C. L. Freire - Tween Fantasy Author

..

Find me around the web, by picking your poison...

..

C. L. Freire on Facebook

..

C. L. Freire on JacketFlap

..

C. L. Freire on Twitter

..

C. L. Freire is Linked In

..

C. L. Freire on The Talent Database

Hi. C. L. Freire here to introduce you all to Emma Fieldlilly, owner of the Mystic's Magic Shop, located in Elder Square, in the heart of Elder City. So grab a cup of your favorite brew and kick on back.

My name is Emma Fieldlilly, owner of the Mystic's Magic Shop, and I'll be your tour guide through the streets of our beautiful city. But first, a word or several about our world.

Elderon is a pocket world, created thousands of years ago when a blue dragon sacrificed his life to give the Ancient Mysticals a world of our own....a place free from persecution and war with the Mundanes (the people in what would later be referred to as the electrical world).

As time raced along, Elderon grew to accommodate the increasing population of mages (that's what I am, btw), dwarfs, hobgoblins, and countless other mystical beings. However, back when Elderon was first formed, the varying races decided to go their separate ways, to avoid future conflicts with one another; they were, after all, divided in how Mundanes should have been treated.

Now, several millennium later, cities have risen to towering heights, all of them built and powered by magic. Elder City, the first in Elderon, is the central hub of our world...the biggest city ever built, thank you very much. It's a place where technology is based on magic, like electricity is in the Mundane world. Here, streets float across the sky, connecting many of the buildings to one another. Alleys hover between structures, at all heights, and sidewalks line the buildings at every level. Don't not miss the views; the sea of towers and spires reaching into the stars will take your breath away.

Just stroll through Elder Square, the heart of Elder City, and your senses will be met by the sounds of life...music drifting out of shops, bells clanging as customers take to their favorite stores, people talking on their mysticoms (magical cell phones). Watch your ears though, as the ovalaires (self-flying taxis) honk their horns in protest at being stuck in the sky-traffic overhead. Or, if you're brave enough, rent your own flyer. Yes, you too can take to the skies and weave your way through the maze of brick and stone like a pro. Why? Silly! All the flyers, including the ovalaires, are powered by magic, which is great because you don't have to bother yourself with some chatty flyer that might just get the directions wrong anyway.

And speaking of over head, don't forget to look up. No matter where you are in Elder City, you will find countless Hydra-Vs suspended here and there. Those are the waterfall screens that float high above the city. You can get the latest news, weather, and sports updates, not to mention the latest info on sales going on at the local shops.

Just make sure you eat before you head out for the day, or the smell of freshly baked goods wafting out of Poppins Treats (the most popular treat shop in town) will drive you crazy.

By the dragons! I went by there last week, and the smell of Julina Poppins's world-famous frapeeze hit me like a charging kiricorn! And when I ordered a box of Flying Ants...oh my, those chocolaty little goodies....I can never resist them. Well, let's just say my thighs aren't going to be thanking me any time soon. But, what can you do, right? When the chocolate beckons, you lose all control over your personal being.

And listen, watch your step wherever you go...you don't want to find yourself bumping into a gnome. They're known for their thievery, and they hang with the likes of hobgoblins. They're the worst thieves! Steal your shoes right off your feet before you notice, they will.

And if you need a powerful potion to rid your house of those pesky morphers, drop by the Kingdom of Dwarfs; dwarfs are, after all, THE mysticals who make the best and strongest potions and powders. Or perhaps visit the Mystic Mecca, the city's largest shopping mall, a place where you never know what will be waiting for you around every corner. Could be that perfect set of men's robes, the most amazing cloaks in town, and especially that velvet dress all the girls will be wearing this season, according to Mystic Rage, the hottest, most fashion savvy magazine in the magical world.

All the top models have been in that magazine! Which reminds me, I need to send them a firewire to renew my subscription!

