Worlds of Fire: Metamorphosis
by Deborah A. Bailey
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GENRE: Romantic Fantasy
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BLURB:
On the Floating World when two Alchemists fall in love it can be…complicated.
Asira is a member of a high-ranking family of Alchemists who exert control over the libraries that store magical texts. Jaydon, an unconventional but powerful teacher of transmutation at the university, is from a gargoyle shifter group known as the Gigun.
Asira finds Jaydon frustrating and too fascinating for her own good. But she desperately needs his help when she becomes the target of a classmate’s dangerous use of forbidden magic. With Jaydon’s assistance, the two of them uncover a conspiracy that threatens the well-ordered world of the Alchemists.
Struggling with his growing attraction to her, Jaydon is called on to use his knowledge of the magical Books of Fire to determine Asira’s fate. And depending on what secrets the books reveal, he may be forced to make a life-altering decision that will either bind them together… or permanently force them apart.
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EXCERPT
Jaydon picked up his stylus and shoved it behind his ear. Continuing to study her, his brows furrowed as though he was having an internal conversation. Thinking things over with himself and not sharing his conclusions with her.
Sure, she was used to intense stares from the magisters. They used them as an intimidation tactic. It was part of their mystery to be imperious and detached, to only associate with others on their level or from a specific Order. You were either in the Court hierarchy or you weren’t. Even the most advanced students didn’t have that kind of clout, no matter what Aurum family they belonged to.
“Are you sure you don’t want to see my papers on the topic?” Sitting there while he watched her was unnerving. Not that he was bad to look at, because he wasn’t. His features were finely sculpted, and his wavy shoulder-length black hair framed his face so that his almond-shaped eyes and full lips were accentuated.
He shook his head in response to her question, his gaze still fixed on her.
A noise outside caught her attention. There was chirping coming from the open sliding glass door that led to the balcony. Another perk of magister mentors. Private offices and balconies overlooking the spice gardens.
“Come in.”
A small yellow bird flew in and perched on a shelf above one of the desks. It chirped and then turned its head to study her. Another chirp, then a turn of the head to the left and to the right.
“What do you think?” he asked.
“Nice bird.”
“No, I was asking her.”
“You were what?” She looked at him, then at the bird again, then at him. “Does she talk?”
“Yes.”
“What does she say?” She would go along with it for now. She’d be done and then hopefully get picked by a mentor who was more serious and less messy.
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Deborah A. Bailey’s Inspirations for Metamorphosis
I got the original idea for Metamorphosis a few years ago. Originally it was a darker fantasy, though it did have a HEA. But after I was invited to be in the Pets in Space 6 anthology, I decided to use the story idea for my entry. The darker elements were removed and the love story was more prominent.
Over the years I’ve had ideas about portal worlds but I wasn’t sure how about the world building. Should the stories be more science fiction or fantasy? (Actually there is a sub-genre of “science fantasy” where the two genres are blended.) Ultimately I decided to create my story world as a fantasy world with a few science-inspired rules. According to science fiction author Isaac Asimov, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” So that means mixing the two makes perfect sense.
So the portals between worlds are created by the magic of the phoenix shifters, instead of technology as we might think of it. However, to the Alchemists of the Floating World, the portals are their version of technology. They’re devoted to study and research, as any scientist on our world might be. But the Alchemists have magic as part of their technology.
In that way I could blend my interest in fantasy worlds and my love for technology (I’m a tech writer in my day job) to create a world that used both. That’s what makes the Worlds of Fire series fun for me to write. I can add elements of fantasy, of science fiction and, of course, make sure there’s a love story woven in.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Deborah A Bailey’s Romantic Fantasy, Science Fiction and Paranormal Romance novels include suspense, a bit of mystery and a lot of romantic heat.
Her short stories have won awards from the Philadelphia Writers’ Conference and have been published in US1 Magazine and the Sun and are included in, Electric Dreams: Seven Futuristic Tales.
Visit her site https://AuthorDebBailey.com for more information and subscribe to the newsletter here: https://eepurl.com/bokGdX so you’ll be the first to find out about giveaways, book launches and sneak peeks.
Note: This book will be on sale for $1.99 during the tour.
Links
https://www.instagram.com/AuthorDeborahB
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDeborahAB
Amazon Author Page: https://amazon.com/author/deborahannbailey
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/deborah-a-bailey
Newsletter: https://eepurl.com/bokGdX
Buy links
Available in eBook, Print & Audiobook
Amazon, B&N, Apple, Kobo & others
https://books2read.com/Metamorphosis-Worlds
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GIVEAWAY
Deborah A. Bailey will be awarding a $40 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Thanks for hosting!
Thanks for featuring my book!
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What was your favorite part about writing this story?
Hi Kim! My favorite part was writing about Granjai, which is Jaydon’s home world. I got a chance to write about a beautiful agricultural planet. By the time I was done I wished I could visit it myself! 🙂 Great question. Thanks!
Follow up question, definitely not the question I came here to ask.
Since you’re a fantasy/paranormal writer how do you come up with the ideas to create your worlds? You talk about Granjai being this beautiful planet. Do you just start with a small idea of what you wished our world looked like? I hope that makes sense.
When I first started writing about Granjai, I thought about how different that world might be compared to the Alchemist’s world. But my first written scene was where Asira is meeting Jaydon’s sister and there is all this food prepared. There are tastes, smells, spices – so many things she’s never encountered. I got that idea from a dinner i had with an Indian-American coworker. She prepared the meal from scratch and I was taken with all the ingredients and her cooking styles. For her, the meal was a way of sharing with family and friends. I considered that Granjai would be the opposite of a cold and distant city. Once I started writing, I could imagine a warm and welcoming culture that values nature instead of rigid hierarchies. Some of my description comes from personal experience and some from my imagining how different Jaydon’s world might be. And of course the contrast is important to show how his upbringing was so different than Asira’s.
Not too long ago, I was gifted the “Hathor Legacy” book series by Deborah A. Bailey, and I loved it. I read all 3 books in a weekend with a sink full of dishes.
Hi Audrey! I’m glad you enjoyed the series so well that you ignored the dishes. 🙂 Thanks!! Deb
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