Alien Craft and Spells from Welsh Wales

Hello my little chickadees

How've you all been? I've had some exciting news about something happening in June, but more of that later my lovelies...

My latest victim I dragged kicking and screaming (why is everyone so scared of me?) all the way from Welsh Wales.


So lets meet Kira Morgana. A name I love ...

                  

Bio

• Kira thought she was a Teacher, until Life pointed out to her that she is actually a writer. As her Cats, Kids and Partner approved, she decided to agree with Life. Currently she is working on various Fantasy books linked to "The Tower and The Eye" (published by Blue Hour Publishing), as well as a number of other projects, including a Children's Rhyming Story Series collaboration with Maria K; and as "A.E. Churchyard" on several Science Fiction and Horror projects. As If that weren't enough, she volunteers at a local Brownie Pack! She does all this from a body in South Wales, UK. Where her mind is, she hasn't yet worked out...

So Kira Where do you live

• That’s a hard one to define. On one hand, in the physical world, I am a resident of the most southerly village in Wales. On the other hand, in the mental / spiritual world, I wander the Hall of The Worlds, popping into each one to find a new story or to re-live others.

Your family two legged and four legged 

• I have two four legged, fluffy coated slave drivers who seem to think my only reason for living is to look after them; they’re called Gizmo and Cleo. The rest of my family is human-ish. I have three children; Number One Son is fifteen and loves console games, Princess Talkative is eleven and currently obsessed with designing clothes for her dolls and making them… and the Baby is two; she pretty much rules the roost; she even shoos the cats out of the way! I wouldn’t be able to write if it weren’t for my fiancé, though. TOH is useful in all sorts of ways and is my tame Cover Artist, Fight Co-Ordinator and Personal Assistant – I need reminding to eat and move at least twice a day.

Who is Kira Morgana

• Kira Morgana (and her sister, A. E. Churchyard) are the sides of my psyche that aren’t involved with partner, cats, kids or Brownies. Kira writes mostly fantasy and children’s stories; she’s an epic fantasy, brush over the icky stuff type of girl. A.E. Churchyard is into the messy side of life, so the stories that she comes up with are full of blood and icky stuff. Occasionally the two get muddled or influence each other’s stories…

If you had a fantasy family who would you choose as family members

• Hmm. I’d have Belgarath as “Paternal Grandfather” and Polgara as “Mum”. I’d have Peter Grant as “Big Brother” and Tiffany Aching as “Youngest sister”. I’d like Nanny Ogg as “Great Aunt” and I can see Alexia Tarabotti as “Cousin”.  Can you imagine the family parties? Belgarath and Nanny Ogg trying to out drink each other in the corner, Polgara trying to keep Tiffany from bugging Peter while Alexia looks on in amusement. (That’s characters from David Eddings “Belgariad”, Ben Aaronovitch’s PC Grant series, Terry Pratchett’s “Discworld” and Gail Carriger’s “Parasol Protectorate series”)

Have you ever seen an alien                 

• Not physically, but I lived on RAF Bentwaters for the first ten years of my life and was woken up by the light from the “Alien Craft” that visited Rendlesham Forest in the 80’s… admittedly I was 5 at the time, so I guess it might have been a helicopter carrying a search light or something.

S/Publishing V traditional publishers. What do you consider the advantages/disadvantages                  

• Self-Publishing gives you a lot more freedom. And a lot more responsibility. If you turn out a substandard book, readers are quick to tell you about it. Yes, you can choose your own cover and what you publish, but you also have to make sure that the text is well formatted, that you’ve edited it properly (or had it edited by a good freelancer) and that you’ve covered all the legal bases, especially if you use song lyrics or particular products in the story. Traditional Publishing has been a more secure path for most authors, because all they’ve had to do in the past is to submit their MS, work with the editor assigned to them and okay the cover / proofs that the publisher sends to them. The publisher takes all the risks… and that makes authors feel comfortable. Mostly though, the main disadvantage for either of them is money. Writing is a career that doesn’t pay a lot; you will definitely need to keep the day job for quite a while!

Tell me about your books you've written                  

• Between the two pen names I have eleven books. There are eight in both electronic & print and one in electronic by Kira Morgana, and two by A. E. Churchyard. The genres range from illustrated, rhyming children’s stories in “The Land Far Away” series, through epic sword & sorcery Fantasy in “The Tower and The Eye” to paranormal urban low fantasy in “Heir of the Dragon”… I’ve been in a number of anthologies in my writing career under either pen name and there was one memorable moment where I was accepted for one anthology twice; one story from each pen name! The latest anthology I am involved with, is with the “Cake & Quill” author collective. It’s a charity anthology and all the proceeds will go to HOME, a charity in Singapore which works for the rights of migrant and domestic workers, and against sex trafficking.
•  I’m rather proud of the story that I submitted, because it was written after a conversation with TOH about possible uses of implant technology; like the implant that allows certain types of deaf people to hear again. I’m also proud of being a part of Cake & Quill. In a world where so many people don’t care what happens to others as long as they are okay, Cake & Quill is a bright spot.

