The Wytch's Mirror: Inspired! The Coming of the Light by J.W. Baccaro

The Wytch's Mirror: Inspired! The Coming of the Light by J.W. Baccaro: When life happens, sometimes it works so hard on the mind and spirit that everything seems drained of magic, and too hard to follow throug...

GREAT MINDS THINK ALOUD LITERARY COMMUNITY: BLOG STOP TOUR INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR, J.W. BACCARO...

GREAT MINDS THINK ALOUD LITERARY COMMUNITY: BLOG STOP TOUR INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR, J.W. BACCARO...: BLOG STOP TOUR, INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR, J.W. BACCARO OF THE "GUARDIAN OF THE SEVENTH REALM" SERIES! Hello Kitty! Thank you for having m...

Seduced By Books: Welcome J W BACCARO

Seduced By Books: Welcome J W BACCARO: We are so excited to have back Jason - he's so much fun!!! His books are intense and you can read our reviews on his Guardian of the Sevent...

Close Encounters with the Night Kind: Character Interview with the stars of Jason Baccar...

Close Encounters with the Night Kind: Character Interview with the stars of Jason Baccar...: Good Morning!! Believe it or not I have handcuffed another male author and dragged him and his two star characters from his new book series...

Close Encounters with the Night Kind: Naughty By Mistletoe with Jason Baccaro

Close Encounters with the Night Kind: Naughty By Mistletoe with Jason Baccaro: Today is Jason's turn to wow us with his Naughtiness under the Mistletoe! So curl up and get ready to rock it with his suppper naughty cha...

J.W.Baccaro's Blog Tour

I'd like to thank everyone who has helped me in this virtual book tour: Cynthia Jones from The Wytch's Mirror (especially YOU darling, for coming up with the idea and initiating it!), Nikki from Close Encounters With The Night Kind, Kitty Bullard from Great Minds Think Aloud, Jennifer and Amy from Seduced By Books, and Kate from Read2Review.

I am also having a giveaway here on my own blog site.

1st place winner:  All 4 print books, autographed!
2nd place winner: All 4 books in e-copy!
3rd place winner: All 4 books in e-copy!!

You have 3 chances to win!  All you have to do is leave a comment with your email address and “like” my facebook fan page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/JWBaccaro/184531844916499?sk=wall/

The giveaway ends December 15th

For those of you who know my writing style,  you can expect a similar taste with my fourth release, "The Sword of Righteousness."  At the same time, this book is probably the one that stands apart from my other works, a little bit.  Sure, you have great battle scenes, a lot of traveling through dark caverns, and you get to meet the Dwarves of Avshalum, but...for me this book is somewhat different.  As you notice from the cover, it has a lot to do with King Loreus—ruler of Loreladia.  It is now his turn to shine, and wait until you see who his partners are as he travels to the forgotten land of Cestmir to unite the Centaur Race in the coming battle...the final battle for the Seventh Realm.  But they have become a bitter people, and it will not be as easy as he hopes.  He may not even survive!  The Queen of the centaurs is one feisty lady, frightening and powerful, but I gather you have to read it to find out what happens.  :)

I love the bits and pieces of philosophical talk in this forth novel, the morals on forgiveness instead of condemnation, and in general, all of the subplots that happen take place.  Emotions run high with the characters, and I'm eager to see what readers will think of it.


Honestly, this book was suppose to be the first half to book five, "Rise of the Guardian," but the publishing company wanted me to split it up, which is why my stories became a series instead of a trilogy.


Here are some fun facts about a new warrior race I have created for the Fantasy Realm.  If you haven't read my series yet, take a glance at this to see if it drives your curiosity.  (note: the image below is not what they look like, but it is how they're imagined in tales around bonfires late in the night.  The Nasharin Race is hated by the Light, and feared by the Dark, and like many Truths, sadly, inaccuracies slip into the reality of the facts).

 

The Nasharin Race

The word ‘Nasharin’ comes from the language of the wizards, meaning ‘wizardman.’ Nasharins are the offspring of the High Wizard Milandrith and his human bride, Princess Auristela. Typically, nothing truly special or unique would have come about with the couple’s first child, but in the development of its life, something was altered. Wisemen of that world (and our own) would call it a ‘mutation’, but the Elders of the Light understood it as a curse. For it was unlawful for any Wizard to have relations with a human; the Human Race had been touched by darkness from its very beginning, and something as holy as the Wizards (guardians and protectors of the Seventh Realm), were supposed to avoid the sacred act of lovemaking—for the sole reason that it creates new life. Still, Milandrith could not turn away from his feelings; neither could Auristela, and in secret they married, and soon enough, began to procreate.

With this ‘biological fusion’, and also ‘curse’, Nasharins sustain long life and holy magic passed on from the Wizards, and great strength, will and determination passed on from the Humans, molded together as one entity. They are a hybrid warrior race that love battle and crave energy much like a Vampire craves blood. A powerful adversary or opponent excites them, and by all means they feel they must dominate that power and stand triumphant over it.

Nasharins appear human, and unless one is trained in the art of sensing energies, you cannot tell a Nasharin from a human being apart until the Nasharin’s Transformation—and that is the uniqueness of the creature. Depending on the magic or element each Nasharin is born with, Transformation differs from individual to individual. Let us take the main protagonist of the story, Darshun Luthais (whose element is Fire). When Darshun transforms, a volcanic-like eruption takes place, red flames dance around his body as an aura or a cloak, his eyes and hair shine a fierce red, his skin hardens, becoming gem-like with a fire opal color, and he smells like an entity that had just crawled out of the heart of a volcano.  Strength, speed and stamina increase dramatically, senses are heightened, and they gain two magical abilities. Since Darshun is Fire, he has the ability to cast blistering red flames out of his palms, and he can create an attack known as the ‘Fire Star’, a sun-like sphere of explosive energy forged together by unseen energies upon the earth.

