As I continue to sift through information from literary agents and publishers, I am gradually refining the three synopses for my new series "The Ruby Key".
Here is the latest:
Book 1
The mysterious ruby-encrusted diary and key discovered by daring,
stubborn, 15-year-old Elora launches her into a wild and dangerous adventure.
Her world is turned upside down when she finds the beautiful but powerful diary
which carries her into the world of Roub-Talum where a sinister foreigner has
taken control of the throne that she discovers should be her own. With the help
of her friend Bowman, and an army of warriors known as Black Shadows, she sets
out on a quest to expel the foreigner from her land and retake her castle but
is dangerously threatened by the foreigner’s army of Tocbioras, shape changing
beings able to transform their human bodies into the shape of birds, or when
threatened form into spine-chilling beings of dark mist, able to manipulate and
destroy the minds of their victims. As danger closes in, Elora finds that her
diary is more than a door into another world, but a remarkable tool in the
hands of those of the royal blood. Chaos ensues as she attempts to remove the
evil foreigner who has usurped her throne, and drive his malevolent minions
from the land, while cunningly evading capture and execution, as she recklessly
rushes into danger to save those she loves.
Book 2
Elora’s journey around her land of Roub-Talum is interrupted when
flocks of Tocbioras, shape changing beings whose mist form is crippling and sometimes
deadly, attack a banquet held in her honor. Sent by the foreigner, whose
ultimate goal is to retake the castle at Roub-Talum and expel the people from
the land, the Tocbiora’s steal Elora’s powerful diary and capture Liam, leader
of the Black-Shadows and Prince of Roub-Talum. Elora’s narrow escape turns
disastrous when her ship is wrecked on the edge of unexplored land, where the
foreigner has built himself a fortress and begun his invasion. With the help of
a cunning bandit named Adam, and a sweet young Tocbiora called Jewel, who
refuses to bow to the foreigner’s wishes, Elora sets out to rescue Liam and
retrieve her precious diary, a task which may prove impossible as the foreigner
begins to discover the secrets of the diary and pursues her persistently.
Book 3
After Elora’s narrow escape from the foreigner, whose intention is
to seize her homeland of Roub-Talum and destroy her people, Elora is stranded in
the strange land of Bioraliss, where she is held captive by the Tocbioras,
shape changing beings that can form themselves into crippling dark mist or
disguise themselves as dark birds. Whilst Prince Liam sets out on a quest to
cross the perilous Canyon of Beyond with the intention of finding the true
leaders of Bioraliss and returning them to their home, Elora escapes and returns
to Roub-Talum. When her Knight Marshall cunningly leaves Elora’s service and
joins the servants of the foreigner, Elora sets out with her army of Black
Shadow warriors to find her Knight Marshall and defeat the foreigner, a mission
which may prove unachievable as the foreigner fights back, bringing more and
more of his Tocbioras to Roub-Talum to support his invasion.
And here is the map that was done by professional map artist Ren.