• The Collected works of Kira Morgana

The Land Far Away (Children’s books)

"Look under your bed and what do you see, A place full of dust or a magical tree? Crawl under your bed and continue the tale, There’s a ship by the tree and it’s about to set sail."

So begins the journey into Land Far Away - a magical domain filled with strange creatures, like the Phluphs, the Linzers, the fearsome Grungegogglers, and the gentle Snuggles.

Pika the Phluph and the Gribblebid Tough

Pika doesn’t like lonely people and when she hears the Gribblebid’s morning roar, she is convinced that he just needs a friend. So she pops over to see him and persuade him to be hers.

Ahkoo and the Snafflewich

While all respectable fligaphluphs make a point to stay away from the enticing lair of the terrible and powerful Snafflewich, Ahkoo is determined to do the opposite and pay her a visit.

The Finksparkle’s Journey

An odd little baby is born into a Finksparkle family. When teasing ensues thanks to her strange yellow nose and odd wings, the brave little Finksparkle sets out on a journey to find her own lot in life.

The Grungegogglers Mess

The Piskaphluph Bird ends up playing alone one morning and discovers that the Grungegogglers are in the process of ruining the Land Far Away. So she investigates…

Father Christmas and Quinza the Linzer

As Christmas comes to Land Far Away, all creatures make ready for the festivities. One young Linzer is not satisfied by the prospect of gifts - she wants to capture the big man, Father Christmas himself.

***

The Angel’s Crown (YA)

Jenni and her twin sister Morgana have never been apart until divorce separates them. Morgana stays with their mother and Jenni leaves Cardiff with their father, moving to the town of Arkingham across the border in England. 

Once there, she makes friends and settles into her new school, determined not to allow the separation change her, but there are still many challenges facing her. Her father gets a job as Head Gardener at The Grange and Jenni meets Aderyn Archington, an eccentric scientist and Lord of Arkingham. 

Aderyn Archington is more than he seems. Racked by illness, his interest in Jenni and her family appears benign. His death brings both rewards and new challenges for Jenni; it quickly becomes apparent that there is more to being Lady of Arkingham than living in a big house. 

And life will never be the same again…

***

Blossom and Kitsune: A Brief Tale of Earthquakes and Nine Tailed Foxes (YA)

The Great Terrene Empire consists of a thousand worlds in the known Universe. In the search for a place to call home, Humans colonised freely and many worlds even forgot they were part of the Terrene Empire. 

The Ryuu Empire spans a third of Pleione, a beautiful Almost Earth world, but to a small girl on the Island Province of Tenshi, none of that means anything. Sakura is content to learn and play amongst the flowers and butterflies of her Father’s Castle, worrying only about the twins sharing her mother’s body. 

However, when the awakening of the Ika-Zuchi-No-Kami threatens her safety, the God Inari sends his chief Kitsune, Maiya, to rescue the child and her pregnant Mother. As the Earth Demons ravage Atamasanshi, Sakura comes up with a plan to lull the demons back to sleep and save her father.

* * *

The Tower and The Eye: A Quintology (Older Teen / Adult)

The world of Quargard is at peace. The Heart Kingdoms of Galivor, Jinran, Franier, Valdir, Reldheim and Alethdariel co-exist harmoniously, but it was not always so. 

The Legend of The Black Tower War keeps the children of the four kingdoms in check. Parents ensure that they eat their greens and go to bed on time by passing on the tales of the Dungeons of Doom, ruled over by The Eye of The Overlord. Adults consider them only stories, but sometimes stories are true and they always go around in cycles... 

There is a stirring in the Darkness. Who will step forward to fight it? 

From each land comes a story of derring-do, a Hero or Heroine stepping up to take on the job of Dungeon Destroyer. 

Can the peace of the Heart Kingdoms survive the re-awakening of the Overlord and his horde of Creatures? Will those who venture into the dungeons return alive? Who knows? 

Venture into the World of Quargard and find out for yourself.

* * *

The Necklace of Harmony: A Short Story Collection (All Ages)

One of the fun things about being a writer is responding to a challenge. This book is full of the results of such challenges... 

From the wedding celebrations of Greek Deities, to mermaids, ghosts and superheroes, a whole gamut of creatures await your eager eyes.

* * *

• The Collected works of A. E. Churchyard

The Heir of The Dragon (Adult)

Turn a city upside down and shake it - what falls out? 

