Author’s name: Marsha A. Moore

Title of book and/or series: The Enchanted Bookstore Legends

The Enchanted Bookstore Legendsare about Lyra McCauley, a woman destined to become one of five strong women in her family who possess unique magical abilities and serve as Scribes in Dragonspeir. The Scribes span a long history, dating from 1200 to present day. Each Scribe is expected to journey through Dragonspeir, both the good and evil factions, then draft a written account. Each book contains magic with vast implications.

Lyra was first introduced to Dragonspeir as a young girl, when she met the high sorcerer, Cullen Drake, through a gift of one of those enchanted books. Using its magic, he escorted her into the parallel world of Dragonspeir. Years later, she lost that volume and forgot the world and Cullen. These legends begin where he finds her again—she is thirty-five, standing in his enchanted bookstore, and Dragonspeir needs her. 

When Lyra reopens that enchanted book, she confronts a series of quests where she is expected to save the good Alliance from destruction by the evil Black Dragon. While learning about her role, Lyra and Cullen fall in love. He is 220 years old and kept alive by Dragonspeir magic. Cullen will die if Dragonspeir is taken over by the evil faction… Lyra becomes the Scribe.

You will need to take care upon entering through the main portal, which is found along the Lake Superior coast of Michigan. The primary path from that portal leads to a crossroads that is guarded by Cranewort, the Gatekeeper. He is a tremendous tree and will demand to know your destination. If he senses your energy to be evil, his roots will rise and imprison you. However, he is a kind and gentle soul to those who are the same. He will guide you along the proper paths that leads to various wonderful areas of the good Alliance region of Dragonspeir. Your choices include the Meadow of Peace where meadow faeries command blossoms to open and play music. There, Alliance children are trained in witchcraft. The Meadow is under the guidance of the Phoenix Fire Guardian, the Lady of Peace. Her gentle spirit will welcome you to linger and enjoy your stay.

Or you may choose to travel farther into the great forest and visit with the Unicorn Earth Guardian who will delight you with his vast knowledge of magical animals that live throughout all parts of Dragonspeir.

Continuing farther, you will find the governing place of the Alliance, the Imperial Dragon’s lair, which is built into the side of a stone mountain. The Imperial Dragon is the Head Guardian and channels his power from the air. There you can see great tapestries that show the great accomplishments of each Imperial Dragon in Alliance history. You can also visit the grand library kept by the Tortoise Water Guardian and learn the rich history of Dragonspeir.

Be careful to follow Gatekeeper Cranewort’s guidance in selecting the correct path for your journey into the good Alliance of Dragonspeir. You do not want to take a wrong turn and end up in the evil Dark Realm region of the land. There, fire and magma drakes will hunt you down as prey to be served to their master, the Black Dragon.

The battle between the good Alliance and evil Dark Realm lands of Dragonspeir has endured for centuries, as far back as the eight-hundred-year recorded history of the Alliance.

While Dark Realm power is black magic, relying heavily upon the methods of alchemy, the source of Alliance power is astral energies. Those external powers correspond to the natural elements of air, earth, fire, and water. Each Alliance magical being gains his/her unique tendencies from the star sign of nature under which he or she is born. Individuals may appeal to their star to gain or modify their magic in times of need. More importantly, the Alliance, as a collective, gained magical power by using a powerful device that channeled astral energy. The continuous influx of energy maintained Alliance superiority over the Dark Realm.

Centuries ago, the Dark Realm stole the keystones needed to operate that channeling device, hoping to weaken their opposition. The forces of evil quickly overtook and nearly decimated the Alliance… until the coming of the lineage of Scribes. The Enchanted Bookstore Legendsare about Lyra McCauley, a woman destined to become the fifth of a line of strong women in her family who possess unique magical abilities and serve as Scribes in Dragonspeir. The Scribes span a long history, dating from 1,200 to present day. Each Scribe is expected to journey through Dragonspeir, both the good and evil factions, then draft a written account. Each book contains magic with vast implications which empowers the Alliance in new ways.

Dragons may be ridden by those who are trained to ride. Of the four Guardians, the Imperial Dragon, the Unicorn, and the Phoenix may fly. The Tortoise Guardian may dematerialize and transport magically, as can high order wizards.

My series, Enchanted Bookstore Legends, has two main worlds, reality and a parallel fantasy world called Dragonspeir. The organization of magical power and leadership in that fantasy land was inspired by the balanced system of the four Chinese elements of creation: earth, fire, water, air. Chinese mythology ties those elements to sacred animals that foretell future events. The unicorn is supposed to spring from the center of the earth as the phoenix represents fire, the tortoise water, and the dragon air.

For my legends, I selected those four animals as the four Guardians who collectively govern the Alliance. That is the realm of Dragonspeir which is good and fair, opposing the Dark Realm led by the Black Dragon. When my heroine, Adalyra McCauley, opens an enchanted book she confronts a series of quests where she is expected to work with those Guardians to save the Alliance from attacks by the evil Black Dragon.

The unicorn represents the earthelement. From times of the Ming dynasty, the unicorn was specially praised its ability to discriminate between good and evil. It would gore only the wicked with its single horn. Emperor Shun, the first law-giver, employed a minister who had such a beast in his court to do just that. My Guardian Unicorn is very powerful and a tough character, a sort of bad-ass, but fair to a fault. He judges whether Lyra is ready to begin her quest.

