From the author of The Land Uncharted comes the second book in the Uncharted series, Uncharted Redemption. Written like a historical, set like a scifi, and filled with romance, Uncharted Redemption continues this suspenseful story of life in a hidden land.
Title: Uncharted Redemption
Author: Keely Brooke Keith
Release Date: February 24, 2015
Publisher: Edenbrooke Press
Description: Levi Colburn, resentful of his father, haunted by his mother’s tragic death, and pained by his love for the unattainable Mandy Foster, breaks from the Land’s tradition and begins to build a life of his own. When rebels tear through the village of Good Springs, Levi vows to deliver justice and restore the woman he loves. As tradition stands in the way of redemption and threats from the outside world begin to appear, Levi must learn his greatest battles cannot be fought with his fists. Romantic, suspenseful, and filled with adventure, Uncharted Redemption weaves dramatic new layers into life in the Land.
Have your ebook of Uncharted Redemption signed via Authorgraph
Uncharted Redemptionis the second book in the Uncharted series. If you haven’t read The Land Uncharted, it’s best to start here: The LandUncharted
Author Bio:
Keely is a bass guitarist and lives on a hilltop south of Nashville. When she isn’t writing stories or playing bass, Keely enjoys dancing, having coffee with friends, and sifting through vintage books at antique stores.
Welcome to Realm Explorers! In this weekly series, we visit a variety of unique worlds created by talented science fiction and fantasy authors. Enjoy your travels! And don’t forget to read to the bottom of the post to find out more about each author and see how to purchase the featured book. Also, you can enter to win a free copy of one of her books this week!
Author’s name: E. Kaiser Writes
Title of book and/or series:The Thaw: series, Winter’s Child, Winter Queen, & Prince of Demargen
Brief summary of the story:
Infused with a strong Christian ethic and a historical feel, they’re set in a quasi-Victorian world where portals to fairyland show up every once in a while. Angels move unseen, doing their work, but sometimes in special cases the Master sends them to interject in a person’s life, and change it forever.
Good vs. evil, patience vs. recklessness, and the undeserved gift of grace for those who pray for it; the Thaw: series begins with Winter’s Child, (combining Snow Maiden/Schneekind/Snegurken with Anderson’s Snow Queen) where a barren king and queen pray for a child, and when in their loneliness, they make one out of snow, their prayers are answered in a special, and unusual way. Sometimes, when we get what we wish for, we don’t know what to do with it.
The story continues with Winter Queen, when princess Ilise allows her avoidance behavior to isolate her from the world… and it’s only when she takes the final step that she realizes the wall she’s built in the name of safety is also the one that will hold her prisoner forever… unless she discovers how to destroy it. The only one who can break a neurosis… is the one who has it.
Third in the series is Prince of Demargen, which finally settles the matter of the Devil’s Mirror. The whole world knows his guilt, and is absolutely correct about it, but how far can a man go to regain respect so swiftly lost? Or is an honorable death the best a fallen star can hope for? The only person who can help him… is the one he most deeply wronged.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
I had a lot of fun setting the Thaw: books in a world that was much like Europe, but without all the wars. So if fairytales are often set in Middle Ages type feel, just imagine that being updated to a Victorian-style era, and going from there.
When planning this my brainstorming partner/sister and I definitely knew we didn’t want to be “in the real world” because it is definitely a fairy tale world. So we basically drew heavily from the map, cultures and customs, and changed anything we felt like. It was a lot of fun!
For one thing, we wanted to utilize the Norse cultures, but we wanted our Noran to be more towards the middle of the map. So we switched where Norway and Sweden are, Noran is interior and Svesser is on the outside.
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to Noran?
The North kingdoms use horses and carriages for land travel, sailing ships for sea voyages, and ferries for crossing rivers. Further north, into the Wild Lands, the folk up there use dog teams and reindeer hitches to pull sleds and sledges through the wintery months.
What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Noran that we don’t see on Earth?
The Thaw: books are set in a world pretty much like our own, although the Angels that orchestrate its seasons are sometimes sent on small missions to interject into the lives of mortals and carry out the will of the Master.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Noran?If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.
Magic has been actively outlawed in the world of our main characters, and this ban has been so effectively maintained for over a thousand years has passed, years measured as the Age of Reason. For in this era inexplicable happenings have virtually disappeared. But the portals to fairyland are beginning to be unsealed, which can lead to the dangerous and rather more rampant effects that exist on the other side of that veil.
Items of prohibited power are leaking back into society, and people have become so used to their safe lives that the first incidents blindside everyone.
But certain individuals rise to the challenge, to keep the ways shut, and make sure the avarice of fairyland stays on its own turf.
Is there a particular religion practiced in Noran?Please describe what it involves.
There is only one religion in the Thaw: books, and that is so self evident to everyone involved that it ceases to deserve the term religion. It is universally acknowledged that the Great King of All is watching, and when death claims us we slip out to stand before Him in a judgment that will be final, and for which our mortal lives are simply a preparation.
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
We moved around a lot while I was growing up, but that most often seemed to end up in the northern states. I remember a winter in Minnesota that was so-o cold, and the way the frost covered the windows… looking out over the blue white hills with their trees all bare and gray against a sunrise… The Northern Rockies are no slouches either when it comes to winter weather… so I didn’t have to do much research to write the Cold North type of scenes! Since the kingdom of Noran is somewhat based off of Norway, I did get to do some fun research on traditional foods, etc. I found a list of Finnish dishes and based a lot of the meals in the books on those… and they made me hungry, I can tell you that! J
What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
I don’t think there are any “hot button” topics, unless the use of Angels and having a massively Christian underlayment to a fairytale retelling is controversial. Perhaps a few might think so, but to me it is the most natural thing in the world!
Author Autobiography:
Born in the Midwest, I had a unique childhood of many moves, giving me the opportunity to experience an array of locales and characters all over the nation. We always had three things; faith, family and animals… and I always had dreams. Now we’re finally back on the Plains and make our home on a farm filled with critters!
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your books?
And the usual stuff… which I’d love to connect on! (I’m not super techie, and most everyone I know on any of these I met online… so I’d love to meet more!!! )
Oh, oh, OH!!!! You’ve GOT to go check out the Pinterest group boards for these books! So much fun… (we’ve opened it for fans to pin, so sometimes the name spellings aren’t correct, or everything on there isn’t “straight from the author’s mind” but it is so inspiring to see readers getting excited about the tales! If you’d like to join, just message me on there!!!)
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Noran. Questions about the world or the book? Ask them in the comments and the author will get back to you! Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series. Please join us again next Monday for a trip to Westering, in Realm Explorers Part XXXIII!
And the usual stuff… which I’d love to connect on! (I’m not super techie, and most everyone I know on any of these I met online… so I’d love to meet more!!! )
Oh, oh, OH!!!! You’ve GOT to go check out the Pinterest group boards for these books! So much fun… (we’ve opened it for fans to pin, so sometimes the name spellings aren’t correct, or everything on there isn’t “straight from the author’s mind” but it is so inspiring to see readers getting excited about the tales! If you’d like to join, just message me on there!!!)