The reasons behind a Nasharin having ‘two’ magical abilities are up for debate. Some spiritualize the number two, believing it traces back to the original Father and Mother of the race, Milandrith and Auristela. The number two is a powerful number; it completes the missing half of another when looking for a bride or groom, it symbolizes unity, and it’s another sign that if you stand among the Light, you are never alone. Others mock this belief, and claim the only reason behind these two abilities is nothing more than a random act of the curse they are under.

Unlike Wizards, Nasharins evolve in their physical and magical strengths as they age, where the Wizards generally lose their physical abilities to fight, and have to rely on their evolving powers of magic. This is what makes Nasharins so dangerous—in all areas of their talents, they are forever evolving into creatures of power, or as some have said, monsters of chaos!"

I'd like to thank you all for stopping by, and I wish all of you the best of luck in the giveaway contest!

Feel free to email me if you have any questions about my series, or compliments or comments of excitement!  I will answer each of you, I promise.  :)

~J.W.Baccaro~

J.W.Baccaro Virtual Book Tour

Book Tour Link

 

Announcing Virtual Book Blog Tour for J.W. Baccaro and his epic fantasy series Guardian of The Seventh Realm. Jason has copies of his books for anyone interested in writing a review for one or all books. On December 1, the start date of the tour, the forth book will be released.

The books included in this tour are
Book 1 Prophecy of The Guardian
Book 2 Siege of Darkness
Book 3 The Coming of The Light
Book 4 The Sword of Righteousness

Jason has also agreed to do guest posts and interviews. If you would be interested in participating, contact me and let me know. If you can not do a review at this time, that is fine. We would just like to have you join us with a post promoting one or all of Jason's books in this series. We have all the material available that you need.

The tour begins December 1st with the release of book four 'The Sword of Righteousness' and continues through December 15th. There will be giveaways as well!

I look forward to hearing from you. Comment or shoot me an email!

csescapes @ gmail.com

The Sword of Righteousness - Book Four Available December 2011

The Sword of Righteousness

Interview with J.W.Baccaro on the Wytch's Mirror

Friday, November 4, 2011

Author Interview: J.W. Baccaro

J.W Baccaro author of the epic fantasy series 'Guardian of The Seventh Realm' is talking with me today about his music, his characters, and more specifically his books, part 1 Prophecy of the Guardian, part 2 Siege of Darkness, and his most current release, part 3 The Coming of The Light. Continue >>>>>

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Hi Jason. Thank you so much for joining me.
Hello Cynthia, and thank you so much for having me on the Wytch’s Mirror once again.

You are always welcome here, anytime! Before we get into the writing side of you, let's talk about the music in you. I know you are in a band and I know a little, but can I get you to share more about that? You know....What's the band's name? What instrument do you play? Do you sing? What is your favorite music? Who are some of your favorite artists?

The band’s name is Rigor Hill.  Now, before anyone shouts: “Isn’t that a road or a diner?” let me explain the meaning behind it.

To be blunt, when it comes to war, what the hell are we fighting for?  In other words, so many wars are fought over political reasons and/or selfish gain.  Troops are called into fight, unfortunately die, giving their lives for their country and fellow soldiers, and yet...we ask again, if the war is on someone else’s territory, and is along the lines of politics or selfish gain, what are our sisters and brothers fighting and dying for?  Like “Hamburger Hill” from the Vietnam War, Rigor Hill represents and honors our fallen soldiers of our country.  It is by no means an anti-war statement, because war is necessary at times, sadly, but both you and I and probably everyone reading this is aware of all the BS that often occurs in politics and eventually leads to war.

I play guitar—rhythm and lead.  I do not sing, otherwise no one would come to listen to us.  :)

I love a lot of music, but my favorite style is metal.  As far as bands?  I love Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Metallica, Nightwish, Blind Guardian, Five Finger Death Punch, etc. oh, and did I mention Rigor Hill?  They’re awesome too!!  But the list goes on and on.

Dave Mustaine from Megadeth is probably one of my favorite artists, because he’s an excellent all around guitar player.  He’s not the best soloist, but he still kicks arse at soloing, and creates so many interesting rhythms that are complex in style.  And of course, least I forget, every member of the band Iron Maiden—who to this day (in my opinion), still writes the best sounding guitar harmonies and catchy bass guitar lines. Gotta love Steve Harris.

I love that Jason! Rigor Hill sounds great and I love how you found your name! Ok, back to books. When you are not writing, who do you read and why?

Well, I used to read fantasy for the adventure and epic feel of it, and I’m still waiting on Madeline Howard’s third release for her wonderful “Rune of Unmaking” saga, but lately I’ve really been into Urban Fantasy and Dark Erotica.  I guess I can relate to it a lot, and it touches me, and in some ways quenches my spirit.  I especially love Dominant Females in Dark Erotica, preferably Joey W Hill style.  *smiles*

Absolutely going to read some of Joey W Hill! *clears throat* On a different note, how long did it take for you to write 'Prophecy of the Guardian'?

Actually, Books 1 and 2 were supposed to be one book, but the publishing company wanted me to separate them.  I had originally planned on a trilogy, but like I said, with the company I am signed to, they wanted me to turn it into a series.  But to answer your question, “Prophecy of the Guardian” (with book two attached to it), took me about 5 or 6 years.  Understand that in the beginning of the story (November 2000), while sitting down next to the Stuyvesant creek in my backyard, I started jotting down notes every now and again, and as time passed, those notes developed into a story, and I got more serious.

I sort of felt that while reading 'Siege of Darkness', but it worked out really great with it being two books! So now, there are 3 parts released. Were the other books (books two and three) easier or more difficult to write, after the first book?