The phoenix, a legendary bird with brilliant colors, lived more than one life. It consumed itself by fire periodically, and a new young phoenix sprang from the ashes. In Chinese mythology, the phoenix symbolizes fire. Within its spirit, the Feng Hwang bird contains the balance of the solar Yang and the lunar Yin powers. The phoenix is called the Empress because it represents qualities of beauty and peace. I titled my Phoenix Guardian as the Lady of Peace, appearing only during happy times. She presides over the Meadow of Peace, a quiet collection of villages in the Alliance territory.

The third animal, the tortoise or turtle, represents water and was thought to be a model of the world. Its upper shell curved like the vault of the heavens, its lower shell flat like the Chinese envisioned the Earth at that time. They read the future in the pattern on the tortoise’s shell. The animal is perceived as a symbol of longevity and wisdom. My Tortoise Guardian is in charge of keeping the history of Dragonspeir for the Alliance. He commands a vast library of records and magical documents. He is instrumental in preparing Lyra for her quests as well as offering guidance when she creates her own written accounts after completing those tasks. As a Scribe, she alone can imbue magic into text that increases the power of the Alliance.

The dragon, the fourth prophetic animal, was a divine creature that signified wisdom and represented air. For centuries, it was the imperial emblem. The emperor’s throne was called the Dragon Throne and his face was called the Dragon Face. It was said that when an emperor died, he ascended to heaven riding on the back of a dragon. The celestial dragon, T’ien Lung, is sometimes represented as holding up the sky. For these reasons, in the Enchanted Bookstore Legends, I gave my Imperial Dragon the title of Head Guardian. He serves as a wise leader, coordinating the actions of the other three Guardians. In charge of the air element, he is expert in the magic craft of mystic astronomy, reading and gaining power from the stars by using an array of unusual instruments. He teaches Lyra to use many of his tools that use power from the stars and sky.

Additionally, astrological signs are grouped in a similar manner, according to their dominant elements of earth, fire, water, and air. In my books, residents of Dragonspeir who inherit magical tendencies must learn to utilize their dominant element in order to control and develop their abilities. Lyra, like all Scribes, is born under a fire sign and must learn to communicate with the main star of the Aries constellation—her birthmate star—in order to utilize her vast powers. This is awkward and she must work hard to master the techniques.

These four animals and the elements they represent were believed by the Chinese to make up all of creation. The Alliance realm of the fantasy world Dragonspier in the Enchanted Bookstore Legendsthat is good and fair embraces this balance.

The Alliance folk and Tree Keepers and Trees of the Silva Caliga forest all worship the elements of nature: air, earth, fire, and water. They celebrate the pagan holidays, observing the equinoxes and solstices. The solstice festivals are grand occasions with feasting and dancing.

This varies per region. In the Dark Realm, most residents are scavengers and consume dead animals. In the Alliance, the foods are typical peasant fare, but any animal used as food must strictly be a non-magical, lower animal. In the neutral forest land of Silva Caliga, the residents create wondrous feasts from roots, nuts, and berries with hearty savory soups and breads.

It’s basically a fantasy lover’s dream—from an enchanted bookstore, being able to step into a favorite book as a character. I know my initial inspiration came after watching the recent Tim Burton Alice in Wonderland movie. From that, I wanted to work with parallel worlds and have a heroine who must save the fantasy world from danger. How the heroine was required to compose a fantasy novel was my own idea that seemed to fall naturally into place in the plot.

Website: http://MarshaAMoore.com

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Thanks for the wonderful interview, Annie! It was lots of fun.

-Annie Douglass Lima

Author’s name:

LeAnna Shields

The Alestrion Chronicles

Aira’s life of slavery turns into a life of freedom and fame when she is rescued and returned home. After a year as an apprentice to a griffin keeper she quickly becomes Tanul’s most famous griffin racer, but that’s not the life she was meant for. In a twist of fate she becomes the only one who can save the life of the king from an assassination attempt only to discover that she is in fact his long lost daughter and heir to the throne.

Tanul is an earth-like planet and the only populated planet in the system of the same name. The surface is mostly covered in water except for a several island nations. Most of the story takes place on the planet’s central island Kabber-ka between the capital city and a small village called Delthen.

If you were to visit the Planet Tanul the first thing you would see is the capital city. Built entirely of constantly growing crystal, the city is an ever changing rainbow depending on the stone’s color and the time of day. The crown of the city and center of power is the Palace complex. For entertainment I recommend a day at the griffin race.

Overall, Tanul is a very peaceful and safe place to be. The only danger that should be avoided is a pesky egg-stealing black griffin. Motive for his thievery is unknown as of yet.  Also, there is a shadowy figure that’s rumored about, named Techneon.

The fruit vendors that line the streets are always willing to give a sample of their wares. Especially of their Zeeda melon, a pink fleshed melon that has a flavor some would compare to a strawberry.

What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in Tanul?

The popular fighting style is the use of the Ilon Char: a set of steel fans used for self defense.

The main modes of transportation while on world are the hover car and tramways. But the most popular and exhilarating way to get around is on the back of a griffin.