Please join us again next Monday for a trip to the fantasy world of Westering, in Realm Explorers Part XXXIII!
-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:
Katharina Gerlach
Title of book and/or series:
Treasures Retold: The Dwarf and the Twins
Brief summary of the story:
Martin, a dwarf with a magical beard, helps a pregnant woman to escape the king’s soldiers. Little does he know that the twin she bears will change his life forever.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
My (still nameless) world is changing. While in most areas magic is on the decline, xxx by steam engine technology, some areas remain untouched and full of strange happenings. The first book in Treasures Retold is set into one of the remote places. The Forest Kingdom has not seen any technology yet and fairy godmothers are still an everyday occurrence in royal households. However, magic is dangerous, which my characters must learn the hard way.
If we were to visit your world as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
If you like technology check out the stream driven machines in the more advanced kingdoms (like the SEC, a steam engine chariot). If you prefer magical creatures, make sure to visit the Old Forest. But beware, you might not leave it the way you entered it.
What dangers should we avoid in your world?
Both, magic and technology, are sometimes dangerous. You might want to avoid annoying anyone who’s an expert at using one or the other.
Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in my world?
Truth be told, I haven’t thought about that yet since so far it hasn’t been important for the stories I wrote. However, that’s going to change during November when I will start writing the first draft of the 4thnovelette in the series, a retelling of “The House in the Forest” by the Brothers Grimm. It is one of those tales hardly anyone knows, but it has a lot to do with food and eating, so I will have to think about that some more.
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel?
Most common folk still walk wherever they need to go. Farmers use carts (pulled by a man, a donkey, or an ox) or chariots (horse drawn). Rich people in more advanced kingdoms own SECs, steam engine chariots. However, their design and reliability varies greatly.
What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in your world that we don’t see on Earth?
Right in the first book, you will meet a fairy (not the Tolkien kind) as fairy godmother. Of course, there are mechanical creatures, usually small ones like birds, in the technologically advanced kingdoms. I’m sure there are unicorns in the Old Forest but I haven’t been able to coax them out yet. The Old Forest is hiding a lot of creatures that are still unknown to this day. Maybe, an explorer will go there some day to find fear… I mean to find out.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people? If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used. Magic comes in a variety of forms. The Old Forest is filled with it and affects everyone who can’t travel through it fast (and it’s a huge forest). A person might change into an animal by drinking water from a brook. Also, there are humans who have the talent to use magical energies. Wise women, witches, sorcerers and the like might use different techniques but they all share the same source, the world’s magic. Unfortunately, magic and technology are like two poles on a magnet. Where technology advances, magic declines.
What is the political or government structure in your world? Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
My world houses thousands of small kingdoms. Some are so small, you could travel through in a day – on foot. But each one is unique in a way, and people are usually very proud of their little (or big) nation. The king in the first episode of my fairy tale retelling is middle aged and has a son he loves very much. And he makes mistakes…
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
I’ve always been a great fan of fairy tales. I’ve read so many that I don’t count the fairy tale books on my shelves by numbers but by meters. Even after cleaning out a lot (mostly picture books because my kids are too old for those now), I still have 3m of fairy tale books left.
Author Autobiography:
Born and raised in Germany with a “spare” family in Scotland, I’ve always felt at home in the English language. When I couldn’t find a publisher in Germany, I began writing my novels in English. Twice, I was really close to getting a publishing contract. Once, the publisher folded and the second time, the editor left. After that, I decided to go Indie and have never looked back. By now, I’ve published seven novels and countless shorter works. I won two awards and got the German quality Indie publishing label Qindie for one of my books.
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book(s)?
All my novels and short stories are available on amazon.com (or .de, .co.uk etc)
Some stories are also available through Smashwords and other retailers.
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to this world. Questions about the world or the book? Ask them in the comments and the author will get back to you! Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series. Please join us again next Monday for a trip to another fantasy world, in Realm Explorers Part XXXII!
-Annie Douglass Lima
Welcome to Realm Explorers! In this weekly series, we visit a variety of unique worlds created by talented science fiction and fantasy authors. Enjoy your travels! And don’t forget to read to the bottom of the post to find out more about each author and see how to purchase the featured book. Also, one of this author’s books will soon be FREE! Read to the bottom for the link to download it!
Author’s name:
H. L. Burke
Title of book and/or series:
Beggar Magic
Brief summary of the story:
In Gelia City people are divided into two classes based on their ability to access the magic of the Strains. Leilani Weaver, a young Common girl, befriends a Highmost girl, Zebedy Brightly and the girls develop an unbreakable bond despite Zebedy’s greater social status. When Zeb pulls Leilani into her world, Leilani discovers a hidden threat to the Strains, but no one will listen to her. Defending her beloved Strains may cost her not only her friendship with Zeb but also her life.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
Gelia City is built in concentric rings separated by canals. The area around the city is a mix between woodlands, country estates, and farms, but doesn’t really come into the story much. The first ring of Gelia is the Trade District where skilled laborers have shops. This is Leilani’s world. Her father is a weaver, and she anticipates a life in a trade. Next is the Merchant District, with banks, money changers, and markets, then Civics Circle where the Guard (the peace keeping/military force of Gelia) are garrisoned and also where public courts are held. The Leisure District consists of parks, monuments, and the Cathedral, and then the Manor District where the Highmost live and work. The Highmost divide up into Manors the same way the Common group in guilds, devoted to specific studies and uses of the Strains.
If we were to visit Gelia City as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
Definitely the Leisure District. Most of Gelia City can be experienced in a quick walking tour, but if you want a nice rest and relaxation trip, the parks, fountains, hedge mazes, and green houses that make up the Leisure District allow for a perfect day of de-stressing. However, each Manor has its own aesthetic, including massive libraries, statues, and telescopes. You could easily spend a day exploring each Manor in turn. . .except for Civics Manor. Civics Manor is dreadfully dull.
What dangers should we avoid in Gelia City?
Gelian society is generally peaceful, but as Captain Goodly, a member of the Guard, says, it is a different place after dark, so I wouldn’t go traipsing about the city at midnight. You might get mugged. Most Gelians are peaceful because taking another life will alienate the Strains. They refuse to speak to anyone who has done such a deed, rendering that person Wordless. In a society where your worth is judged by how well you can wield the Strains, most people won’t risk killing . . . however, you can still rob or beat up a man without killing him.
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in Gelia City?
Weapons are not commonly wielded in Gelia City (for the reasons given in the last question) but the Guard is an exception. Each Guard is issued a saber and a dueling pistol with a single shot, and while most Guards retire never having discharged their weapon other than in practice, they are adept in the use of them. Guards also wear bracers of imbued silver that can repel attacks from the Strains.