Books one and two were more difficult to write than the last three books because they were the beginning of everything in my world.  And I think (at least I hope) that as time went on I had gotten better at writing, so the next three came out a bit easier, and were a lot of fun to write.

I have read books 1 and 2, I loved them both. You wrote strong in both. *nods* So, getting into the characters, I have read some other interviews from you and I know that you molded Darshun based on you. Tell me more. How are you and Darshun similar?

Yes, except for the expertise in the martial arts, Darshun is I, and I am Darshun.  I really wanted to see what it would be like if I could imagine myself into a world faced with a dilemma such as Dar.  In a sense, we are in a world like that.  We have wars fought over political corruption and selfish gain, wars that are necessary to fight for our freedom and existence, times of trial and tribulation we all without a doubt face, etc.  And while we’re going through those difficult times, all of us, I’m sure, are hoping for a helping help, someone to be there with us, give us strength and encouragement, so we do not feel alone in our time of crisis, so that we can push through that piercing darkness—whatever that darkness may be, and hopefully surpass it and rise out from the ashes stronger.

Such is the case of myself intertwined with Darshun in my series.  In fact, one of my favorite parts in my series is in “Prophecy of the Guardian,” chapter six, where Darshun first discovers his “calling,” what he has to do, and what he will face, sitting outside of the Wizard’s lair, pondering “why” it must be himself to save the Light from annihilation, and should he fail, the world will fall.  When someone is as close to nature as Darshun is, and cherishes life, the fear of losing it—because of one’s own faults, is a heavy burden.  Sure, many can say, “stop being a coward, and march through it!”  But it’s not cowardice.  When you ponder the situation, it’s much easier said than done.

For what if you were granted a vision of the future, laying witness to the end of the world, not the world, but your world; where the beautiful landscapes, from evergreen to meadow, drowned in a sea of blood?  Where every majestic animal, every spouse, child, and all who you have befriended lay scattered, broken and dead before your feet.  And the light of day swallowed into an eternal darkness.  And what if someone told you the entirety of the earth, as you know it, depends solemnly on you-and you alone?  That you were born a Guardian, a Defender, a Protector of what this world holds sacred.  Would you stand up and fight?  Would you persist in suffering and tragedy, facing the unknown, the darkness, striving to accomplish your objective, even if it meant giving up your very life?

And so, while Darshun is sitting alone toward the end of chapter six, his adoptive father eventually joins him.  And what Mirabel says to him is exactly what I would want to hear someone say to me:

“ ‘Why’ is a question we all ask, my son. Why must evil exist in a world of such beauty? Why must pain, suffering and death be part of life? Why must the ones we love so dearly be taken from us? Perhaps these are questions we’re not meant to understand. Not in this life. But together we can face these trials and tribulations and move forward, realizing that every creature that longs for peace is worth fighting for.” He put his hand on Darshun’s shoulder. “Son, I would gladly take your place if it were in my power to do so. You know that.” Darshun nodded. “But I promise you this: I will be with you until my very last breath is gone, and I will share this burden and suffer with you, even if it brings me to the valley of death.” 

Deeply sighing, tears in his eyes, Darshun turned to look at Mirabel. “Thank you, Father. I will do my best to end this crisis.”

That essence, all that you are talking about, really makes this story what it is. It's great! Are any other characters based on you or are there characters based on people close to you?

Yes, Cynthia.  Kelarin is highly based off of my wife, her humble and selfless spirit.  Nayland and Caelestias are also similar to a couple of close friends of mine.

Your wife sounds incredible. Say hello from me please and thank her for sharing you with me today. I read that you are writing a Dark Erotic Fantasy. How is that project going? When and where can I buy it!

Honestly, I only have three-quarters of chapter one complete—roughly written as well.  The ideas are “fermenting” in my head, and I will complete it soon. I have to get rolling on it.  The problem is, the music is beginning to catch a lot of attention also, and so I’ve been focusing on that, as well as writing blogs and guest posts, and answering interview questions for my “Guardian” series.  But I promise I’ll complete my Dark Erotica one day.  *laughs*

Let me know when you do! *grins* I absolutely want to read it! Do you have a teaser, or something to share about books four and five of your fantasy series 'Guardian of The Seventh Realm'?

Book Four “The Sword of Righteousness,” in my opinion, is a little different than my previous three.  It’s within my style of writing, but there is just something about it that makes it feel kind of different.  There’s a lot of sub plots, a little bit of philosophical talk, the emotional connection between Nayland and Minevara intensifies, and the best part of it all, it’s the klutzy King Loreus’ turn to shine, attempting to unite the Centaur Race with the Light.  They are a Matriarchy, very self-righteous and bitter.  It is a wild ride of emotion and suspense.

Book Five “Rise of the Guardian,” is by FAR my favorite one.  To be blunt, in my opinion, it’s bad arse!  If you think “Siege of Darkness” was a wild ride of bloody battle, wait until you read book five.  It blows “Siege of Darkness” to ashes and dust.  It’s almost ridiculously action-packed, but not to the point of boredom, if you know what I mean.  By the time book five rolls around, everyone knows the characters, has his or her favorite, and the emotional connection with them is immensely deep.  They ALL have a part to play in defeating the Dark.  It is a story of love, sacrifice, honor, loyalty, darkness and light.  I’m highly excited to see how well it does in comparison to the others.

Thank you so much for having me on your blog once more. I hope many fans of fantasy and even urban fantasy will give my series a shot.  I don’t think they’ll be disappointed.

Jason! This has been great! Thank you so much for being with me today *big smile* and I am absolutely loving 'The Coming of The Light'! I know books four and five will be awesome!

Author Website | follow Jason  Facebook | Twitter | Blog

RIGOR HILL

Yes, for those of you who follow my blog, I am in an all original heavy metal band called "Rigor Hill."  Last night was our first show and it went really well!!!!!  Great crowd response.