And don't worry about how it looks in the window....it'll model itself for you, so no surprises there on how it looks from all angles. Just don't lock yourself on the first one you see. I mean, the choices are endless at the Mecca! And don't even get me started on Portals of Fun! THAT you'll have to see to believe!

As for the younglings, unless you're planning on taking them into Majicleeze Toys, don't even go near that place. I mean, the animated toy soldiers that float against the building while banging away on their golden drums are enough to entice even the grumpiest adult. Just step inside, into a toy store unlike any you have every experienced, where toys battle for you attention, where you can....well, let's just say it's a place where fun knows no bounds or age limit.

I'm telling you, they sell the absolute BEST hoverisk flyers in town!

For those of you new to hoverisk flyers...think of those skateboard things Mundanes roll around on....only these are shaped like dragons and kiricorns, among other things ....and they fly....not roll!

For those who love to read, check out Timeless Books, where the motto is "If we don't carry it, it hasn't been written yet." I'm telling you, this is the greatest bookstore ever! Just yesterday this boy was trying to learn a spell, and he sprouted lips on his forehead. I tried to be kind and look away. But come on! I couldn't stop laughing myself to the floor!

Oh, oh, oh, and don't forget to go see the blue dragon. It sits in the center of Elder Square...great photo opp, btw, so bring your mysticom (unless I'm mistaken, Mundanes call them cellphones...but somehow I don't think theirs is made of water, right?). It's a life-sized monument of the dragon that sacrificed his life for the Ancient Mysticals.

And after all the sightseeing, if you feel that hunger bug nipping at your belly, I would highly recommend Dargon's Diner (for those duckitt-conscious munchers), or Biggels Bistro (for those seeking more elegant fare. Call ahead though. Tables go fast...oh and they have a dress code...cloaks and gowns a must). And if you don't know what to order, hey, they've got you covered. There's a self-writing menu floating just outside, and the specials are always to die for!

Or, if you feel like just wetting your whistle, there are a number of taverns scattered throughout the city. Now, the one with the best food is easily the Witch's Brew, which you can check out...it's a little pub down in the Narrows (in Old Town). You'll know it when you see it....it's that seedy little joint on Gorgon Path. I'm telling you, no one in their right mind goes down there without something to prove, or unless they already live there. So if you're the average traveler or city hitter, I'd just stick to the safer parts of town. And no tough-guy attitudes, okay....Enforcers rarely make their way down there, so if you run into trouble, no one's coming after you. Never mind....just go somewhere else. I'd hate to be held responsible for the newest missing person poster to appear against the wall of every building in town.

So there it is, go where you like, see what you find and have fun. There is so much to see and do in Elder City, you could easily spend your entire life here and never see everything this place has to offer.

But....and this is a ginormous BUT...whatever you do....wherever you go...DO NOT GO INTO THE EASTERN WOODS! This is not only friendly advice I'm giving you here, it's also valuable life-saving-need-to-know information. People have vanished just going NEAR that place. And the few who've braved the attempt and survived, have come back with stories of growls erupting from the black trees.

Dragon's breath! No dark thoughts....no dark thoughts. Think of dancing bears and happy things. Bright things. Things that won't come after me for invading their space."

Please enjoy you visit. And if you are a citizen of Elder City....

The man frantically threw back the hood of his black cloak and lifted the crying baby from the wooden crib. Closing his eyes, he brought the baby close, unable to look down at the mother’s lifeless, accusing stare. He ran from the nursery, struggling to ignore the family smiling at him from the photos that floated against every wall he passed, as he made his way into the living room. A shudder ran over him as though a cold, dark shadow had just taken over the house. The man threw the front door open and paused. With one glance back, he knew—when the night’s harsh wind slapped his skin—that nothing would ever be the same again.

No time to run.

Heart thundering, he....

Want more?

<a href="http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3Lm15c3BhY2UuY29tL2NsZnJlaXJl"><img src="http://a321.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/32/l_d33dd9eac25e8b5625f056f842b380b0.jpg" width="470" height="200" border="0" /></a><br />