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:
Cynthia P. Willow
Title of book and/or series:
The Kingsley Adventures
Patty Gayle and the Legend of Kingsley ~ Book 1
Return to Kingsley ~ Book 2
Brief summary of the stories:
PATTY GAYLE AND THE LEGEND OF KINGSLEY
When twelve-year-old Patty Gayle’s grandmother grants her an old skeleton key, it unlocks the adventure of a lifetime! The key leads her to beautiful Kingsley, a magical land threatened by an evil sorcerer. Patty Gayle soon discovers that an ancient prophecy has foretold that a young human girl is the only hope for Kingsley. If she is truly to be the chosen one, she must overcome her deepest fears. Will the faith of a young girl be enough to free Kingsley from a tragic fate?
RETURN TO KINGSLEY
Thirteen-year-old Callie dreams of having her own adventure in the magical world of Kingsley like her grandmother and her great-great grandmother before her. But she doesn’t have very high hopes since the portal to Kingsley was shut fifty-two years ago. Little does she know that the inhabitants of Kingsley are in desperate need. A plague is killing Kingsley’s creatures. But Callie doesn’t live on the lake, nor does she have the magical bracelet to allow her to breathe underwater. How will she get to Kingsley? And will she figure it out in time to save the land?
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
Kingsley is a parallel world to ours. It is a beautiful world full of fairy queens, mermaids, and all sorts of talking creatures.
If we were to visit Kingsley as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?Well, if you borrowed the bracelet which allows you to breathe under water, then you could go to the bottom of the ocean and play poker with the dolphins. If you don’t know how to play poker, you could swim with the mermaids. If you’re more of a land-lover, perhaps you’d like to visit Faith, the unicorn. And if you’re not afraid of heights, you might want to take a ride on Keagan’s back. No, I’m telling you what Keagan is.
What dangers should we avoid in Kingsley?
All humans must stay clear of the Ghillie-Dhu. They dislike humans. And of course, there are evil sorcerers there, but I’ve said too much.
Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in Kingsley?
Yes! There is a delicious purple triangular fruit that sustains the person who eats it for a good while.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Kingsley? If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.
The 3 fairy queens use magic for good purposes. Their magic also keeps them immortal. The brownies–which are servants in the castle–also use magic for making all sorts of things.
Tell us about any sports, games, or activities that are available for entertainment in Kingsley.If dolphins playing poker isn’t entertainment, then I don’t know what is.
What is the political or government structure in Kingsley? Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
Kingsley is ruled by three fairy queens. They are sisters. By name: Ruby, Pearl, and Emerald. Ruby is the leader of the three. She is the one who holds everything together. She’s stern, but just. Pearl is the caring, emotional sister who thinks of others first. Emerald has the personality of a teenager and giggles a lot.
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
The world of Kingsley is inspired by a real place in Florida called Kingsley Lake. My ancestors settled Kingsley Lake, and my grandmother and mother grew up there. Three of my grandmother’s sisters were named Ruby, Pearl, and Emma. I planned to write a story about the sisters when I was just a child. I took that plan and mixed it with my mom’s childhood fantasies and made a series.
Author Autobiography:I’m a home-schooling mother of three and a full-time student earning my Masters degree in Human Services and Life Coaching.
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your books?
The Kingsley Adventures are available in Ebook format on Kindle, Nook, Scribd, Apple, Kobo, and Inktera as well as paperback. All links are on The Kingsley Adventures page of my website:
If you want to read them on Kindle, you can purchase them both in a 2-book bundle and save $2.00.
Where can readers connect with you online?
Please visit my website at www.cynthiapwillow.com
Find me on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/Cynthiapwillow
Follow me on Twitter: www.Twitter.com/CynthiaPWillow
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Kingsley. 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 sci-fi world of Cyraria, in Realm Explorers Part XXXV!
Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series.
Please join us again next Monday for a trip to the sci-fi world of Cyraria, in Realm Explorers Part XXXV!
-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: Cynthia P. Willow
Title of book and/or series: The Karini and Lamek Chronicles
Brief summary of the story:
The Karini and Lamek Chronicles is an endearing fairy tale of High Fantasy. Enter a world of fairies, dragons, dwarves, and elves in The Land of Serenity, a magical world where possibilities are endless and truth makes a difference.
From one reviewer: “Cynthia does an expert job of creating memorable and interesting characters who rapidly endear themselves to you with their exploits and personality traits. Her book[s] are good for young readers, with lots of action and adventure to hold their interest while also being very parent-friendly.” ~ Krystine Kercher
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
The Land of Serenity is a beautiful land full of lush forests, scenic mountains, and a huge castle! Fairies dance on flower petals, dwarves mine for diamonds, and then there are the dragons…. are they good or evil?
If we were to visit The Land of Serenity as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
The mushroom village where the fairies live would be a lot of fun. Just watch your step! Then we could split into groups to see which group could find the secret cave first! A visit to Mount Flog to meet the snow parrots would be interesting, but bring a snow suit! We could hop in a mine cart and visit the dwarves…diamonds anyone? If you’re not scared of getting lost in the woods, we could hike up Mount Chesney and search for Natas’ cottage. If nothing else, we’d have to take a tour of the castle.
