Rebecca Russell - Top 10 Things About the Seraphym Wars

PROPHECY - THE SERAPHYM WARS
by Rebecca Ryals Russell

Note: The Seraphym Wars is a series with several books. The first one, "Odessa," was published a few months ago. The second book in the series, "Prophecy," is scheduled for release from MuseItUp Publishing this month.

Bio: Rebecca Ryals Russell writes MG and YA Dark Fantasy and Horror while living with her family in a Victorian house on five acres of North Florida countryside. She also runs a Vacation Rental Log House on the property: Florida Black Bear Cabin. ( http://flablackbearcabin.com )

She is a fourth generation Floridian. She was born in Gainesville, grew up in Sunrise, lived in Orlando and Jacksonville before moving outside Lake City to care for ailing parents.

The daughter of an Elementary-school principal and secretary, for fourteen years she taught Middle Grades, preferring English and Creative Writing. She had several students’ works published in anthologies as well as her own poetry, photography and stories. Her main interests are her four children ages 22, 19, 16, 11 and Irish hubby of 35 years. She enjoys spending her time writing, drawing, going to movies, reading, discussing philosophy with her 17-year-old son.

Over the course of the next few years she has several books being published.

Be sure to check out the special interactive Middle Grade Reader website http://tweenwordquest.com/ for tons of information about Stardust Warriors as well as the other projects Rebecca has in the works.

Prophecy Description

For centuries the residents of Solsyl lived in peace and harmony with the planet. Then the dragon-demons arrived, causing the Great Shuddering. Majikals from everywhere scurried to find shelter from the evil while humans hid. Laud regretted his rash decision of exiling the demons on Solsyl and asked one of his advisors, a member of The Conscientia, to protect his people. Jeremiah Holyfield agreed to leave the peaceful world of Revrum Natura for a life of constant strife and fear on the newly renamed planet of Dracwald. But Narciss, ruler of Tartarus and King of the demons, desperately wants what Jeremiah has sworn to protect—a Prophecy of Narciss’s future doom. And Narciss refuses to take no for an answer. But Jeremiah discovers allies along his path and even true love, which he never dreamed possible.

But forever is a long time to protect something without ever letting down one’s guard.

Top ten things I want readers to know about the Seraphym Wars Series

1-Incidents of violence appearing in dreams/visions or seen while traveling were ALL taken from actual news accounts. I couldn’t even make up stuff like these.

2-Place names were determined using Latin bases. For example, anything containing volcanoes has ‘Cauld’ in the name; or green areas contain ‘verde’.

3-Character names were determined based on personality, role in the story, physical properties. For example, the main character Myrna Ashlin Watts means ‘high-spirited’ + ‘vision(s)’ + ’ruler of army’; Conall Sean Wyman, a demon-warrior, means ‘strong wolf’ + ‘God’s precious gift’ + ‘warrior/fighter’.

4-Mythology played a huge role in the story through Characters like Griffen Oisin Gilmore and Aurora Neave Hubert who develop a very close relationship. In Celtic Mythology Oisin and Neave were lovers. I also used many Mythological creatures/monsters, such as: Harpies, Graes, Griffins (I called them Andergryphs), Phoenix and more. My names for Heaven=Asgard and Hell=Tartarus came from Viking Mythology.

5-My choice to make the demons able to shapeshift into dragons came from Revelations, in the Bible. According to Revelations, when Satan and his followers were tossed from Heaven, it was in dragon form which they had assumed during the battle. Since I enjoy dragons I chose to keep that aspect and work it with the demon nature.

6-The creation of the Dracwald world maintains geographical logic found on Earth. Effects of geology on climate and establishment of civilizations closely resembles that of Earth as well. This helps the reader understand the nature of the world while introducing alien ideas.

7-Book 3, Majikals, will introduce a whole new series of civilizations via the Faeries, Elves, Dwarfs and other creatures found on Caldelub, the island where the Vigorios receive training. These Majikals will introduce the Vigorios to Celtic Druidic lifestyle, with some Wicca thrown in, as they learn to trust in themselves and the Elements.

8-A spin-off series for Middle Graders called Stardust Warriors reduces the story to smaller novels minus the love story and violence. It brings the epic journey nature of the story out for MG readers to enjoy. The first in this series, Zarena, comes out July 2011.

9-I’m also working on a series of Picture Books based on the Majikals found on Caldelub.

10-Lastly, I want readers to sit back and enjoy the ride. With aspects of Lord of the Rings, Mythology, Revelations, dragon lore, creative use of new monsters, a Steampunk civilization, Fairy Tales, Celtic Mythology and more, I hope readers will become immersed in the world I created and fall in love with the characters as they battle for their very survival.