The Treaty that binds the Vampires, Werewolves, Humans and the rarely seen True Dragons is over 1000 years old. It provides stability and safety for all the citizens of the city of Te Ling. Triads and Yakuza are not welcome here and Tourism flourishes amongst the bright lights, Night clubs, Temples and leisure facilities. 

But many lights cast a multitude of shadows and they just get darker as you get deeper. Li is as deep into the darkness as you can get: cop by day, shadow by night, he eats and drinks the lifeblood of the city. A threat to the current Te Ling Triang Leader is a threat to the City and The Black Dragon cannot be risked. Li is handed the responsibility of tracking down and removing the threat...preferably permanently.

* * *

Darkness in Mind: A Short Story Collection (Older teen / Adult)

The mind is a strange place. Darkness and Light are normally equally balanced within, but when the balance tilts toward the Darkness, dangerous things can happen...

This collection of Short Stories comes to you from A. E. Churchyard's Darkness. Follow her as she walks the paths less trod within... just make sure you bring a torch... teddy bears optional.

* * * 

Cake & Quill: Hearts and Other Dead Things (Adult – Charity Anthology)

Jeremy wants Maggie back. Rosa hates Simon. Adam can’t get laid. Graham hates cats. Maisie brings her new boyfriend home to meet Mom and Dad. Yuki wants revenge. Jake really should get over his dead girlfriend. Bradley gets offered a donkey. Doris should know better. And Peter calls a number, hoping for a good time.

A handpicked collection of sad, mad, bad stories and poems from the realms of romance, sardonic or macabre, alive with cautionary tales and comic turns, to make you glad you’re single – or wish you were.

 What spells would you choose to make for people who 'upset' you                

• Hmm… for those that only irritate me a little, they’d get “The Unfilled Tea Cup”; every time they made a fresh cuppa, by the time they’d carried it through to where they are sitting and get comfy, the cup would be empty. Would have a time limit of about an hour before the spell ran out. For those who annoyed me, they’d experience “The Itchy Back” spell. Their back would itch like crazy, but every time they tried to scratch it, or someone else did it for them, it would move. It’d never be all that bad an itch and the spell would run out after two hours. My favourite isn’t one that I created though. I saw this on the internet somewhere. It’s called “Refillable Bladder” and all you’d have to do is point at them to refill their bladder so that they were doing the pee-pee dance…

  Your favourite food recipe                

• Oreo cheesecakes

16 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tbsp. vanilla

2 eggs

12 Oreo cookies

crushed Oreos for topping

Muffin tin liners

Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, and eggs until well combined. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and place a whole Oreo at the bottom of each liner. Top with cheesecake mixture and crumbled Oreos or you can mix them into the cheesecake if you prefer.

Bake at 275°F/135°C for 22 min. Cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours, leaving the cheesecakes in the muffin tin. Remove them from the muffin tin right before serving.

Last time I made these I had to be persuaded to let anyone else eat them…

Your recipe for life                  

• Peace and quiet, balanced with equal parts of joy and laughter, tempered by a small amount of sadness and shadows…

 Buy links

Pika the Phluph and the Gribblebid Tough - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ebooks-Pika-Phluph-Gribblebid-Tough-Land-ebook/dp/B00JX0YH2K

Ahkoo and the Snafflewich - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ahkoo-Snafflewich-Land-Away-Book-ebook/dp/B00K56F1V2

The Finksparkle’s Journey - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Finksparkles-Journey-Land-Away-Book-ebook/dp/B00K7ED8MG

The Grungegogglers Mess - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Grungegogglers-Mess-Land-Away-Book-ebook/dp/B00JWVC5O2

Father Christmas and Quinza the Linzer - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Father-Christmas-Quinza-Linzer-Land-ebook/dp/B00JXLD5GI

The Angel’s Crown - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Angels-Crown-Secret-Arking-Down-ebook/dp/B009LR1IH2

Blossom and Kitsune: A Brief Tale of Earthquakes and Nine Tailed Foxes - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blossom-Kitsune-Earthquakes-Terrene-ebook/dp/B00TIY7YUS

The Tower and The Eye: A Quintology - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tower-Eye-Quintology-Kira-Morgana-ebook/dp/B0118B7M0A

The Necklace of Harmony: A Short Story Collection - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Necklace-Harmony-Short-Story-Collection-ebook/dp/B0079HL2FE

The Heir of The Dragon - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Heir-Dragon-E-Churchyard-ebook/dp/B00J52M70A

Darkness in Mind: A Short Story Collection - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Darkness-Mind-Short-Story-Collection-ebook/dp/B009T7QF86

Cake & Quill: Hearts and Other Dead Things - http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01BNIOUWG

Contact Links

Blog - https://tpsworld.wordpress.com/

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B004UKPFQA

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KiraMorgana

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/kira_m_author

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKiraMorgana

So there you have it my little chickadees another mix of the cauldron.

Laters potaters