What dangers should we avoid in The Land of Serenity?
Well, watch out for the dragons, giants, and trolls. But they’re nothing compared to Natas.
Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in The Land of Serenity?
There’s no telling what Filmer will cook, but he specializes in dumplings. The fairies would love to serve you tea and cakes though!
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in The Land of Serenity?
It depends on who it is, but many use wands, teleportation, and animal transformation. In other words, MAGIC!
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to The Land of Serenity?
The Land of Serenity is full of mythical creatures. Just about anything you can think of is there. If you can tame a dragon, you can hitch a ride on it. Then again, it might be more fun to befriend a witch and hop on the back of her broomstick!
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in The Land of Serenity? If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.
Magic plays a huge role in the Land of Serenity. There are good witches and wizards, and there are evil ones. We learn in book 1 a secret that has to do with magic, but I don’t want to reveal it.
Is there any advanced or unusual technology in The Land of Serenity? If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples.
Not really. For the most part, the folks in The Land of Serenity live a lot like people in medieval times did.
Are the days of the week and months of the year the same in The Land of Serenity as on earth? What holidays or special events are celebrated regularly there?
Yes. The days are the same. The only holidays that are mentioned are birthdays. Several characters celebrate their birthdays in The Land of Serenity. One particular party starts off with a bang and ends in a huge battle. Wedding celebrations are also big in The Land of Serenity.
Is there a particular religion practiced in The Land of Serenity? Please describe what it involves.
Not directly. Characters demonstrate faith in God, but I don’t go into a whole lot of detail with it. However, the good morals and lessons in the stories reflect my own Christian upbringing.
What is the political or government structure in The Land of Serenity? Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
The Land of Serenity is supposed to be ruled by a king, but that was before the dragons took over….
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
I’ve always had a love for fantasy. I passed that love onto my children, and they were the inspiration for these stories. I began writing book 1 when my son (now 17) was 8 years old, and my daughter (now 14) was 5. The villain in book 1 (Ocamar) was named by my son. Once we came up with the land and the names of a few characters, it took off! There would be no Land of Serenity without my children.
What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
Magic is controversial enough! As a writer who is also a Christian, I have had to defend this series, but most Christians are accepting of it once they realize it’s not much different than the writing of C.S. Lewis. The Bible is clear when it comes to the presence of evil, and fantasy and the use of magic is one way to demonstrate good versus evil.
Author Autobiography:
Cynthia P. Willow writes Christian fiction and fantasy for all ages. She lives in Georgia with her husband, three children, and their family pet—a Morkie named Madam Alice Bellatrix.
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your books?
All of my books are in paperback and Kindle on Amazon. Select books are available in other eBook formats such as Nook and Apple. Please visit my website www.cynthiapwillow.comfor links to all my books. Some of my series are available in bundles to save you $$$! For example, click here for the 3-book bundle for this series!
Where can readers connect with you online?
Cynthia’s website: www.cynthiapwillow.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CynthiaPWillow
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cynthiapwillow
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to the Land of Serenity. 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 Mythic realms (hidden right here in our own world!) in Realm Explorers Part X!
Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series.
Please join us again next Monday for a trip to the Mythic realms (hidden right here in our own world!) in Realm Explorers Part X!
-Annie Douglass Lima
Are you an author who would like your world to appear on Realm Explorers? Click here to download the instructions and interview form, or email me at [email protected] for more information.
Looking for a great Christmas gift for a family member or friend? I am excited to feature an awesome Christmas novel on my blog today! It’s the first in a series called Hell’s Tales, and it’s just been released as an audiobook, so you have your choice of formats! Hell’s Christmas has some great reviews on Amazon, too:
Book Description:
Monika Hell seemed to have it all. She was gorgeous, owned a nice condo, an expensive car, an endless wardrobe, and had a great job as a store manager in the mall. But, she was mean, miserable, and worst of all, hated Christmas.
Kidnapped from the mall parking lot on Christmas Eve, her life is turned upside down. Now, on Christmas morning, she finds herself in a freezing alley with nothing but the tattered clothes on her back. With no identification, no money, and no one willing to help, Monika is forced to start all over. Could losing everything she’d worked for all her life lead her to find what’s been missing all along?
Click here to order Hell’s Christmas: the audiobook.
Click here to download Hell’s Christmas: the eBook. (It’s just $3.99, and you can use Amazon’s gift function to make it a present for the Kindle owner on your list!)
Click here to order Hell’s Christmas in paperback.
Meet the Author:
Cynthia is a writer of Christian fiction/fantasy. She attends Liberty University where she is earning her BS in Psychology and Christian Counseling.
Cynthia is an administrator with the CIA… haha, that’s Christian Indie Authors. She is happily married and living in Georgia with her husband and three children.
Cynthia has many stories to tell. She loves to write about faith with a twist of fantasy to entertain hearts and minds of all ages.
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/CynthiaPWillow
Blog: http://www.cynthiapwillow.com/under-the-willow-tree.html
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CynthiaPWillow
Click here to view other books by Cynthia P. Willow, including children’s novels and young adult fantasy.