The sentient races you will encounter on Tanul vary. The central continent is inhabited by the Tanulians, a race of humanoids. They stand at 6 ft. tall, have white hair, and have an average lifespan of 200 yrs.  They share the island with another race called the Eltheen, their mixed-race children called the Ta’ran Muth, and a race known as the Greyon who inhabit the mountains. The Outer Islands are inhabited by other more secretive races: there are the Tykerians, a race of half snake half humans, the Unari, and the Marshlender. Also there are the griffins, majestic telepathically sentient creatures that have the head of an eagle and the body of a lion.

Holographic communications and space ships are some of the advanced technology.

For entertainment there are the griffin races. Young Tanulians come together and race with their griffin partners through canyons. The Commander’s Cup race is the highest event of the season and the winner become head of the griffin racer’s guild, called The High Wing Commander. 

The days of the week are similar, if slightly shorter than Earth’s. The Spring Festival and the migration of the lunar butterfly (a beautiful six winged bio-luminescent insect) are highly celebrated events. There’s also the newly instated Victory Festival.

Under Princess Aria, the following of Alestrion, the great phoenix, has been revived, along with the prophecies concerning him and an interest in the tomes of the law.

The political structure on Tanul is a matriarchy/democracy. Right now the High Queen Nalan and her family are in charge: her husband High King Arameus, her son King Alistare, his wife Queen Icallia, and daughter Princess Aria. Under their reign and leadership the planet has become quite prosperous, and the people are very excited to see what the future brings with newly crowned princess Aria’s rule.

Two cultural practices that are readily observable are the Nish Alen, and an ear wrap worn by locals. This is given to a child when he or she has undergone a maturing process called the chrysalis. They also place small crystals beside their eyes to mark their place in society. Merchants, herbalists, racers and warriors each have a different color and arrangement. These are presented to an apprentice upon graduation.  

My love of mythology inspired a few of the cultures, such as the Tykerians; they’re based loosely on the mythical creatures called the Naga.

Slavery and abuse are very lightly touched on in the fact that Aria is rescued from slavery and life with an abusive grandfather to become a future ruler.

Readers can find me on Twitter @inkweilder

On Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/LeAnnashields/

and on my website http://www.griffinpilot.com

-Annie Douglass Lima

Title of book and/or series: Heralds of the Crown: Poison

As part of a sect called the Strages, Marcella is ordered to execute fierce assaults on the Logia—gifted believers in the triune deity known as the Crown. After receiving a vision, she begins to question her allegiance and finds herself seeking counsel from a leader in the Logia faith, whom she was sent to annihilate.

When her mentor, Thaed, uncovers her betrayal, he orders her to do the unthinkable—kill the Logia leader who has become her friend. Her choice will result in either the destruction of the Logia or her own death.

The series of Strages attacks call the Logia to prepare for a major battle. In doing so, Gaultier Lassiter is enlisted. When he discovers an unconscious young woman buried in a snowdrift, his world is turned upside down. She has no memory and no ability to speak—only a strange symbol carved into her chest.

The question of her identity leads to a journey of legendary proportions. Between his own personal struggles with his estranged brother, his unmet potential, and the murder of a close friend, Gaultier fights to cling to his faith. And once the mystery is solved, will Gaultier be prepared to face the truth?

Brief description of the world or location you created for this story: 

The Circeae System is home to many beings, just like us. There’s nothing spectacular or outlandish about them, but they do have space flight technology that allows them to travel the system with relative ease.

Three stars—Vetus, Aevum, and Novus—and seven inhabitable moons surround the heart of the system, the bustling planet Crenet. Each star has its own rotation of planets.

The religious beliefs of the system are widespread, but the focus of the saga is the Logia. They are believers in truth, justice, honor, and good. Their counterparts are the Strages, but little is known of them aside from the fact that they are pure evil. They are apathetic toward humans, and act cruelly and thoughtlessly.

The Logia lead the system in peace and prosperity, culminating in the reign of the Ruler Prince, Ternion. Unrest, however, leads to his deposition, allowing the Progressive Legacy—a powerful and cruel government—to take over the system. This cosmic war also results in a religious holocaust.

If we were to visit the Circeae System as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there? 

On Ossia, you would see the Sunlight Gardens. They are indeed a sight to see. Tersus, the neighboring moon, is where much of the Progressive Legacy’s Elite live. Reveille has an exceptional Zephyr academy, where many Legacy officers have studied. Archet is the primary weapons maker for system. And finally, the shipyards on either side of the system—Atrum or Tzigane—are impressive as well.

What dangers should we avoid in the Circeae System? 

The star Vetus is dying. For reasons unknown, its energy is dwindling, leaving most of the surrounding planets uninhabitable. Dark things seem to come from that rotation, given that it is home to the leaders of the Progressive Legacy, the Tribunal.

Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in the Circeae System? 

Under the rule of the Progressive Legacy, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything but rationed protein paste. But if you know the right people, you can get your hands on a sunberry or a pulpmelon.

What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in the Circeae System? 

Those who have their minds on the past tend to use swords and daggers. However, as the Legacy grows in strength and number, many more have learned to use a pincer (Plasma Induced by Negatively Charged Elemental Reaction)—a plasma gun. There’s also something that resembles a cattle prod called a stinger, as well as an APL (Activated Projectile Launch ) rifle, which can shoot several different devices, including tracers, immobilizers, and detonators.

What types of vehicles, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to the Circeae System? 

The primary modes of travel between planets and moons are space crafts and shuttles of varying sizes and speeds. Ground transport includes utility vehicles and cruisers.

