Hello everyone! Today the long-awaited Shades of War, Valerian Chronicles Book One, launches from Keepers of the Gate.
The book can be found on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Shades-Valerian-Chronicles-Evelyn-Lewis/dp/1960686070
Shades of War is a book that I began writing over 10 years ago. It began with a fantasy short story idea that I had when I was 19, something like “Elves in Space” – Juliana Riley was ironically the first name that I had. There was a fusion of fantasy and science-fiction, Halo-like warriors next to fairies, a self-fulfilling prophecy, and the quest to find the Heart, a sacred object of reality-melting power that straddles the bridge between Magic and Science.
Over time that became the Academy, Daniel, Telel, Bart, and of course Cassidia and Anna. The war was fought against Ellatar Davarin, a traitorous prince who brought demonic shape-shifters to their realms and blockaded the planet with spacecraft. How could the Heart be smuggled in from a distant planet past these ships? The plot got away from me, however, and Cass’s spiritual quest to locate the Heart took over. It eventually became unclear to me which character was going to be the wide-eyed woman who achieved an unstable synchronaity with the Heart, which can kill by direct contact and is powerful enough to unravel the world if the one who controls it is not emotionally stable.
Juliana Riley evolved to a wife and mother, without losing any of her intrepid perseverence. Kate Riley sprang up almost fully formed. Daniel became the main character and the romance between him and Cass took center stage. Andris was worked in from a story idea that was almost separate, but he was always a character with a life of his own.
Ten years later, we’re still getting there. The first two books have been written and the third is barely underway. I hope you enjoy the first book, Shades of War, with me. Thanks for reading and here’s to hoping for a great launch.
-Evelyn
The Word Came With Power 