                                                       

Interview on Seduced By Books

I just had an interview on an awesome book review site named "Seduced By Books."

INTERVIEW - J W Baccaro - Author of Guardian of the Seventh Realm

SBB: Welcome Author J W Baccaro – author of the Guardian of the Seventh Realm series. We are so excited to have you on the heels of your Book 3 release for the series – The Coming of the Light

JWB: Thank you very much for this opportunity, Jennifer.

SBB: So for those of our followers that have not yet heard of you, can you tell us about yourself?

JWB: Well, to be blunt, I’ve never been much of a handy man. I mean, for goodness sakes, my dear wife blows me out of the water when it comes to repairing a broken household item, changing the oil in our car, or understanding all of these modern day electronics. Ever since I was a little boy, my field has always been creativity. Nothing else really interested me like creating a story, or building a tree fort, or writing a piece of music. Ha! I can remember playing with my He-Man, Transformer, and Thundercat toys--role playing for hours by myself as if I were filming a movie. The older I got, the more serious I became in creativity and soon enough began my first real novel which has turned into an epic fantasy series of five installments. I’m also a guitarist and songwriter and I play in a heavy metal band called Rigor Hill. We hold that old-school Metallica/Megadeth/Iron Maiden sound that nobody does anymore, and hopefully we will go somewhere with it.
I’m also an animal lover and I am a very social person.

SBB: Ok, those were some of my favorite cartoons growing up, and I always played G I Joe with my brother. We have some of those silly interview questions we have to ask - What’s your favorite color? What’s your favorite Holiday? From Amy (being the baker that she is) what’s your favorite dessert? Boxers or Briefs? Bitten or the Biter? (No offense, but the world’s gotta know)

JWB: My Favorite color is blue; my favorite holiday is Easter--in addition to Halloween, and my favorite desert by far is apple crisp with cinnamon whip cream. MMmmmmmmm!!!!!!
Boxers or Briefs? Unless it’s going to be 95 degrees out, I always go commando.
I like to bite, but…I LOVE being bitten!!!

SBB: *smiles* Love it! Cinnamon whip cream, hmm, I gotta get Amy to try to make that I host a huge Easter Egg Hunt every year with a bunch of my kids friends.

What are some of your favorite books and/or authors

JWB:  Like many, I love ”The Hobbit” and “The Return of the King” by J.R.R Tolkien. I’m also a big fan of C.S. Lewis and Susan Cooper; at least these are the authors I grew up on. Now-a-days I’m much more into Dark Erotica and Urban Fantasy novels like “Vampire Mistress” from Joey W. Hill and “Nightwalker” by Jocelynn Drake. But I have to say, Tolkien started it all for me.

SBB: Classic must read authors, Tolkien and Lewis. Joey W Hill is on my list now because of you.

NOW, Mr J.W.Baccaro, knowing your character Talvenya, do you have a Dominatrix fetish?

JWB: *Whispers* …yes! :D
I’ll admit it, I have a Dominatrix fetish, and although in everyday life I'm usually a middle ground kind of guy, and make more than half of the decisions in my marriage (by my wife’s choice, ironically), I really love it whenever my wife takes charge--in more ways than just the “bedroom.” It’s like a release, to just let everything go, every worry and concern, and to just focus on that beautiful feminine entity standing before, taking control, but... back onto Talvenya. *laugh*

Like all of us, I have a dark side, and chose to reveal Talvenya as that dark side--of course I would never commit the horrors she does, but that's the beauty of writing fantasy, it's yours to play around with, yours to create, speculate, and a pathway to let out certain feelings that haunt your spirit without ever acting upon them.

Originally, I never intended on Talvenya becoming such a rich character. As you read on to books three, four and five I think you’ll agree that she is probably the most well-developed character (besides Darshun) I’ve created. She was, and still is, that evil feminine demon in my head, and she was supposed to die in book three "The Coming of the Light.” But like the typical male that I am, I fell in love with my Dark Goddess and lacked the heart to kill her off, not yet, at least.

One final mention on Talvenya: To me, the interesting thing about her is that she is not a Dominatrix or an Alpha Female because it sexually arouses her (well, not as much as you'd think), she instead, likes to control and manipulate others because of the tragedy that had befallen her when she was a little girl. What happened to poor little Tal changed her heart forever, and deep down, she hates what she has become. You witness these feelings in her in book three. I really want to say one more thing, but I don't think I can without giving away any spoilers. Perhaps once the fifth book comes out I could do that, I could announce what
Talvenya actually represents to myself (besides a sexy high-heeled boot wearing powerhouse wielding a sword), and what she represents to the human race.

SBB: Awesome, I’ve only just started Book 3, Talvenya is such a complex character. What is your reason for putting so much of you in Dar (Darshun)?

JWB: Jennifer, out of everyone who knows me and has read my books, you are the first person to come out and say that, or perhaps see it! Yes, I modeled myself after Darshun for many reasons. For starters, putting yourself in your own fantasy novel is one heck of a wild ride, a “writer’s high,” you might say. A few other reasons:

Putting aside Darshun’s cocky attitude (hey, he’s too much of a bad arse warrior not to be), like me, he is a kindred spirit. You will notice whenever an animal dies, or a loved one, or whenever he’s faced with a heavy burden, he silently weeps. The first time you see this is in chapter two of “Prophecy of the Guardian.” Killing the elk tore his heart out, but he knew it had to have been done. His adoptive father Mirabel witnesses this side of him and if caught off guard, for Nasharin Warriors are the deadliest warriors on the planet, feared by the Dark and hated by the Light. They’re unafraid of death, and will do whatever it takes to accomplish their
objective, even if it means collateral damage. And yet, here you have little Darshun, weeping over an elk? That was the first sign that something was different about him compared to any other Nasharin.