On Oresed, legend speaks of a gentle animal called a braeshore that could be ridden. One of the more exciting plants is the subluce tree. When looked at with the right state of mind and heart, the leaves shimmer and glow.

There are some who believe in magic, to be sure. However, followers of the Crown know the true source of power comes from the Creator King. Through Him, human beings have the power to physically heal (restoration), mentally or emotionally heal (reconciliation), and use other gifts such as wisdom, strength, leadership, and communication. Of course, there are those who abuse such gifts and learn much darker ways to do “magic.”

Is there any advanced or unusual technology in the Circeae System?  If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples. 

The technology, much like in Star Wars, is assumed rather than explained. The people of the Circeae System are able to travel through space comfortably and relatively quickly, but I don’t go into details as to the “how”.

A favorite pastime is tossball. Sadly, in the Legacy years, books are forbidden, however a small contingent of folks enjoy reading and re-telling the legends of Kincade the Space Sailor.

Are the days of the week and months of the year the same in the Circeae System as on earth? What holidays or special events are celebrated regularly there? 

Yes, the Circeae System uses the same time measurements we are familiar with on Earth, however, longer time periods are measured in a different way. The major epochs that span the saga are identified as Coronam Tempus (Crown’s Time—prior to the arrival of the Ruler Prince), Prince’s Reign (the reign of Prince Ternion, the Ruler Prince), and PLR (Progressive Legacy Rule).

Is there a particular religion practiced in the Circeae System?  Please describe what it involves. 

Two distinct religions stand out and are in a constant struggle. On one side are the Logia. These are benevolent, kind followers of the Crown, the triune god of the Circeae System. They also have supernatural gifts, unlike their counterparts, the Lumen. They, too, follow the Crown and support the Logia. Enemies of the Crown are known as the Strages and the Crepusculum. Like the Logia, the Strages have supernatural abilities, but theirs come from much darker sources. They seek to end the Logia and the glory of the Crown.

What is the political or government structure in the Circeae System?  Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she? 

At the start of the series, the Logia have a good hold on the system. They anticipate the coming of the Ruler Prince, who will lead the system in peace and prosperity. Great unrest shakes the throne, however, allowing a more sinister force to take control and depose the Ruler Prince. A trio of beings—who can only be described as inhuman—lead the rise of the Progressive Legacy, a military-based government with an iron fist.

Are there any other unique cultural practices that we should be aware of if we visit the Circeae System? 

Several lesser-known breakout religions embrace a few crazy rituals. The Ghosts, a band of freedom fighters, have been known to use such actions to prevent arrest.

Definitely the culture. I am a Christ follower, and I wanted to explore that in a science-fiction setting. I also tend to use names of people or places around me, but slightly distorted. For instance, the first characters I created in this series were Selah and Gray (Valor).Selah is an anagram of my name minus the y, while Gray is an anagram of my husband’s name.

I touch on a lot of Christian themes, but I avoid getting preachy. You will not find a sermon on forgiveness, but you’ll find a character struggling with that. You won’t get hammered with a message of redemption, but you’ll see the idea woven into the epic storyline.

Amazon.com– Kindle

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Barnes&Noble.com– Nook

Website: www.AshleyBazer.com,

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AshleyHodgesBazer

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-Annie Douglass Lima

Author’s name: David G. Johnson

Title of book and/or series: Chadash Chronicles: Book 1-Fool’s Errand, Book 2-Mystic’s Mayhem, Book 3 (out late 2014)-Paryn’s Gold, and the prequel short story Saga of the Everking

Brief summary of the story: 
On the far side of the universe God has created a new world, the world of Chadash, where two groups of angels battle for the souls of men.  Chadash is a world filled with magnificent beings, ancient races, epic heroes, and evil forces seeking to conquer or destroy.  An unlikely band of heroes, a teenage thief, a holy warrior, a barbarian prince, a priest, a half-feline huntress, and an outcast necromancer, are drawn together for what was to be a simple job, but soon transforms into a much greater adventure.  Come along to the world of Chadash, where heroes strive and battle as unwitting pawns in an even greater struggle.

Brief description of the world or location you created for this story: 
Chadash is a roughly earth-like planet, but is filled with many sentient races.  It is a vast land of dangerous creatures, hostile enemies, and exotic landscapes which will capture the imagination of readers and give them a wondrous new world to explore along with the heroes.

If we were to visit Chadash as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?  
Well, Chadash is a vast and varied land, so that question would be a bit like asking what a visit to North America would be like.  Canada is very different from Mexico.  Maine is vastly different from California.  So for the rest of the discussion, let’s focus on the northwest region of the continent of Ya-Erets, where most of the action from the first three books takes place. It is a more civilized and relatively homogenous area of Chadash.

The first of the many must-see highlights for northwest Ya-Erets would be the independent city-state of Aton-Ri. It is truly a melting pot, where races serving the angels serving the One Lord, the Malakim, mix and mingle with the races serving the rebellious and evil angels, the Ayabim. The only rules for residence in Aton-Ri is a willingness to live in peace, and an agreement to fight in defense of the city if needed. No matter how different one is, they can find a home in Aton-Ri.

A second don’t-miss place would be the amazing stone spires of the Durgak city of Stonehold.  The Durgak are master miners and stone carvers as well as the most accomplished armorers on Chadash.  Visiting the epic and vast halls carved from the very Dragonspine Mountains themselves is a sight to awe the most stoic visitor.