A slightly less savory character actually finds a way to weaponize the Strains, creating grenades of pure sonic power, but these things are not generally found in Gelia City.
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to Gelia City?
Gelians tend to keep to their own classes and neighborhoods, and the city itself is not that large. Other than horse drawn wagons used to transport goods, most people stick to their feet. They have been playing with the idea of a Steam Barge system that would run in the canals, but the first barge launched ran into a bridge, and they haven’t been able to find the funding to continue the project.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Gelia City? If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.
Everything in Gelia focuses around the Strains. The Strains are unique to Gelia, which is a small, isolated nation. They are everywhere, manifesting as sounds. You can’t see them or feel them, but they speak to folks. The Common hear them as various sounds – music, birdsong, even natural sounds like falling rain – but the Highmost can hear their voices, and the Strains speak directly to them and obey their commands. The Strains are sentient and unique to each individual, like guardian angels. Common folk learn to use them in small ways, to help them in their work or maybe get a box off a high shelf, but it is more difficult for them to access and control them, which is why Common magic is called “Beggar Magic”.
Since the Strains are purely audible, those who are deaf are unable to use them at all and are often given jobs that both Common and Highmost do not want. Many deaf men enter the Guard because of this, since the Guard may sometimes be required to take a human life in service, which would deprive them of the Strains.
Is there any advanced or unusual technology in Gelia City? If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples.
The technology level in Gelia City is roughly Victorian, but they are far more dependent on magic than on technology. They have telescopes, steam engines, gas lamps, and pocket watches.
Is there a particular religion practiced in Gelia City? Please describe what it involves.
Gelians worship and omniscient, omnipotent Creator, often called simply “the Maker”, who created the world then gifted them with the Strains to guide and aide them. Most Gelians tend to focus so heavily on the Strains that they do not pursue communion with the Maker other than prayers left on holy days, which are written on strips of paper and burned at the Cathedral altar. The Cathedral is run by the Sanctified Brothers who see to the poor and distribute texts describing the creation of the world and praising the Maker for his gift of the Strains.
What is the political or government structure in Gelia City? Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
Gelia City is run by an academic oligarchy. Each Highmost Manor is ruled by a senior scholar who oversees various fellows. Every five years they elect one of these senior fellows to serve in the Highmost Seat, overseeing disputes between different manors. The Guard and courts are overseen by Civics Manor with approval from the Highmost Seat and judges are appointed by a council of senior fellows from all Manors.
Similarly, the Common folk have a guild system with different trades joined into multiple guilds which meet to settle disputes and set guidelines for business practices.
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
While the majority of my characters are Gelian, Leilani, my main character, is the child of immigrants, her grandparents having come to Gelia from Rynar fleeing a famine. I chose to make Rynar resemble Japan in a lot of aspects due to the three years I spent there. My husband is military so we were stationed in that country for some time, though living on an American base did allow me to function without learning more than a handful of Japanese phrases.
What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
One of my characters is deaf which I don’t mean to be controversial, but in researching for his character, I found out that it really can be. There are a lot of opinions in that community about how to handle things like lip reading and sign language and I realized my character would not please everyone. I just did my best to make him real. Also, Gelia City is not our modern world. It is a world where people are judged by their ability to use magic that is audible, so the deaf would be even more marginalized than they are in our world. It was important to me to show that my deaf character was capable and content, not seeing himself as disabled, but I also needed to show how he would be realistically treated by people in this society.
Author Autobiography:
I grew up in Oregon in a rural area and always had plenty of free time on my hands to spend with books and exploring the woods. I married my high school crush who had grown up to be a handsome US Marine, and we have two daughters together. My long term goal is to be a cat, but if that doesn’t work out, I’m content with “writer/mom” on my resume. I am the author of multiple fantasy novels, including the four part series “The Dragon and the Scholar Saga”, the first book of which, Dragon’s Curse, will be free 12/31/14-1/4/15 on Amazon Kindle – click here to download your copy! The series is a full length fairy tale centered on the friendship between young scholar, Shannon, and a dragon with a mysterious past.
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book(s)?
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Gelia City. Questions about the world or the book? Ask them in the comments and the author will get back to you! Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series. Please join us again next Monday for a trip to another fantasy world, in Realm Explorers Part XXXI!
-Annie Douglass Lima
Welcome to Realm Explorers! In this weekly series, we visit a variety of unique worlds created by talented science fiction and fantasy authors. Enjoy your travels! And don’t forget to read to the bottom of the post to find out more about each author and see how to purchase the featured book.
Authors’ names:
John Williams & James Colletti
Title of book and/or series:
The Crimson and the Frost
Brief summary of the story:
For untold millennia, the harsh frozen wastelands had been ruled by the immortal King of Winter. His power so absolute, no one dared to challenge his dominance until a mysterious old man in crimson robes and his devoted followers took up residence in the heart of his realm. In their possession was a strange and powerful artifact known as the Heart of Polaris. The ancient stone radiated a dome-like aura that protected their town from the extreme conditions of the frozen North.
The King of Winter arrived to cast out the trespassers but when he reached out toward the veil of magic energy a stabbing pain shot up the length of his arm. A wave of contempt rose in him at the insolence of those who dare deny him access to a vast section of his own kingdom.
For centuries the town had lived in peace, undisturbed, while the wicked king waited patiently for his chance at revenge. Now, the Heart of Polaris has gone missing and there is nothing to stop the King of Winter and his army of savage grimghouls from launching a full-scale invasion.
But the expulsion of the intruders will not satiate the King’s of Winter’s age-old thirst for vengeance. When the town’s magic combines with his own he will have to power to bring on a new ice-age. The fate of the entire world hangs in the balance as two powerful adversaries head down a collision course toward war.
Brief description of the location you created for this story:
Blanketed across a desolate landscape sits a sprawling town like an island of warm radiance amidst a stark, frozen canvas.The architecture and atmosphere is part carnival and part old-world, European hamlet. The buildings were constructed in various sizes and styles, yet it all works in harmony.Inthe center of this mythical metropolis is a tall, glistening tower fashioned from tourmaline. At the very top sits a chamber that houses the Heart of Polaris stone. The tower harnesses the artifact’s energy and from the spire cascades a faint dome of pink and amber hues that shimmers and flows like the Aurora Borealis…that is until the Heart of Polaris goes missing.
If we were to visit as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
For a hot beverage that will send your tastebuds into overdrive, visit the Heavenly Grounds coffee shop…or if you want to treat yourself to some of the world’s greatest cuisine, stop by the Perfect Palette. I recommend bringing your manners; the master chef can be a bit of a curmudgeon. There are also so many wondrous discoveries to be found beyond the doors of the Chateau Crimson including an enormous greenhouse/atrium and a great-room full of priceless collectables donated by past kings, emperors and other significant historical figures. You will find priceless works of art, statues, old, yet immaculately kept tomes written in various languages and a whole host of weapons and armor. Just, please keep your distance from the entire rear wall of the room. It is the one that appears to be crafted from black ice.You may be drawn to the soft pulsations of lighter blues and violets which crackle with vine-like electric currents just beneath the surface of the wall. This is Vast, the all-seeing wall. Touching it is highly prohibited…the last person who did almost went mad.
