Adiana Confronts Mechnes

Our countdown is almost finished. This time next week, High Maga should be available in print and ebook format the world over.

I want to take a moment to thank ALL of my readers for your steady support during the long and sometimes difficult road between Eolyn and High Maga. I also want to thank the folks at Hadley Rille Books, most of all Terri-Lynne DeFino, Kim Vandervort, Heather McDougal, and Thomas Vandenberg, who really pulled together to help get this title out on time in the wake of Eric's illness.

Eric continues to make good progress in his recovery; some of you may have noticed he even visited my blog earlier this week! Hopefully he'll be back in full action soon. Until then, Hadley Rille Books continues to move forward.

Our final excerpt from High Maga is a "throwing down of the gauntlet" of sorts between two of our minor characters, Adiana and Prince Mechnes. You've met each of these characters in previous posts, so without further ado, here's a peak at the first of many scenes between them.

High Maga

Chapter 12 (excerpt)

 

“I don’t intend to find a place among the Syrnte.” Adiana's breath stalled under the look Prince Mechnes gave her, a strange mixture of amusement and menace. “What I mean is, my home is here, in Moisehén, not with the Syrnte.”

“It’s all one kingdom now. Or perhaps better stated, will be soon.” Mechnes nodded to the guards. “Unbind this woman.”

In an instant, the cords that secured her wrists were removed. Adiana cradled her hands against her breast, rubbing the places where the leather straps had left her skin raw.

Mechnes closed the distance between them in two strides.

“You will have to find a place among us, Adiana, or you will perish. That is the way of conquest.” He took her hands in his and studied them carefully, strong fingers tracing the fine delicate length of her own. “What do you play?”

Adiana’s skin crawled at the intimacy of his touch. His aroma was sharp, like coals on the hearth, and laced with the smell of blood. She wanted desperately to look elsewhere, but could not. Mechnes’s massive frame filled her vision; his presence, at once sinister and magnetic, demanded all her attention.

“The cornamuse.” Her voice had dropped to a nervous whisper. “The dulcimer, and the lute, the short wood, as well. Among others.”

He pressed her hands between his. Adiana was visited by the sudden image of him snapping her fingers one by one, as if they were nothing more than dry twigs.

“I see you are telling the truth, in this much at least,” Mechnes said. “You have beautiful hands, Adiana. We must be grateful they were not damaged during the attack on Maga Eolyn’s Aekelahr. And we must also hope they will come to no harm here, under my care.”

A heavy silence followed. Adiana understood the unspoken threat that hovered between them. Who else would he ask? The children, the survivors of the siege, the members of Lord Felton’s household, if any of them still lived. There were untold numbers of people in Moehn who might give him the information he sought. What would Adiana’s deception gain for Eolyn in the end—fifteen minutes? Half an hour? It did not matter. Every additional moment could mean the difference between Eolyn’s escape and her death. Adiana had already lost one friend tonight. She would not betray the other.

She lowered her eyes and held her tongue.

~*~

 

Next week: Purchase links for HIGH MAGA.  Woohoo!

Publishers Weekly Reviews HIGH MAGA

Full cover, front and back, for HIGH MAGA.
Art by Thomas Vandenberg, cover design by Heather McDougal.

 

 

I'll be honest:  I didn't think it would happen, this late in the game, but HIGH MAGA has gotten some attention from a proper editorial magazine. Hooray! You can read the Publishers Weekly review at the permalink, but I've also copied it below for your convenience. 

 

PW always finds a way of needling the author, but in general it seems the reviewer was pleased with the story. I'm especially happy that s/he liked Adiana and Mage Corey. 

 

One more scene to be posted this Friday, and then next week it's launch time! 

 

 

High Maga

Karin Rita Gastreich.

Hadley Rille (Ingram, dist.), $16 trade paper (363p)

ISBN 978-0-9892631-9-1

 

Eolyn is a powerful high maga, a female mage, living in a maga community she founded in the peaceful town of Moehn. She assumes that she will never again see her onetime love, Akmael, now Mage King of Moisehén and married. But the ruthless young Rishona of the Syrnte Empire launches a war that forces Eolyn and Akmael to reunite in both love and battle. Gastreich’s sequel to Eolyn takes a while to find its feet and repeatedly undermines tension by telegraphing important plot points. War propels the book forward, and the characters are at their best when the events engulfing them are at their worst. Most of the shine comes from secondary characters like the musician Adiana and Mage Corey. Fans of Gastreich’s previous work will want to catch this continuation of her story. (May)

 

Reviewed on: 03/24/2014 

Swords and Staves

When the going gets rough, who would you prefer to have at your side:  a brave knight or a cunning mage?

In High Maga, Eolyn has both. When the Syrnte invade Moehn and destroy her home, she finds herself alone in the highlands with Sir Borten, a loyal knight of the king who was assigned to her protection. Soon they are joined by Mage Corey, who took Eolyn under his wing years ago and still considers the maga his ward.

The alliance between Eolyn, Borten, and Corey is a fragile one haunted by failures of the past. Eolyn has reason to distrust both men. The knight and mage have no fondness for each other. As if this weren't enough, the Gods weave their mischievous magic with all three of them, striking sparks of attraction in unbidden moments. A volatile mix, these three, but if they are unable to overcome their differences and succeed in this task, they will perish and the rest of the kingdom with them.

Sir Borten

In my first novel Eolyn, Borten appears only twice. Both occasions play a crucial role in the realization of Akmael's fate as a king and ruler. Early in his reign, Akmael pardons Borten for a transgression that should have cost him his life. In return, Borten submits to his king with unfailing loyalty and becomes one of Akmael's most trusted servants.

Like Eolyn, Borten is a native of the isolated province of Moehn. It is partly for this reason that Akmael designates him captain of Eolyn's guard when she establishes her new Aekelahr. 

Though Borten has blood ties to the impoverished nobility of Moehn, his family is of low rank. This allows Corey to refer to him disparagingly as a "peasant knight", a habit that does little to encourage the knight's friendship. 

When I wrote Eolyn, I did not anticipate the importance Borten would eventually assume in the maga's journey. Indeed, even in the opening stages of High Maga, I had few plans for Borten beyond letting him wield his sword in the Eolyn's defense. 

Then one day, one of my critique partners said to me, "You should let Borten have a crush on Eolyn."

So I did. 

That's when Sir Borten's story became most interesting. . .

Mage Corey of East Selen

Corey was born to a family of magas and mages that ruled the eastern province of Moisehén.  One night when he was still a boy, his clan was massacred by the Mage King Kedehen. Corey escaped thanks to the intervention of his cousin Briana, who was captured by Kedehen and made queen.

At once a prisoner and adopted son of the royal family, Mage Corey struggles with conflicting motivations.  On the one hand, he desires vengeance for the obliteration of his clan. On the other hand, he is bound by loyalty to the few individuals who still share his bloodline, among them Briana’s and Kedehen’s only son, King Akmael. 

Corey and Eolyn first meet under the auspices of his Circle, a travelling show that brings the illusion of magic to the people of Moisehén. The mage recognizes Eolyn’s importance early on, but much time will pass before Eolyn fully understands the true extent of Corey’s power, and what his influence and ambitions will eventually mean for her.

The chemistry between Eolyn and Corey crackles with tension. Their relationship is one of constant disagreement, wary admiration, and latent attraction. Although Corey might be considered a minor character, his fate is tightly intertwined with Eolyn's. The final outcome of the saga, to be revealed in the third book Daughter of Aithne, will depend crucially on the resilience of this besieged friendship.

~*~

Next week, our final preview before the release of HIGH MAGA.

Ghemena Plans Her Escape

We are getting very close - only two more excerpts left before High Maga is released on April 4th!

Today we meet two of the youngest members of Eolyn's Aekelahr, Ghemena and Tasha. This scene happens shortly after the invasion of Moehn. Eolyn's coven has been attacked, and Ghemena and Tasha taken prisoner. But little Ghemena is not one to remain bound and imprisoned. Already, she is planning her escape...

~*~

High Maga

Chapter 13 (excerpt)

Sitting up, Ghemena looked around the bare tent, illuminated by a thin shaft of light streaming through a break in the canvas. Catarina and Tasha slept, bodies curled side by side on the hard dirt floor, faces swollen from the many tears they had shed. With growing dread, Ghemena realized Mistress Adiana was not with them. 

Tasha whimpered and stirred. She lifted her head, tangled dark tresses hanging in her rounded face, and stared with bleary eyes at their grim surroundings before focusing on Ghemena.

“Where’s Mistress Adiana?” she asked.

A painful lump in Ghemena’s throat would not let her speak. She bit her lip, working her arms and wrists against each other, trying to get the blood to return to her fingers.

Tasha moaned and hid her face against Catarina’s shoulder. “This was supposed to be a dream. I was going to wake up, and have it all be a very bad dream.”

“We’ve no time to cry,” Ghemena replied sharply. “We have to get out of here as fast as we can.”

Tasha dragged herself away from Catarina’s sleeping figure and sat up. She pointed to her bound arms with her chin. “How are we supposed to escape tied up like this? And where would we go if we did? You saw the town last night. Nothing’s left of it, and those horrible men are everywhere.”

“I have a way to find Maga Eolyn, but I have to free my hands first.” A burning sensation moved through her palms, followed by the prick of a thousand pins on her fingers. Ghemena knew this was a good sign.

“What way?” asked Tasha.

“A magic way. Maga Eolyn showed me how before she left. I’m going find her and tell her what’s happened, and then she’ll come to rescue you.”

“You mean we can’t go with you?” Tasha’s brow furrowed and she glanced nervously at Catarina. “Don’t leave us alone here. Please.”

Ghemena stopped fidgeting and gave Tasha a worried frown. “I don’t think it’ll work with more than one of us.”

“Why not?”

“Maga Eolyn never said anything about taking more than one person.”

“That doesn’t mean it’s not possible.”

“No,” Ghemena conceded doubtfully. “I guess we can try.”

“Promise me you’ll try, Ghemena.” Tasha’s eyes were wide beneath her dark brows. “Promise me you won’t leave without us.”

Ghemena looked at her friend. Tasha had always been the quiet one, forever trying to make peace between Ghemena and Catarina.

“We’re sisters,” Ghemena said. “We must be loyal to each other, right?”

Tasha grinned and nodded.

“So you see then, I won’t leave you alone,” Ghemena assured her. “I can’t.”

~*~

Next week, everyone's favorite mage: Corey of East Selen.

Eolyn's Coven

My original plan for today's post was to write about two of Eolyn's students, Ghemena and Mariel, but I've decided instead to talk more generally about Eolyn's coven and its place in the history of Moisehén.

Prior to the beginning of High Maga, Eolyn founds her coven in the Moehn, a remote mountain-bound province considered something of  a backwater by the rest of the kingdom. Even Moehn's nobility are rather humble people, impoverished compared to the wealthier families of Selkynsen and the other provinces, yet happy with the life they lead and relatively unambitious in the political realm.  

Born in one of the small villages of this province, Eolyn grew up in the South Woods after fleeing the wrath of the Mage King. She identifies strongly with the province of Moehn and considers it a safe haven against the stormier conflicts of the outside world. This is why she chooses to begin rebuilding the tradition of the magas here.

Recruitment to Eolyn's coven is a slow and difficult process. The War of the Magas and the purges that followed have had a lasting impact on the structure and temperament of the society of Moisehén.  Even with the backing of the Mage King, Eolyn can find few families willing to entrust their daughters to the enterprise of women's magic.  

As a result, Eolyn's first generation of students come from impoverished and troubled backgrounds. They were brought to the Aekelahr by families hoping to rid themselves of unwanted daughters. This includes Ghemena, Eolyn's first student and the youngest member of the coven, Mariel and Sirena, who are almost ready to petition for a staff of High Magic, and Tasha and Catarina, the newest arrivals. Adiana and Renate, whom you met last week, came to the coven as adults at Eolyn's invitation. They assist her in teaching and caring for the girls. 

The Aekelahr, which is the name given to the physical location in which a coven lives, has a long history in Moisehén, though its precise origins remain obscure. Throughout the centuries, mages and magas interacted on a regular basis through intellectual pursuits, festivals, and the like. However, when it came to living in a community with other practitioners, the sexes generally kept themselves apart. 

Some would say this is how the tensions that eventually threw the kingdom into chaos got started, but Eolyn was steeped in the appropriateness of this practice by her own tutor, and she wishes to establish a coven according to the oldest traditions of her people. 

~*~

Come back next week for a scene with two of our young coven members, Ghemena and Tasha. 

An Evening of Wine and Friendship

The official date, time, and place has now been set for the launch party for High Maga:

Saturday April 12th

at the

Whitfield Center

Avila University Campus

11901 Wornall Road

Kansas City, MO 64145

 

The event will start at 5pm and end at 7pm, or when we run out of cake, whichever comes first.  (After the cake runs out, we are likely to proceed to the nearest pub.) I'll post an announcement in the side bar of the blog soon, but please mark your calendars.  If you're in the area, I'd love to see you at the party.  The event is free and open to the public, and books will be available for purchase and signing. 

 

Of course, April 12th is a full eight days after the official launch date.  If you can't wait a week to get your copy, don't worry!  The book will be available through Amazon starting April 4th.  Also, next week I will start a Goodreads Giveaway for High Maga, giving you a chance to win a free signed copy. (If you haven't entered the giveaway for Eolyn, now is your last chance! That giveaway ends on March 4th.)

 

My editor Eric T. Reynolds has been released from intensive care at the hospital and moved to a rehabilitation center closer to home.  We are all really happy with the progress he is starting to make, and look forward to his continued recovery. 

 

Heather McDougal is just about done with the full cover design for the paperback edition of High Maga, so this time next week you may get to see it.  The cover is magnificent. I am not exaggerating. I could not be more pleased with how the front and back cover art have come together, and I cannot wait to share it with you.

 

Sometime in the coming weeks, I will also post a full preview of the first three chapters of High Maga.  So stay tuned for that!

 

Speaking of previews, onto our feature for this week.  Last Friday, you met Eolyn's sisters in magic, Adiana and Renate.  Today you get to join them for an evening of wine and friendship. This is one of my favorite scenes; it is light-hearted, gossipy, and full of charm, without undermining the deeper conflicts that plague Renate, who tells this part of the story.  Enjoy, and thank you, once again, for accompanying me during the countdown to High Maga. 

 

~*~

High Maga

Chapter 11 (Excerpt)

 

“I speak in earnest, Renate.” Adiana’s words were slurred by drink. “Borten would be an excellent suitor for Eolyn. He’s good man, a considerate lover—”

Wine escaped Renate’s lips in a sputtering laugh. “How would you know Borten’s a considerate lover?”

Adiana shrugged. “I can see it in his face.”

Renate let go a high pitched cackle and shook her head. “See it in his face? I’ll wager you’ve seen more than his face. You’ve been restless as a lynx in heat since Eostar.”

Adiana gave a mock cry of protest and struck Renate playfully on the shoulder. “How dare you! One does not have to be a maga to see into the hearts of men. I learned a few things working the taverns in Selkynsen, you know. I can read a man as surely as Eolyn reads her books.”

“As surely as Eolyn reads her books in bed,” Renate replied in crisp tones.

Adiana flopped back on the blanket with an indignant harrumph. They had settled in the courtyard for an evening of wine and companionship, after having tucked the girls into bed. Days had passed since Eolyn departed for the South Woods, and the week would likely see its end before she returned.

 “And you accuse me of inventing stories and gossip!” Adiana complained. “Even if I had ‘read Borten in bed’, what would it matter? The magas always had untamed teachings with respect to that sort of thing. Isn’t aen-lasati the source of a woman’s greatest magic? I swear to the Gods, Renate, sometimes you seem too much of a prude to be a maga.”

A prude. Renate rolled the word over her tongue as she swirled the wine in her cup. Yes, that’s what she was. Tight inside, dry as autumn leaves underfoot. Forever bound by the failures and disillusions of her past. “The Magas of the Old Orders were disciplined women, not harlots at a summer festival. To lay claim to their understanding of aen-lasati while ignoring all their other teachings does their memory a disservice. It’s precisely that sort of myth that led us to the pyres in the first place.”

“Oh, Renate.” Adiana groaned, sat up, and reached for the wine skin. “Why must you take everything so seriously? It’s finished, remember? The war, the purges, the rebellion, the prohibition. We’re free now. The magas have been restored to their rightful place in Moisehén. We’ve got a proper Aekelahr, aspiring young magas, the protection of the Mage King, and a nice little regiment of handsome guards. Even you could have some fun, you know.”

The thought of her tired old body wrapped around one of the King’s men made Renate giggle until the giddiness shook her ribs and broke upon her lips.

 “That’s the spirit!” said Adiana. “Here, have some more wine. And tell me, which one of the guards do you like the most?”

“Oh, for the love of the Gods, Adiana!” Renate was laughing uncontrollably now, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I am an old woman.”

“Age is meaningless for a true maga. That’s what Eolyn says.” Adiana rested her head on Renate’s shoulder.

The older woman returned her warm embrace, inhaling the sweet smells of night mingled with Adiana’s vibrant aroma, of primrose and summer winds, of the riverside city that had once been her home. She envied her friend in that moment, not so much for her youth and beauty, but for her continued faith in the possibility that anything could be finished. Someday time and experience would break that faith. Desire and loss, terror and death, treachery and abandonment, all of it stayed with a person until the end of her days, animating the shadows at night, invading dreams, stealing away tranquility in the lonely hours before dawn.

 

Adiana gave a happy sigh and lifted her cup to the sky. “I love this moment, when the wine makes the stars shine brighter than ever. Gods bless the vineyards of Selkynsen!"

 

~*~

 

 

 





Sisters in Magic

I found this 19th century work by John Everett Mallais a while back,
and it kind of spooked me out with the similarities between these
women and Eolyn's fledgling coven in Moehn.  From left to right:
Tasha, Adiana, Mariel, Renate, Catarina, Ghemena, Eolyn, and Sirena.

No one gets by alone in this world, and magas are no exception.  On today's installment of our countdown to High Maga, we meet Eolyn's sisters in magic, Adiana of Selkynsen and Maga Renate. Both appeared as minor characters in Eolyn; both assume more important roles in this second novel.  Adiana and Renate teach music and magic, respectively, as part of Eolyn's new coven. They each bring unique gifts to the Aekelahr, and they are each dedicated, in their own way, to the restoration of women's magic.

Adiana of Selkynsen

Adiana was born to a family of wealthy merchants. Her parents recognized her talent for music when she was very young, at a time when the purges of the Magas were in full swing. Though Adiana was not a maga, her parents feared knowledge of music would ignite dangerous suspicions, so they sent their young daughter to a neighboring kingdom to complete her studies.

While Adiana was away, the purges claimed her parents. Her mother was burned at the stake and her father beheaded. At the age of fifteen, Adiana found herself orphaned, denied of her inheritance, and left to fend for herself.

Adiana’s fate turned for the better thanks to her father’s former steward, who rescued Adiana from the streets and took her in as his own daughter.  Some years later, Mage Corey recruited Adiana into his Circle, where she quickly established herself as his most valued musician. 

 
By the time we meet Adiana in High Maga, she has become Eolyn's closest friend. In many ways, she is the co-protagonist of the story. Though war separates them, their paths remain connected. Adiana does not command magic like her friend, but her extraordinary music confers its own power, and its own promise of salvation.

Maga Renate

Renate was trained in magic during the last years of the Old Orders. A youthful woman when the war started against Kedehen, she survived the purges that followed through somewhat shady circumstances. She chose to betray her sisters in magic and to publicly renounced her own powers.

The bitter burden of this failure haunts Renate for the rest of her life.  In the wake of the purges, she finds an uneasy peace as a dance mistress for Corey's Circle. Here she meets Eolyn, who eventually invites her to help renew women's magic as part of the fledgling coven of Moehn.

Renate brings to  the coven a wealth of knowledge from the kingdom's oldest traditions of magic. She is strict in nature and demands the highest standards of discipline from all her students. 

She believes that one day the Gods will exact a price for her cowardice and failure during the purges.  Every morning and every evening she reflects upon this expectation, and she prays for the strength to meet her moment of ultimate sacrifice with dignity, humility, and courage.

~*~

I had thought to introduce you to Sir Borten this week too, who is another important character of the Aekelahr, but I've decided to hold off on that just a little longer. 

Next week, another preview of the novel with a scene featuring Adiana and Renate.



Syrnte Magic

As promised, this week we have another preview from High Maga, this time a scene between everyone's soon-to-be-favorite villains, Prince Mechnes and Queen Rishona. 

I gave brief bios on both these characters in last week's post.  This scene is taken from early in the novel, when Rishona's plans for invading Moisehen and claiming its crown are just getting under way.  I hope you enjoy this sneak peek of the novel.  Next week, we'll continue our countdown to the release day with a look at Eolyn's friends and allies: Renate, Adiana, and Sir Borten. 

 

~*~

 

 

High Maga

Excerpt from Chapter 6

 

Once they were alone, Rishona unclasped her cloak and flung it to the floor at Mechnes’s feet. “You are not to question my wisdom or my will in public. Ever.”

Mechnes could not help but smile at the sight of his niece, now a grown woman pretending to give him orders. “With all due respect, San’iloman, I am your military advisor. It is my duty to speak my mind when the weight of my experience contradicts your rather naïve instincts.”

She moved to strike him, but he caught her wrist and forced her arm until she gasped. “It is a little early in the day to start with these games, my Queen. But if you desire a spark of conflict to brighten this weary morning, I am more than willing to please you.”

Rishona kept her eyes hard as stone and her voice taut  with menace. “Speak your mind, Mechnes, but do so with discretion. I will not have our disagreements heard by those who would use them to spread malicious rumors against me. Nor will I have our men, who have struggled long and hard up this wretched pass, fall victim to any suspicion that our unity of purpose is wavering.”

He brought her body tight against his, let his breath fall upon her silky skin until he felt a shiver pass through her, followed by the softening of her shoulders and the almost imperceptible tilt of her face that always preceded that ardent kiss.

Before their lips met, he released her. “We must open up this road if we hope to bring a proper army through it.”

“We cannot bring down any more trees,” she insisted. “We are undermining the power of this forest. We need its magic for everything that is to come.”

“This is a very big forest.” He drew out one of their maps, passing his hand over the moss green crescent of impenetrable woodland that swept north toward East Selen and south along the foothills of the Paramen Mountains. “And a very small pass.”

Rishona stared at the map, lips protruding in that familiar charming frown. She rubbed her arms to ward off the damp chill. Noting her discomfort, Mechnes retrieved a dry cloak and placed it about her shoulders.

“I hope you are right,” she said. “It is just that every time we bring down one of those trees, I feel strength torn out of the earth. I fear I went too far by clearing the valley where my parents died.”

“You are Syrnte, Rishona. Your magic derives from the air.”

“Yes, but these creatures were not banished to the Underworld by Syrnte magic. They were imprisoned by the mages and magas of Moisehén, and they must be summoned by the same powers. I will need the air to anchor my spirit when I summon them, but without the earth I cannot control them.”

Mechnes narrowed his eyes. “If you have doubts regarding your ability to manage these beasts, you should have mentioned them before now.”

“I have no doubts.” She looked up at him, defiant. “I know how to gratify the Naether Demons and bring them into our service. But there are many elements involved, and they must be integrated carefully. No one has attempted this before, uncle. Or if they have, they failed miserably, and hence we know nothing of their fate.”

“Are you ready to summon these beasts or not?” He did not bother to hide the threat in his tone. Already he had poured tremendous resources into this conquest. He would show no mercy if she had deceived him.

Rishona straightened her shoulders, expression resolute. “Yes, I am ready. For tonight, I am most ready. And for what is to come, I have time to prepare.”

 

~*~







The Villains of HIGH MAGA

As we approach the release date of Eolyn's next great adventure, I want to introduce you to the cast of characters that made this novel so fun and challenging to write.  Among these are Eolyn's antagonists: Rishona and Mechnes of the Syrnte, and their allies, the Naether Demons. 

In the early drafts of High Maga, I had some very interesting responses from my critique partners regarding the villains of the story.  Many of them found the dark witch Rishona unsympathetic, manipulative, and untrustworthy. Mechnes, on the other hand, was rather well-liked, and some readers nurtured a stubborn hope for his redemption, no matter how heinous the acts he committed.

As the author, my feelings toward these two were quite the opposite. Rishona was at once an admirable and tragic figure, and her uncle Mechnes the kind of villain I love to hate.  I am very curious to see how readers respond to both, once High Maga is released. I suspect that no matter what, these characters will ignite strong reactions, both positive and negative, among all of my readers. 

Rishona of the Syrnte

This illustration, artist unknown,
captures the essence of Rishona's
dark beauty and compelling
sensuality. But don't be fooled:
She is a warrior queen extraordinaire.

Rishona was born under tragic circumstances. Her parents, Prince Feroden and his Syrnte wife, the Princess Tamara, were slaughtered while attempting to return to Moisehén to claim the throne. 

Tamara was pregnant with Rishona when they were attacked, and gave birth as she died.  Gifted with the extraordinary power of Syrnte sight, Rishona remembers this moment in all its horror and bitter pain.  A forester rescued the baby Rishona and returned her to the Syrnte, where she was raised by her uncle Mechnes. She grew up determined to avenge the death of her parents and to claim the throne of Moisehén.

The Syrnte are a sophisticated and complex culture, ruled by an extended royal family whose wealth, hunger for power, and capacity for corruption know few bounds.  While Rishona learned to thrive as part of the royal family, she also in a very deep way despises them.  In this she takes after her mother Tamara, who also longed to escape the twisted ways of her family and to establish a new life on her own terms as Queen of Moisehén.

By the time we meet Rishona in High Maga, she has tried every avenue available to fulfill her ambitions. Every avenue, that is, save one: the path of dark magic.  It is out of desperation that she turns to the Naether Demons, and once the crown is rightfully hers, she intends to erase this stain upon the earth and in their wake, weave a world that is just and whole.

Will she succeed?  You'll have to read the novel to find out.

Prince Mechnes

Rodolfo Sancho, interpreting the role of
Ferdinand of Aragon for the TVE series Isabel,
is a close approximation to my mental image
of Mechnes.  Except, he's much younger, with
fewer scars, and altogether not nearly ruthless enough.

Mechnes is a force of nature.  Brilliant and ruthless, a conqueror of nations. A master of violence, manipulation, and sensual pleasures.  Like Rishona, he carries the gift of Syrnte sight; unlike her, he uses it without restraint. For Mechnes, people's hopes and dreams, their ambitions and fears, their strengths and weaknesses, are all meant to serve his own ambitions.

Mechnes has no doubt that privilege should accrue to the powerful, and as a powerful man, he believes he deserves every manner of privilege within his reach.  Life is a game Mechnes is fated to win, the people of this world his pawns to do with as he pleases. 

Does Mechnes have any redeeming qualities?  I'd probably be better off letting you, the reader, decide. As the author who "created" him, I appreciate Mechnes' fondness for music and his suck-the-marrow-dry approach to life.  He is, if nothing else, charismatic.  In another life, under different circumstances, he might have been a good man.  But in High Maga, he is simply the feared and respected Prince Mechnes. 

Naether Demons

How to make a Naether Demon (author version):  Take the predatory look of a praying mantis, mix in Edvard Munch's The Scream, stuff it all into the giant body of an angry skinned predator, and voila!  You've got terror in the countryside.

How to make a Naether Demon (mage and maga version): Banish a living creature to the Underworld, allow it to be twisted by darkness, fear, emptiness, and hunger for centuries, then summon it back to the earth through blood sacrifice and watch what happens.

Naether Demons are beasts of burden for Rishona and Mechnes; creatures summoned for the sole purpose of aiding in the conquest of Moisehén. But they have a story of their own: They thirst for vengeance against the people of Moisehén, who banished them to the most terrible of prisons.

Of course, it was not the intention of the mages and magas that the Naether Demons survive the Underworld.  It was hoped, when the curse was cast upon them, that the very essence of these monsters would fade into nothing, and that the threat they posed would disappear from all realms forevermore.

These predators, however, proved to be very hearty. Locked in the Underworld, they learned to prey on the Lost Souls.  They hunted spirits rich in magic and by feeding on them, became stronger. At the same time, the Naether Demons were driven mad by the very realm they came to master. After centuries of imprisonment, only rage and unbearable hunger remain. 

This what Rishona unleashes when she calls the Naether Demons to her aid.  Their alliance is fragile, and Rishona's hold over them not always certain. But the Naether Demons provide the key to certain victory against the Mage King and his High Maga. In this way they are an irresistible temptation for our warrior princess and her ruthless uncle.

~*~

 

Next week: Another preview from the novel, featuring a scene between Rishona and Mechnes.

 

Preview of HIGH MAGA: Eolyn and Akmael meet again

In last week's post, I talked a little about the deeper history of Eolyn's world, and how the relationship between Eolyn and Akmael is the embodiment of the struggle to return to a balance between men's and women's magic in Moisehen.

The novel Eolyn focuses on this struggle, and while a full resolution of the conflict is not achieved by the end of the first book, a sort of uneasy truce is established between Eolyn and the Mage King. 

In this scene, taken from Chapter 1 of High Maga, Akmael and Eolyn meet after some three years of having gone their separate ways.  Akmael has now consolidated his power as king, and Eolyn has established her own Aekelahr, with students and followers of the tradition of Aithne, in the highlands of Moehn. 

There is, needless to say, a lot of water under the bridge here. Old passions, desires, and resentments are bound to flare.  But beneath it all, the thread of mutual respect runs strong, and the pain of disappointed love lingers.  Without further ado, here is everyone's favorite maga, and the Mage King whose heart she might still command:

~*~

 

High Maga, excerpt from Chapter 1

 

There was a knock at the door, followed by Sir Drostan’s muffled baritone. Akmael bade the knight to enter, and kept his gaze steady upon Eolyn as Drostan crossed the room and laid a long package wrapped in well-oiled leather on the table. The knight paused and cleared his throat, looking from High Maga to Mage King as if to say something, but then he merely bowed and took his leave.

Akmael removed the leather wrapping, unsheathed the sword therein and set it before Eolyn. The hilt was inlaid with ivory, the blade shone silver-white. Her throat went dry when she recognized it.

“This? Where did you get this?” she asked.

“I have had it since the Battle of Aerunden.”

Eolyn sat down, so great was her shock. “Kel’Barú. My brother’s sword. All this time you have had it?”

“I wanted to keep it,” he confessed. “It is a fine weapon, and you seemed to have little use for tools of war. But the Galian wizards gave this sword a will of its own, and it has done nothing these past years but weep for you.”

She stood and lifted the sword, one hand sustaining the ivory hilt, the flat of the blade resting on her long fingers.

Eolyn, it sang in the quiet hum of metals. Eolyn, Eolyn, Eolyn.

“I want you to learn how to use it,” Akmael said.

At once she set it down. “No.”

“I will not argue this with you.”

“Stop it!” Every fiber of her body ignited with anger. “Stop it, Akmael. Why are you doing this?”

A moment passed before she realized her transgression. She lowered her eyes. “Forgive me, my Lord King. I didn’t intend—”

“Do not apologize. It pleases me, to hear you say my name. I would have you say it more often.”

There was such unexpected kindness to his tone that the rage slipped through her fingers. She managed a hesitant smile. “Thank you. I mean no insult by questioning your gift, but you know my feelings on this matter. We have no use for knights and walls and swords. This is an Aekelahr, not a military outpost.”

“This is a fragile community of magas cultivating seeds of great power. You are not to go unprotected.”

“Moehn is a peaceful province. That is why I chose it. We are well received here. No one wishes us harm.”

“It is not Moehn I worry about.”

“Who, then? There won’t be any armies emerging from the South Woods, and no one can get through the Pass of Aerunden without crossing the kingdom and defeating you first.”

Akmael let go a slow breath. The turmoil that stirred behind his dark eyes disturbed her; as if there were something of importance he could not bring himself to reveal. He picked up Kel’Baru and proffered it to her.

Eolyn shook her head, hands clenched stubbornly at her sides. “We tried this, a long time ago. You know I have no gift for weaponry.”

 “You are not the frightened girl you were then. You have strength, balance and speed. And you have a sword that loves you. Borten can teach you how to use it.”

“I’ve seen how your men fight. I could never hope to—”

“No, you could not!” He struck his fist against the table and gestured angrily toward the courtyard where his guards waited. “One of those men—trained from the time they were children—one of them could kill you in a heartbeat. But with this blade in your hand, it might take them two heartbeats. Or three. Or fifteen. And that might be enough for someone to come to your aid before it is too late.”

“I am not without defenses. I have my magic and my staff. I can invoke almost every manner of flame known to our people. I have even cast the curse of Ahmad-kupt, though I hope never to use it again.”

“Your magic will not be enough.”

“For what?”

He glanced away, set his jaw. “I want you to have every tool at your disposal, for whatever may come.”

 

~*~

 

Come back next week to meet the antagonists of HIGH MAGA:

Rishona, Mechnes, and the Naether Demons

 

 





Deep History: The story of Moisehen and its surrounding kingdoms

Those of you familiar with my work know by now that history is a fundamental thread in the underlying fabric of Eolyn's world.  Everything that happens in the present moment has flowed somehow from events of the past. 

Even so, I spend very little time putting "backstory moments" into my narrative.  Rather, the history of Eolyn's people is revealed through conversation and shared experiences.  As a result, the reader receives different versions of history, depending on who is telling the story, and there are swaths of history that are never explicitly revealed, even though they impact each and every character in very important ways. 

Once in a while, I like to use this blog to touch upon historical themes that are important to Eolyn's world, even if they are not readily apparent in the novels.  Today I want to talk a little about the deep history of Moisehen and its neighbors, Roenfyn, Galia, the Land of the Syrnte, and the Kingdoms of the Paramen Mountains. 

Early in the story of Eolyn, the legend of the origin of magic is told.  This is one of the defining historical myths of Eolyn's people. The discovery of magic is attributed to Aithne and her lover Caradoc.  By bringing magic to their people, Aithne and Caradoc transform history.  They also ignite the wrath of certain gods, and a rift develops between those gods who support the use of magic (represented by Dragon), and those gods who do not (represented by Thunder).

Generations later, this rift manifested itself in a long and terrible war between the People of Thunder, who refused magic in all its forms, and the People of Dragon, who embraced magic. The War of Thunder nearly extinguished the followers of Aithne and Caradoc. It was not until their darkest hour, when all hope was nearly lost, that Dragon appeared to the mage Caedmon and taught him how to use magic in battle.

It's important to note that this was a cultural revolution, of sorts.  Until Dragon appeared to Caedmon, it was strictly forbidden to use magic as a destructive force.  The advent of the mage and maga warriors, while turning the tide of the war, also introduced important tensions that would persist for centuries to come. 

But I digress.  Between Caedmon's magic and the military prowess of the warrior chief Vortingen, who aligned with the People of Dragon, the People of Thunder were not only defeated, but greatly weakened and reduced in numbers.  What remained of their tribes united to establish the small and relatively inconsequential  Kingdom of Roenfyn.

The People of Dragon, on the other hand, flourished in the centuries that followed.  Three principle kingdoms were born from their numbers. To the east of Roenfyn, the warrior chief Vortingen founded a line of kings in the land-locked and forested realm  of Moisehen.  To the west and south, the powerful wizards of Galia established their own mysterious traditions in a terrain where the fury of volcanoes mingled with the unpredictable moods of the open sea. 

Subsequent migrations from Moisehen led to a mixing with the tribes of the eastern deserts and the emergence of the Syrnte empire, with its elegant peoples and sophisticated cities.  The people of the Paramen Mountains also share a common history with Moisehen, and among all the kingdoms, probably maintain the closest ties with Eolyn's people in terms of bloodlines and cultural traditions. 

The novel Eolyn focuses on the reconciliation of two important factions within the magical tradition of Moisehen:  the Daughters of Aithne, also called magas, and the Sons of Caradoc, also called mages.  Eolyn is born toward the end of a devastating civil war that pitted magas against mages, and that destroyed a millennial balance between male and female magic.  This process, wrought with turbulence and uncertainty, is embodied in Eolyn's relationship with Akmael, which grows from innocent friendship to burgeoning love, and then, tragically, into doubt, suspicion, open confrontation, and warfare.

As Moisehen struggles to find peace with itself, the kingdom is consumed by the broader canvass of history. High Maga brings the Syrnte people back with a legitimate claim to the throne occupied by Akmael.  Daughter of Aithne expands the struggle to include Roenfyn, Galia, and the Paramen Mountains.  In all three novels, beneath the sagas of the individual characters runs the deeper tragedy that a people once united in history and purpose are now pitted against each other in a vicious struggle for power.

But with that tragedy comes hope, and as each character plays his or her part in history, we begin to see hints of a world that might at last hold reconciliation, not only between the Sons and Daughters of Aithne and Caradoc, but ultimately between the People of Dragon and the People of Thunder.

Of course, such an achievement would require the gods themselves to be at peace.  Could such a thing be possible?  Only time, and the novels, will tell.

~*~

 

Next week's preview from HIGH MAGA will include a scene from Eolyn and Akmael's first encounter, some four years after they faced each other as rivals in the Battle of Aerunden.

 

If you missed last week's preview, click here.



HIGH MAGA: The Scene That Inspired the Cover

Before beginning his work on the cover art for High Maga, Thomas Vandenberg read both the new novel and its previously published companion, Eolyn.  He asked me if I had any preferences for the cover image.  I did have some ideas, but I chose not to share these with him before he had a chance to read the stories.  I wanted to find out what would appeal to Tom's imagination as an artist. In the end, one of the three scenes he proposed to illustrate was also on my list of favorites:  Eolyn's first confrontation with a Naether Demon. 

Here I give you a brief preview of the chapter that inspired the cover of High Maga:  

High Maga

Chapter 9 (excerpt)

The energy of the forest pulsed at their feet, poised to respond to Sir Borten's bidding.

“There is your magic, Sir Borten," said Eolyn. "Now here is what you must do. Bring together all the elements you just told me about, the earth beneath you, the air in your lungs, the water in your cup, and the fire in your heart. Imagine all of it coming together into a single brilliant point of light, and when you see that light, repeat these words: Ehekahtu naeom tzefur. Ehukae.”

The night thickened with Borten's effort. After a moment, magic coursed up from the ground through his legs, filling his torso, wrapping around his heart. The strength of the vortex pulled a second current from Eolyn, and her magic tingled as it passed from her hands into his back. He drew a steady breath and exhaled the verse.

Eolyn withdrew.

Borten turned to face her. Steam rose from the cup of water in his hands. His expression was incredulous, jubilant.

Eolyn clapped in joy. “You see, Sir Borten? It is not so difficult after—”

Agonized screams ripped through her words. With a frightened cry, Eolyn took off toward the girls. She burst into the adjacent clearing and stopped short at the sight of a beast that swayed on long glowing limbs, a set of gaping pits where the eyes and mouth should have been. In one ebony-clawed hand it held Sirena, her chest torn open from throat to sternum, the shredded bodice black with blood.

Eolyn’s vision blurred. Her heart imploded. She clutched at her ribs, breath reduced to ragged gasps, knees buckling beneath her. Borten caught one arm and hauled her to her feet. Their eyes met.

All your senses open.

The knight released her and approached the monster with sword drawn.

Eolyn forced back the grief that had scattered her thoughts.

All your spirit focused on the task at hand.

Mariel crouched in the shadows, clutching Eolyn’s staff. Tears streamed down the girl’s face. Her shoulders shook like leaves on the wind.

“Mariel.” Eolyn’s voice was calm. “Set down my staff and climb the beech behind you, as quick and high as you can.”

“But Maga Eolyn—”

“Do as I say. If this goes badly, you are not to come down until dawn.”

 With a sob the young maga fled up the tree. Eolyn called the staff to her. The water crystal ignited, casting an ivory light over the dwindling fire, illuminating the creature in full. The beast groaned, a needy howl born of insatiable hunger.

Eolyn stepped forward, coming around to Borten’s left.

“Stay behind me,” he ordered.

“Your sword may not be enough,” she replied.

 

~*~ 

HIGH MAGA: Cover Reveal

At long last, here is the full cover reveal for High Maga!

My apologies for keeping Eolyn's friends and followers waiting on this.  I had hoped to do the cover reveal before the end of 2013, but what can I say?  The devil was in the details. 

Thomas Vandenberg worked very hard on this image to get everything just right.  The scene depicts a confrontation between Eolyn and a Naether Demon, one of many released from the Underworld by dark magic.  Up in the tree, you'll see one of Eolyn's students, Mariel.  Lying on the ground is a knight who did not fare very well in his fight against the monster. 

Naether Demons have an interesting history; as the author, I have quite a bit of sympathy for their situation, even if they are bloodthirsty beasts.  I'll give more backstory on the Naether Demons in a later post, as part of our countdown to the release of High Maga on April 4th. For now I will confess that I was a little wary of putting a Naether Demon on the cover of this novel.  They are amorphous beasts, more ghostly spirit than solid flesh. Tom's rendition is somewhat different from what I see in my own head, and I suspect that every reader will develop a unique idea of what a Naether Demon looks like.  Maybe down the line, a few months after the novel is released, I can host a "draw me a Naether Demon" contest to showcase the diversity of images these monsters inspire.

Our official countdown to the release of High Maga begins with today's cover reveal.  Every post from now to April 4th will touch upon a topic relevant to the novel.  You will meet many of the primary characters, some returning from Eolyn, others newly introduced for this novel.  We'll also have previews of scenes from the novel, maybe a reading or two, information on launch events, giveaways, and more. 

For next week's post, you'll get to read a scene from the chapter that inspired this cover art. Looking forward to seeing you then!

It all depends on your point of view

This week I hit another milestone for Daughter of Aithne, topping 65K in the word count. My goal is 120,000 words, so this means I'm just over half way through the novel.

Writing is always slow going once the semester is in session. This fall, I've been able to set aside just two hours a week for writing, so I've had to be modest about my expectations, and happy with any progress I've made. As a general rule, if I can add on 20,000 words to a novel during a semester, I'm satisfied. Right now, my fall semester word count is at 15,000, which puts me a little behind schedule, but still hopeful that I'll make that goal. 

The chapter I finished up this week deals with a reunion between Eolyn and one of her students, Mariel, after a harrowing set of events has kept them separated for some time. The reunion is one of mixed emotions, because what has come to pass has left lasting scars, and what is yet to come will not be any easier.  I struggled with this one chapter for nearly a month; in part because I only have two hours a week to write, but also because it wasn't until this past Wednesday that I finally realized I needed to write the scene not from Eolyn's point of view, but from Mariel's.



NASA shows how the solar sytem looks from Saturn's perspective;
another example of how switching point of view can transform
the same scene into something entirely different.

This is one of the moments I love most in writing: When I switch the point of view, and everything just falls into place.

Every author has a somewhat different approach to point of view.  I like to write my novels with 4-6 character viewpoints, two of which generally carry the story.  For any scene written with the protagonist, the default option is always to write that scene from her point of view.  Of course, the default option is not always the best option, and for this particular chapter, Eolyn's voice was not the one that needed to be heard.

It's not always easy to determine which point of view should be used in a particular scene.  "Rules of thumb" for making this decision abound, but all of them have exceptions. 

For example, I once heard that the point of view for a scene should be given to the character who has the most to lose.  I followed this rule rather faithfully until I hit a chapter in High Maga that involves a brutal interrogation of one of Eolyn's followers.  I tried to write that scene from the point of view of the victim of the interrogation, and it just wasn't working.  When at last I decided to try writing the scene from the point of view of the interrogator, everything fell into place.

Beginning writers often have wobbly points of view in their stories; I know I did when I wrote the first draft of Eolyn.  We are anxious to communicate what all the characters -- or at least two of the characters -- in a given scene are thinking, and so we jump from one head into another without reason or warning. 

One of the best pieces of advice I received in my early days of writing was to clean up my approach to point of view; to pick one point of view and stick to it for any given scene.  Again, not every writer has to do this, and not every story is meant to be told this way.  But I think sticking to one point of view is a phenomenal tool for learning and refining the craft.  Not only does it maximize investment in a single character, but it also forces the writer to pay attention to all the subtle ways in which characters can communicate their thoughts without speaking, much less letting us into their heads. 

Gestures, facial expressions, and especially actions all communicate a wealth of information, and often in more engaging ways than knowing that character's thoughts. Also, there is an interesting interplay between what is said and what is left unsaid; one tends to wrap around the other, so that what is said defines the nature of what is not.  This, too, adds dimension, mystery, and tension to any scene. 

A great exercise, and one I inadvertently did with this last chapter, is to write the same scene from two points of view.  If you have it clear in your head what the non-point-of-view character is thinking, you will discover many opportunities in which those unspoken thoughts come across loud and clear.

~*~

 

I'm now proofing the galleys for High Maga, which will
go out for editorial review next week!

Over on Heroines of Fantasy this week, Terri-Lynne DeFino has started a fun discussion about holidays in fantasy.  Please stop by to read her post and participate, and help yourself to the virtual brownies at the back of the room.

 

Speaking of HoF, we are in the midst of planning a major expansion of activities on our group blog dedicated to the discussion of fantasy, and especially women in fantasy.  I won't reveal much about this yet, because the details are under discussion,  but stay tuned because it is going to be very, very exciting.

 

And I know I've been promising a cover reveal for High Maga for a while now; we are getting very close.  Thomas Vandenberg and I have been settling on the details of the Naether Demon featured on the cover.  He's also given Eolyn a mild makeover, and now we're just trying to decide what font we like best for the title and author.  As soon as these details are settled and approved by my editors, we'll be good to go. 

 

Release date for High Maga is still on course for 04-04-2014.  Watch for giveaways and other events leading up to the big day!