers: so have certain people, and they have ancestors who are described in the epilogue to the second book of this series, A Death In The Making. Notably, only Australians have these powers at this point in time.
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
I was born in Denmark, which has a long history of social equality, a remarkably sensible approach to life, and from the 1920s to the early 1990s, a socialist government, whereby everyone could feel secure in the knowledge that they could contribute to the country and in return be well provided for. My parents imbued me with a strong sense of social responsibility and the need to care for what we have, as well as our environment. This in turn led me to question many of the social norms of the decades in which I grew up, i.e. the 1960s and 70s, and to join various organizations to fight for social change. My novels are a reflection of my need to explore options, challenge assumptions, and to put forward possibilities for discussion and change, where needed. I don’t pretend to say my scenarios are ‘correct’, but I do intend them to be thought provoking.
What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
The main issues I focus upon are concerned with climate change as it affects both people and the natural environment; our relationship with animals; and the problems faced by people who are ‘different’ from the majority, in particular those with disabilities.
Author Autobiography: My family migrated to Australia in 1957, where I grew up in the small country town of Yallourn. After finishing high school in 1970, I studied at Monash University, in Melbourne, for a Bachelor of Science in botany and genetics. From 1975 to 1984, I worked in a variety of professions, including youth work and teaching. Returning to study, I completed a Graduate Diploma in applied social research at Swinburne University, then worked in politics and community development until I once again returned to study in 1989, this time obtaining a Graduate Diploma in information technology. Since then, until retirement in 2006, I worked in this field, finally spending nine years as an IT Manager with Monash University.
I now live in the Dandenong Ranges on the outskirts of Melbourne, and since retiring have spent more time enjoying photography and art; writing poetry, short stories and novels; producing an illustrated children’s book, and publishing a personal memoir for another author. My other life-long interests include gardening, interior decoration and the appreciation of pre-WWII architecture.
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your books?
All my books are available in paperback and eBook formats (epub, pdf and Kindle), and the children’s book is also available as a hardcover edition. They are available worldwide from all major retail websites, as well as from Australian library suppliers.
Where can readers connect with you online?
I have a personal Facebook page, which is easy enough to find because I’m the only person with my name living in Australia. I also have a Twitter account @ingemeldgaard, a large profile on the world’s most prolific art website (redmatilda.deviantart.com) and my email address is [email protected]
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to 25th century Earth. 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 the fantasy land of Victory Valley, in Realm Explorers Part LVIII!
Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series.
Please join us again next Monday for a trip to the fantasy land of Victory Valley, in Realm Explorers Part LVIII!
-Annie Douglass Lima