Also, if you come across a hallway with no doors or windows…no paintings or decorative wainscoting…only walls and ceiling of smooth stone I would suggest you stay clear of it and move along. It eventually leads to an imposing, medieval looking iron door…the type of door that is meant to keep people out…or secrets in. If you open that door, you will see a stairwell descending into pitch darkness. Please shut the door and walk away.
What dangers should we avoid in the frozen north?
The lands beyond town are quite hazardous. Besides the frequent sub-zero temperatures, treacherous snow covered terrain, ever shifting and breaking ice and the very likely possibility of becoming hopelessly lost, these lands are also patrolled by a vicious lot known as the grimghouls. Vaguely canine (or feline…no one knows for sure), the lithe movements and confident gait of these ferocious beasts across the frozen landscape are akin to the great hunting cats of the Serengeti. They are magical creations of the King of Winter, born of the winter elements. Their animated bodies were created from chunks of ice, snow, and a soupy slush that perpetually circulates and swirls along their powerful forms like a canine-shaped ice flow. Within the mass of translucent ice and slush that make up their bodies, glows a blue iridescence. It is as if their insides are alight in azure flame. Their temperament is hateful and their sole purpose is to do the bidding of the wicked Winter King.
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in the frozen north?
Most of the residents of town are peaceful folk but there are a handful that have some serious fighting skills. For instance, Tracker (that’s her nick-name since she never knew her true given name) is a scout and, of course, a tracker. She and her great-wolf companion Loki are typically the only ones who venture out in the wilds outside of town. She is self taught in various styles of martial arts and her weapon of choice is a retractable metal baton. However, before the end of this story, the entire town will be forced to summon within them a fighting spirit and the courage to persevere through one of the most terrifying times of their centuries-old lives.
What types of supernatural/ fantastical beings might we encounter?
Most notably, the King of Winter is a god-like, unpredictable force of nature. He is one of the many sentient personifications of nature’s elements. He is a lean figure with a long white mane, sharp features, and a complexion of pearly, iridescent blue. The gaze of his silvery-blue eyes has been known to send a rush of icy fear through the souls of even the bravest of men. There are also his minions, the above mentioned grimghouls…but they aren’t the only magic-born creatures in his arsenal. He has at his disposal telepathic frost-eagles that watch over his lands and thrust images into his mind if some occurrence needs his attention. There are other frightening creations, conjured by the King of Winter, that make an appearance toward the end of the story that I would rather not give away.
Two other ‘forces of nature’ make, what I would call ‘cryptic’ appearances as well.
The head of town, the “Crimson Wizard” as some call him, is also immortal. His followers are a collection of elves from all regions of the world that have joined his cause over the centuries.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people? If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.
Well, the Heart of Polaris is at the heart of this story. It started out as a red sunstone but was later infused with a dose of extraordinarily potent magic by one of the most powerful beings in the entire universe. One of its many abilities is to protect the town and its residents from the harsh surroundings. Under close observation you will notice thousands of tiny facets radiating prisms of light that dance to a pulsating rhythm. Just below the jewel’s undulating surface appears to be a limitless depth within, like a roiling crimson ocean. I would love to get into detail about its origin and how it got its name but that is one of my favorite chapters and I wouldn’t want to spoil it. There is also another potent magic that plays a significant part of this story called the Soul of Winter. I can’t really get into that either 😉
Is there any advanced or unusual technology? If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples.
The elves, with their superior ingenuity, created the tower in the center of town. At the top is a chamber that houses the Heart of Polaris stone. The tower acts as a conductor for the stone’s magic creating an an atmospheric aura protecting the town from the elements of the extreme north. Fortunately, it protects from the King of Winter as well since he is the personification of those harsh elements.
What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
There is a small debate regarding global warming and the impact humanity has made on the planet.
Author Autobiography:
Cousins and co-authors John Williams and James Colletti are close in age and have been a creative team for as long as they can remember. The pair shares a common drive and tenacity that has transformed all of their creative aspirations into realities.
From early childhood John and James would dream of being famous musicians, air-guitaring to their favorite bands. In their teen years they decided to leave the world of pretend and with the determination that came naturally to them, they taught themselves how to play guitar. Forming the rock band Soulvyne with a handful of other talented musicians, they recorded an album, performed all around New York State and opened for such notable acts as Blue Oyster Cult and King’s X.
As movie and television buffs the pair, once again, was determined to be a part of another industry they loved. Through the years both have had successful careers producing and editing for such companies as MTV, VH-1, Miramax, FOX, The Speed Channel, Food Network and TruTv as well as directing nationally broadcasted music videos and an internationally released independent film.
Outside of their hectic careers they would find the time for a more personal creative outlet away from all of the stress and deadlines of the entertainment industry…writing. They collaborated on a handful of screenplays and used their industry contacts to shop them around. There was one co-written script they both were particularly proud of. One film producer in England read it and said, “I love this! It would make a great movie but right now we’d have a tough time raising the 150 – 200 million it would take to make a film this epic and grand-scale. It is too new and unknown by the masses. There is a reason the Harry Potter movies got made, that series had a huge built in fan base from the books. Maybe scale your story down.” Never ones to compromise, John and James decided to tell their tale another way. So they re-worked it into what has become their first novel The Crimson and the Frost. During the novel writing process the story became so much more than the screenplay ever was and they are even more proud of it.
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book(s)?
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to the frozen north. Questions about the world or the book? Ask them in the comments and the author will get back to you! Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series. Please join us again next Monday for a trip to Gelia City in Realm Explorers Part XXX!
-Annie Douglass Lima
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: Christina Weigand
Title of book and/or series:
Palace of the Twelve Pillars: Book One
Palace of the Three Crosses: Book Two
Sanctuary of Nine Dragons: Book Three
Brief summary of the story:
Palace of the Twelve Pillars: Book One
When Prince Joachim is kidnapped and twin Brandan attempts a rescue, both will search their faith and familial loyalty.
Palace of the Three Crosses: Book Two
Brandan and Joachim survived the war, but can their relationship and their countries survive the aftermath.
Sanctuary of Nine Dragons: Book Three
Brandan missing, Airyn kidnapped, Joachim in a sea of despair, the country at war; can Maeve save them from catastrophe.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story: The story is set on the planet of Ramajadin. Two of the countries on the planet are Crato and Mahorg; think Germany and Ireland during medieval times.
If we were to visit Ramajadin as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
Wyrzburg, royal city of Mahorg is a really nice place to visit.
Sanctuary of Nine Dragons located in Imherp: A nice place to visit if Asha is willing to reveal it to you. Frieberg royal city of Imherp and home to the Kningrad.