And also like me, Darshun often feels heavy burdened because of his deep attachment to creation. To him, loving so richly is both a blessing and a curse, because it hurts all the more when you lose that special someone in your life in any way, shape or form; not only in death, but also in betrayal, mockery, or anything of the like.

And lastly, like me, he is a happy-go-lucky kind of a guy and even a bit of an airhead at times. He adores challenges, pushes himself to new limits, and never accepts defeat. No matter how terrible the dark seems to overshadow him, he still finds a way to push forward, and as if “the Fates” are lending some aid, there always seems to be someone there to give him a helping hand.

SBB: Leave it to me to call you out, haha. How many of your characters are based on real people in your life?

JWB: To a certain extent, 4. Darshun=myself, Kelarin=my wife, and Nayland and Caelestias are quite similar to a couple of dear friends of mine.

SBB: Which is the one you would want most – song writing or being an author?

JWB: No contest, an author! Of course writing is not as thrilling as playing live and having people cheering for you, along with all of the other attention that comes with being in a band, still, writing is much more relaxed, and there’s just something about putting a large portion of your heart into a book and allowing others to read it, almost like they’re looking into your soul, so to speak.

SBB: Tell us about your writing plans – What’s next?

JWB: I have four other books in mind that have to do with the world I’ve created, along with some of the characters, but I’m taking a break from fantasy, and especially violence; as you know, there is so much of it in my series. It’s a war, after all. So this September I’m going to begin my first Dark Erotica/Urban Fantasy novel. I hope to have it completed by late spring 2012.

SBB: We’re so glad you came over, we want everyone to check out the books. This series is intense and full of so much of you. I have enjoyed books 1 and 2 already. – now you mentioned you wanted to do a giveaway – you still up for it?

JWB: Of course! I will give 10 people pdf versions of my first three books. In other words, each person shall receive a pdf version of “Prophecy of the Guardian,” “Siege of Darkness,” and my brand new book “The Coming of the Light.” Just let me know who these 10 people are and I will be more than happy to send the books their way.

Thank you so much for the interview, Jennifer, it was a pleasure.

SBB: YOU’RE THE BEST! Ok followers, we hope you enjoyed our time with “Mr Baccaro” – we sure did. He’s been kind enough to give us the books, now here’s what you have to do to earn them. It’s not too hard, but since we have a quite a few to give away we want to make sure we do it right

1. You have to leave your email address in a comment below (if you are nervous about it, email us direct at seducedbybooks@gmail.com)
2. You should be a follower of our blog
3. Please ‘like’ J W Baccaro author page on facebook
4. For additional points/chances, like our page on facebook (Seduced by Books) and share this post on your social networks (leave the links in your comment)

See not too hard - We’ll give you until Friday (Aug 12th) and we’ll announce the winners by Sunday Aug 14th)



















Our reviews of Book 1 and Book 2

The Coming of the Light is out!

The third part in my "Guardian of the Seventh Realm" series is now available.

Papaerback or ebook (pdf edition) available at Whiskey Creek Press

Kindle edition available at Amazon

The Coming of the Light

The Wizard Crystals of the Elements have fallen into the hands of the Demon Lord Abaddon, forever corrupted and transformed to evil.  Abaddon now patiently waits in his northern kingdom for the coming of Saruinkai—the evening when the spirits of Darkness rule the night, and when he will unleash the Crystals' horrific powers against their own elements and sweep destruction across the earth.

The Light's hope now lies in the young Nasharin warrior Darshun Luthais—the chosen Guardian, for he alone carries the power to stop Abaddon's black sorcery and end the war once and for all.  But to do so he must cross over into Abaddon’s kingdom, and that means destroying the one who guards the only accessible path, a Fallen Angelic Throne, the secret to Asgoth's three hundred year Rule and invincibility.  The Throne is stationed upon its master's tower deep amongst the Haunted Ruins.  As its gaze had once overshadowed the seven realms of the heavens, its gaze now watches the boundaries of Asgoth—as is commanded by its master.

Led by the elvish lord Caelestias, Darshun and his companions travel through unfriendly territory, encountering spirits of the dammed, a hungry Witch, accursed trees, and soon enough, the Throne itself.  Though they are victorious in the battle, they fail to realize that a few enemies slip away and bring their defeat to the tyrant of Asgoth, King Tanarokai.  The unexpected news excites his anger to gather all of his forces and sweep havoc across the east, coming face to face with those responsible for the destruction of his Throne, the Humans and the Elves. 

Darshun must now make a choice: either, cross the border while he has the chance, leaving the men and the elves to Asgoth’s wrath, or stand with them against the coming darkness—a darkness no army has ever defeated in three hundred centuries.

Available August 1st, 2011

The Cover to my Third Upcoming Book!

The Cullach Race

The Cullach race look like a cross between human beings and wild boars.  They are a very selfish and bitter people—even toward one another.  Typically, each individual will seek out only what would benefit his or her own needs, with little or no concern about a comrade.  Their mindset is simple: “Only the strongest survive.”  

A Cullach has two to three times the strength of a human.  They love to eat raw flesh and fall into ecstasy over the taste of fresh blood.  However, being as vile, or 'animalistic' as they are, there have been cases of good mannered Cullach.  Like any beast of the wild, they have to be taught, and even tamed, otherwise, they'll always do what is naturally built into them for the mere purpose of survival.

Originally, the native climate of the Cullach was Syngothra—a near desolate frozen wasteland, once home to the Demon Lord Abaddon in the First Age. The Cullach of this land generally have features of dirty white skin with shades of ice blue spotted and scattered, or sometimes black leathery skin, high pointy ears and rugged tusks. The clans that had migrated to the west usually have more of a porcine-like face, thick gray skin and stooped figures.

