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:
Kandi J Wyatt
Title of book and/or
series:
An Unexpected Exploit,
book 3 of Myth Coast Adventures trilogy
Brief summary of the
story:
A regular summer hunting trip takes a new turn when Franklin
falls into the mythical realm of Shinwano. When he returns home he finds a
poacher, NSA agent, and his friends all interested in the portal—and all for
different reasons.
Brief description of
the world or location you created for this story:
Shinwano exists on a separate plane of the time-space
continuum. It looks like Earth but instead of humans populating it, its
inhabitants are mythical creatures.
If we were to visit Shinwano
as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
First off, make sure to get the permission of the
sanraksaka; otherwise you’re in for trouble. Once you have Ladaku’s approval,
then you’ll be free to roam. Be sure to travel north to the Parhada Mountains
and visit the dragons there. You’ll also want to meet the gryphons across the
lake and, if they’ll let you, the fairies. Keep your eyes open for fauns and
brownies as well. A trip to Tsenturi’s cave would be helpful as well. The
centaur may allow you to look into his scrying pool. Of course, your trip wouldn’t be complete if
you didn’t look up Kajri the unicorn and hear her story of how she went through
the rift in the time-space continuum not once but twice!
What dangers should
we avoid in Shinwano?
For the most part, Shinwano is a peaceful land, but there is
one creature that you’ll want to beware of. The guatama prowl through the night seeking creatures they can turn to
serve their master. If they can’t trick you to follow them, they’ll destroy
you. Their power has been growing recently, so be careful and stay inside at
night, especially since they’re invisible!
Is there a distinct
or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in Shinwano?
Ladaku may try to serve you rasa juice. Don’t be put off by the bitter taste. Once you get pass
that, the drink will provide energy, help your body heal, and quench your
thirst. The rasa berry grows wild on
bushes much like Earth’s blueberries do, but they have a taste more like a
cranberry or a wolfberry. Cantharellus will show you the best wild mushrooms
available and won’t be offended if you don’t like them because he’ll gladly eat
what you don’t want.
What types of
weaponry or fighting styles are common in Shinwano?
The manisa of the
sanraksaka are known for their bhala,
or staff, fighting. They train with tall, hardwood staves that are as tall as
them and as thick as their wrists. To humans the Sanraksaka bhalas are as big as tree limbs.
What types of
vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to Shinwano?
The only way to get to Shinwano is through the rift in the
time-space continuum, protected by the Sanraksaka. Once there, you’ll travel on
foot unless a unicorn, centaur, or dragon is willing to carry you.
What types of plants,
animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Shinwano that we don’t see on
Earth?
The forests around Gamu, Ladaku’s village, are full of tall,
straight eucalyptus trees and bushy, mushroom-shaped myrtlewood trees. The
ground cover consists in berries, mushrooms, and ferns.
Deer, rabbits, chipmunks, and other ordinary animals provide
food for the inhabitants of Shinwano who prefer something more than vegetables.
The lake is full of fish which is excellent grilled over a fire.
The inhabitants are what set Shinwano apart from Earth.
Eight distinct races populate the land.
Sanraksaka are large, hairy, and ape-like. Humans may know
them as sasquatch, bigfoot, or yeti. The sanraksaka live in villages throughout
Shinwano. The women help create weapons for hunting and defending the portals
and are in charge of food gathering, while the males are fighters or farmers.
Both men and women train their baccaharu,
or children, in the ways of Sirjanakarta, the Creator.
North of Gamu, centaurs roam the land. They prefer to live
in caves and are known for their wisdom and insight. Across the lake near Gamu,
gryphons soar on the thermal currents off the mountains. Fauns and satyrs live
in the plains and woods north of Gamu. They interact with the unicorns who
prefer the tree-covered areas.
Kopala, or
brownies, hide among the lower bushes throughout Shinwano. They love the
mushrooms that grow wild in the forests. Kopala
look like living, large teddy bears with their ears higher on their head.
Fairies live in each of the different sections of
Shinwano—mountains, lake, grasslands, and woodlands. Every group has
distinctive wings. The woodland fairies can be mistaken for butterflies. They
flitter among the bushes blending into their surroundings. While in the
grasslands, keep your eyes open for flowers that don’t look quite right. The
king of the grassland fairies has deep red wings that look like rose petals.
Over the lake, the fairies have wings similar to dragonflies, and in the
mountains their wings are more durable and resemble beetle wings.
In the mountains to the far north dragons soar. They prefer
the rugged terrain where they have ample food in mountain goats, bears, and
deer.
What role, if any,
does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Shinwano? If there is magic, please give some examples
of what it involves or how it’s used.
In a realm of mythical creatures, magic abounds. Fairies,
unicorns, dragons, and kopala wield
magic in various amounts. Even centaurs could be considered magical in the use
of their scrying pools. Unicorn horns give healing, while their tears provide
longevity for skin. By their nature, dragons have magic. Their scales can be
used to provide a source of magic to non-magic users. Kopala have the ability to use a small bit of magic, but they can
track magic users. Of all the creatures, fairies can wield the most magic. They
don’t have spells they cast, but a simple laying of their hands on an object
can provide strength, imbue it with magic, or give magic to another. The guatama use their master’s magic. His
goal is gather all the magic in the land and pervert it.
Is there any advanced
or unusual technology in Shinwano? If
you haven’t described it already, please give some examples.
No technology exists in Shinwano, but humans have brought
technological objects through the portal, even though it doesn’t last long
without batteries or any way to recharge.
Tell us about any
sports, games, or activities that are available for entertainment in Shinwano.
The manisa train
with hand-to-hand combat as well as their bhalas.
This happens in a sandy arena outside Sam’mana’s yurt while other sanraksaka
watch. At night the sanraksaka sit around the fire and the village storyteller
shares tales with the baccaharu and
adults alike. All creatures enjoy celebrations and feasts. The fauns and satyrs
dance with unicorns observing and enjoying.
Are the days of the
week and months of the year the same in Shinwano as on Earth? What holidays or
special events are celebrated regularly there?
Shinwano has seven days in a week and four weeks in a lunar
cycle. They count the years in seasons. There aren’t any specific holidays or
special events celebrated regularly.
Is there a particular
religion practiced in Shinwano? Please
describe what it involves.
All creatures respect Sirjanakarta, the Creator of Shinwano
and Earth. Even the guatama fear
Sirjanakarta. The stars remind the sanraksaka of Sirjanakarta’s care and
protection. He speaks to the different races in unique ways. The centaurs hear
him through their scrying pools, while bhalas
communicate Sirjanakarta’s ways to the sanraksaka. Sirjanakarta speaks directly
to fairies. Despite all this, the creatures of Shinwano have no specific
religious practices. Their belief in Sirjanakarta permeates everything in their
lives.
What is the political
or government structure in Shinwano? Who
is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
Each race has a different political structure. Dragons are
solitary creatures without much internal governing, as are unicorns, fauns,
satyrs, and kopala. The sanraksaka
are ruled by the manisa, their
warriors. The head manisa has the
final say for the village. Each village has their own group of manisa and a head manisa. Fairies have a leader for each of their divisions.
Are there any other
unique cultural practices that we should be aware of if we visit Shinwano?
Just be open to different ideas in each people group.
Has anything in your
actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
The sanraksaka came about because a sophomore student
suggested I write a book about sasquatch. At the time I knew it was going to be
part of the Myth Coast Adventures trilogy, but I didn’t know how the story
would unfold. As book 2 finished, and Kajri gave us a glimpse of Shinwano, I
began to wonder, ‘what if?’ What if the tales of sasquatch, prevalent here in
Southwestern Oregon, really were from protectors of portals sliding into our
world?
What, if any, “hot-button”
or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
Surprisingly, there are no controversial topics; well, my
main character, Franklin does go hunting. The main thing some readers may have
issues with is this book has more of a Christian bent to it. As Franklin learns
how to use his bhala and the longer
he’s in Shinwano, he grows to learn more and more about Sirjanakarta.
Author Autobiography:
Even as a young girl, Kandi J Wyatt had a knack for words.
She loved to read them, even if it was on a shampoo bottle! By high school
Kandi had learned to put words together on paper to create stories for those
she loved. Nowadays, she writes for her kids, whether that's her own five or
the hundreds of students she's been lucky to teach. When Kandi's not spinning words
to create stories, she's using them to teach students about Spanish, life, and
leadership.
Where, and in what
formats, can we purchase your book(s)?
Please include links.
My books are available on all outlets in both ebook and
paperback formats.
Myth Coast Adventures trilogy
An Unexpected Exploit
Dragon Courage series
Stand-alones
Where can readers
connect with you online?
--> I’m most active on Instagram and Facebook for social media, even though I do have a twitter account. I’m on Amazon, Bookbub, and Goodreads, and have my own website as well.
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Shinwano. 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!
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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