What dangers should we avoid in Crato?
Unfortunately the country of Crato especially the city of Dun Dealgan. The country is still recovering from the devestation caused by the evil that still has a presence there. Another place to avoid would be Grillwood the land of the Mantion.
Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in Ramajadin?
A liliad or a rosa root pie. Roasted pidgekin (similar to chickens) heatherkin cakes, baked yellow breaded yallow root.
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common on Ramajadin?
Swords, daggers and hand to hand combat and magic.
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel?
Dragons, horses, wagons
What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter on Ramajadin that we don’t see on earth?
Kningrad of Imherp similar to the elves in LOTR, Mantion of Grillwood similar to the dwarves in LOTR. Tigres, very large tigers, dragons, glingkol and koali trees, rosas, liliad,
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people on Ramajadin? If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.
There are two kinds of magic; The magic of Asha that is only used to heal the land and people, usually performed by adepts and used for good. After the wars this magic is used to heal the land. The Kningrad and dragons are more tuned into the powers of Asha.
The magic of Sidramah is the other and is used for destruction. It uses the emotions of the wizard like anger, jealousy and hatred to destroy. Usually performed by wizards and is used for evil ends. During the wars this was used to destroy the land and kill people. King Brandan and the Mantion use it to shapeshift so as to fool people into thinking they are someone other than who they truly are. The Mantion are more tuned into the powers of Sidramah.
Tell us about any sports, games, or activities that are available for entertainment on Ramajadin.
Jousting games, a game similar to soccer (Mantion use a skull for a ball, others use a ball)
Are the days of the week and months of the year the same on Ramajadin as on earth? What holidays or special events are celebrated regularly there?
They have four seasons and their calendars are similar to ours.
Is there a particular religion practiced on Ramajadin? Please describe what it involves.
The religion of Ramajadin is very similar to Christianity.The Annals of Timeis similar to the Bible. Asha is the embodiment of good and nine dragons serve as his emissaries to Ramajadin while Sidramah is the embodiment of evil and has enslaved some dragons to do his bidding. Abbots serve Asha and Wisdoms serve Sidramah.
What is the political or government structure in Mahorg and Crato? Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
There are four countries:
Crato: has a king and queen; one is a Master Adept and the other Warrior Chief. In Palace of the Twelve Pillars King Theodric (from Crato) and Queen Lilia (from Mahorg) rule and are well loved by the citizens of Crato. Theodric dies at the end of the book and Lilia disappears. At the beginning of Palace of the Three Crosses one of their twin sons, Joachim is crowned king and married to Princess Maeve of Imherp. Both are inexperienced and trusting. Joachim is impetuous and loyal to his brother which compromises his leadership. Maeve steps up and becomes the trusted ruler of Crato in her husband’s stead.
There is also an Adept Council who advise the king. The council consists of the Master Abbot (the religious leader) and Master Adept
Mahorg: has a king who is Master Wizard and Warrior. King Waldrom is the evil king of Mahorg. His people hate and fear him. At the end of Twelve Pillars he is captured by the Mantion, leaving his country without a king. Prince Brandan, Theodric’s other son, is crowned king of Mahorg. His reign will be short lived as he travels the path of evil set by his predecessor.
Grillwood is ruled by the Mantion king who is a Master Wizard. Grillwood is ruled by King Shigeo with the help of Master Wizard Melvane.
Imherp has a king who is a Master Adept and a queen. Imherp is ruled by King Eyvindur and Queen Fiona. He is a good king and his people love him.
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
It was loosely based on medieval Ireland and Germany with a touch of Japan thrown in for the prison island.
What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
Even though it was not really obvious, there was a suggestion ofracism and bigotry. Not many readers knew it but the Mahorganites were a dark skinned people while the Cratonites were light skinned. And of course there were the Mantion and Kningrad with a mixing of all the races. The other more obvious topic was the battle of good and evil with religious overtones.
Author Autobiography:
Christina Weigand’s a writer, wife, and mother of three grown children and a middle school daughter. She is also Nana to three granddaughters. She lives with her husband and youngest daughter in Pennsylvania, returning there after a short sabbatical in Washington. Currently, she’s working on fantasy novels and inspirational writing. Through her writing, she strives to share the Word of God and help people young and old to realize the love and mercy He has for everyone.
When she’s not writing, she’s active in her local Church Bible Study and volunteering at her daughter’s school, helping the children develop a love for reading and writing. Jesus fills her home with love as she shares Him through her writing.
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your books?Please include links.
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Ramajadin. 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 New York City – but a ghostly New York City! – in Realm Explorers Part XXVIII!
YA Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Holiday Paperback & ebook, 326 Pages June 19th 2012
The Christmas story you never heard.
In the early 1800s, Nicholas, Jessica and Jon Santa attempt the first human trek to the North Pole and stumble upon an ancient race of people left over from the Ice Age. They are short, fat and hairy. They slide across the ice on scaly soles and carve their homes in the ice that floats on the Arctic Ocean. The elven are adapted to life in the extreme cold. They are as wise as they are ancient.
Their scientific advancements have yielded great inventions — time-stopping devices and gravitational spheres that build living snowmen and genetically-modified reindeer that leap great distances. Theyíve even unlocked the secrets to aging. For 40,000 years, they have lived in peace.
Until now.
An elven known as The Cold One has divided his people. Heís tired of their seclusion and wants to conquer the world. Only one elven stands between The Cold One and total chaos. Heís white-bearded and red-coated. The Santa family will help him stop The Cold One. They will come to the aid of a legendary elven known as…Claus.
YA Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Holiday Paperback & ebook, 290 Pages October 17th 2013
Sura is sixteen years old when she meets Mr. Frost. Heís very short and very fat and he likes his room very, very cold. Some might say inhumanly cold. His first name isnít Jack, sheís told. And thatís all she needed to know.
Mr. Frostís love for Christmas is over-the-top and slightly psychotic. And why not? Heís made billions of dollars off the holiday he invented. Or so he claims. Rumor is heís an elven, but thatís silly. Elven arenít real. And if they were, they wouldnít live in South Carolina. They wouldnít hide in a tower and go to the basement to makeÖthings.
Nonetheless, Sura will work for this odd little recluse. Frost Plantation is where sheíll meet the love of her life. Itís where sheíll finally feel like she belongs somewhere. And itís where sheíll meet someone fatter, balder and stranger than Mr. Frost. Itís where sheíll meet Jack.
YA Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Holiday Paperback & ebook, 300 Pages November 15th 2014
Life hasnít been kind to Oliver Toye.
As if juvenile diabetes isnít enough, heís forced to live with his tyrannical grandmother in a snow-bound house. He spends his days doing chores and the nights listening to the forest rumble.
But when he discovers the first leather-bound journal, the family secrets begin to surface. The mystery of his great-grandfatherís voyage to the North Pole is revealed. Thatís when the snowman appears.