A third place would be the paragon of civilization in the northwest, the crown jewel of Parynland, the city of Paryn’s Gate.  Epic architecture with nature themes run through the city, as though the Ketarynne Forest to the north had extended its essence into Paryn’s Gate to infuse the city.  Spotting Ketarynne’s main inhabitants, the reclusive and elegant V’rassi, is easy to do in Paryn’s Gate, as most of the Parynlanders have at least a trace of V’rassi blood in their family lines.

Finally, one of the most exotic cities to visit is the tent city of Klalih’, the capital of the nation of Rajik. The city has very few permanent structures, but is built by the nomadic Rajiki horsemen as a vast sea of colored tents. Vendors from all the tribes gather in the winding and ever-shifting market streets of the nomadic city, and sights, sounds, smells and tastes to delight any visitor can be found here.

What dangers should we avoid in northwest Ya-Erets? 
One of the heroes, Melizar, who has traveled much further than any of the others, refers to the northwest as “a cradle of civility and peace, compared to the rest of the world.”  Still, it is not without its dangers. There are the “death grass” adders that inhabit the plains of the northwest, and their bite can kill a full-sized horse with a single bite.  The Wild Lands to the south of Darkmoor are filled with Goblinoid tribes and it is an area best avoided if at all possible.  Finally, if enjoying the hospitality of the cosmopolitan city of Aton-Ri, the southwest part of the city, especially around the neighborhood known as The Barrows, is best to avoid after dark. Although, if one is an adventurer seeking information, The Iron Cur Tavern, or “Mok’s Place” as the locals call it, sits on the edge of The Barrows and is the place to go in Aton-Ri.

Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in northwest Ya-Erets? 
Ah, yes! There is one delicacy that is craved by adventurers and travelers with purses heavy enough to afford it. yochamabread is a specialty made by the Moors of Darkmoor. Being a swamp, food spoils very quickly in Darkmoor and bread cannot be kept for more than a day without going moldy.  So the Moors have developed a baking technique using resin from the Yocha tree which grows everywhere in Darkmoor. They oven-seal the bread by baking it in the resin, and as long as the hard, resin shell remains intact, the bread will be just like it was fresh-baked for up to two or three weeks! Eating well on the road is difficult, but for those who can afford it, yochamabread can make the difference between eating and dining on the road.

What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in northwest Ya-Erets? 
Well, in earth terms it is a society just on the brink of the gunpowder age.  There is one nation of inventors in eastern Ya-Erets, the Duchy of Kimara, whose technological advancements are starting to make their way into other nations. Powder weapons are not uncommon, but they do show up very occasionally in the hands of travelers.  Much more common are typical swords, maces, clubs, spears, bows and arrows, crossbows, etc.  There are some advanced fighting styles, as various schools of martial monks are known in a few societies.  The monks can be very dangerous fighters, but they are not undefeatable and often have their own weaknesses or idiosyncrasies which can be exploited.  This, added to the fact that the monks are very few in number compared to the overall population of Ya-Erets, helps keep them from becoming too overwhelming a force.  Additionally the often competing philosophies of the different schools mean that opposing monk schools often also serve to keep each other in check.

What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to northwest Ya-Erets? 
Again, barring Kimara, which is said to have invented steam powered vehicles, horses and wagons are the normal mode of travel. Some races are very fleet of foot and prefer to run rather than ride. This is seen in the story in the person of Arreya, a half-Zafirr (feline humanoids) huntress and one of the heroes of the first three books.  Other races, which aren’t encountered in the first three stories, have wings and can fly.  This includes the Ouati, bird-like humanoids, the Zza-zree, bee-like insectoids, and some of the Great Wyrms, like dragons of old.  But of course Wyrms have been extinct since CY666, everybody knows that, right? But there are rumors…

What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in northwest Ya-Erets that we don’t see on earth? 
Chadash is filled with other races, because of the manner and purpose for which it was created. There are so many, but other than the ones I have already mentioned in other answers, and only limiting to the races common to northwest Ya-Erets, there are still quite a few.  Goblinoids include races like Orcs, Hobgoblins, and Ogres, and are quite common in the Wild Lands and the Dragonspine Mountains.  Giants, called Nephilim, also are found fairly commonly in the Dragonspines.  The more dangerous forest of Dotham Woods is home to reptiloids and their ilk, as well as many insectoid races.  I have already mentioned the Durgak (think fantasy dwarves) of Stonehold City and the V’rassi (think fantasy elves) of Ketarynne Forest, but there are also the human race of Adami, which are very similar to the humans of earth.  The Qarahni, another human race, are large, hearty barbarians who inhabit the Clan Lands of the north.  Goldain, one of the main heroes in the story, is a prince of the Wolf Clan Qarahni. Mitsar, or halflings, are also often seen in and about Aton-Ri, although their main homeland is actually in northeast Ya-Erets. Wolf-like humanoids called Fenriri, and their half-human offspring the Fenratu, are very common in the northwest, especially given a large population of them reside in eastern Ketarynne and Lubanwood.  That covers most of the races that appear in the first three books, but as Melizar rightly said, there is a vast and wondrous world out there, and other parts of Ya-Erets, which the heroes will visit in future stories, contain many more wondrous races.

What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in northwest Ya-Erets?  If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used. 
The “magic” in all of Chadash is no different than on earth.  What?  Yes, there is “magic” on earth.  We see it throughout the Scriptures.  Like in the Bible, there are three kinds of supernatural powers that manifest on Chadash. 

