A brief word from the author, Morgan Wylie:
Silent Orchids is an urban fantasy/fantasy and I call it that because book one takes place in both our world, or what I refer to as the “mortal realm”, and in a fantasy realm called Alandria.
I love fantasy books and movies!! When I began writing, I knew I wanted to create my own world. Of course it sounds easy enough when you are excited about a new idea, but it was actually more challenging than I thought it would be. But I’ve loved every bit of it. I made Alandria somewhere I would want to go. I have a thing for trees, so there are a lot of forests filled with ancient and mysterious trees. There’s a little bit of everything terrain wise—rivers, waterfalls, mountains, etc. I wanted it to be a place of beauty, an escape but also a home where magic could flourish. It needed to be a place worth fighting for, dying for, and even living for.
It was challenging to create ways of life that would be custom to Alandria. (I’m in no way an expert and I’m sure Alandria will grow with me as a writer and with the series as it develops) but I had to think of how it would be ruled, how the races would inter-act, what they would live in and their ways of life. Challenging! Now granted, a lot of this is behind the scenes type stuff that you may not ever even see in the books—especially the first one—but still necessary and important to understand in order to write all that is affected because of it in order to give reality and credibility to my world. I had to remember phrases that we would use in everyday life may not make sense in Alandria or be a term that they would use. It’s been fun to create and I’m excited to finally share it with all of you!
Here’s a brief excerpt from the first book in the series Silent Orchids:
A Brief History of Alandria
Alandria—a realm of Elves, Faeries, and Shifters—was once a land of great beauty and magic. A place filled with mountains and forests, all vibrating with mystery and life. However, the origins of this great land were actually borne of desperation to escape a terrible evil. This evil was known as the Droch-Shúil, and its power was unleashed by the race of Elves called the Ónarach.
The realm was the result of co-creative forces of magic. Birthed from the joined energy of its most powerful beings and fused with the natural life forces of a nearby realm referred to as Earth. At its very essence it was made of natural magic. The realm of Alandria rests atop Earth—with specific, but limited, points of interception—as a cloak covers a sphere. They are parallel, and yet individual, sharing an ebb and flow of the very natural energy sources essential for each to survive.
For two thousand years, Alandria was a place of peace and beauty, and its inhabitants lived in harmony. But the darkness would find them again. With great subtlety, the Droch-Shúil would implant itself in the hearts of a small band of weak-minded beings of each race, eventually separating and dividing Shifters, Faeries, and Elves and creating hostility between and even within their respective territories. As a result, after so much peace, the seeds of darkness that had been quietly growing came to maturity and there was war. Many were lost, but it appeared that after months of bloodshed, the power of the Droch-Shúil had failed. With celebration, the king and queen of Feraánmar, the domain of the Faeries and mighty Ferrishyn, greeted the king of Lumari, the territory of the Elves, to sign the final articles of peace.
As the celebration began in the Faeries’ capital city of Elnye, the power of the Droch-Shúil aimed a surprise final assault. The king of Lumari escaped badly wounded, but there was no escape for the leadership of Feraánmar. The king, queen, and their daughter were all killed. The king of Lumari returned to his dominion to find it overrun. His son, the prince, had run out to battle and never returned, his body never found. The king was forced into hiding, taking with him only one: a small child not yet known to the people of Alandria.
New leadership would steal the thrones of power in Alandria. In the dominion of the Faeries and Ferrishyn, the Paladin would begin their rule. While in the territories of the Elves, the former king’s foolish and sadistic nephew, who had in fact murdered his own father and his mother, took control. The magic of the Droch-Shúil had won.
And yet even as this time of darkness had begun, deep in the forest of Dul-Isteach, words of an ancient prophecy began to come to life. There was one last hope for Alandria, hope that for years had been perfectly hidden... hope that at last must be found.
© 2013 Morgan Wylie
Silent Orchids
Publication Date: May 5, 2013
Genre: YA Fantasy
A dying realm.The ancient evil of the Droch-Shúil has been unleashed.The Orchids have been silenced… but for how long?Daegan, elite of the Ferrishyn warrior tribe of Faeries, is charged with a mission to find the Sol-lumieth, a mysterious new power that could change the fate of all in the realm of Alandria. But he is conflicted by his purpose, and he cannot trust the motives of those he serves. He has too many questions and they must be answered.Kaeleigh, a girl abandoned as a small child just outside Missoula, Montana, is now 18. She is trying to discover who she is and where she belongs. In her heart, she feels she has family out there… somewhere. Desperate to unravel the mysteries of her past, she embarks on a journey that will forever change her along with her two best friends, Finn and Chel—who have secrets of their own.
Veiled Shadows
Publication Date: October 1, 2013
Genre: YA Fantasy
Shadows linger where light is obstructed, and truth is veiled.Evil is an untreated disease in the once beautiful realm of Alandria.Kaeleigh is faced with a revelation that she must reconcile. She will decide if discovering the truth is worth the unknown consequences to both herself and her friends.Daegan, the Ferrishyn warrior, is conflicted by more than his loyalties, and is confronted with emotions he doesn’t know how to deal with. A choice must be made. A choice… that may cost him more than he ever wanted to give.The Droch-Shúil—enforcers and servants of the ancient darkness—continue to cast their shadow over Alandria seeking those who can be turned to their side.The magic of The Orchids is growing, but not everyone will survive what is to come.Veiled Shadows is the second installment in The Age of Alandria series: the story of the Sol-lumieth’s quest for freedom of self and the power to battle the evil of the Droch-Shúil.
Fractured Darkness
Publication Date: January 29, 2015
Genre: YA Fantasy
The darkness in Elnye is growing.There is screaming in Exhile.The mysterious woman, known only as “She”, is in a rage. Her pawn, Maleina has made a dangerous move and severed her communications with the dark mistress. Now as dueling dark forces, master and willing initiate, they begin to jockey for power as the stage is set for the coming war.Kaeleigh and her small band of loyal companions have escaped the dungeons of Elnye and found their way to the secret home of the Ehsmia. After breaking the vicious bond that enslaved Daegan to Maleina’s will, the walls between Kaeleigh and her Ferrishyn warrior begin to fall, as their feelings for each other begin to give way to passion.The darkness is fractured, but its relentless quest for power goes unabated. A war is coming. However, the power of the Sol-lumieth has finally come together and found its light. A blinding light of freedom, that may be the salvation for all of Alandria.
About the Author
Morgan Wylie, originally from the Pacific Northwest, now resides near Nashville, TN with her husband and daughter. She and her husband work everyday at their individual and combined creative pursuits while she learns to balance being “Mama”, wife, and mediator to the many voices and muses constantly chattering in her head.
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