Realm Explorers Part CXIV: Visit Sylvani with Jessica Leake (and Enter a Giveaway!)

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. 
This time you can also enter a giveaway to win an Amazon gift card or a free book!

On Tour with Prism Book Tours.

Author’s name:

Jessica Leake

Titles of books:

Arcana
The Order of the Eternal Sun: A Novel of the Sylvani

Brief summary of the stories:
Arcana:
Amid the sumptuous backdrop of the London season in 1905, headstrong Katherine Sinclair must join the ranks of debutantes vying for suitors. Unfortunately for Katherine, she cannot imagine anything more loathsome—or dangerous. To help ease her entrance into society, Katherine’s family has elicited the assistance of the Earl of Thornewood, a friend and London’s most eligible bachelor, to be her constant companion at the endless fetes and balls. But upon her arrival in London, Katherine realizes there will be more to this season than just white gowns and husband hunting.

Through her late mother’s enchanted diary, Katherine receives warning to keep hidden her otherworldly ability to perform arcana, a magic fueled by the power of the sun. Any misstep could mean ruin—and not just for her family name. The Order of the Eternal Sun is everywhere—hunting for those like her, able to feed on arcana with only a touch of the hand.

But society intrigue can be just as perilous as the Order. The machinations of the fashionable elite are a constant threat, and those who covet Katherine’s arcana, seeking the power of her birthright, could be hiding behind the facade of every suitor—even the darkly handsome Earl of Thornewood.

With so much danger and suspicion, can she give her heart to the one who captivates her, or is he just another after her power?

Order of the Eternal Sun:

In 1908 London, aristocrat Lucy Sinclair is finally making her debut into society, something she’s always dreamed about. But ballrooms and suitors quickly must take second place to a greater concern.

Her arcana, a magical talent that allows her to mentally enter any scene that she draws, grows stronger by the day. Again and again Lucy is compelled to draw a portal to her mother’s realm of Sylvania—and with each stroke of her pen, she risks attracting the attention of the Order of the Eternal Sun, the sinister brotherhood that steals the power of Sylvani blood for their own dark ends.

When a bold new suitor arrives from India, Lucy can’t help but be intrigued—though her family questions his mysterious past. But as Lucy’s own suspicions grow, and the threat of the Order looms larger, Lucy will have to learn to harness her unpredictable power or risk falling under the Order’s shadow forever.

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

Sylvania is a realm outside of our own where its inhabitants practice an ancient magic called arcana. Their power is supplied by spirit animals—everything from the tiny ferrets to soaring phoenixes—and the Sylvani and animal form an unbreakable bond. When a Sylvani chooses to live in our realm, though, their spirit animal cannot follow, and they must seek out an alternate source of power—like our sun.

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

I would take a ride on an oryx (see below) to see ancient trees with a language of their own, with silver bark and lavender leaves; I would visit the city of Cascadia, where Lucy’s grandmother is queen, and see the ten waterfalls that cut through the city. Lucy’s visit is confined to Cascadia, but there are many other places to see in Sylvania, each with a different cultural background and history.

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

Because every Sylvani has a spirit animal, the food there is completely vegetarian, though milk and cheese is still consumed.

What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common there?

It depends on the abilities of the Sylvani. Some have corporal abilities, where they can directly impact the body—with explosive power and channeling of the elements, for example. And some have spiritual power, where they can create some tangible things, but the majority of their power lies in the abstract. Lucy, the main character in The Order of the Eternal Sun, has this type of power. She can bring her drawings to life or even use them to transport herself to another realm.

What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to Sylvani?

Depending on the spirit animal, the Sylvani might travel by riding, particularly if it’s a large bird (like the queen’s phoenix) or other fast-moving animal. They also travel by oryx, which, as Lucy says, are much like an antelope, though these are drastically different in both coloring and size. The ones she saw were a dappled silver, and their massive backward-facing horns were as white as ivory tusks. They were as tall as horses, and their eyes were kind and intelligent. Most importantly, they’re fast and agile.

Author Autobiography:
Jessica Leake has been in love with historical England ever since her first literary crush: Mr. Darcy. After embarking on a quest to bring her own intriguing and headstrong characters to life, she decided to quit her day job as a clinical therapist and spend her time weaving arcana with words. She lives in Greenville, SC with her brilliant husband, four painfully cute children, and two mischievous dogs.

Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book(s)?
Order of the Eternal Sun:
Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Book Depository│IndieBound
Arcana:
Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Book Depository│IndieBound

Where can readers connect with you online?

Website│Goodreads│Facebook│Twitter│Pinterest

Tour Schedule

October 30th: Launch

October 31st: Rockin' Book Reviews, Mel's Shelves & Letters from Annie (Douglass) Lima

November 1st: Christy's Cozy Corners & Katie's Clean Book Collection

November 2nd: Wishful Endings, Falling Leaves & Nicole's Book Musings

November 3rd: Adventures Thru Wonderland, The Silver Dagger Scriptorium & Deal Sharing Aunt

November 4th: Jessica and Gracie's Tree & Zerina Blossom's Books

November 6th: Grand Finale

Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon eGift Card and an ebook of ARCANA (open internationally)

Print copy of ARCANA plus swag (US only)

Ends November 11th

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Sylvani.  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 Realm Explorers Part CXV!

-Annie Douglass Lima