“Oth” powers are like the miracles of the Bible. They are given only by God, called the One Lord on Chadash, and are at His discretion.  They can be one-time occurrences in answer to a specific prayer for help, or can be gifted longer term.

“Kashaph” are the second type, and this is like the dark powers of sorcery condemned in the Bible.  Such things come from the fallen angels, the Ayabim, and include the dark powers of necromancy, conjuration, and even divination.  There is often conflict within the heroes when Melizar, a necromancer, uses his kashaph powers around the characters who are followers of the One Lord.  It is truly a test of patience, but also a good lesson in how we can deal with people in the real world who think, act, and behave in ways very different to us.  We can choose to condemn or to teach. Too often in the real world, Christians choose the former, but fortunately, the wise and patient leader of the heroes, the holy warrior Gideon, chooses the latter.

“Koach” are the final type of powers, and they are the most mysterious of all.  The are not studied like the kashaph powers, or specifically asked for like the oth gifts, but are granted totally at the discretion of the One Lord for His purposes. Some races seems to have certain koach powers, like the Solana’s control of light, or the Piqa manifestation of electricity. Others, like bard song koach or some of the human monks’ ability to manifest elemental powers, are not tied to racial attributes. Then there are the Qatoni, Mitsar with koach gifts, many of whom are nature priests called druids.  They believe in the One Lord as the creator of nature, but do not have the formalized religion of the typical One Lord priests.

Is there any advanced or unusual technology in northwest Ya-Erets?  If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples. 
Not really.  Thatcher, one of the heroes, has a knack for inventing and loves coming up with various gadgets and gizmos.  Most of what could be called “technology”, however, would be found in Kimara.  There may be a visit to Kimara in later books, but it is not part of the northwest and not really featured in the first three books.

Are the days of the week and months of the year the same on Chadash as on earth? What holidays or special events are celebrated regularly there? 
It is very close.  There is still a seven day week, but each month on Chadash is 28 days long, so exactly four weeks.  There are thirteen months in the year, thus making Chadash’s year one day shorter than ours, i.e. 364 days.  There is no leap year on Chadash. The one holiday which plays prominently in the stories is Rest Day, which is the seventh day of every week.  It is observed very closely to the way the Sabbath would have been observed in Scripture, but not universally.  Most races and nations have wandered far from the teachings of the One Lord, but the V’rassi follow closely the tenets of the Old Testament observances, living quite closely a picture of what Messianic believers would live in today’s world on earth.  The Parynlanders, mostly at least partially descended from the V’rassi, tend to hold closer to the observances as well, and Paryn’s Gate is the one city in northwest Ya-Erets that still keeps the tradition of Rest Day.

Is there a particular religion practiced in northwest Ya-Erets?  Please describe what it involves. 
There are both many, and none.  Some societies follow very closely the worship of the One Lord.  This is especially true of the servant races of the Malakim, or the angels who serve the One Lord.  These servant races are not completely free-willed, but their half-human offspring, should they breed with one of the human races (i.e. Qarahni, Adami, Mitsar, Raphaim, Arba-Zeroa) are. The humans, and half-bloods, being free-willed, often choose their own path.  Some do worship the One Lord, while others have chosen to worship the fallen angels, the Ayabim, or some other false gods of Ayabim invention. Many have a general awareness of spirituality on some level, but have no true belief or worship.  In many ways, Chadash isn’t that different from earth, is it?

What is the political or government structure in northwest Ya-Erets?  Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she? 
Being a bastion of civilization on the continent, the northwest is a collection of cooperating nations who rule individually in their own area, but who govern the region collectively through the efforts of the Northwest Diplomatic Council, or NDC.  The NDC member nations are the independent city-state of Aton-Ri, Rajik, Darkmoor, Parynland, and Cyria.  These are human-led nations for the most part.  Stonehold hosts the NDC and if necessary the Durgak agree to serve as mediators for disputes, given their neutrality to the external politics of the other nations.  It seems to work well for the most part, and the NDC has managed to be the chosen way to settle international disputes for nearly three decades.  The NDC was formed after the end of the Parynland-Cyria war.

Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book? 
Yes, actually.  I live internationally now, and have been a minister and visitor to many nations in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia during my lifetime.  I love the vastly different cultures, customs, foods, etc I have encountered in my travels, so in my books I felt it was important to create a deep and realistic world where readers could travel with the heroes and get to experience some of the wonders of different places and different people.  Also I have a master’s degree in Biblical Languages, so I really enjoyed incorporating Hebrew into the V’rassi culture as their racial language.  It gives an ancient feel to Chadash, and a three-dimensional aspect to some of the terms that have crept into other languages and cultures throughout Ya-Erets.  That love of history, and fascination with how current events have developed from historical ones, is a key factor in my worldbuilding, so when readers get my books, they get a world that feels real despite the wildly fantastical elements I incorporate.  Readers of epic fantasy should get an epic world.  If I fail to do that, I feel I have short-changed my readers.

What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book? 
Well, the faith element in my book is present, but not smothering.  It occurs naturally within the story and characters.  Some will dislike the book because it is written from a Christian worldview, regardless of how skillfully or subtly the faith elements are presented.  Other unbelievers have said in reviews, they appreciated that I was up front in the Foreword that it was written from a Christian worldview, but that engaging with the faith elements was not necessary in order to enjoy the story.