Their origin is debated. Many believe Demons experimented on the early development of some life forms, which is why such hideous and hateful creatures like the Cullach (according to the Light), exist. After all, their physical features are far more odd than the ‘common’ humanoids such as Elves, Human Beings and Dwarves. The same idea is spoken about when it comes to Centaurs, or other entities that stray from ‘the common’ in appearance, and yet are strikingly beautiful; only, the Angelic must have been responsible for this tampering...so the thinking goes.

The Dwarves

In many ways, these little muscle-bound creatures are quite similar to humans. They love to build. They love to eat and drink (meat and ale, mostly). They behave like excited children when throwing a festival, and they are seldom judgmental.

Being the great miners that they are, Dwarves are addicted to caverns and underground tunnels; that is also why they're highly attractive to riches and 'shiny things' such as gemstones, as the elements are commonly unearthed whenever the Dwarves are at work building their lairs.

Some claim Dwarves are ignorant of the world and her history, and if you were to have a conversation with one, you'd get a monotonous amount of ramblings on how to brew the perfect ale, or how beautiful the Great Hall of Avshalum (the Dwarves greatest cavern) is when decorated with sapphire, rubies and diamonds. However, this is not entirely accurate. Many Dwarves keep a rich history of the world on record, and love to tell tales about the past. Dwarves also care for the, as they call them, 'up Landers' of the world, only, when all the dissention began to take place in the beginning of the Third Age, most of the Dwarves scurried back into their underground world to avoid the strife. Like Centaurs, they are seldom ever seen and some now question their existence.

The Human Race

Human beings are a very interesting people. For a race having no natural ability for magic, they make fierce warriors. Their strength is often seen in their numbers and most definitely in their determination.

Humans love to build, create, expand their territory, and improvise to accomplish their objectives. They are sometimes looked down upon by the higher races of Light because of how easily they can succumb to corruption, and mocked by the evil lords of the Seventh Realm for their inability to cast magic. Although most of that mockery disappeared after the Great War of the First Age, when humans played a major role in defeating the earth’s original adversary, the Demon Lord Abaddon. Abaddon’s biggest mistake was to misjudge Humanity and its great will. “In truth, it is not that Humans have a superior will above other creatures, just that no other race on earth has accomplished so many wondrous acts and defeated masters of sorcery while never possessing the slightest of magic. In order to survive, the Human race defies all odds, overcoming what Wisemen call ‘impossible victories’, and they have done so time and time again. They always seem to find a way. None can say that about other magicless races, or share such heroic stories of awe and wonder.”

Humans also played a part in creating the legendary Sword of Purity. In a time when Wizards, Elves, Centaurs, Dwarves and Humans stood united. Blacksmiths working together forged the sword from five hundred pieces of different metals. The Holy Prophets then blessed the blade. Multiple warriors from each of the five races used the weapon at one time or another to crush their adversaries. Legend proclaimed whoever held this sword could not be defeated in battle, for the spirit of the Light overshadowed it, and therefore the sword became a mighty tool feared by evil. The Sword was last used by King Lythar of Loreladia, but has gone silent ever since, ‘shutting down’ its power since the united races had separated.

The Wizard Race

The Wizard Race

Among all of the races upon the earth, Wizards were the only ‘special’ creation. It is said, that in the early development of the Seventh Realm (earth), a great battle was fought between the Angels of Light and the Fallen Angelic that had abandoned Heaven and sought to take the earth as their own. After a climatic battle, one that had altered the development of the earth, the Fallen were defeated. However, the Angels of Light had suffered a tremendous loss as well, and thier blood had been poured out across the barren wastelands. It is said the ground cried out for their blood and wept their loss, and for their sacrifice the earth would one day return the favor, breathing life back into them. As time passed, the blood of the Angels soaked into the hardest elements, and over tens of thousands of years power streamed within them, forming beautiful red crystals, similar to gemstones, except these were known as ‘Asharian,' meaning ‘elements of angels,' (an interesting factor since the Nasharin Race—while in Transformation, look like glorious figures of light with their flashy auras and gem-like skin). Then a mist fell from the sky, a mist some say was the breath of Abidan, (God of Light). It descended upon the rocks and split them open releasing their energies, and the energies converted into physical forms, the Wizards—the first natural creatures capable of immense powers and the only creatures ever created in such fashion.

Wizards are creatures of ‘evolving magic,' having the ability to learn any class from Fire, to Water, to Air or Earth. A ‘High Wizard’ is when a wizard has mastered all four classes of magic including the multiple spells each class contains. When a Wizard is born he comes into this earth bearing one specific spell granted to him from above. No training is required to cast it; no teaching is needed to understand it. The spell is ‘instinctual,' you might say; a test to see what he shall do with the gift, being it can only be used once in a lifetime. And unless molested by darkness, a wizard never sees natural death; instead, they walk amongst the earth for a thousand years and are then taken up into one of the many realms of Heaven. During their time spent on earth they are typically seen as protectors and guardians. They are often welcomed into cities with open arms and are lavished with gifts.

The Elvish Race

 

The Elvish Race

The Elves are the most enlightening race among all the creatures of the earth. It is as if Abidan, the God of the Light, wept tears of joy across the landscapes, and from those tears sprung the elvish kin. Of course this is folly; like almost every other humanoid race, Elves come from a common ancestor. But in their early stages of development did they sense the presence of the Light, and instead of seeking out the common pleasures life has to offer, and even the basics needed for survival...to a certain extant, they sought first the presence of Abidan. From then on all other necessities for life were given to them.

Some Elves are born with beatitudes and attributes of their God Abidan. Whether it is Truth, Love, Forgiveness, or the like, these gifts are often sensed or witnessed at an early age. Although few would be fond of an elvish companion bearing the gift of Truth, for every mistake, unwise manner of speech, or action one might make, a ‘Bearer of Truth’ would call the individual out on it, often in a condescending way. At the same time, if one has spoken wisely, the ‘Bearer of Truth’ will praise the individual. To an outsider this would look like drastic moodswings, but it is just the way of the gift.

