Portals, a Fantasy Anthology ~ multi-author interview and giveaway

Genre: Fantasy Anthology (mixed sub genres)
Publisher:  Roane Publishing

Release Date: June 5, 2014
Keywords: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Urban Fantasy, Steampunk, Short Stories, Picture Prompt

Description: No matter what world you call home, or what your station in life, there are just some paths that weren't meant to be tread.

Maronda’s Quest by Christy Thomas
Mexmur, the Huntress by Anna Simpson
Entrance of Lost Souls by Echo Shea
Where Once were Hearts by Havva Murat
Ordinary World by Laurie Treacy
The Lunatic Queen by Michael Siciliano

Goodreads Link:  

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21887675-portals?from_search=true

Group Giveaway:  $10 Amazon Gift Card and paperback copy of Portals

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

~Interview~

Briefly describe the magical systems of your world. How do those who are empowered gain their abilities?

Havva Murat:

 

In my world the antagonist trades flesh hearts with a spell caster for magic that will keep her mechanical hearts beating. But the catch is that the spell only works within the confines of her estate - venture beyond and your heart will cease to whir. 

Anna Simpson:

No one knows where the magic comes from, but it is said among the people of the land that once there was no magic. Not until a dragonkeeper stole it from his charges. Some say that before the time of dragons there were no stories of glass slippers, hundred-year sleeps, or true love's kiss, and the charming princes that roamed the land looking for a bride stayed home.

There were no heroes, no happiness, and surely only rumors to be sure. What would happen if the enchantment ended, leaving unfertile land, poisoned wells, the people starving? I shudder to think of how one would cope.

Echo Shea:

In my story, Faerie and the earth are connected via portals. Though both worlds hold magic, the magic of Faerie feels more potent to my main character than that of the earth. For the most part those with magical abilities in my story are born with their powers, though power can also be garnered or released by holding rituals.

Laurie Treacy:

In Salem’s world, witches and warlocks essentially learn about their “powers” from their grimoires—magic books which hold the secrets, spells, history and more about each individual family line. A witch has her powers awaken anytime during her sixteenth to seventeenth birthday and warlocks come into their powers during their eighteenth year. Their family and coven then help the witch/warlock during their training.

Michael Siciliano:

Vazya the Night Queen (or as she's nicknamed The Lunatic Queen) has power only when one or both of the world's moons are visible in the sky. Thus, when Vazya "steals the sun" and plunges the land into endless night, one of her objectives was to keep the moons visible in the sky more often.

After long internal debate, I decided that cloud-cover would not affect this. Why? There is no real logical explanation for it, other than I think it'd take away Vazya's power too often. Perhaps seeing even the smallest reflection of moonlight would be enough to keep her empowered.

How does Vazya steal the sun in Mershinka but not elsewhere? There isn't any logical explanation for this. It's a folktale--you just have to go with it.

How does Vazya learn to use Moon Magic? She's a Witch. There are varying ways folktales handle this. It doesn't really affect my story, but I envisioned it to be hereditary. Vazya's mother was a witch and had these powers, though not her daughter's ambitions. Vazya was taught all sorts of benighted spells and rituals when she wasn't cauldron-stirring. Double, double toil and trouble;  Fire burn, and caldron bubble. Double, in this case, would the two moons.

 

Christy Thomas:

All the magic in ‘Maronda’s Quest’ comes from the Grand Wizard Genoa. To make life interesting, Genoa takes on several identities. You could say he was the first identity thief. In ‘Maronda’s Quest’ he has three separate identities.

Genoa controls all the power, and he has infused power into the ancient stone circle known as the Portal of Life. He has painstakingly adjusted the vibrational waves in the portal so Maronda can journey into it on her eighteenth birthday for her destined quest.

*~*~*

Marsha A. Moore is a writer of fantasy and fantasy romance. The magic of art and nature spark life into her writing. Read her ENCHANTED BOOKSTORE LEGENDS for adventurous, epic fantasy romance. Or enjoy a magical realism tale of a haunted yoga studio with SHADOWS OF SERENITY. For a FREE ebook sample of her writing, read her historic fantasy short story, LE CIRQUE DE MAGIE, available at Amazon and Smashwords.