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.”

 

~*~







Guest Author: Katharina Gerlach

We're going to take a break from the regular programming today to welcome Katharina Gerlach, who is celebrating the release of her latest novel Swordplay.  I met Katharina through the Magic Appreciation Tour. She is an author of historical fiction and fantasy, and an avid blogger. I am very happy to have her as a guest.

Katharina's blog tour includes a giveaway!  So after you've read about Katharina and enjoyed an excerpt from Swordplay, don't forget to enter to win a FREE copy. 

Without further ado, here is Katharina Gerlach:

I’ve been telling and writing stories all my life, but only two years ago, with the success of eBook publishing, I became an Indie author. I never looked back. Sure, my manuscripts have found praise with traditional publishers, but no one had the courage to publish something they couldn’t neatly stuff into a labeled box.

Well, just like my books, I don’t fit one box. I’m the daughter of a forester and a studied forestry myself. I’m sister to three brothers, and a mother to three daughters. I’m a tomboy at heart and simultaneously tidy and chaotic – I can’t be any different with my Muse (the creative part of me) dragging me in one direction and my Editor (the neat, logical side) pulling in another.

There are three things in this world I love more than anything: my family, stories (mine and those of others) and nature. The best thing that can happen to me is when someone I don’t know leaves a review for one of my books telling me how much (s)he liked it.

About Swordplay

CSI with magic but without the gore

Despite her obvious lack of magical talent, nineteen year old Moira Bellamie apprentices with the Gendarmerie Magique, the magic police. She puts all her effort into solving a burglary at the National Museum where antique weapons have been stolen, to keep the hard won job. Falling for her partner Druidus wasn't part of the plan. When more and more people are murdered with one of the stolen weapons, Moira must tame uncontrollable magic, or the people she cares for will die, her partner first and foremost.

 

For lovers of Fantasy and Mystery from 14 years up

eBook on Amazon: German, Englisch

and Smashwords:    German, Englisch
other retailers will follow
Paperback in German or Englisch on Createspace (Beware: postage), Amazon (no postage) will follow soon and can be found through the eBook pages

Excerpt: Moira encounters Druidus for the first time

When the sun set behind the houses with colorful ribbons, she got up to walk the final distance to her work. She hadn't quite reached the park's exit yet when the trees in front of her reflected the green sheen of all-round green lights. She evaded a patrol car that floated past her silently. It stopped beside several more patrol cars on a meadow where a sizable shrubbery had been fenced off. Behind it, Moira could just about see the sparkling of a stasis spell. A broad-shouldered young man got out of the patrol car and stepped through the fencing spell. He talked quietly to a gendarma.

Curious, Moira stepped closer but didn't touch the fencing spell. She didn't want to complicate the gendarmes' work by destroying their magical barrier. An elderly woman with a dachshund on her arm pressed her nose against the spell.

She asked the old lady, "What happened?"

"A pair of lovers found a body. I think he might have lived in the park somewhere. I never thought that possible. Living in the park, I mean. I tell you. Something like that never happened in my time." The woman answered as if someone had pressed the play button on a dicta-nerl. "When they still had work houses, no one had to live in the streets. But the way things have been lately, something like this had to happen sooner or later. It's said someone cut the guy's throat." The woman's eyes glittered. "Imagine that. What a mess. I just hope the park warden will wash away the blood when the Gendarmerie has left. I'm flabbergasted that something like this happened in my park. I will…"

Moira mumbled a short thank you and left in a hurry, leaving the woman to her babbling. She didn't like being near a person who didn't have a single word of pity for the victim. Slowly she walked along the barrier and watched the gendarmes search the area for evidence. Her heart longed to help. Near the park's exit, the barrier ended. Two strong gendarmes carried the coffin with the victim and loaded it into a black carpisto with an extra-long boot and floral drapes in the windows.

D

Moira had half passed the carpisto, when she recognized an approaching voice.

Semra said, "Come on, Dru. Your mother behaves as if you belong to her. Tell her she can't call you when you're on duty."

"She only wants to protect me." The man's voice was low and deep. A warm sensation rose from Moira's stomach and her heartbeat accelerated. What a sexy voice. Hoping she could hear it again, she stopped and pretended to tie her shoelaces. She wasn't disappointed.

"My mother loves me, and I'm happy about it even if it's slightly annoying from time to time," the voice said. The door of the carpisto groaned as it was opened.

Semra snorted. "I would use a different word for a mother who's interfering with my life all the time. You will have to get away from her apron strings, Dru, or you will be nothing but her son for the rest of your life." The door slammed shut again.

"I know." The man sighed. "It's just hard to affront someone who loves you this much."

 

"You'll have to find something worth fighting for." By the sound of Semra's voice, Moira realized they were on their way back to the crime scene. She retreated into the dark hastily. She didn't want to be caught listening in on a private talk. Biting her lower lip, she suppressed an urge to pant. Only when she reached the street that led around the park, could she breathe freely. Her gaze fell on a clock hanging over a shop window. A nerl was just pushing the minute hand to half past nine. She'd have to hurry to reach the Gendarmerie in time. She tried to forget the talk she had overheard but the voice seemed to run on in her heart and didn't let go.

~*~

 



Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a free copy!

Giveaway for "Swordplay – A Gendarmerie Magique novel"

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!