Elves contain magic, similar to Wizards, but also different. Elvish magic is usually lent to them upon their calling. In other words, it doesn’t come from within, as it does from a Wizard or Nasharin, instead, it is asked for, and depending on the rank of the elf, the spirits of the elements almost always respond. There are a few exceptions, but this is how the magic generally works. Elves also avoid the natural process of death—unless taken willingly. If some of them are called to reach one hundred years of age for the purpose of being a strong leader—or even a thousand years for the duty of prophet, they remain in such a physical state for as long as the earth continues in her existence.

The Centaur Race

 

 

The Centaur Race

Centaurs are a Matriarchy. As far back as written history can remember, the females have always held an advantage over the males in intelligence, leadership, archery skills and creativity, while the males are much more gifted in magic, reading the stars, and physical strength. Queens are sometimes looked upon as Goddesses, or at least treated like them. But even queens answer to a higher power, for Centaurs worship the same deity as the Elves, Abidan—God of the Light. Although they will often refer to Abidan as ‘she’, just as a patriarchy race will refer to the deity as ‘he’. Of course Abidan is neither male nor female; the difference in the pronouns stems from the dominant species of each race.

Like Elves, Centaurs are in love with nature, especially the woodlands. It is said that Centaurs are so strikingly close to certain species of trees that the vegetation will respond to them in spirit, and also naturally grow around their presence. If you were to visit a Centaur village you could see for yourself how authentic this information is, as the huts they live in are nothing other than shrubs, bushes or trees intertwined and curved with such precise artistic measurement.

Centaurs are also the most ‘righteous’ among all high races of Light. They strictly hold to the ancient laws...some of those laws stating that ‘fellowship with the accursed race (Nasharin) must be avoided at all costs’, or ‘no Nasharin must be allowed to live.’ By the time the Third Age came around Centaurs grew even bitterer in their hate for Nasharins, and even the Elves, as it was said that the Elves of Ashhaven now welcomed the accursed ‘wizardmen’ into their homes.

Sadly, Centaurs went into exile after their war against the dark city Asgoth. Supposedly, King Tanarokai of Asgoth had stolen Queen Aeryka’s children and murdered some of her siblings under the cloak of shadow. In rage the Centaur Queen stormed into the unconquerable city only to have her king killed and her people slaughtered; few had escaped. From that moment on Centaurs have remained silent, and unseen; choosing to avoid the other ‘traitorous’ races such as Elves and Wizards.

The Nasharin Race

  

I thought I’d write up a little detail to some of the creatures in the world I have created. Although it’s brief, I thought it would be fun.

 

The Nasharin Race

The word ‘Nasharin’ comes from the language of the wizards, meaning ‘wizardman.’ Nasharins are the offspring of the High Wizard Milandrith and his human bride, Princess Auristela. Typically, nothing truly special or unique would have come about with the couple’s first child, but in the development of its life, something was altered. Wisemen of that world (and our own) would call it a ‘mutation,' but the Elders of the Light understood it as a curse. For it was unlawful for any Wizard to have relations with a human; the Human Race had been touched by darkness from its very beginning, and something as holy as the Wizards (guardians and protectors of the Seventh Realm), were supposed to avoid the sacred act of lovemaking—for the sole reason that it creates new life. Still, Milandrith could not turn away from his feelings; neither could Auristela, and in secret they married, and soon enough, began to procreate.

With this ‘biological fusion,' and also ‘curse,' Nasharins sustain long life and holy magic passed on from the Wizards, and great strength, will and determination passed on from the Humans, molded together as one entity. They are a hybrid warrior race that love battle and crave energy much like a Vampire craves blood. A powerful adversary or opponent excites them, and by all means they feel they must dominate that power and stand triumphant over it.

Nasharins appear human, and unless one is trained in the art of sensing energies, you cannot tell a Nasharin from a human being apart until the Nasharin’s Transformation—and that is the uniqueness of the creature. Depending on the magic or element each Nasharin is born with, Transformation differs from individual to individual. Let us take the main protagonist of the story, Darshun Luthais (whose element is Fire). When Darshun transforms, a volcanic-like eruption takes place, red flames dance around his body as an aura or a cloak, his eyes and hair shine a fierce red, his skin hardens, becoming gem-like with a fire opal color, and he smells like an entity that had just crawled out of the heart of an active volcano.  Strength, speed and stamina increase dramatically, senses are heightened, and they gain two magical abilities. Since Darshun is Fire, he has the ability to cast blistering red flames out of his palms, and he can create an attack known as the ‘Fire Star,' a sun-like sphere of explosive energy forged together by unseen energies upon the earth.

The reasons behind a Nasharin having ‘two’ magical abilities are up for debate. Some spiritualize the number two, believing it traces back to the original Father and Mother of the race, Milandrith and Auristela. The number two is a powerful number; it completes the missing half of another when looking for a bride or groom, it symbolizes unity, and it’s another sign that if you stand among the Light, you are never alone. Others mock this belief, and claim the only reason behind these two abilities is nothing more than a random act of the curse they are under.

Unlike Wizards, Nasharins evolve in their physical and magical strengths as they age, where the Wizards generally lose their physical abilities to fight, and have to rely on their evolving powers of magic. This is what makes Nasharins so dangerous—in all areas of their talents, they are forever evolving into creatures of power, or as some have said, monsters of chaos!

Note: The image above is NOT the illustration of a Nasharin, though that is how they're often pictured or imagined when spoken about in tales.