Magical and mysterious, the snowman will save Oliver more than once. But when the time comes for Oliver to discover the truth, will he have the courage? When Flury needs him, will he have the strength? When believing isnít enough, will he save the snowman from melting away?
Joe leads her into the maze. They run their hands over the flat-topped boxwoods, shuffle over the oyster shell path. The sunken garden is imbued with warmth, the kind that flows through her, melts in her stomach, opens her heart. She smiles, involuntarily, as she couldn’t frown if she tried.
The short, fat woman sits on a square pedestal inside a round pool, water dripping from her frozen hands. Light emanates from the center without a source.
“Who is she?” Sura asks.
“You’ve never heard the Myth of Jocah?”
They walk slowly around it.
“Long ago, way before humans, there was a goddess that was exiled from the heavens because she was pregnant. She called Earth her home. It wasn’t very hospitable and none of the other gods came to visit her. She gave birth to twins. One was good, the other bad. But they were her sons so she loved them both. And together they loved Earth.
“But she was lonely. The time came for her to leave, to attend matters elsewhere in the universe, or whatever gods and goddesses do, but she loved Earth so much that she didn’t want to leave it to her boys to squabble over.”
They walk quietly and slowly, like walking meditation. Jocah, Sura notices, has a single long braid.
“So, one day,” Joe says, “Jocah broke two chunks of earth from the ground. She launched one into the sky. It soared up into the heavens where it froze into a block of ice, exploding before it reached space. Snowflakes were spit through the four gateways and covered the planet in a sheet of ice.”
Joe gestures to the four openings along the tall hedges, each an arching arbor. North, south, east and west.
“She crushed the other chunk of earth into dust and blew it over the pristine glaciers. These seeds of earth took root and grew into beings that took the form of their creator.”
Joe nods at the sculpture.
“Short and fat,” Sura says. “Adapted to the cold.”
“That’s what they say.”
They stop at the front of the sculpture, Jocah facing north. A small inscription is carved at the base.
Care for this World.
“The myth says she whispered that to the fat, little people before she left. They were in charge of watching over Earth.”
“Where are they now?”
“Where the ice is.” Joe points. “North Pole.”
Joe dips his hand in the pool, drizzles it into Sura’s open palm. She expects it to be half a degree above freezing but it’s warm. “The statue weeps for the world’s troubles, but the myth says they’re not tears of sorrow or happiness.”
He touches Sura’s lip. The water is salty.
“It’s tears of joy.”
“Joy?”
“For truth. Existence. That sort of thing. It’s a myth, a story. But it’s a good one.”
“Where’d you hear it?” Sura asks.
“Jonah.”
Sura’s mom never told her the myth. She wonders if Joe is the lucky one. Even if his father doesn’t like anyone, at least he brought him here and told him stories.
“You’re telling me Mr. Frost is one of them?” Sura asks.
Joe chuckles. “It’s just a story; he probably made it up. My guess is the sculpture is his mother. Think about it, you want to tell people you have an ice sculpture of your mother in the garden or a goddess?”
Sura scoops up a handful of water, lets it trickle between her fingers. The statue appears to melt but never changes shape. The water so clear and perfect.
“One of the twins, the story goes, becomes Santa Claus—only they just called him Claus. In the old days, he spread truth to the people instead of presents.”
“And that’s why Mr. Frost is obsessed with Christmas?”
“Well, that and the fact that he’s made a trillion dollars selling presents, yeah. He owes his entire fortune to Christmas.”
“He does?”
“The toy factory is below ground.”
About Tony Bertauski
During the day, I’m a horticulturist. While I’ve spent much of my career designing landscapes or diagnosing dying plants, I’ve always been a storyteller. My writing career began with magazine columns, landscape design textbooks, and a gardening column at the Post and Courier (Charleston, SC). However, I’ve always fancied fiction.
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:
Mindy Hayes
Title of book and/or series:
The Faylinn Novels: Kaleidoscope (#1), Ember (#2), and Luminary (#3)
Brief summary of the story:
Calliope doesn’t see the change coming. She’s compelled to fight the pull that pulses like a second heartbeat, drawing her into the depths of the forest. But, the more Calliope denies it, the stronger it becomes until she finally surrenders and is pulled into a secret world of enchantment.
Kai and Declan need her to accept what she is. Knowing their fate lies in her hands, they’ll stop at nothing to protect and prepare her for what lies ahead.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
In Kaleidoscope you’re introduced to the world of Faylinn, a parallel universe where the fae live. It’s nestled deep in the forest. But the story in Kaleidoscope takes place in the real world—Wahalla, South Carolina. In Ember, Faylinn comes into play.
If we were to visit Faylinn as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
Two of my favorite places in Faylinn are the Harvest Borough and Novalora. The Harvest Borough is where all of the fruits and vegetables are grown, so there are acres and acres of different kinds of colorful vegetation. I’d stay there and eat all day!
Novalora is the land of the pixies. It’s filled with bright overgrown trees and flowers—flowers big enough to sleep on. The pixies might pester you, but they mean no harm.
What dangers should we avoid in Faylinn?
Falkurs and branaaghs are the fiercest animals in Faylinn. Falkur teeth are the strongest and used to create weapons—definitely not a creature I’d want to come in contact with. Branaaghs are like panthers, but larger and their fangs curl below their jowls. They could probably kill a person with one swipe. But, you should be more concerned about who to trust in Faylinn. No one is safe. They disappear all the time.
Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in Faylinn?
A common animal that’s served is radik. It looks like a large rat. It’s kind of gamy, tastes like rabbit. Another animal is chocat. They are similar to deer, but smaller. But the fae mainly eat the fruits, vegetables and grains they grow.
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in Faylinn?
The faeries in Faylinn are allergic to all types of metal, so all of their weapons are made from animal bones and animal teeth/fangs (falkurs and branaaghs). They use daggers, arrows and long blades.
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to Faylinn?
There is a magical ward set up around Faylinn called The Hedge, making it invisible to humans. The only way to pass through it is with a faery. And faeries travel on foot. They’re fast and agile.
What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Faylinn that we don’t see on Earth?
There are all kinds of different vegetation and animals. Calliope’s favorite fruit is a pruila, which is a pinkish, opalescent fruit that looks like a nectarine, but tastes sweet like a strawberry. There’s also the viga, which is extremely sweet. It’s a purple melon with yellow spikes. The spikes are flexible to the touch.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Faylinn? If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.
The Royalty in Faylinn use a power called Supremacy. Supremacy is essentially mind control. If they want a task done, all they have to do is ask and it must be done. It takes away free agency. Some use it sparingly, while others take advantage.
The fae in Faylinn are very one with the earth, so they don’t need elements to make nature grow. The power comes from within them. They could make anything grow inside, through stone or wood.
They also have enchantments like Enticement, which can make another faery or human drawn to them, pulled into a sort of trance of lust.
They can also heal one another with their hands. It takes a little bit of concentration, but once their hands are placed on the area affected they can heal it completely.
