Blog Tour: Eden-East (Eden #4) by Janelle Stalder

 Today I am part of the blog tour for Eden-East by Janelle Stalder. Eden-East is the fourth and last book in the Eden series and I am so sad to see this series end. Also this post contains an awesome guest post from the author about how she came up with the world Eden.

Eden-East (Eden #4)
by Janelle Stalder

Blurb: New life, new deaths, and truths revealed. Everything ends now.

In the final installment of the Eden series, the King’s army prepares for their biggest battle yet. Aiden and his friends set out to find Aziz in his hidden mountain fortress and bring the war in Eden to an end. But secrets are being discovered along the way, and the weight of them could ruin lives. Aiden is coping with loss and the need for vengeance, as well as changes in himself he doesn’t quite understand. Thousands of lives are depending on him to stop Aziz once and for all, and this time Aiden is more than ready and confident he’ll be the one to do it. The stakes are higher than he ever anticipated on his journey east.

Elisa is embarking on a new phase of her life. She has the man she loves beside her, their group of friends have become stronger, and the end of war is in sight. Now she just needs to see it through so she can finally have her happily ever after. But she knows the truth that the others don’t, and it will test her loyalty and friendship more than anything ever has.

With two brothers side by side, and an army ready for war, the only thing left to be seen is who will live and who will die.

Welcome to the thrilling conclusion of your journey into Eden.

You can add Eden-East to your to read list on Goodreads

Guest post about how the author came up with Eden:
When I first started imagining this new world, I started with a more European mental picture. Each section of Eden kind of represents different areas or people of Europe in my mind, except the east. I wanted each place to not only differ in the look and feel of each city, but also of the people that reside there. The cultures and customs in all the different parts needed to stand out and interest the reader. I want people to wish they could be there and experience what the characters experience when they’re in the different cities.

The north was modelled after Germanic people. In my mind they are more of a barbaric class of people in their style of dress and culture. They live in the mountains, so I always think of lots of fur, and very sort of rough people. Similar to the way Brutus is described, they have thick beards and long hair, and are bulky in stature. The culture is more subdued in the sense that they live in harsh climates, so they’re not out in the streets partying like other areas of Eden. They gather in one dwelling with huge fires to conserve heat, and celebrate with huge feasts and lots of ale.

The Riders in the west were modelled more from a Celtic, Irish/Scottish sort of idea. I picture the land being vast areas of green fields and hills. They live in stone cottages with large gardens. They have large outdoor feasts, and dance to jigs. The lifestyle is definitely more laidback than any of the other areas in Eden. Their neighbours are the Forest People, who can only be compared to the Faerie. They don’t have wings or anything like that, but they aren’t quite human, and have a magic quality to them.

The south and the Sun People in the city Nysa always had a Mediterranean feel to me.  Since the beginning I pictured Italian or Spanish type people. Olive skinned and dark haired. In the south the air is always warm, and the sun shines bright. It is a city of peace and love. They don’t focus on militaries or war; they focus on throwing large balls and festivals, and enjoying life. In my mind, the perfect vacation spot!

The east was modelled after a more Arab culture. The city, Ramel, is surrounded by sands and a harsh, dry temperature that can get very cold at night. They are expert swordsmen and have a deep knowledge of magic and potions. This also gives them a gift for medicinal advances that the other areas do not have.

Central Eden, where the Capital and the High King dwell, is the main focus of the books and was modelled around the English. Because it is located in the center of the lands, it is influenced by all of the surrounding areas. It has the high walls, and stone buildings like the north. It is surrounded by the large fields, and forests. The people who live outside the walls are similar to those in the west. They are farmers who have smaller stone cottages, and large pieces of land. They have festivals for each season out in the streets like the south. And they are spiritual in their love for the Goddess and God that they worship in their temples, and perfect their weaponry in the infamous King’s army like the people in the east. All of the main business that happens in Eden mostly takes place in the Capital. Travelling traders and merchants from all four points of the land meet in the Capital to do the majority of their transactions. It is the “big city” in all of Eden, which is why it has the biggest population, and the biggest army. It is also why the leader is called the High King, and why his decisions impact the rest of the land. The leaders in all the other cities look up to him, and for the most part follow his lead.

When building a world, it is important to think of all the aspects from the people to the land, the buildings, the climate, the clothing, the culture, the religion, etc. In my case I had to think of each of those times five, since each place is different. It is a lot of detail, but those details are what makes the world really take shape, and becomes believable in the reader’s mind. If I can create a clear image and idea of an entire world that is brand new then I’ve done my job!

Now a bit about the earlier book in this series.

Eden (Eden #1)
by Janelle Stalder

Blurb: Trapped within the cruel world of hormones and bullies, fifteen-year-old Aiden is convinced life has more to offer him. His instincts are proven correct on the night he is awakened by a voice calling to him from outside his window. As he sleepily peers into his yard, his eyes slowly focus on a woman who says she is there to take him to Eden. Aiden is about to fulfill the life purpose he never knew he had.

