{Guest Post} Jodi Meadows Chats About the Mythology of the Fallen Isles (And enter to win AS SHE ASCENDS!)
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Welcome to Magic, Myth, & Mischief in celebration
of fairy tales, mythology, and fantastic beasts of lore such as dragons, fae, mermaids, and unicorns!
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Over the weekend, I took part in the AS SHE ASCENDS blog tour and posted a Travel Guide to the Food of the Fallen Isles. Check it out!
Last year during Magic, Myth, and Mischief, author Jodi Meadows stopped by to chat about unicorns, dragons, and the world of BEFORE SHE IGNITES. Today, she's here again with a post on the mythology of the Fallen Isles!
Visit her at:
The Mythology of the Fallen Isles
by Jodi Meadows
by Jodi Meadows
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| From my Instagram account! Do you follow me there? ^.~ |
For the Fallen Isles series, I knew I wanted to write about a world where the gods were unquestionably real, and while there would understandably be a range of worship, everyone benefitted from the presence of their gods by receiving a god gift -- powers associated with their island.
In this world, seven gods fell from the stars and landed in the sea. Those are the Fallen Gods. (The Upper Gods are still in the stars, and are acknowledged but not necessarily worshiped.) Each god has a defining aspect, like archetypes, and those determine the type of gifts the people born to those islands receive.
Anahera, the Destroyer: She represents the cycle of life and death and life again. Her people believe in benevolent destruction, which is interpreted in many ways, including cutting down a tree to carve a beautiful instrument building a new house. They are an island of crafters and, to some people, schemers. Anahera is also known as the trickster goddess, and her people are blessed with keen minds in addition to a love of creating something new from the remains of something old.
Bopha, the Shadow: Though their goddess is the shadow, the people of Bopha are obsessed with light, because without it, there can be no shadow. To them, their shadows are the physical evidence of their own souls. More than anything, they fear pure darkness, or death by fire. Their island is filled with noorestone mines, and their towns and cities are always well lit, even in the darkest night. Even Bophan children can manipulate shadows around them, while stronger gifts allow shadows to separate fully from their owners and work as a separate entity.
Damyan and Darina, the Lovers: These are often combined to a single name -- Damina -- because their people believe love makes them one, but they are two different gods. They teach love and compassion, and looking at your neighbors plate only to ensure they have enough. While they encourage charity and good works, they can also come across as nosy busybodies whose help isn't always wanted. Their people are blessed with charm and persuasiveness.
Harta, the Daughter: The daughter goddess promotes peace and community. This is a populated island of natural farmers, as their god gift is based around fertility -- not only of their own bodies, but of the land as well. They can coax crops to life even in the most dire conditions, and during the large family meals, there's always plenty of food to go around.
Khulan, the Warrior: Naturally protectors, Khulan's people are blessed with incredible strength and endurance. They use this ability for a variety of tasks not limited to battle, including building and transporting cargo. Khulan teaches that honor is one of the most important aspects of life, so his people care deeply about fairness and fulfilling their promises.
Idris, the Silent: He is silence incarnate, preferring to think and listen, rather than speak. His followers practice different types of silence -- contemplative, submissive, respectful -- and all have the ability to be silent. The very rare and powerful individual can also create silence around them. While the people of Idris are friendly and community driven, they also believe it's important to respect others' space and not interfere where they aren't invited.
The gods are generally thought of as good, with positive aspects to all. But since people live there, and people have taken charge of the religions, certain aspects have become . . . corrupted. This, in addition to the disappearance of the dragons, is a sign of the Great Abandonment -- the end times when the gods no longer see the people as worthy, and they will leave their seabeds and return to the stars.
~*~
O F F I C I A L I N F O:
Title: BEFORE SHE IGNITES
Author: Jodi Meadows
Release Date: September 12, 2017
Publisher: Katherine Tegen / HarperTeen
SUMMARY:
Before
Mira Minkoba is the Hopebearer. Since the day she was born, she’s been told she’s special. Important. Perfect. She’s known across the Fallen Isles not just for her beauty, but for the Mira Treaty named after her, a peace agreement which united the seven islands against their enemies on the mainland.
But Mira has never felt as perfect as everyone says. She counts compulsively. She struggles with crippling anxiety. And she’s far too interested in dragons for a girl of her station.
After
Then Mira discovers an explosive secret that challenges everything she and the Treaty stand for. Betrayed by the very people she spent her life serving, Mira is sentenced to the Pit–the deadliest prison in the Fallen Isles. There, a cruel guard would do anything to discover the secret she would die to protect.
No longer beholden to those who betrayed her, Mira must learn to survive on her own and unearth the dark truths about the Fallen Isles–and herself–before her very world begins to collapse.
Title: AS SHE ASCENDS
Author: Jodi Meadows
Release Date: September 11, 2018
Publisher: Katherine Tegen / HarperTeen
SUMMARY:
MIRA, THE HOPEBEARER
Mira Minkoba is on the run with her friends after a fiery escape from the Pit, where she’d been imprisoned for defending the dragons she loves. And she wants answers. Where have all the dragons been taken? Why are powerful noorestones being shipped to the mainland? And did the treaty she’s been defending her whole life truly sell out the Fallen Isles to their enemies?
MIRA, THE DRAGONHEARTED
As her connection to the dragons—and their power—grows stronger, so does Mira’s fear that she might lose control and hurt someone she loves. But the only way to find the truth is to go home again, to Damina, to face the people who betrayed her and the parents she’s not sure she can trust.
Home, where she must rise above her fears. Or be consumed.
The second page-turning novel in Jodi Meadows’ Fallen Isles trilogy scorches with mysterious magic and riveting romance as one girl kindles a spark into a flame.
~*~
****Giveaway*****
Enter now!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Okay, we have TWO giveaways this time. TWO!!!
GIVEAWAY 1
THIS IS THE LAST DAY TO WIN....
Handmade Knitted Dragon Mitts by Jodi Meadows, Signed Paperback of BEFORE SHE IGNITES, Mira and Lala Magnetic Bookmark and Hopebearer Candle by Cornerfolds Candles.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
GIVEAWAY 2
During Magic, Myth, & Mischief,
GIVEAWAY 1
THIS IS THE LAST DAY TO WIN....
Handmade Knitted Dragon Mitts by Jodi Meadows, Signed Paperback of BEFORE SHE IGNITES, Mira and Lala Magnetic Bookmark and Hopebearer Candle by Cornerfolds Candles.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
GIVEAWAY 2
During Magic, Myth, & Mischief,
we're giving away a book of YOUR CHOICE
from the event!
It could be BEFORE SHE IGNITES or AS SHE ASCENDS!
This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL to any country that Book Depository ships to. You can also claim an e-book as a prize; it doesn't have to be a physical copy!
You must be at least 13 years old to enter or have a parent's permission!
Enter now!
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