If another fae is in trouble or desperately needs to contact another faery, they can use the Given name of said faery. By saying the name of the faery, that faery will have to immediately come whether they want to or not.
Are the days of the week and months of the year the same in Faylinn as on Earth? What holidays or special events are celebrated regularly there?
Time runs differently in Faylinn. It’s a bit slower. When only a few months pass in Faylinn, a year or two could go by in the real world. And they don’t have calendars to keep time. They use moon cycles. Their holidays aren’t the same. They celebrate things like a new harvest season or bondings (weddings) or dawnings (inaugurations of royalty). Honestly, they’ll find any way to have a celebration!
What is the political or government structure in Faylinn?Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
There is a monarchy. A king or queen rules the land, but they have personal advisors. In Kaleidoscope, Favner is king. He’s a bit of an evil narcissist. Not the best combination! He wants to kingdom to revolve around him. Most want to overthrow him, but due to Supremacy, that’s a little difficult.
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
Yes! My mom is from Finland, and my grandparents own a cabin in the woods there. We just visited this summer, and I think subconsciously I invented Faylinn from the forests in Finland. When we arrived it was as if I’d stepped into Faylinn. It was such a dream.
Author Autobiography:
I’m the author of the YA Fantasy Faylinn Novels, Kaleidoscope (#1), Ember (#2), and Luminary (#3), as well as the Contemporary Romance, Me After You (Willowhaven #1). Currently, I’m working on Me Without You (Willowhaven #2).
I grew up in San Diego, California, exploring my interest for singing and playing the piano. I first discovered my passion for reading when I had to make my first flight alone to South Carolina to visit my, then, fiancé. My love for writing followed shortly after. My husband and I have now been married for seven years and live in Summerville, South Carolina.
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book(s)?
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Faylinn. Questions about the world or the book? Ask them in the comments and the author will get back to you! Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series. Please join us again next Monday for a trip to another fantasy world, in Realm Explorers Part XXVII!
-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:
Arthur Daigle
Title of book and/or series:
William Bradshaw, King of the Goblins
Brief summary of the story:
Desperate for work, William Bradshaw makes the mistake of accepting a manager position advertised by the law firm of Cickam, Wedner and Downe.What he learns too late is his job is to ‘manage’ the goblins on the world of Other Place as their king.Will’s goblin followers are short, stupid and mildly crazy.Setting traps is the national pastime, and the goblins only obey orders when they feel like it.Will is forced to remain king until he finds a loophole in the legal contract that keeps him on the job.Forty-seven other kings have done it, so it can’t be that hard…right?
Will’s situation gets even worse when he accidentally starts a war with the fashion obsessed human king, Kervol Ket.Kervol is going to invade with an army including knights, siege weapons and thousands of soldiers, any one of them equal to twenty goblins.Worse still, the goblins haven’t won a war in recorded history, and they have no interest in winning this one, either.
But this time things are going to be different.Will is determined to win, backed up by teeming masses of goblins, two trolls with anger management issues, a foul-tempered magic mirror and an overachieving fire scepter.It’s going to take stealth, subterfuge and a seemingly endless supply of exploding outhouses, but this time the goblins are going to win.
Builder Goblin
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
The Kingdom of the Goblins is easily the messiest, most blighted land on the world of Other Place.The entire kingdom used to be a dwarf strip mine, and after many decades it is still recovering.There is only one city and it is in terrible shape due to storm damage, the ravages of time, goblin graffiti and because the dwarfs didn’t build it well to begin with.The ground is laced with tunnels dug during the mining boom and later by the goblins.
If we were to visit the Kingdom of the Goblins as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
Visit?Tourists?If you voluntarily came to the Kingdom of the Goblins then I can only assume your travel agent has an evil sense of humor.You should sue and/or viciously assault him with a stale loaf of French bread when you get home.
The Kingdom of the Goblins is home to the largest maze on Other Place, a dubious distinction as it actually lowers property values in a fifty-mile radius.There are some natural caves incorporated into the tunnel network, and the land has recovered enough to support young trees.Visitors to the kingdom rarely want to see either of these.Instead they come to hide from the law and dispose of incriminating evidence.
What dangers should we avoid in the Kingdom of the Goblins?
The goblin residents don’t typically qualify as dangerous, as a grown man can take on ten and a trained soldier can fight twenty with a good chance of winning. But goblins know this and set traps for enemies, one another and the odd insurance salesman.Anyone fool enough to visit the kingdom will find it filled with covered pits, pie throwers and any number of other nonlethal but still annoying traps waiting for them.These traps are replaced and reset on an hourly basis, so a place you just visited without incident could be dangerous when you come back.
Goblin Chef Brewing up a Batch of Goblin Stew
Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in the Kingdom of the Goblins?
The Kingdom of the Goblins is still recovering from its strip mining days, so animals and edible plants are rare.This is not a problem for the goblins, as they can eat nearly anything.Weeds, bones and old boots are all good food.A local specialty is goblin stew, a wretched concoction made by cooking down whatever junk the goblins find in the kingdom or when raiding garbage dumps in nearby human lands.Goblin stew is foul smelling and becomes dangerously unstable if not eaten within an hour after being cooked.Seriously, don’t eat it.
Typically haphazard weapons and armor:
this goblin is sporting human armor that doesn’t fit and is armed with a chair leg.
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in the Kingdom of the Goblins?
Material for weapons is hard to come by.The dwarfs took everything of value before they abandoned the kingdom and let the goblins have the ruins.Goblins favor wood, stone and vines because there are no other choices.Most goblins use clubs and wood shields, but some steal weapons from humans.Goblins do make rickety catapults, but these are almost as dangerous to the user and the target.
Goblins know they are smaller and weaker than their enemies.To get around this they favor overwhelming numbers, attacking with thirty to one odds or better.They also build traps to incapacitate enemies, so they can hurt the enemy from far away.Another favorite tactic is to come up through the tunnels running through the kingdom and hit enemies from surprise.But the most favorite fighting style is to run away.Goblins have been losing fights for thousands of years.They’re used to it and see no shame in fleeing a losing fight.
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to the Kingdom of the Goblins?
Goblins travel by walking, or at best riding mining carts downhill.They don’t domesticate animals and are too small to use stolen riding animals.They typically travel at night or underground to avoid attracting attention.
What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter on Other Place that we don’t see on Earth?
Other Place has a variety of races and species not native to Earth.There are dwarfs, elves, ogres, trolls, dragons, sylphs, harpies, minotaurs, mermaids and a host of other intelligent beings.Many of these were created by elves during the Ancient Elf Empire.The Kingdom of the Goblins is so poor in resources and food that it is avoided by most of these beings…and because they want nothing to do with the goblins.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people on the world of Other Place?If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used
Magic is used on Other Place, but is not common, cheap or reliable.Most magic weapons are made by dwarfs, and ever since they went corporate the quality of their work has dropped.Assume any magic item you encounter has severe limitations.These may include being hard to use, needing time to recharge after heavy use, or the magic item just doesn’t like you and may try to hurt you.Magic items are also very expensive.Many kingdoms have only a few magic items, and these are the possession of royalty.
