Friday, July 19, 2024

Guest Blog- Quest for Copia by E.P. Bellows


The call… 

You’re snuggled up in your bed, blanket pulled over your shoulders, eyes shut tight - and here it comes... Ahh hello there, old friend. Now that we’re alone and it’s nice and quiet, let’s chat.

There is it… it’s the voice. Darn it! Now the wheels in your head are spinning. Inspiring ideas and possibilities race from your heart to your brain. Could I really do the things this voice is telling me? Will it ever just be quiet so I can get a little shut-eye? Sheesh! 

Every night when my surroundings are finally silent the voice is at its loudest. In my younger years, it had me envisioning myself as an adventurer, archaeologist, extraordinaire. My dreams would begin with the theme song to Indiana Jones. With my crazy Rod Stewart hair (it was the 80s and I was a serious tomboy) poking out of a dusty brown fedora, I navigated my way through ancient ruins in a foreign land. 

On some nights I played the role of a wise wizard soaring over a mystical forest on a beautiful giant bird. When the Indiana Jones dreams intermingled with the wizard dreams, things would get awesome!
Walt Disney was the embodiment of manifesting a dream into reality - listening to that call and believing in it with every ounce of his being. Can you imagine what the world would be like if he acted on self-doubt? No Disneyland? No happiest place on earth? No classic tales spun into the animated movies we adored as children? I keep this quote of his on a wall in my house so my kids see it every day…

“When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionably.”

We all receive that call. It is the reason I write. I grew up feeling sort of lost; like a leaf blowing aimlessly in the wind. The archeology thing did not pan out because the wizards always got in the way. 

After years of adventures playing in my mind like a movie, it was time to listen to my heart and finally start writing them down. 

What is your inner voice telling you? I know it sounds silly. I’m not referring to the chatter – “why are hobbit feet hairy?”,  “What makes doughnuts so darn tasty?” “I wonder if hobbits would eat donuts… mmm donuts… now I’m hungry…” you get the idea.  I am talking about the strongest voice -  that voice that has a feeling of joy attached to it. The voice that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside and brings you a sense of comfort. Even in your darkest hours when all feels hopeless. 

Taking those moments of silence to listen to the call will lead you to your purpose. 

~ Listen to your own voice, your own soul, too many people listen to the noise of the world, instead of themselves. Deep inside, you know your path, let no one decide that for you.



Quest for Copia
John William Drake
Book Two
E.P. Bellows

Genre: Children’s Fantasy
Publisher: Azra’s Pith books
Date of Publication: 11/1/24
ISBN: 979-8865821205
ASIN: B0CLJ2BQDP
Number of pages: 197
Word Count: 38,000

Tagline: Join John William Drake and his friends on their Quest for the Lost City of Copia… but beware, something evil lurks in the shadows.

Book Description:

John William Drake believed there was something special about the medallion Celeste found. It chimed and sparkled in the sunlight. He was right; the medallion was from Copia, a lost city masked in time. Legendary tales were repeated of a golden city inhabited by Empyrean Wizards until it was plagued by dark sorcery when a meager fledgling magician by the name of Imperious the Great wandered in.

Some did not believe the city ever existed; others who knew better wanted it to stay lost. How did it all start? How would it end? The answer simmered for hundreds of years waiting for the right moment to escape.

John and Celeste were more than ready for another adventure. The journey to Copia was also a search for his missing father. They were unaware of just how dangerous their quest was until it was too late. The medallion’s power could bring the lost city to life again, unlocking the dark past dormant within its walls. The young explorers were in the middle of a battle of ancient sorcery that could end with an evil capable of destroying the realm and they held the key.

Excerpt Unearthed:

~The Copian Mediallion is discovered after being buried for years by layers of the realm.

Come on, wings! Don't fail me!" Gusts of wind blew the little bird in all directions. Her vivid red feathers stole the sun’s beams from the sky.

This was not an ordinary bird. This was a young Empyrean wizard named Celeste. Empyrean wizards lived in an extraordinary place where fantastic creatures and magic were a part of every day. All Empyrean Wizards have a bird form appropriately coordinated with their personality. This particular Empyrean was fearless and kind. She also had a knack for finding

"Made it!" Her small but determined wings descended into the trees below. There was a peculiar tree she heard whispers about, and she was on her way to see it for herself. The tree was believed to be a passageway to the other side. Of course, she had no idea what the other side was, which only drove her curiosity. She perched on a boulder next to a single dead tree that boasted the broadest tree trunk in all of Copious Forest. The tree was surrounded by a blanket of thriving greenery. Celeste cautiously glanced around and gave her feathers a ruffle. A young girl emerged through the feathers with wild hair the same shade of vibrant red.