It is in Eden, a land on the brink of war, where Aiden will finally learn to trust himself and those around him. Accompanied by Wolf, his sidekick Logan, and the beautiful archer, Elisa, Aiden is soon thrust into a battle to save Eden. Meanwhile Elisa, the only girl in the King’s Army, is in the midst of her own struggles. Betrothed to a man she has no intention of marrying, Elisa is caught between the need to prove herself and her desire for true happiness. And now that she has met Aiden, she is more confused than ever.

In this action-packed fantasy tale, romance, adventure, and intrigue surround Aiden as he learns just what he is capable of when he discovers confidence and courage.

You can add Eden to your to-read list on Goodreads

You can buy Eden here:
– Amazon
– B&N
– The Bookdepository

Eden-West (Eden #2)
by Janelle Stalder

Blurb:
New beginnings, new conflicts, and new adventures arise in the second installment of the Eden Series, Eden-West. Months after his initial journey to Eden, Aiden is learning to cope with his own transformation. His social status has changed, his friendship with his best friend Ethan is in jeopardy because of it, and worst of all, he has heard absolutely nothing from his new friends in Eden. What has become of the world he fell in love with? Are his friends safe? Is the war over? With no answers, and no hope for contact, Aiden decides to focus on his life in his world. Just as he makes this decision, he encounters a familiar bright light and thinks he knows exactly what it means. Except the light isn’t at all what he expects and neither is the person behind it. When Aiden returns to Eden, it is to a whole new part of that special world, and a whole new set of adventures. Weeks after Aiden was returned to his own world, Elisa is sent to Nysa, the revered Southern city, to retrieve the one thing she’d rather avoid – Wolf. Captain Turk instructed her to get in and get out – but that is easier said than done. When she finds her missing friend, she also stumbles upon a great deal of trouble. This trouble goes by one name – Markus, the leader of the Sun People. Follow all your favourite characters as they ready themselves for battle and fight for a world threatened to be destroyed

You can add Eden-West to your to-read list on Goodreads

You can buy Eden-West here:
– Amazon
– B&N
– Kobo
– The Bookdepository

Eden-South (Eden #3)
by Janelle Stalder

Blurb from Goodreads:
The betrayal that tore a family apart. Two brothers bent on destroying the other. A whole world on the brink of war.

Aiden has been through his second battle in the magical world of Eden. The victory is short lived and Aiden is sent racing toward his friends in the Capital. After being back in Eden with the Riders, he is eager to reunite with Wolf, Elisa and Logan, although he doesn’t realize just what he’s returning to. Surprises await him when he arrives in the Capital; his close-knit group of friends is slowly falling apart. On top of it all, another battle is just around the corner, one that will change everything.

Rain has made her choice, and now she is in some unknown fortress with the feared sorcerer, Aziz. She wants nothing more but to please him, but being his Queen isn’t as easy as she thought. While trying to learn sorcery, and dealing with Aziz’s advances, Rain is finding her new life a bit overwhelming. Just when she thought it couldn’t get worse, she discovers a secret of Aziz’s, and it is nothing she could have expected.

Rose has supported Callum throughout their journey, but now that the final battle is just around the corner she is faced with a hard reality. Everything she has gained with him could be taken away. Is she willing to live the rest of her life without him? Can she just stand by while he destroys everything, including himself? Will he ever be able to find peace? Will she?

In the third installment of the Eden Series fates will be decided, and the battle between brothers that has been a decade in the making will finally come to an end. Only one of them can be High King.

The battle starts now.

Add this book to your to-read list on Goodreads

You can buy it here:
– Amazon
– B&N
– Kobo
– The Bookdepository

About the Author:

Janelle Stalder was born and raised in Brampton, Ontario. At an early age she developed a love for literature. Her debut novel, Eden, was the first book in a series of four, released in September of 2011. The second book, Eden-West, was released in July of 2012, and the third book, Eden-South was released in March of 2013. The fourth book of the Eden Series, Eden-East, will be release at the end of 2013. She is a strong supporter of other independent authors, and loves to interact with her readers. When she’s not writing, Janelle is at home with her husband, two children, Aiden and Elora, and her two furry children, Alice and Lily. She now resides in the small town in Ontario in her old, possibly haunted, century home.

Upcoming Projects:
Masked (Book Two, New World Series) – Late 2013/Early 2014
Brush Strokes (Contemporary Romance) – Early 2014
Elysium (YA Fantasy Spin-off of the Eden Series) – 2014
Author Contact Information:
Facebook: Janelle Stalder
Twitter: @jmstalder
Website: www.janellestalder.com
Email: jmstalder@gmail.com