Today, I'm pleased to bring you my interview with Lindsay Avalon, talking about her dark fantasy romance release, Breaking the Nexus. It has a wonderful premise. Be sure to check out her book as well as her great contest at the end of this post.
In Breaking the Nexus, the Nexus is a magical barrier that has separated the hidden Mythrian Realm from the human world for millennia. I love the concept of portals and seem to always look for one while hiking or exploring outdoors. Why was the Nexus created? Who used it and for what purpose(s)?
The Nexus was originally created to separate the Human Realm from the Mythrian Realm. Millennia ago, the realms coexisted, but it was anything but peaceful. The term “human” essentially means, someone who has no supernatural gifts or origin. Some Mythrians saw humans as inferior and loathed their presence. One powerful blood mage in particular, Ferren, sought to eradicate the humans altogether. Ferren saw two purposes to the humans: as food for some of the carnivorous Chimerae races in his army, or as a sort of disposable army over which he exerted total mind control.
Ferren had begun conquering areas throughout Mythrian and most did not want to allow the kind of wide spread annihilation he intended. To stop him, the Great Phoenix sacrificed itself to help trap Ferren in a prison and powerful Mythrians erected the Nexus to keep the two realms separate, thus protecting the more vulnerable humans.
Why is the portal now on the verge of collapse?
More will be revealed in upcoming books, but there have
always been supporters of Ferren who believed he should never have been
imprisoned. The same forces that stabilize the Nexus also stabilize the shields
keeping Ferren imprisoned. Sentinels, elite Mythrian warriors from the various
races, patrol the barrier and help ensure any weaknesses are repaired.
Unfortunately, this leaves the human side vulnerable. Recently, the Nexus has
been infiltrated and attacks on it from the Human Realm have weakened it. There
are other forces at work that have further compromised the Nexus, but you’ll
find out more about those later :)
There are many sources of magic in Mythria. Sha is a Sorceri, one who is born with her powers and Sorceri consist of several clans: Infernum (fire), Aquarum (water), Gaelen (wind), Metallum (metal), Terranus (earth). For those not born with these gifts, magic can be acquired through study and by learning to tap into pools of energy called nodes. Those who become adept at this form are mages. A darker form of magic exists called blood magic. Blood mages use violent sacrifices to enhance their power.
Humans have no clue about the Mythrian Realm. The only
memories preserved from the time when humans and Mythrians coexisted, are the
myths and legends that have been passed down through generations. Sha does need
to convince Connor, but having magical powers helps to speed things up a bit ;)
It’s hard to explain a heavy table levitating off the ground or an attack from
a banshee intent on ripping her victims to shreds.
Connor will be able to help her piece together how she
crossed over the Nexus into the Human Realm. In addition, the bond that connects
them helps to enhance her powers as well as his own that he has begun
displaying.
Chaos, destruction, and mayhem is the short answer. Once the Nexus falls, there will be nothing to stop Mythrians from invading the Human Realm, including Ferren.
There are Sorceri which I described earlier, Chimerae who are shape shifters, Elves, and all sorts of magical creatures from legends such as dragons, banshees, demons, etc. Most Mythrians are born with their power or acquire it through extensive training. Some Mythrians join the Sentinels, a group of elite warriors tasked with keeping order in Mythria and defending the Nexus.
I’d just
like to say thank you for these questions Marsha! They really helped me enhance
ideas for the series as a whole J
Absolutely loved them!
Thank you, Lindsay. It’s fun for me to form questions to
help bring out the tempting bits of a story, something I know my readers enjoy
too.
*~*~*
Breaking the Nexus
Book 1 of the Mythrian Realm series
Lindsay Avalon
Genre: Dark
Fantasy Romance
Publisher: Blue
Phoenix Publishing
ISBN:
978-0615753140
ASIN: B00AMPXDLQ
Number of pages:
200 print pages
Word Count: 42,000
Cover Artist:
Miranda Stork (front cover)
Throughout history, myths and
legends of extraordinary creatures have been told and retold. Fantastic tales
of demons and banshees, gryphons and dragons, and of course, magic. Stories
that every child grows to learn are nothing more than fantasy…or are they?
Beyond the world you see lies
a hidden realm, the Mythrian Realm, inhabited by all of the creatures you’ve
been told are mere fiction. Only one thing lies between humans and the truth:
the Nexus. A magical barrier erected millennia ago to separate the two realms,
it has stood the test of time. Until now.
For Mythrian Sha Phoenix,
magic is nothing new. But when she stumbles upon a portal on the verge of
collapse, her fate will forever change. Pulled through the portal into the
Human Realm, she lands in the middle of Detective Connor Flynn’s brutal murder
scene. Soon it is obvious someone is using blood magic to try to bring down the
Nexus. Together, Connor and Sha must work to unravel the secrets before the
barrier falls and the realms collide.
The Nexus is breaking and all
hell is about to unleash…literally.