Wizards are few and far between.It takes a lot of time and money to train a wizard.This means there are never enough wizards to go around and they charge a lot for their services (partly to cover their student loans and partly to keep people away).Rich kingdoms may have five wizards, while most have none.Even if you can find a wizard, convince him to help and can afford his fees, you’re probably better off doing the work yourself.
Lab Rat with Stink Bombs
Is there any advanced or unusual technology in the Kingdom of the Goblins?
Some time ago the goblins stole books on alchemy.Normally alchemy involves changing lead into gold, which is difficult, time consuming, expensive and doesn’t work.But goblin alchemists, called lab rats, don’t bother with that foolishness.They make bombs, some quite large.These include camouflaged bombs built to resemble common object, the most popular being exploding outhouses.These bombs are not very stable and hurt goblins as often as the intended target, but as far as the goblins are concerned that’s an acceptable tradeoff.
Pie Thrower
Tell us about any sports, games, or activities that are available for entertainment in the Kingdom of the Goblins.
Setting traps is a sport for goblins.They love getting the rich and powerful, with political leaders a popular target, but just as often they catch another goblin with their pie throwers.
Are the days of the week and months of the year the same on the world of Other Place as on Earth? What holidays or special events are celebrated regularly there?
I did not name the days or months in my story.Goblins seldom celebrate holidays, but a few are regular events like National Annoy the King Day and the Great Goblin Yam Cookoff, an event that has surprisingly not killed anyone since it began.
Is there a particular religion practiced on the world of Other Place?Please describe what it involves.
Goblins seldom practice any religion, although they are generally on good terms with local religious leaders and don’t set traps in churches and temples.Religions practiced on Other Place include two human faiths, The Brotherhood of the Righteous and the Servants of the Cause.Dwarfs aren’t very religious people since going corporate, but some do follow the Church of the Great Maker.Dwarf houses of worship include forges, and holy days often involve making armor, weapons and tools.Elves are also not very religious.Their thinking is that if God loved them they would still have their empire.Ironically when they had their empire they weren’t religious, either, as they thought why worship God when they’d built an empire on their own.Those elves who do worship belong to The Temple of the Perfect Way.
A Goblin Spy
What is the political or government structure in the Kingdom of the Goblins?Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
Goblins live in a sort of anarchy.There are no rules or customs, nor any effort to enforce order.It one goblin wants another one to follow him, he has to convince that goblin that his idea is going to be fun and not too dangerous.Once they’re done, everyone wanders off until another goblin comes up with something new to do.Some goblins lead crude guilds, such as warriors, builders, diggers and lab rats, but even they have limited influence over their followers.
Goblins have kings, but they are always human on the grounds that no goblin is capable of leading.They also have to be humans from Earth, as the humans of Other Place know better than to take the job.Goblins generally ignore their kings or irritate them.If they obey a king it’s because he suggested they do something they want to do.Prior to Will Bradshaw becoming king there were forty-seven other kings, including King Trevor the Loony and King Richard the Yeller.
Are there any other unique cultural practices that we should be aware of if we visit the Kingdom of the Goblins?
Goblins don’t hold grudges.Whatever happened in the past can’t be changed, so they see no reason to worry about it.This means that after the sun sets all is forgiven, no matter what you do to them or they do to you.
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
I have a lifelong love for wilderness and greatly enjoy nature programs.A frequent feature to these programs is the damage done to our world by unchecked exploitation of our world.Having seen some of this damage first hand in college, I can say you haven’t seen ugly until you’ve seen a strip mine.I wanted to express this with the land the goblins live in, a place gutted of all resources and left barren.
What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
There are two.The first goes back to the issue of environmental degradation.Land can be so devastated that it loses the ability to support life, a practice too common on our world.The second issue is the way the little guy gets pushed around.We’ve all been in that position, pushed around by someone with power.But for many people on our world that describes their entire lives.They are at the bottom of their society from birth and always will be, never having the opportunities we take for granted.That’s what goblins are on their world, the lowest of the low, despised, ignored and forced to live on worthless land.
Author Autobiography:
I was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago.I attended the College of DuPage and the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign.My work experience includes water quality testing, fisheries intern, working a summer at the Morton Arboretum and grading high school tests.I am an avid gardener of edible and wild plants, and I enjoy drawing.William Bradshaw, King of the Goblinsis my first book.I have a sequel written but it will take some time to get into print.
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book?
You have some choices there.I am available on Facebook. I’m also on GoodReads, where I post blogs when I come up with something to say (usually once or twice a month).
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to the Kingdom of the Goblins. 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 Faylinn in Realm Explorers Part XXV!
-Annie Douglass Lima
BEYOND THE REALM OF DREAMS
IS A WORLD SHE NEVER IMAGINED.
Masayi Sairu was raised to be dainty, delicate, demure . . . and deadly. She is one of the emperor’s Golden Daughters, as much a legend as she is a commodity. One day, Sairu will be contracted in marriage to a patron, whom she will secretly guard for the rest of her life.
But when she learns that a sacred Dream Walker of the temple seeks the protection of a Golden Daughter, Sairu forgoes marriage in favor of this role. Her skills are stretched to the limit, for assassins hunt in the shadows, and phantoms haunt in dreams. With only a mysterious Faerie cat and a handsome slave—possessed of his own strange abilities—to help her, can Sairu shield her new mistress from evils she can neither see nor touch?
For the Dragon is building an army of fire. And soon the heavens will burn.
My Review:
*****
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. And wow, I loved it! Of course, I love all of Anne Elisabeth Stengl‘s books, so I expected nothing less.
One of my favorite aspects of the Tales of Goldstone Wood series that although the setting is an imaginary world (or set of worlds, actually), it’s obviously inspired by real cultures and geographical locations in our world. The empire in which most of Golden Daughter takes place is based on a mix of East Asian cultures, which I especially appreciated, considering that I live in East Asia myself.
The characters here are vividly portrayed, and I couldn’t help but care about their struggles and triumphs. It was nice to see a few old friends from Stengl‘s other books, but we mostly meet new characters in Golden Daughter. The author threw out a few intriguing tidbits that help connect the dots between events in various other books in the series, some of which take place thousands of years apart. Now I want to go back and re-read certain scenes in certain of her other books that I know will make more sense now.
If you enjoy fantasy at all, I highly recommend the Tales of Goldstone Wood. If you’ve read any of the other books in the series, you’ll definitely want to read Golden Daughter. If you haven’t, Golden Daughter can stand on its own – but after you read it, you may find yourself eager to get your hands on the rest!
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story: 
What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Noran that we don’t see on Earth? 
Is there a particular religion practiced in Noran? Please describe what it involves.
Author Autobiography:
