Sunday, December 9, 2018

Realm Explorers Part CXVII: Visit Charmant with Alex McGilvery

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. (In this case, you can get it for free!)


Author’s name: Alex McGilvery

Title of book and/or series:  Tales of Ever After (an anthology)

Brief summary of the story:  A Week After Midnight is a follow up of the classic Cinderella. What happens when the farm girl moves into the palace? The prince is shy, and the magic has worn off, or has it?

Brief description of the world or location you created for this story: The story is set in a fairy tale land, but it has problems with drought and taxes. I have a fair number of fairy tale stories, so imagine it connecting with Snow White’s land over to the west, and mountains with trolls to the north. While I don’t name it in the story, I think of it as Charmant, a Kingdom of Prince Charmings I created decades ago.

If we were to visit Charmant as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
The palace is always interesting, but there are also local craftspeople who would love to show you the work they do. After all, someone needs to pay for all that luxury.

What dangers should we avoid in Charmant? 
While the evil witches live to the west, one should be careful when buying apples from old crones, you never know. And if you get lost in the woods, neither gingerbread houses nor porridge are recommended for consumption.

What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Charmant?  If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used. 
Magic is mostly the province of the nobles, with the occasional exception for seventh sons. The people of Faerie who have maintained the enchantments for generations are getting bored, so they might get silly and confuse the stories, there is nothing quite like the Frog Prince and the Seven Giants. Good thing his name was Jack.

Tell us about any sports, games, or activities that are available for entertainment in Charmant? 
While one can count on royal balls for one reason or another, the regular folk are busy farming and working, but do find time to poke fun at the royals while drinking a pint or two at the inn.

What is the political or government structure in Charmant?  Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
Being a magic Kingdom, the government is nominally a monarchy, but as in most places the bureaucracy does all the real work. A wise ruler lets them get on with the day to day business and concentrates on doing what royals do best, which is alternately befriended and annoying the Faerie.

Author Autobiography:  
Alex is an author and editor. He’s been writing books for decades, but only started publishing in the last ten years. He now has 16 books in print. He writes in genres from fantasy to horror to thriller to steampunk to contemporary fiction. He has a free collection of fairy tales and other stories.

Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book(s)?  
All my books are available in all formats in most ebook retailers. With the ISBN on the book sample page at https://alexmcgilvery.com one can order a print book from a bookstore. Here is the landing page to take you to the retailer of your choice. https://www.books2read.com/ap/x2o0ZR/Alex-McGilvery

Where can readers connect with you online?  
On alexmcgilvery.com you can read samples of all my books as well as some of the short stories he’s written over the years. You can also connect through my facebook page www.facebook.com-/Author.AlexMcGilvery.

"A Week After Midnight" is a short story in the Fellowship of Fantasy anthology Tales of Ever After, which is available for FREE! Find out more below.



Rescue a princess, meet a mermaid, win your reward.

The authors of the Fellowship of Fantasy tackle fairy tales from once upon a time to happily ever after. Explore twists on old tales and brand new magical stories. Meet feisty mermaids, friendly lampposts, and heroes who just might be monsters themselves.

This fourth anthology from the Fellowship of Fantasy will lead you on a quest for entertainment and storm the castle of your imagination. So make a wish and enter the deep dark woods to find stories that will make you laugh, shiver, and maybe even fall in love.

Get your free copy at https://www.books2read.com/u/bwYKry


I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Charmant.  Questions about the world or the book?  Ask them in the comments and the author will get back to you!  

Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series.
Please join us again next Monday for a trip to another world in next week's edition of Realm Explorers!
Are you an author of a sci-fi or fantasy novel that takes place in another world? Click here to find out about having it featured on Realm Explorers!
-Annie Douglass Lima

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Friday, December 7, 2018

Northern Deception: a Romantic Suspense Novel with a Giveaway!

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Book Tour Grand Finale for
Northern Deception
By Laurie Wood

We hope you enjoyed the tour! If you missed any of the stops
you can see snippets, as well as the link to each full post, below:

Launch - Note from the Author

I’m thrilled to bring you my first book from Anaiah Press: “Northern Deception: Heroes of the Tundra, Book One”. I’ve dreamed of writing Canadian stories and Anaiah Press made my dream a reality. Northern Deception takes place in Churchill, Manitoba which is aptly called the “Polar Bear Capitol of the World”. Canada has more to offer than ice, snow and polar bears but I wanted to catch an editor’s eye with our well-known Canadian icon, and I did!...


"The thrilling ride that is Northern Deception captures readers from the first word and keeps them riveted throughout the remainder of the story. Non-stop action, stunning twists and chilling suspense (quite literally) combine seamlessly with a sweet second-chance romance and poignant reflections on faith. Wood has skillfully created layered characters and a vivid setting, and I look forward to more books from her in the near future!"

Mythical Books - Excerpt

Kira Summers shivered as she stood beside her brother’s open grave. Winnipeg Memorial Cemetery stood bleak and empty. The November sky churned with rain clouds as purple as bruises.

 Her fingers trembled on the handle of her black umbrella. Sleety snow swirled across the grass and lashed around her ankles in her short dress boots. Kira’s pulse roared in her ears, and for a split second she swayed, feeling light-headed. She stifled her sobs with a tissue.

 “I’m sorry I’m late.”

 “Oh,” she gasped. Her heart thrummed against her chest. She didn’t need to turn around to know who was behind her.


"I absolutely love this intense and truly romantic story. The story line is fantastic. Once I started to read I couldn't put it down. . . . I highly recommend this book!"

E-Romance News - Excerpt

 A van screeched up beside her driver’s door, sliding sideways onto the grass as it came to a stop. She glimpsed a male driver with sunglasses and a ball cap just before her door was thrown open by another man.

 “Out, out, out!”

 The man wore a navy blue ski mask. He grabbed her by the shoulders and hauled her halfway out of the car. Muscle memory allowed her to shove her right palm hard against his nose. It gave a satisfying crunch even as he pulled her from the safety of the driver’s seat. He clasped her arms like a vise, but she kicked hard and felt the solid heels of her boots connecting with his shins.


"I enjoyed the fact that the readers were brought immediately into the action, and it is great that realism is seen from page one and following. Sometimes these romance stories have little real conflict and they follow the same, exact formula. The author departed from the formula and added her own special touches thus making this book truly her own."

Wishful Endings - Guest Post

Interview with Character Ruby Gallagher

AUTHOR: Hello, Ruby thanks for taking the time to speak to us today. I guess you know plenty about Churchill, Manitoba, and Kira Summers and Lukas Tanner.

RUBY: Hi, thanks for having me. I was born in Churchill and I met my husband Rob when he came here as a commercial pilot in the early ’70’s. We bought a bakery on the main street and built on to it until we made it into a Café and a store for essentials like cold weather clothing and tourist gifts...

Remembrancy - Review

"Debut author Laurie Wood transports readers to the barren and dangerous Canadian tundra while delivering a story that doesn’t let up from the first page to the final one. . . . Great character development, intense action, and the unique setting make Northern Deception a debut you don’t want to miss."


"Ahhh … this was a great book. Mystery! Suspense! Dogsleds! Canadian spelling! LOL. . . . a fast-paced read that I’d happily revisit. I especially enjoyed the medical components, working in that industry myself, as well as the Canadian setting."

Colorimetry - Guest Post

The Story Behind The Story

To be honest, I decided to set my romantic suspense in a small sub-arctic Canadian town because polar bears are such a Canadian icon. And I had fun delving in to the research about Churchill, Manitoba, researching polar bears and the conservation efforts preserving their species...


"I loved Northern Deception! . . . The characters in this book are ones you’ll fall in love with….Kira, Lukas, Ruby, Sophie….even the minor characters are great…well not the bad guys. But, you probably won’t be able to figure out who the bad guys are…at least not all of them…until close to the end. . . . You won’t want to put it down once you start! I give this five big stars!"

Uplifting Reads - Guest Post

Kira Summer’s Fun Polar Bear Facts:

I love doing research and learning about polar bears was no exception. Some of these facts made it in to the book and some didn’t:

- Canada is home to about 15,000 polar bears
- Adult males weigh 772-1,543 lbs and measure 7ft 10in–9ft 10 in in total length...


Recurring Themes

NORTHERN DECEPTION is my first published novel but I’ve written three others which will never “see the light of day”, as the cliché goes. The recurring theme of what I write is loss and forgiveness and every novel has dealt with it in various ways. NORTHERN DECEPTION is no different.

Splashes of Joy - Review

"There is quite a bit of action going on here, several twists to the story that will have you wondering what is going on and the question of whodunnit! And you might just be surprised just who is behind all of the suspense! This debut novel is sure worth your read. Pick up this new thriller from new author Laurie Wood and have a seat for a few hours of thrills and chills!"

Don't forget to enter the giveaway below, if you haven't already...

Northern Deception
(Heroes of the Tundra #1)
By Laurie Wood
Inspirational Romantic Suspense
ebook, 170 Pages
December 4th 2018 by Anaiah Press

Reunions can be deadly.

After a savage attack in university, Kira Summers fled to the safety of northern Canada and her work as a polar bear scientist. But when her whistleblower brother dies in a mysterious car crash, she must return home to bury him and pack his belongings. Unaware she’s carrying explosive evidence someone’s willing to kill for, she has no choice but to rely on the one person she never thought she’d see again.

Lukas Tanner, a widowed single father of a special needs toddler, moved to Churchill five years ago. As the proud owner of Guiding Star Enterprises, a wilderness tour company, he and his daughter lead a simple life. But when Kira comes crashing back into his world, he realizes God has other plans. Now, Lukas and Kira must confront a merciless killer as their past and present collide in a deadly race—a race they must win if they have any hope of a future together.


About the Author


Laurie Wood has followed her RCAF serving husband across Canada, raising their two special needs children to adulthood, and "keeping the home fires burning" while she began her writing career. She's a member of Romance Writers of America, where she's finalled in several prestigious contests, as well as American Christian Fiction Writers. She writes romantic suspense and historical novels.

Tour Giveaway


1 winner will receive a 100 page hardcover Journal + matching pen, magnetic bookmarks, wooden Christmas ornament, and Abalone and Silver Polar Bear necklace, ebook of NORTHERN DECEPTION. (NOTE: wooden box holding up bookmarks and ornament pictured is NOT included.)
Open to US and Canada
Ends December 12, 2018

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Friday, November 30, 2018

Days of Fantasy for Christmas - Lots of Fantasy Books and a Giveaway!

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Book Tour Launch for
Days of Fantasy for Christmas

We're excited to be sharing books from 13 fantasy authors with you this holiday season! Each
day a different author and book or series will be featured. There is also a fabulous giveaway!
If you love reading fantasy, or are looking for a gift for someone who does, join us on this tour!

Tour Schedule
(Links won't work until the posts go live.)

December 1st: Launch
December 2nd: Gillian Bronte Adams - The Songkeeper Chronicles
December 3rd: Morgan L. Busse - Mark of the Raven
December 4th: Evangeline Denmark - Curio
December 5th: Kate Avery Ellison - A Gift of Poison
December 6th: J.M. Hackman - Spark
December 7th: Ronie Kendig - Embers
December 8th: C.E. Laureano - Oath of the Brotherhood
December 9th: Belle Malory - The Twelfth Keeper
December 10th: Melissa McShane - Voyager of the Crown
December 11th: J. Ellen Ross - The Remembered Queen
December 12th: Jennifer Silverwood - Silver Hollow
December 13th: Melissa Wright - Blood & Brute & Ginger Root
December 14th: Morgan Wylie - The Age of Alandria Series
December 15th: Grand Finale

Books on Tour




Blogs Participating

Among the Reads
An Indie Adventure
Andi's Book Reviews
Angela Walker's Reviews
Book by Book
Bri's Book Nook
Brooke Blogs
Coffee Books and Cakes
Colorimetry
Cover Lover Book Review
Deal Sharing Aunt
Declarations of a Fangirl
Heidi Reads...
Jorie Loves A Story
Locks, Hooks and Books
Mythical Books
Nicole's Book Musings
Reading On The Edge
Remembrancy
SilverWoodSketches
Stacking My Book Shelves!
Teatime and Books
We Write Fantasy
Wishful Endings

Tour Giveaway


Grand Prize #1: Winner will receive a FIRE HD 8 TABLET along with the following ebooks (open to those who are eligible for the Fire Tablet in their area can receive Kindle gifted copies of ebooks):
- CURIO, MARK OF BLOOD and ALCHEMY (The Curio Prequel), and THE ICE CHILD (a holiday novelette) by Evangeline Denmark
- A GIFT OF POISON by Kate Avery Ellison
- THE TWELFTH KEEPER by Belle Malory
- SERVANT O THE CROWN or VOYAGER OF THE CROWN (winner's choice) by Melissa McShane
- THE REMEMBERED QUEEN by J. Ellen Ross
- SILVER HOLLOW by Jennifer Silverwood
- THE FREY SAGA (Books 1-3) ebook box set by Melissa Wright

Grand Prize #2: Winner will receive the following print books (open to continental US residents):
- ORPHAN'S SONG by Gillian Bronte Adams
- MARK OF THE RAVEN by Morgan L. Busse
- SPARK by J.M. Hackman
- ABIASSA'S FIRE 3-book collection by Ronie Kendig
- The complete set of SONG OF SEARE TRILOGY by C.E. Laureano
- SILENT ORCHIDS by Morgan Wylie

Ends December 19, 2018
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Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Dream of Me This Christmas Eve: a Christmas Romance with a Giveaway!

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Release Blitz for
Dream Of Me This Christmas Eve
By L.A. Sartor

Dream Of Me This Christmas Eve
(Star Light ~ Star Bright #4)
By L.A. Sartor
Contemporary Romance, Christmas
ebook, 127 Pages
December 1st 2018

Boulder, Colorado, attorney Maximillian Henderson III is in a bind. His new law office won’t open on schedule unless he finds immediate help to finalize his building’s renovation.

Award-winning designer Caroline Young is visiting Boulder for a family wedding and has promised to stay through Christmas. Meeting Max at the wedding and hearing his problem, she accepts his plea for help. But if she can make him see past his own nose, she could make it even better.

Creating a new design only works if she commits to staying longer. By doing so, she puts her heart and her treasured independence at risk.

Max is aware her life and business are in California, and a long-term relationship is impractical. Still she adds vibrancy to his plain black and white world, and his dream of her on Christmas Eve convinces him to try.

On Christmas Day, Caro reveals that she must return home for a vital meeting, breaking her promise and his heart.

Max has new plans for his office but no Caro. Can he convince her to return to him and find a way to meld their lives?


Excerpt

Feel this? Seriously, she wanted him to do what? After that sigh, he wasn't sure he should. “Why are you so excited about an afghan?”
“Not just any old afghan, this one is vicuña. Seriously, feel it.”
If he hadn't reached out to take it from her, the throw would have fallen to the floor, and Max had an idea that would have been akin to sacrilege in Caro's eyes.
Despite himself, he held it up to his cheek. Soft, supple … Whoa, his thoughts were spinning in wild directions, all because of the woman sitting in front of him. “Nice.”
“Nice? Do you know what vicuña is?”
“Nope, can't say that I do.”
“It's the wild relative of the llama. Pretty rare these days. The Incas believed the critters were reincarnations of lovely young maidens, so only Incan royalty were allowed to wear the fleece. Their wool is incredibly expensive. Nevertheless, I'd love to find some.”
Max handed her back the throw, only to see her again bury her face into its softness. And damn if his body didn’t heat up a few degrees thinking about her nuzzling his neck with the same passion. Sucking in a lungful of the chilly air wafting through the front door cleared his mind. Just. “First, how do you know all this? And second, what would you do with the wool if you were to find and then afford it?”
“First, I love random facts. My teachers hated that, especially when I spouted off in class, answering a question with a fact or even another question.”
“And yet you were valedictorian of your high school class. Phi Beta Kappa, and magna cum laude at university.”
“How’d you know?”
“Brice. He talks about you all the time.”
“Oh, did he tell you that I knit?” She gestured Vanna White style to the sweater still topping her maid-of-honor gown.
Max felt his brows rise in surprise, and there was nothing he could do to stop his obvious reaction to her last reveal. Knitting seemed like such an old-fashioned art for a free spirit like Caro.  He prided himself on reading people—it was one of the traits that made him a successful attorney. Yet Caro, in the past few hours, delivered him one surprise after another. His interest level in her ratcheted up and went beyond his physical attraction.
If she agreed to his plan, this could be an interesting week ahead, matching wits and wherever anything else led. “You read structural and interior design plans, right?”
“I create design plans for structural engineering. So yes.”
“My designer has the flu and can't finish the work on my new office building. I could use your expertise to help complete the final phase so it's open by the new year.”
“I'm not really an interior designer.”
“It's a bit more than that.”
“How much more?”
She pulled the afghan up on her lap a little higher and he realized the draft continued.
“Hold on a sec, I’m going to see if the door was left open. It’s letting in minus-degree cold.”
Everyone had left the house. He closed the slightly ajar door, feeling instantly warmer, then returned to Caro and perched on the sofa’s arm.
“Okay, so you’re not an interior designer. And you asked how much more.”
She nodded, then poured a bit more champagne into her glass and sipped.
“The building is old and I’m having a lot of work done to the interior. And some new windows added. And—"
He stopped when she held up her hand. Uh oh.

Other Books in the Series


About the Author

I started writing as a child, really. A few things happened on the way to becoming a published author … a junior high school teacher who told me I couldn’t write because I didn’t want to study … urk … grammar. I went to college, moved a few times, came home and found the love of my life (that is another novel worthy story, but for later), and got married.

We were super busy with our respective careers, mine a custom jewelry business with my mom, who was also teaching metalsmithing at the time, and my husband a crazy law career. We had two fur babies, Fudge (and briefly her brother Smudge, but sadly he didn’t live very long) and Two. Our cats would sleep with us and when they’d stretch out to their full length, we’d end up sleeping on the edge of the mattress.

I have always been a voracious reader and one night after throwing a particularly bad book at the wall (even putting a small ding in said wall), I realized that I could do better. I told my husband, and he said go for it. I called Mom and she revealed the junior high teacher story and she told I’d been writing all the time up to that point.

That blew me away. I didn’t remember any of it. But I started writing again, nearly the next day, pen and paper, learning, making mistakes, winning contests, nearly getting an agent, becoming disenchanted with the publishing industry and moving away from novel writing to screenwriting, getting a contract for a script and doing really well in screenwriting contests.

But none of that was making me much money. After numerous scary robbery drills I wanted to move away from my bank job (yes, this is many years later and a lot of stuff in between) and write full time for the green stuff.

My husband told me repeatedly that independent publishing was becoming a valid way to publish a novel and people were making big dollars. I didn’t believe him even after he showed me several Wall Street Journal articles. I thought indie meant vanity press.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

I started pursuing this direction seriously, retired from the bank and hit the keyboard, learned a litany of new things and published my first novel. My second book became a bestseller, and while I’m not rolling in dough, I’m absolutely on the right course in my life.

So if you have a dream, pursue it as hard as you can. Life can get in the way, but never give up.

Please come visit me at www.lasartor.com, see my books, some pictures, some screenplays and sign up for my mailing list. I have a gift I’ve specifically created for my new email subscribers. And remember, you can email me at Leslie@LeslieSartor.com.

Website│Blog│Goodreads│Facebook│Twitter│Pinterest│Bookbub│Amazon

Tour Giveaway


 1 winner will receive ebooks of all four books in the Star Light ~ Star Bright Series and a $15 Amazon eGift Card
US only
Ends December 2nd

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Sunday, November 25, 2018

Realm Explorers Part CXVII: Visit Sabellyn with Sarah Delena White

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: Sarah Delena White

Title of book and/or series: Rothana (Star-Fae Trilogy book 2)

Brief summary of the story:

A new queen falls. A death lord rises. An ancient foe looms in the shadows.

Sylvie Imanthiya is desperate to lead Faerie well and deepen the bond with her husband, former king Taylan Ashkalabek. But all hope of that vanishes when the winter solstice ceremony ends in disaster, stranding her and Taylan in the Deathrealm, and stripping the kingdom from her.

With Faerie in chaos, Zad and Diza are separated once again: Zad to reconcile with an old mentor to stabilize the kingdom, and Diza to confront the nefarious Casimir in the mortal realm. But Casimir claims that a greater evil seeks to destroy both realms, an evil that Diza’s unique death magic can hold at bay—if she could only remember how.

In the Deathrealm, Taylan is succumbing to the lure of specters from his past, and pushing away Sylvie’s love. Overwhelmed by decay and darkness, Sylvie must summon unexpected magic from the soul of Kyure to fight for her convictions and her husband’s heart.

Shadows divide them. Their friends are in peril. If Sylvie fails, her marriage and her world will fall.

Sabellyn looks a lot like this!
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:

Halayda is set in Kyure, a world with several dimensions. There is the realm of Faerie, a wild land of magic, strange peoples, and semi-sentient forests and mountains. There is the Deathrealm, the fae underworld. But much of the book takes place in the city of Sabellyn, a prosperous human city-state with steampunk technology. The people of Sabellyn prize industry and innovation, and the city is a center of burgeoning trade, a lucrative black market, and cutting-edge alchemical research.

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

The College of Alchemy is the centerpiece of the city. It’s an impressive building, but good luck getting inside! The alchemists guard their secrets very carefully. Instead, stroll around the city’s central square and admire it from the outside, along with the ornate government buildings and villas of the upper city. If you’re in the lower city, stop by The Goodly Goose for some curry. The food is truly terrible, but it’s a quintessential Sabellyn experience.

What dangers should we avoid in Sabellyn?

Dangers lurk everywhere in the city. Avoid walking the streets of the lower city at night unless you know what you’re doing. Otherwise you might accidentally walk into black market business. The upper city seems much more civilized, but there are plenty of rumors of what happens when someone gets too close to the secrets of the College of Alchemy. Of course, if you’re fae or half-fae, it’s best to avoid the city completely! All the iron and smog are dangerous for faeries, and most people in Sabellyn are hostile toward fae and their magic.


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

The denizens of Sabellyn have a taste for exotic imported foods. Even in the slums, taverns like The Goodly Goose serve curry, though whether it’s worth eating is another story. If you’re in the more fashionable area of the city, make sure you stop by The Lace Fan café for tea and scones!

map of Kyure drawn by Julia Busko
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to Sabellyn?

Trolleys are the most common way to travel within the city, and trains and barges run regular routes between Sabellyn and surroundings towns. If you can’t afford a trolley fare or are going to some of the less savory areas of the city, hitching a ride on a passing horse cart is your best option.

What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Sabellyn that we don’t see on Earth?

Sabellyn is inhabited mostly by humans. However, the city is built beside a gateway to Faerie, so you will occasionally see elementals or shifters there. Sabellyn is also a place where unwanted fae children are abandoned as changelings, and there are some people of mixed fae and human heritage as well. Changelings and half-fae have a limited life-span in the iron-filled city, though, and they keep a low profile to avoid the human inhabitants’ superstitions and prejudices against fae.

What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Sabellyn?  If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.

The people of Sabellyn are deeply wary of magic. Magic is the domain of the fae, who have been at odds with mortals for ages. A small percentage of humans possess “soul-sense,” an innate ability that allows alchemists to create and control their potions. Alchemists are both feared and honored for their abilities, as people are wary of their power but Sabellyn is built on their inventions.

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

Alchemy is the most advanced science in Sabellyn. It has many uses, from practical, everyday ones like keeping food fresh, to deadly ones used to protect the city from fae and other threats. Sabellyn has steampunk technology, including an elaborate railway system, steel mills and other large factories,

Is there a particular religion practiced in Sabellyn?  Please describe what it involves.

The people of Sabellyn don’t have much sense of the supernatural. Most of its people ignore the possibility of a higher power and pursue moralism or scientism instead. Some people have a vague notion of a pleasant afterlife for good souls, while others disregard this. The people of Sabellyn dislike and fear anything that doesn’t fit within their predetermined notions of the world. Fae magic, notions of fate, and the guidance of the Lyrium are all considered threats and mysteries, as there is no place for these things in the mindset of Sabellyn’s people.

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

Officially, Sabellyn is ruled by an elected council with representatives from all districts of the city-state. Unofficially, the city is controlled by the wealthy factory owners and the most successful inventors. Arguably the most powerful person in Sabellyn is the Chancellor of Alchemy, Nevion Caylus (though those who have read Halayda will know him by a different name), who wields a vast amount of influence over the Ruling Council and the political and scientific direction of the city.

Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?

Sabellyn was somewhat inspired by Amman, Jordan, where I lived for a while. Like Sabellyn, Amman is built on steep hillsides, and it’s a place where modern innovations are built on ancient foundations. Modernized western part of the city is a sharp contrast to the older and more traditional eastern part, similar to the contrast between the upper and lower city areas in Sabellyn. Granted, Sabellyn is very different culturally, and nothing in the world of Kyure is explicitly based on Jordan. Still, a bit of my experience walking the streets of Amman crept into Sabellyn.

What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?

My goal, first and foremost, is to tell a good story, and my books are always driven more by characters than issues. There are some common themes in my books, though they’re not necessarily controversial. These include the inherent value of all life, the dangers of placing too much faith in science or pleasure, the possibility of redemption and second chances even for people who have done terrible things, and the power of love, hope, and beauty in dark worlds.

Author Autobiography:

Sarah Delena White was raised by wolves in an alternate dimension. She writes eclectic speculative fiction that reworks mythology with a fine balance of poetry and snark. She’s an experienced world traveler who loves to weave world folklore and ancient concepts into vibrant, original story worlds. She is the administrative manager for Uncommon Universes Press. When she’s not writing, she can be found making elegant designer bead jewelry, traveling to folk music festivals as a professional ballad singer, drinking tea, and seeking to create the perfect latte. She can be bribed with dark chocolate.

Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book(s)?  Please include links.

Autographed paperback
Kindle
Nook
Apple
Kobo

Where can readers connect with you online? 

Facebook
Twitter
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Party Time!


Join Uncommon Universes Press and Laura A. Grace of Unicorn Quester to celebrate the launch of Rothana by Sarah Delena White! Includes games, giveaways, exclusive behind-the-scenes, and more. Also features guest authors Bethany A. Jennings and Morgan L. Busse. Save the date to hang out with these fabulous authors!

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, November 26th
Tuesday, November 27th
Wednesday, November 28th
Thursday, November 29th
Friday, November 30th
Saturday, December 1st
Monday, December 3rd
Tuesday, December 4th
Wednesday, December 5th
Thursday, December 6th
Friday, December 7th
Saturday, December 8th


I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Sabellyn.  Questions about the world or the book?  Ask them in the comments and the author will get back to you!  

Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series.

Please join us again next Monday for a trip to another world in next week's edition of Realm Explorers!
-Annie Douglass Lima
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