Excerpt:
Sha floated, surrounded by a cold, dark abyss. This must be death. It was rather peaceful in a way and at least she didn’t hurt. The thought hadn’t finished forming when jagged shards of pain radiated through her body. By the flame. This was almost as bad as mage fire. She clenched her teeth, pride the only thing keeping her scream of agony locked in her throat. She wasn’t dead, though whether that was a blessing or a curse remained to be seen.
Sha floated, surrounded by a cold, dark abyss. This must be death. It was rather peaceful in a way and at least she didn’t hurt. The thought hadn’t finished forming when jagged shards of pain radiated through her body. By the flame. This was almost as bad as mage fire. She clenched her teeth, pride the only thing keeping her scream of agony locked in her throat. She wasn’t dead, though whether that was a blessing or a curse remained to be seen.
Forcing herself to steady her breathing, the deafening roar in her ears
subsided to a low howl as she worked to push aside the pain. Backlash was
brutal; the Gate must have collapsed, sending out a wave of raw energy that her
mind had attempted to absorb. Talk about sensory overload, it was a minor
miracle she still had her wits about her.
Gradually she grew aware of her surroundings, the surface beneath her
body cold, hard, and…sticky? What the hell? Maybe she’d been hasty in assuming
she’d kept her wits. The last thing she remembered was walking into the forest
clearing. Trepidation welled up inside her body. Inhaling, she barely stopped
herself from expelling what little she’d had for breakfast that morning. The
stench of blood and Goddess only knew what else sent her stomach roiling. She had
a sneaking suspicion she wasn’t in Mythria anymore.
“Right, let’s just state the obvious, shall we? And now I’m talking to
myself. I’m going insane, that’s it.” Since Luca hadn’t teased her for
muttering to herself, nor had he asked if she was alright, she surmised he was
either missing or unconscious. “Stop being a baby and just open your eyes.
What’s there to be afraid of?”
Steeling herself, she pried open one lid. The dawning sun lanced into
her brain, triggering a resurgence of her headache. Could this day get much
worse? As her vision cleared, she wanted to kick her own ass for taunting the
fates.
“Hey miss, you alright? Cops are on their way. Do you know what
happened?” The voice was unfamiliar, the accent not quite like anything she’d
ever heard before. Her eyes narrowed, trying to bring her surroundings into
focus. Holy hell. She was in the Human Realm. Lying in an alley. In a pool of
blood; a lot of blood, though not hers since she’d notice losing important limbs or acquiring new
holes. A commotion nearby drew her gaze to a crowd of strangers growing larger
by the minute, all eyes fixated on Sha. Yup, she’d been an idiot to tempt fate.
Struggling to pull herself upright, she waved off the hands
outstretched to help. “Fine, I’m fine. Just dazed, I think.”
A shrill scream amplified the pounding in her head. Why did some women
have to sound like the infernal banshees that roamed the Enigma Forest?
“Oh my God! There’s a body over here! Oh my God, that woman’s covered
in blood! She had to have done it! She could be armed!”
About the Author:
I am a wife, a programmer,
and now an author. I have an adorable mini Schnauzer and more books than I have
room for. I love reading romance because no matter what may be happening in my
life, I can always count on my books to end happily ever after. The day I met
my husband was the day I truly began believing in happily ever after. After
hearing me complain a few too many times that I had “nothing” to read despite
the hundreds of paperbacks scattered around the house, my husband began
suggesting I write my own stories. When I finally took his advice I discovered
that although I enjoy my day job as a software engineer, my true calling is to
be an author.
Website: http://www.lindsayavalon.com
I am a wife, a programmer,
and now an author. I have an adorable mini Schnauzer and more books than I have
room for. I love reading romance because no matter what may be happening in my
life, I can always count on my books to end happily ever after. The day I met
my husband was the day I truly began believing in happily ever after. After
hearing me complain a few too many times that I had “nothing” to read despite
the hundreds of paperbacks scattered around the house, my husband began
suggesting I write my own stories. When I finally took his advice I discovered
that although I enjoy my day job as a software engineer, my true calling is to
be an author.
My sister drilled into me an
appreciation for fantasy and mythology, something I try to bring to my books.
My debut novel, Breaking the Nexus started as a book written for NaNoWriMo and
has grown to so much more. It was the conduit that introduced me to a fantastic
group of independent authors who have changed my life in unimaginable ways.
When I’m not writing, I’ve
found a passion for blogging and interviewing fellow authors. I also love
reading (of course!), baking, crochet, sewing sock monkeys, playing video
games, and all sorts of random crafts. I have an incurable love of rubber
duckies and stuffed animals, and I believe nobody should have to grow up if
they don’t want.
Website: http://www.lindsayavalon.com
Contest:
2 comments:
Nothing better IMO than hidden realms!!! Sounds like a great book. Hope I win. :)
Thanks for the opportunity.
I loved Breaking the Nexus and can't wait for the novella and book 2. Thanks Lindsay for such a wonderful world.
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