Tuesday 17 September 2013

An insight into The Journey of Destiny...

In celebrating the release of Journey of Destiny, book 1 of the Titanian Chronicles, I thought I would share with you a little of this world of my creation.
Here we go... just another fantasy adventure?
Maybe... or maybe not, ill admit it has it's share of adventure, magic and mythical creatures but it is so much more. Add a dash of romance for good measure, daring and intrigue... this book will keep you on your toes, right till the very end.

So what is Titanian Chronicles? I hear you ask... well, let me introduce you...


Protagonists

Afeclin.., a human with a penchant for the mystic arts. He has been brought up by the Elvin King of Tebelligan in an all elf kingdom and since he was found as a baby in a cradle, the only survivor of a village ravaged by war, he has never seen or had anything to do with any other humans. While he towers over them all and has features that are vastly different, he kind of considers himself one of the elves... After all, it's all he has ever known. The world beyond the Tebelligan borders is but a mystery to him... Yet it's the world that he came from and rightly belongs.

Wolflang.., An elf with a longing for adventure. Unlike other elves who desire nothing more than the sweet, simple and I might add, peaceful life of Tebelligan, Wolflang wants out of there, he wants to see what is beyond the borders of his homeland and experience something of what the rest of the world has to offer.

Lenna.., An elf maiden who longs for the simple life she grew up with... which includes marriage and elflings, However she is far from the lady elf she is expected to be. Having spent her childhood with Afeclin and Wolflang the fiery red headed elf has learnt to wield a sword and shoot an arrow and is not one to be reckoned with.

Antagonists

Moorlan.., Once a prince in line for the throne, Moorlan was banished to the island Norvak after his father, the king was killed, thus ending The Great War. Moorlan, embittered and angry over his lost power and popularity, became a warlord.

Nargrin..,  In the service of Lord Moorlan, Nagrin does the warlords bidding. One might call him Moorlan's right hand man. He is harsh and cruel and is not above taking what he wants. However he also has a softer side which is a stark contrast to his ordinary demeanor.

The Dark Mage.., Moorlan's trusted adviser and powerful confederate. The Dark Mage is a mysterious wizard who's own reasons for bringing war to the Land of Marrapassa is anything but clear. Having been instructed by one of the greatest wizards known to Titania, Moorlan may just underestimate the dark one's power.


The lowdown...


It is the New Moon celebrations in Tebelligan, a time when the elvin folk kick up their heels and celebrate the coming of the new year. This new year marks a new chapter in the young elves lives and for Afeclin, it is time to leave and follow his desire to become a great wizard. Wolflang has come to the moment in his life where he must decide once and for all, settle down and have a family or leave and follow his dreams of adventuring the world first. However, the decision effects more than just himself... he must tell Lenna that he wishes to leave which is not the easiest of tasks as she has already made plans for the two of them. Lenna is liable to do anything once she finds out but could a rash decision lead her onto a path she never could of imagined? Is the land beyond the borders a safe place for naive travellers seeking out their destinies? 

The Love Triangle

Lenna fell in love with Wolflang right after he saved her from a drowning incident as a young elfling. As far as she is concerned, they are meant to be... and with the new year fast approaching she has her heart set on marriage.
Wolflang fell for the red headed beauty in their youth but has kept the idea of being wed at bay. Afeclin has also been in love with Lenna since the moment he first laid eyes on her in his fathers court. He is far from an ideal suitor for the elf maiden, given their obvious differences and keeps his love for her a secret. After all, while Lenna  adores the lanky human, she looks at him as more of a brother figure.

The Journey

While each has in mind where their destinies lie... it may not be quite as simple as passing over the Tebelligan border and finding what it was they were looking for. None can be quite prepared for a world they have never known. One that, unlike the elvin Kingdom, can be harsh and unforgiving not to mention being infiltrated by the likes of Moorlan's men. They may just have to look inside themselves and find out what they are really made of. It may end up being a journey of regret or they may find they are destined for something far from what they ever imagined.

While Titanian Chronicles is written for a teen and young adult audience it can certainly can be enjoyed by adults who still love a bit of adventure.  I welcome you to read the prologue and first chapter.
Prologue  
http://titanianchronicles.blogspot.ca/2013/08/the-prologue-titanian-chronicles.html
Chapter I
http://titanianchronicles.blogspot.ca/2013/08/chaper-one-titanian-chronicles-journey.html

Sunday 8 September 2013

A Theme-song for a book? Whoever Heard of Such a Thing?



(Sorry may not work on some devices)

I have a theme-song for my book... As ridiculous as it may sound.
Yes I know it's not a movie or tv show or anything that would make sense to bring out a soundtrack to... After-all, you can't hear a book... Well you could, if you were to buy an audio one but that's not the point.
Books ordinarily don't lend themselves to theme-songs because we read with our eyes not our ears. And I think the logistics of putting audio tracks within a book cover  would be difficult and expensive. Having said that, they are able to put music into greeting cards. And let's not forget the good portion of the world who has moved on from paper books to electronic versions... A media that is capable of containing audio files... So is the idea of a theme-song for a book so ridiculous after-all?

Well I for one would never have even thought to have a song related to my book, it just wouldn't have occurred to me since its not exactly a done thing but this theme-song wasn't intentional it sort of happened itself upon me.

Sitting in my car waiting for my kids to get out from school one day, I found myself half listening to the music on the player and partially stuck with thoughts of my story floating around in my mind after a particularly heavy session of writing. When WHAMMO the words of the song started blending beautifully with the motion picture running through my head and in that instant I knew that this was the theme-song to my book. 


Well why not I ask... What is the difference between a movie and a book? I'll tell you... One plays in front of your eyes and one plays in front of your minds eye. 
When I read (as I'm sure is your experience too) I see the story play out in my head just like a movie... Quite frankly that's what I like about books. So if a theme-song to a movie can enhance ones experience and lift it to another level... Why not a book? 

So this song by Aussie band (very appropriate) Eskimo Joe is called Setting Sun and while it has a more modern sound I find in fits nicely with the older period of the book. When I hear certain parts of the song or certain lyrics, my mind recalls particular moments in the story. I love that happening in any movie and I love it happening with my book. Enjoy!