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: Lia London
Title of book and/or series: The Gypsy Pearl Book 3: Tye
Brief summary of the story: This is part three in a science fiction trilogy wherein our heroine Caz Artemus is on a quest to “cycle” a Gypsy Pearl that is actually inside of her body. The result of her adventure will be, in theory, the freedom of a species of small humanoid creatures and her own eventual rise to supreme power in the Granbo System. Naturally, not everyone is in favor of a teen doing this, so she has assassins in hot pursuit. Despite some superhuman powers she has acquired recently, she suffers from a distinct handicap: adrenaline spikes lead to paralysis. That’s tough when her life is so action-packed!
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story: Tye is essentially an ocean planet. There are dozens of archipelagos scattered around the globe, but they are ultimately tiny land masses. Each island or island group represents a distinct colony whereon humans (originally from our own solar system) have made their homes. Marine life is abundant, and there are some indigenous bird species, too, but larger land mammals have mostly been imported from other planets (callabus, bovines and ovis – or, as we would call them, horses, cows and sheep).
If we were to visit Tye as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there? The most tourist-friendly places would be the atoll chains of Ikekane North and South. These are large groups of lagoons with phenomenal natural beauty, great surfing, and incredibly hospitable natives. Think of the more unspoiled Polynesian islands, but with all the modern conveniences of medical care and communications technology, etc. Another beautiful area is the island of Flinders which features some amazing spiral reefs not far off the shore. The accommodations are far from luxurious, and there is a minor crime problem there, but you’ll ultimately be able to find all the amenities you need, and Sleeping Bay has some spectacular sail boats to watch.
What dangers should we avoid in Tye? Besides the occasional extreme electrical storms, the only real danger out on the water is if a shoal of gouldings feels you are a dangerous predator. They will work together to capsize a boat and/or chew up any person they feel is a threat. The bigger your boat, the better off you’ll likely be.
Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in Tye? Obviously, you can expect a lot of seafood and sea-plant type foods, but there are also tropical regions—the Ikekanes in particular—that have to-die-for luscious fruits. Pina on a stick is a favorite snack that will melt in your mouth.
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in Tye? Most of the cultures are not particularly violent, but you can find everything from wooden spears to laser rifles and grenade launchers.
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to Tye? Travel to Tye is done by express shuttles from other planets or space ferries from the Interplanetary City Stations. The shuttles will most often land up on the polar ice cap, the only place with enough uninhabited space for takeoff and landings, etc. The space ferries, however, just drop into the ocean nearest the desired location until a water ferry can come out and retrieve the passengers. Between colonies on the planet, the vast majority of people travel by solar-powered or wind-turbine sailboat because sea-runner planes require too much fuel (synthetic petrol). On the individual islands and atolls, wheeled vehicles are almost always either pulled by horses or people, but since the spaces are so small, people can just walk. If folks want to cut across a lagoon, many swim and use a “board” (like a surf board) to carry their goods.
What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Tye that we don’t see on Earth? The faneps are humanoids about the size of large cats. They have sharp teeth, retractable claws, big bald heads, enormous lung-capacity (good for swimming), the ability to “float” in the air, and telepathy.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Tye?  The world of the humans is all very normal and logical and tech-filled, but the faneps are a whole different matter. The very captivity which afflicts them is caused by the presence of humans; it limits their power of speech and some of their cognitive ability. The “Cycling Ceremony” that Caz is undertaking will somehow mystically change all of that. Caz is given three “gifts” which give her unusual powers: superhuman strength, insanely fast recuperative powers, a perfect memory, and the ability to assert mind over body in controlling certain body functions.
Is there any advanced or unusual technology in Tye?  If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples. There are many, but the one Caz and her friends use the most often is the comlink. It’s an egg-shaped communication device that can access holographic archive vids (like our modern internet only 3D) or link people through space with live audio-visual feed in a blue inverted cone.
What is the political or government structure in Tye?  Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she? Tye is part of the Granbo Charter that is a loose affiliation of colonies spread out over the three inhabited planets of the Granbo System and the Interplanetary City-Stations. There is no centralized government, but the colonies have elected governors, and the ICSs have stationmasters. Ambassadors also run liaison between the colonies, etc. to help negotiate trade or resource management, but generally each group is pretty autonomous. Gypsies, who do not usually lock themselves to one location, are not considered citizens of any colony or ICS, and as such are often denied rights or mistrusted by those who remain more stationary. One of the premises of the Cycling Ceremony is that Caz would become Queen of the unified Granbo System and, because of her gypsy ties, bring some dignity to their status.
Are there any other unique cultural practices that we should be aware of if we visit Tye? Each colony is so different that it is hard to generalize. In some, elderly people are revered as the leaders, yet in others, they are set adrift to die once they have ceased to be highly productive members of society. Some colonies welcome visitors and trade, while others want to be left completely alone. In the Ikekanes, people are very warm and friendly; they clap as a way of greeting and provide community “boards” for recreation and transportation. In Scilly, family relationships are very important, and people are expected to spend a great deal of time talking about how each member is doing prior to conducting any business. In Menorca, agricultural families are conglomerates of families that own large tracts of land and use it for the commercial benefit of the colony.
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book? I’ve had the opportunity to travel extensively in my life, and I’ve always been fascinated by different cultures and why they do things in different ways. Although these island colonies were not based on real places I’ve been, per se, I did try to think about what general lines of latitude each might represent. The colony names actually come from real geographic places (towns, islands, etc.) on our own planet that correspond. For example, Wandel Hav is a real place up in the Arctic Circle, and on Tye, it is the northernmost colony.
What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book? There are a few. One is the treatment of elderly or handicapped, and the other is the whole concept of centralized vs. local government autonomy. I’m not trying to solve the problems as much as open them up for consideration in a less threatening way.


Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book? 

Currently, it is only available in kindle form on Amazon, but will soon be released in paperback form and become available through a wide variety of outlets including Barnes & Noble.

 Update: the book is now available in paperback as well as Kindle format at the above link.  Or, click here to purchase it on Barnes & Noble.  

Where can readers connect with you online? 

Twitter
website


I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Tye.  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 Seilla, in Realm Explorers Part LV!
-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:  
Lia London
Title of book and/or series:  
The Gypsy Pearl
Brief summary of the story:  
Caz has lived on an Interplanetary City Station all her life and is bored to the point of rebellion.  When a fight with a class bully gets her sent to a reformatory on “the Surface”, she heads down to the planet Caren full of anticipation.  She hopes for adventure, and is more than rewarded with it when she meets an escaped delinquent, gypsies, and the alien creature that travels with them.  A bizarre encounter with the creature leaves Caz with a gypsy pearl inside of her arm, and the side-effects alter the course of her destiny.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:  
The planet Caren is somewhat Earth-like, though it spins a little faster, causing more violent fluctuations in the weather.  There is an ocean with golden beaches, and mountains with green forests.  The overall climate is approaching tropical.  There are only about a dozen colonies on the entire planet, all located on the land mass just north of the planet’s equator.  The colonies are like small villages, each with some specific purpose that serves the Granbo Solar System (with its two other inhabited planets and the Interplanetary City Station system).  The Rik Peninsula is known for fishing, but it also hosts the juvenile Lamond Reformatory for delinquent youths.
If we were to visit Caren as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?  
Definitely spend some time scuba diving, as the water is not too deep, and is not teeming with predators.  Charter a fishing expedition on a hovercraft.


