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: Debbie
Brown
Title of book and/or
series:
Amethyst Eyes (trilogy) Books 1 and 2 available
Brief summary of the
story:
15 yr old Tommy is forced to leave him home on Earth when
his mother dies in a car accident. His estranged, alien father returns to
collect Tommy, and the teen finds himself having to adapt to life on every
level. He never knew of his father’s origins, and knows even less about the
world he now calls his own. Tommy’s father is the commander of a Crisis
Intervention Vessel that oversees the continuation of the human race throughout
our galaxy.
Brief description of
the world or location you created for this story:
Most of the story takes place on the Phoenix, or on in the
Canadian Rockies on Earth.
The Phoenix is
used to monitor, seek out suitable alternative planets and relocate populations
in desperate situations. The ship is made up of 4 parts. The main saucer houses
the entire crew, all of the main departments as well as crew quarters. Three
smaller disks or saucer shaped pods, affixed to the underside of the Phoenix,
serve in the ship’s duties. One is the arboretum, the other is for geology and
xeno-biology, the third is used to for mass transport.
If we were to visit a
Crisis Intervention Vessel as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or
do there?
The arboretum is a must since it carries vegetation from all
human inhabited worlds. For anyone who wants to know what their true calling in
life is, trying out the Orientation
Chamber will surely interest them and give them something to ponder. The Endurance Training room provides an
endless obstacle course through every possible setting, climate and condition,
starting at the top of a redwood forest.
What dangers should
we avoid in Amethyst Eyes?
The main character has amethyst
colored eyes, and that makes him the target of some unruly predators. But aside
from that, most dangers are encountered planet side, during colony transfers.
Or, in Tommy’s case, the occasional encounter with Jayden can prove dangerous.
Is there a distinct
or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in Amethyst Eyes?
Aside from the food Tommy grew up eating on Earth, he has
been introduced to the food of his father’s people…and that can be anything
from garagon porridge, shey pod fruit, or warm Durash pulp to help you sleep at
night…but Tommy’s least favorite was his father’s attempt to feed his son
something that resembled French toast…in flavor only, because the slimy green
chunks were too much to ask anyone to overlook.
What types of
weaponry or fighting styles are common in Amethyst Eyes?
The ship has a full weapon’s array, though they have never
used it. There is no violence amongst the Sirians, per say, and because sports
can be seen as an ‘organized form of war’ these people do not practice any
sports other than endurance training.
What types of
vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used in Amethyst Eyes?
Replicators are used to grab a quick meal. Holographic
technology is used for medical, educational and recreational purposes. Computer
displays are found on many glass-like surfaces, such as desktops and
wall-panels. They are all tactile, as well as being voice inter-active or chip
interface activated.
Their medical technology is something to strive for.
Diagnostic tables, made a soft glass-like surface that adapts to the body’s
contour, offering support and comfort while the body is scanned. Crystal disks,
placed on the patient provoke an electromagnet response in the body, causing
the patient to relax or even slip off into sleep. Most procedures are painless,
even when they are invasive. It is possible to regenerate bone and tissue. A
holographic image of the patient can be called up, showing every detail of the
body, down to cellular health, old scars or injuries, as well as bodily
functions.
What types of plants,
animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Amethyst Eyes that we don’t
see on Earth?
The Sirians, Tommy’s father’s people, are from the planet
Sirius, orbiting the Dog Star Sirius.
They were the first planet seeded by the Forefathers, and tasked with the role
of watching over all human colonies in our galaxy. Mostly, the people are the
same as the humans we encounter here on earth…with a few exceptions. Some have
milk-chocolate skin and electric blue eyes, without any whites. Others have
pale skin, bright green eyes and white hair. The Binari (bi (like bit) Nar ee)
are bald, grey skinned people who hunt those with amethyst eyes.
The Kettra, found on one planet, are extremely dangerous. They
are cute, furry animals with short, teddy bear snouts and large, paper thin
ears. They hunt in groups at night and drag their prey back to the colony to be
devoured fresh.
Another minute animal, living in rocky outcroppings, sting
their unsuspecting victim and leave a dart that boroughs deep inside the body
to release a burst of poison hours later.
Plant life goes beyond all you see on Earth. One example,
found on a sister world, includes a short tree with a wide, green trunk and
palm like leaves that grows one grey nut at a time. The nut can easily be
mistaken for a rock, but like some form of cacti, it has very short, fine
spines covering its entire surface that imbed themselves into the flesh of
those who dare touch it.