“Incredible!” she gasped and scuttled over to the tree. She poked her fingers out of the sleeve of her cloak and ran them along the rigid bark on the trunk. The bark chimed a soft melody as her fingers went along.

“So it is real.” Her eyes beamed. She stepped back and pulled a scroll out of her cloak. As she unraveled the scroll, the verses of an ancient spell were revealed. “The Tunnel of Light Enchantment ...

Cuniculum lucis incantationis tempus sit, electi ingrediantur. Cum tempus est, electi per cuniculum lucis relinquere possunt.

 When it is time, the chosen may enter. When it is time, the chosen may leave through the tunnel of light." She gazed at the dead tree, waiting for even a small flicker of magic. The trunk looked like it had not been seen or touched in years. “Hmm ..." Celeste raised her brow.

A prickly chill traveled down her spine. She squeezed her arms across her chest to soothe her goosebumps.  "Hello? Is-is someone there?" Celeste frantically glanced around.

An angry groan rumbled through trees.

“I'm not afraid of you!" she declared. “Come out and show yourself!”

Twigs and bits of forest flew past her curls. She scrambled behind the boulder. Sharp whispers buzzed through the gaps in the trees.

“The moan went from a groan to a vicious roar. A wind funnel shaped like a pair of long, wretched claws appeared.

“Oh, no—it’s the Rive.” Her body tensed.

The dark spell was strong enough to twirl her straight into the air with one dizzying burst. It plowed through trees and shot rocks in all directions. Celeste's cloak whipped around in a frenzy. She crouched behind the boulder and gripped her hands around the base. Then her body lifted off the ground. Inch by inch, her fingers slipped from the boulder. "Oh no!" Her head throbbed from intense pressure as the wind consumed her.

"Where is it? I must find it," the Rive whispered sharply, bringing a sting to Celeste's ears.

"Where is what? What are you talking about?" she shrieked.

"Where is it? I must find it!" the Rive's whisper was now at a rattling shrill.

Celeste closed her eyes and fisted her trembling hands. She felt herself drifting into a dizzying slumber. “I have to channel the élan. Come on, Celeste ... concentrate. I can do this!"

She took a deep breath. "Azra lucem tuam ostende. Azra tua industria illuminet …

Azra lucem tuam ostende. Azra tua industria illuminet."

A warm, vibrant energy burst through her cloak. The dark spell released its grip. It hissed and hurled rocks at Celeste. She stood her ground and

Celeste collapsed to the ground, breathless. “I just did that.” She examined the palm of her hand in astonishment.

She scooped up the shimmering clump and scraped the forest coating off it until all that remained was a medallion with strange markings and feathered wings carved in the center. It chimed and sparkled in her hands. Celeste stuffed it in her cloak and cautiously looked around. An excited giggle slipped out just before she morphed back into a little red bird and flew above the trees.


About the Author:

A little about me…

Let's see... When I was eight, I had a pet turkey. I used to take it with me on my short-lived paper route. Needless to say, I was terrible at delivering the paper. No one wanted a "Dollar Saver" with turkey poop splattered across the best coupons on the front page.

Books... "Treasure Island" is a fantastic pirate tale. I love just about anything by Roald Dahl. Who could ever leave out Tolkien? I would also like to thank C.S. Lewis for sending me on an unrelenting childhood quest for portals to amazing worlds.

I write fantasy stories for children. Yep - proud fantasy geek here. It's pretty darn awesome to escape to another realm with sorcerers and wizards for a chunk of the day. The underlying theme in my stories is empowerment and living purposefully. We all have that spark inside just waiting to shine ;)

When football is on I turn into a cookie-eating pottymouth. I have a theory that avocados are the Jedi of all foods. I also believe the aroma of garlic and butter sizzling in a pan is pure magic.

Last random nugget… few things make me smile more than chocolate, cheese, and a nice splash of vino... AND, if the Chargers would make it to the Super Bowl again - just once 










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