 What dangers should we avoid in Caren?  
The mountain and forest regions have some dangerous animals, most notably the black vipers.  They are fat snake-like things whose venom can kill in less than a minute.
Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in Caren?  
Most meals feature revos, which are a root vegetable akin to turnips or potatoes.  They can be prepared in a variety of ways.  Also duspies are like a purple cross between grapes (in clusters) and corn (on stalks).  These are primarily eaten raw as a fruit, but can also be made into juice.  The leaves of the Rik trees are also used by gypsies to make tea.  The leaves contain medicinal properties that aid the memory.  Rik Tea, however, is not sold in most public houses.
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in Caren?  
Laser rifles are used by guards at the Reformatory or security patrols, but in general, the colonies on Caren do not have much weaponry.  Crime is not rampant, and weapons would mostly only be used for defense against wild animals.
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel on or to Caren?  
To get to Caren, one would have to have gone through Quarantine on an ICS (if traveling from another planet), and then be vaccinated against local diseases.  A Ferry (an egg-shaped shuttle with no windows) takes passengers into the atmosphere from the ICS and then uses parachutes for a water landing.  From there, a hovercraft water ferry comes to retrieve the passengers and takes them to the docks.  Magnetic planks attach to the docs, and from there people can travel by foot, by wheeled vehicles that have a driver’s cabin and a passenger cab in the back, or by skimmer–which is a two-seater motorcycle/scooter type thing that can travel parallel to the ground regardless of the angle of the terrain.  There are also standard 4-seater type planes.
What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Caren that we don’t see on earth?  
The aforementioned vipers are the largest animals indigenous to Caren, but faneps–humanoids about the size of a cat with larger eyes and razor sharp fishy teeth–can be found in swarms in the mountains and forests.  These animals (unbeknownst to almost everyone) are telepathic.  Sometimes they are “domesticated” and travel with gypsies as guard-dog type help, but generally they are considered repulsive and dirty.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Caren?  
The Gypsy Pearl itself (the one in Caz’s arm) carries a supernatural power to make her much stronger physically, able to heal from wounds quickly, and able to defy gravity if in falling situations so that she can land safely.  She can also link herself mentally to work in unison with other faneps, again defying gravity in certain maneuvers.  There is more to come, but in this volume of the trilogy, that’s all we get to see.
Is there any advanced or unusual technology in Caren?  If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples.  
Comlinks are egg-shaped communicators that can link from the Surface to any ICS in range.  The communication display is a blue-ish cone of  holographic display.
Tell us about any sports, games, or activities that are available for entertainment in Caren.  
Children often play with Turbo Chips, like playing cards except that each plastic piece has different shapes and purposes.  There is a digital end to it, too.  Holographic ids replace TV. 
Are the days of the week and months of the year the same in Caren as on earth? What holidays or special events are celebrated regularly there?  
Earth holidays are not referenced, but the 7-day week has been artificially imposed regardless of what is actually happening.  The rotation of the planet makes for 20 hour days.
What is the political or government structure in Caren?  Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?  
Each of the colonies on the various planets has its own Governor, though as recently as 50 years ago, there was a Queen on Caren who managed to unify the colonies on her planet and several on the other two planets (Craggy and Type).  That was known as the Empire.  She was assassinated, and the colonies went back to autonomy loosely guided by the Granbo Charter, a series of laws put in place to keep relations between colonies efficient, mutually beneficial, but mostly isolated.  It’s as if everyone only interacts as much as they absolutely have to.
Are there any other unique cultural practices that we should be aware of if we visit Caren?  
Caren citizens and gypsies don’t mix much.  Gypsies will be hired for migrant work, and often can make a living trading valuables like the gypsy pearls, but groups just don’t mingle much.  

What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?  
The whole trilogy will be looking at the balances of power, and whether or not uniformity for efficiency’s sake is truly the most productive (or happy) way to live.

Author Autobiography:  

I was born in Oregon, but spent several years living in North Carolina, Scotland and Guatemala as well as traveling in Europe and South America.  Since my youth, I have loved to read and write, as well as sing.  Starting in grade school, I wrote skits for class presentations and school assemblies, and by my freshman year in college had written a musical comedy which was produced by Salem, Oregon’s Children’s Educational Theaters summer troupe.  I taught English, Geography, and Spanish in high schools and private language institutes until my first child was born, at which time I became a stay-home mom, tutoring for pay and writing scripts and narrations for non-profit organizations (choral, dramatic, educational and religious).  In 2011, I published my first full-length novel, The Circle of Law, and entered the world of indie publishing.  Since then, I have published four more books with a fifth due out this fall.  Last year, I created Clean Indie Reads, a blog and FB network promoting books free of explicit content.  We now have over 700 authors and a readership beyond my most ambitious aspirations.  I have returned to Oregon and live with my husband, two children, a dog, and a cat.  I’m also a black belt in Taekwondo.

Lia London as a “Wild Thing” when Performing a Dramatic Interpretation of
“Where the Wild Things Are” in a Church Talent Show


Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book(s)?  The Gypsy Pearl is available through Amazon in both Kindle and Paperback format.
Where can readers connect with you online?  Come see me at LiaLondonBooks.com or on Facebook or Twitter!




I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Caren.  Questions about the planet 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 planets and moons of our solar system a hundred fifty years in our future, in Realm Explorers Part IV!
-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.