I also have gotten a little flak for presenting the idea of repentant angels.  I understand human tradition doesn’t like that idea, but I, and a group of biblical scholars who I engaged to beta read for me, went through Scripture and could not discover anywhere that the idea is specifically excluded.  We know there are some angels, specifically named at the judgment, who will not repent.  I respected the biblical account there by leaving all those named angels still on earth with Lucifer to play out the Bible’s timeline as written.  But there are many, many more angels than are specifically named in Scripture, and there is no Scripture which specifically says that there could not be some repentant angels. Speculative fiction is all about asking the “what if” question, so that is what I did as part of the backstory and setup for the world of Chadash.  I know some believers won’t like that, but honestly, I open the door, if someone can prove to me from Scripture that anything I have written is outside the “gray area” or is specifically precluded by what the Bible says, I will pull my books from the shelves right away.  I have no desire to countermand God’s word, but I also have chosen to write within the boundaries of freedom of the letter of God’s word and not to be deterred by the tradition of men.

Author autobiography: 
I worked for many years as a senior manager for various Information Technology companies.  Late in life, I came to faith in Christ, and that turned my life in a whole new direction.  I knew from day one that I intended to serve him, but had no idea what that meant.  The wonderful pastor who led me to Christ encouraged me to enroll in Seminary, so I came to Christ in August and was in Seminary by the following May.  Years later I have completed my MDiv in Biblical Languages with a concentration in International Church Planting, and we currently live in Asia serving as living witnesses to our faith.  Writing is another love I have had for my whole life, especially of Fantasy and Science-Fiction, and God has given me a way to expand my ministry with the gift of writing.

Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your books?  
The books can be found on Amazon. For those wishing to save 99 cents, you can actually get a free copy of the short-story teaser/intro to Chadash, Saga of the Everking, from Smashwords or B&N.com for the Nook.  If you are a kindle reader, you can get the mobi file from Smashwords or just get it for 99 cents on Amazon directly.
Saga of the Everking (free edition on Smashwords)

Where can readers connect with you online?  
There are a number of places.
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/RvDavidGJohnsonor just @RvDavidGJohnson

On my Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/DavidGlennJohnson

On my webpage: http://www.davidgjohnson.com

On my Speculative Fiction blog: http://otherworldwindows.blogspot.com

I would truly love to connect with any readers who might have questions, comments, or encouragement for the Chadash Chronicles series.  I have a special email I have set up for correspondence related specifically to my writing or the Chadash Chronicles series as well.  That email is [email protected]

-Annie Douglass Lima

Title of book and/or series: The Shaman’s Curse, Book 1 of the Dual Magics series

Vatar risked his life to try to save his friend–and failed. Now he has an implacable enemy in the vengeful shaman, who blames Vatar for the death of his only son. In his isolation, Vatar finds some comfort in daydreams. He knows the strange girl he sometimes imagines is just that–a dream. She’d better be.

Because, if she’s real things could get even worse for Vatar. The accepted magic of Vatar’s plains tribe wouldn’t enable him to see or communicate with a girl he doesn’t even know–or know where to find. That would be more like the magic passed down in certain, closely-guarded bloodlines among the ruling class of the coastal cities. And that’s bad. Very bad.

Unlike their own, Vatar’s people think the city magic is evil. If the shaman ever found out, it could be the weapon he needs to destroy Vatar. And yet, finding a way to accept the other side of his heritage may be the only way Vatar can ultimately defeat his enemy.

The two kinds of magic have always been totally separate. Until now.

Unfortunately, I haven’t given this world as whole a name, so let’s refer to it as The World of the Dual Magics. The peoples in it generally only know their own little corner of it (a coastal city, the central plains, or a hidden mountain valley). A few may have traveled to another location, but they don’t tend to think of the world as a whole. Yet. I plan to work on a map (other than my pathetic hand-drawn one) for the publication of the second book in the series, The Ignored Prophecy (this December).

Basically, the cities are scattered along the western coastline or accessible by river. These cities are all ruled by the Fasallon, though the bulk of the population is not Fasallon. Caere is the only one of those cities that comes into the first book in the series. Inland from the coast is a broad, trackless plain where the semi-nomadic Dardani live and tend their herds of horses and cattle. East of that is a huge, mostly uninhabited forest, backing up onto high, impassable mountains. In a valley beyond the mountains, if you can find the single pass that crosses them, there’s another civilization that is both eerily like and in some ways very different from that of the Fasallon.

Tourist attractions would be thin on the plains. If you were to visit the coastal city of Caere, though, you’d be well advised to be there in the summer, for the Festival, when the Sea Gods (or at least, what the Caerean think are their Sea Gods) parade through the streets.

Caere is pretty tame and well-patrolled. Dragons haven’t been seen in about 600 years. Unless, of course, you have Fasallon magic and aren’t already part of their system. Then you’d better keep your head down.

It wouldn’t be a good idea to try to cross the plains without an experienced Dardani guide. It’s not just the usual dangers–thunderstorms, lions, bears, and wolves. Without knowledge of a route that will take you to a waterhole at least a couple of times a day, it’s too easy to get lost and die out there. And you run the risk of Themyri raiders if you try to follow the river.