What role, if any,
does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Amethyst Eyes? If there is magic, please give some examples
of what it involves or how it’s used.
The Binari, those who hunt people with Amethyst Eyes,
believe that the eyes hold some magical power. All those who have amethyst eyes
have shown a particular gift or ability.
Is there any advanced
or unusual technology in Amethyst Eyes?
If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples.
All Sirians have two implants imbedded in their necks. One is
a tracking chip, and the other a learning interface that allows them to
communicate directly with the onboard computer.
Sirians are thought using people, and much of their
technology reacts to their brain impulses. Children use learning orbs, balls
that emit holographic images in response to their thoughts. Sirians do not
sing, but their thoughts create music, and the more that gather, the more
complex the music.
Tell us about any
sports, games, or activities that are available for entertainment in Amethyst
Eyes.
No sports are played since they are a form of organized
warfare. People keep in shape through Endurance
Training…you can think of it as an endless ‘tree-top adventure center’.
Are the days of the
week and months of the year the same in Amethyst Eyes as on Earth? What
holidays or special events are celebrated regularly there?
I did not change the time/days/calendar in Amethyst Eyes.
They do not celebrate the holidays as we do on Earth, but there is mention of
the Feast of Gratitude every year. (They celebrate the renewal of the seasons,
the coming of life after the death of winter, and give thanks for all they have
reaped from the previous year that has carried them through to the new season).
Is there a particular
religion practiced in Amethyst Eyes?
There is no mention of religion, though they refer to the Gods, having a male and female
version of God.
What is the political
or government structure in Amethyst Eyes?
Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
The leader of the people is a Sovereign, chosen
not through voting, nor lineage, but through the same evaluation system as the
orientation chamber, targeting the best candidate to lead their people.
Are there any other
unique cultural practices that we should be aware of if we visit the Sirians?
The Sirians share a special bond between close family
members, giving an outsider the impression that they can read minds. A bonded,
or married couple, shares the most intimate forms of this link. Thoughts, and
feelings, as well as images and memories can be shared. Memories can be called
up and relived as though they were once again real.
Has anything in your
actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
The only thing that inspired me to write was the loss of my
daughter. I needed to create a place where people cared about one another,
where family mattered and held together.
I spent my summers with my grandmother in the Laurentian
mountains, right on the lake, and every week she would take a class on bead
working and such, given by the Native Americans (back then Indians) living nearby, and I would attend…usually to thread the
needles of all the older women, lol.
Nature, Native Americans, traditions, cooking, love of
animals, and respect for one another all stemmed from time spent with my beloved
grandmother. I miss her dearly.
What, if any, “hot-button”
or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
In the book, the adults are responsible for the kids. And
they are considered to be children until the age of 18, much to Tommy’s dismay.
The culture prides itself on its methods of career selection
and that 98% of the population is satisfied with the role they play in their
society. Random knowledge, such as first-aid for all is not common practice,
because the best people for the job (medical professionals or first
respondents) are on duty and THEY will handle the situation.
Author Autobiography
All her
life, Debbie has spun stories in her mind, watching characters come to life
seemingly by themselves. After working as a nurse, a teacher, a martial arts
instructor, an artist, and CIC officer in the Canadian military - not to
mention her many hobbies from woodworking to auto mechanics and holistic
medicine, her life reads like a story itself. And yet, her favorite thing is
still a cozy fire, a good book, and country living with her husband JP and her
youngest of five children. After graduating from the Institute of Children’s
Literature’s advanced writing course, she is finally devoting herself to
writing these stories down, taking us all on a ride we won’t quickly forget.
Where, and in what
formats, can we purchase your books?
Please include links.
All books are available in both paperback and ebook formats.
Amethyst Eyes
(book 1)
Amethyst Eyes, the
Legend Comes to Life (book 2)
Where can readers
connect with you online?
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to the Phoenix and the Realm of the Guardians. Questions about the world or the book? Ask them in the comments and the author will get back to you!
Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series.
Please join us again next Monday for a trip to the science fiction world of Haladras in Realm Explorers Part XXXXV!
Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series.
Please join us again next Monday for a trip to the science fiction world of Haladras in Realm Explorers Part XXXXV!
-Annie Douglass Lima
3 comments:
Thank you so much for this unique opportunity to share the world of Amethyst Eyes. Love the concept.
You're welcome. Thanks for participating!
Sounds like an interesting series. Thanks for sharing this at Booknificent Thursday!
Tina
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