Battle Scene Influences

Growing up, there was nothing I enjoyed more than turning on the television and slipping in one of my many VHS tapes for a couple hours of hard pounding action. I've always been fascinated by a good battle—preferably a battle between two monstrous powers (Luke Skywalker vs. Darth Vader, Bruce Lee vs. Chuck Norris, King Kong vs. Godzilla—Godzilla should have won that!).  There was just something about that feeling of: ‘whoa, this adversary is bad arse! How on earth is the hero going to beat him?’ Or: ‘when they clash it’s going to be a great battle, because both of them are ridiculously powerful.’ Then, they’d meet, eye to eye, on the battle grounds, just like Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris met in ‘Way of the Dragon’, and the lightning-fast kicks to heavy pounding punches to a hundred graceful moves of the martial arts would begin. Oh yeah, that used to get my adrenaline pumping, it still does! …maybe it’s a guy thing.

Cartoons were big for me as well. He-Man and She-Ra (I must admit, She-Ra was the first woman who made me feel powerless, or ‘crushed’, if you know what I mean. I was head over heels in love with that Princess of Power!), Thundercats, Silverhawks, Mask, Gobots and Transformers. Anything that had something to do with a transformation of form or power really caught my attention.

Then, when I was twenty-one years old, I saw the greatest action cartoon in perhaps the entire universe, Dragonball Z! All right, I admit, it’s the easiest cartoon to poke fun at, especially whenever the warriors are ‘powering up’. It sounds like they’re constipated. But the flashy colors of their chaotic energies, and the thunderous battles (accompanied by an epic soundtrack) caught my attention immediately. It wasn’t long after I had wanted to write a novel that I imagined my own characters having battles of a similar setting: transformations, the raising of energy, flashy colors, chaotic explosions, feelings of desperation when the adversary has you beaten, etc. Of course, all of this means nothing if your characters are dull, but it set the stage for the way I would play out battle scenes in my ‘Guardian of the Seventh Realm’ series.

That’s where my Nasharin Race comes from. Akira Toriyama (creator of the DBZ Manga) is by far the biggest influence for me when it comes to battle scenes and warrior transformations. J.R.R. Tolkien, and my own personal beliefs on spirituality, is where the rest of my influences stem.

As for Nasharins, they are definitely the most interesting class of warrior in my series. Being half-wizard/half human, lusting after energy like a vampire thirsts for blood, and having the ability to evolve or transform into figures of extravagant power and beautified form, my hope is that many readers will find them exciting and colorful, enjoying the long journey I have paved ahead for them, right up until the end of book five “Rise of the Guardian”, where my series finally comes to a close. At least for now.

Why So Much Violence?

Lately I've been running into people within my hometown who have read the first two novels in my epic fantasy series Guardian of the Seventh Realm. Those within their twenties and thirties (and even one seventy year old former marine) have shaken my hand, pleased with my new release Siege of Darkness. But I am also encountering people among a different age group (no pun intended) who are asking: "Why all the violence in your story?" or, "I kept thinking evil was going to win!"

I have to say, I'm happy people are seeing the darkness in this story. I admit it is very dark, a tale of brutality, and even some perverse sections involving the Dark Queen Talvenya. There are many reasons why I had written it like that. First, I didn't wish to write a 'candy-coated' adversary. When I get involved into a tale of good verses evil, I want to feel 'afraid' of the dark—to a certain extant. If I don't feel 'threatened' by the adversary or his minions, I gradually lose interest in the conflict, and soon enough the story. I will mention no names, but there is a certain Urban Fantasy series out there that has an arse-kicking opening book! It is still one of my favorites among the genre. But as the second and third books came out, they all shared one thing in my opinion: 'No Fear of the Adevesary.' I never felt threatened. In just about every battle—if not all of the battles, the good guys would kick butt and always win. From then on I avoided the series.

Second, for me, the violence in my second novel Siege of Darkness is a reflection of how cruel mankind can sometimes be, and even the red in tooth in claw of Mother Nature herself. Sure nature is beautiful; I mean, one of my favorite simple pleasures in life is to gaze at a blue summer sky filled with mammoth-sized white clouds (which still remind me of marshmallow fluff), as a warm breeze blows against you, carrying with it the delightful smells of summer, or the gorgeous lilacs and majestic peonies with their immaculate scents. I swear I could get lost for hours with my face stuffed in a lilac bush or a peonies flower...I just have to watch out for the bumble bees and ants. And let’s not forget those adorable little fawns walking with their mother. They often cross our yard—just the other day there was a doe and her two fawns, the little ones following her lead, strolling down the grassy slope, by-passing the apple trees and wandering into the wilderness.  Yes, very beautiful indeed, and yet, what goes on every night within that wilderness when the coyotes awaken is far from beautiful, but that is the way of this world, beautiful at times, but also very dark.

And thirdly, Siege of Darkness is also a reflection of the trials in life that we all face, unless you are one of the blessed ones who have never tasted darkness or even seen it...but that is a rarity. The main protagonist and 'Guardian' of the story, Darshun Luthais, learns the hard way by facing this darkness, brutality and death. For him, it was necessary to experience the evils of the world and suffer before he could truly come to terms with what he was born to be, the Guardian of the Seventh Realm. I can parallel this to my own life as well. I would not be where I am now had I not faced my own demons, trials and hardships, and to a certain extant, conquered them. It is an unfortunate suffering many of us have to go through in life, but a ‘fortunate blessing’ once the tribulation is over. And though I often felt alone, as Darshun felt, there would always be someone there to lift me up with a helping hand, as there always is for Darshun.

And so, as the next three installments in the series come out, I hope many will continue to enjoy the journey I have paved for them, and feel as though you are traveling alongside Darshun and our other heroes as part of the quest. And maybe, just maybe, when Darshun gets out of line, give him a good kick in the arse. It will do him well, the cocky Nasharin that he is! :D