Vatar and the Dardani wear long knives, often of Caerean steel. They also use the bow for hunting. However, Vatar is a terrible shot with the bow, so he mostly concentrates on the spear, by preference a long horseman’s lance. Apart from steel or iron implements traded for in Caere, the Dardani are a bronze-age people.

In Caere, only the Guard would carry weapons at all, often a short thrusting sword.

Most travel over any distance is done either on horseback or by ship. It’s death to try to walk across the plains. Wagons would only be useful within the cities or their immediate environs. Otherwise, there aren’t roads suitable for wagons.

The only sentient beings are people. No elves or dwarves, etc.

However, there are a few unusual creatures. Most notable is the forest tiger, which is rather like a saber-toothed tiger, but with rhinoceros-like armor. Very dangerous and very hard to kill.

Otherwise, one might see wyverns in the mountains. On the plains, there’s a wild horse that has spots like a leopard, almost impossible to see at any distance and impossible to catch. And in the forest, there’s a funny little flying-squirrel-like creature with a mane like a lion.

As the series title suggests, there are two kinds of magic in this world.

One is acquired by initiation into one of the clans of the plains people, the Dardani. It’s a kind of spiritual connection to the clan totem spirit. For example, Vatar is Lion Clan, which means that he can sense when lions are present and get a general sense of their mood. His friends can do similar things with the wild horses, eagles, or ravens. The shaman can do more, but any Dardani can do that much. However, the Dardani do not consider this magic and would take offense if you called it that.

In the coastal cities, the Fasallon closely guard a different kind of magic that is inherited from one’s parents. Almost every Fasallon can use Far Speech (we’d call it telepathy) and Far Sight (the ability to see something or someone with far away, especially if there’s some sort of connection). Other, more-valued Talents include Fore Sight (prophecy), certain rare healing abilities, and most valuable of all, transformations–the ability to make oneself or something else to appear to be something or someone else. The most Talented can actually change themselves into something else. This ability is key to their rule in Caere and the other cities.

Things get really interesting when the two kinds of magic combine. There’s a hint of that in The Shaman’s Curse, but it will really become important in the second book of the series, The Ignored Prophecy, which will be published in December.

The Dardani play a game like a cross between basketball and polo. It’s played on horseback, on a triangular field, with three teams of five riders each. It’s the highlight of their midsummer celebration. Having three teams makes the game as much about shifting alliances as about the skill of the players.

The Dardani separate their year into six segments, one named for each of the clans.  The lunar cycles within those segments are referred to as First and Second, as in First Wolf or Second Lion.  The cycle starts in mid-winter with Wolf, followed by Bear and Horse. Midsummer separates Horse from Eagle, which is followed by Lion and finally Raven.  It is considered propitious to be born in the season of your Clan totem.  Second best would be within the season of one of the allied clans (Horse/Lion/Eagle vs. Raven/Wolf/Bear). Vatar was born during Second Wolf, an ill-favored season for a member of the Lion Clan.

Among the Dardani, religion revolves around each clan’s totem Spirits.  They don’t consider their connection to these Spirits to be magic and they have a strong superstitious dread of what they do call magic.

Historically, the Caereans worship Sea Gods. However, the Fasallon have essentially hijacked this religion, impersonating the Sea Gods to bolster their unquestioned rule in the coastal cities.

Caere is ruled by the Fasallon High Council, made up of the most magically Talented representative of each bloodline. Smaller, day-to-day issues that don’t merit the attention of the High Council or their bureaucracy would be handled by the various guilds.

The Dardani aren’t so much ruled as led by their chiefs. Each clan may have several chiefs, chosen by popular acclaim for a life lived with honor. Either men or women may be selected as chiefs. There is usually a good representation across age ranges among the male chiefs. Women chiefs are more likely to be older widows. This is a practical consideration. Younger married women are usually to be found living with their husband’s clan. The chiefs work mainly by trying to create consensus within their clan or, together, within the tribe.

If you should go out to visit the Dardani during their summer gathering of the clans at the Zeda waterhole, don’t go for a walk around the waterhole with a Dardani. Especially don’t accept any gifts offered on such a walk–unless you mean it. These are courtship rituals. You might find yourself married and living in a sod hut before you knew it.

Well, I seem to be incapable of putting the ocean anywhere but on the west. (West-coast girl, here.) Specific locations may borrow somewhat from places I’ve visited. For example, Caere’s climate is a little like San Francisco’s.

The ebook is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, and more.

The print book is available on Amazonand other sites.

My blogis probably the best place to find me.

My twitter handle is @MansfieldMJ (But I’m hardly ever there.)

-Annie Douglass Lima

Author’s name: Cynthia P. Willow

Title of book and/or series:  The Karini and Lamek Chronicles

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

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?

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.

Well, watch out for the dragons, giants, and trolls. But they’re nothing compared to Natas.

There’s no telling what Filmer will cook, but he specializes in dumplings. The fairies would love to serve you tea and cakes though!

It depends on who it is, but many use wands, teleportation, and animal transformation. In other words, MAGIC!

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!

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.

Not really. For the most part, the folks in The Land of Serenity live a lot like people in medieval times did.

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.

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.

The Land of Serenity is supposed to be ruled by a king, but that was before the dragons took over….

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. 

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.

-Annie Douglass Lima

There is a magic fountain in Mother Blue’s Temple. She is able to look into it on the day a child reaches the age of 8 to determine what the future holds for them on Earth.

-Annie Douglass Lima