The Empress' Palace - Book Tour and Giveaway

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The Empress’ Palace
The Nehel Series Book 2
By Joseph Kopel
Genre: Epic Fantasy Adventure 

Four years following the first book's events.

Empress Nehel must navigate the complexities of ruling a Jyistereerk at war — the Deken Karsaker — while facing personal struggles and unforeseen circumstances.

The balance, once restored, shatters again with the loss of the continent of Ryza, all while a lost realm to the Gesha revives. Yet, a conspiracy within the Kingdom of Fenn ignites doubt as Nehel faces harsh decisions in the tragedy's aftermath.

A story of coming of age, first love, and personal growth. This gripping tale will leave readers on the edge of their seats as they journey through a world of magic, intrigue and unexpected twists.

Disclaimer: The Ebook version is intentionally simplified for easy access on different devices and doesn't have interior designs. The contents remain unchanged from the printed version.
 

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​Four years ago, Empress Nehel’s coronation marked the establishment of the Jyistereerk. The Deken Karsaker had not yet gained control, as the Korbas continued to resist the imperial forces and taint the land. Thus, a war without war. The current was the Tikl the Second of Nehel.
 
The sound of the doors being kicked open by the hooded man echoed through the tavern, halting the music and conversation, and plunging the room into a tense stillness. As a storm raged in the background, all eyes remained fixed on him.
Droplets of water fell on the wooden floor from his soaked black cloak. The mysterious male began walking across the tables. He seemed to search for something, or someone, with a rough brow.
The commensals from different races and genders assumed he was heading to the counter to order a drink, but he roamed around the tavern, disrupting the waitresses’ work as they balanced brew mugs on their trays. In the end, they saw him come to a halt at a particular table tucked away in a corner.
He stood at that exact spot, the sound of a cane hitting the floor reverberated, causing him to turn his gaze towards its holder—an elder with a disfigured face that revealed the effects of his corrupted soul. “So long time, and so far, yet, you have persisted in the search, Master,” accompanied by a nod and a menacing grin, he spoke in a voice that seemed to echo from the depths of a cavern.
Alessandro Eskar, Pillar of the Jyistereerk, lowered his hood and fixed him with a suspicious gaze. “I would keep searching for you until the last corners of Sankaris, Lord Rim,” a hoarse voice emerged from him as he replied, his words were with distrust. “Ever since our last meeting in the Dri, I have been determined to make amends for my failure with the treaty, as I promised the Divine Empress.”
Kong Rim’s eerie grin vanished as he scrutinized Alessandro, examining every part of him. “Youhave grown into a mature man,” the old man pointed at him with his cane, emphasizing each word. “I could not help but notice how much more determined and confident you have become since our time in the villa, in stark contrast to your insecure past.”
“Do not speak about me,” he warned, “as I request your presence. The Divine Empress will ensure justice is served!” Some commensals left the tavern in fear as they heard the Master’s firm and authoritarian voice, feeling a chilling tension.
“The only justice in this land is Ardek Korba! Lord of the Netherworld!” His grin appeared again, but more malevolent than before. “I must warn that the death of me will cause the utter ruin of your niece’s existence!”
Rim’s eyes turned fiery red as he shifted into a menacing black dragon, prepared to launch an attack on Alessandro, while the witnesses shrieked in terror. Determined to end him, the grotesque Korbeen jumped from his chair.
 
Kopel, Joseph. The Empress' Palace: Tikl the Second of Nehel (The Nehel Series Book 2) (p. 4-6). Kindle Edition.

The Empress’ Journey
The Nehel Series Book 1 

Amid turmoil and despair, a new hope arises as a young empress.

The Gesha obliterated the once thriving but ailing Kingdom of Aranka, triggering an imbalance in Sankaris. Epidemics, wars, pollution, and madness plague the land as the protagonists pursue for answers.

A glimmer of faith spreads throughout the maimed world as the Promise. Her rise to power brings a much-needed balance, ensuring a fresh start and the dawning of a new era.

Will she unravel the mysteries behind these afflictions and restore the balance to Sankaris?

Join this captivating tale of humanity, resilience, determination, and the search for truths in a world gripped by darkness.


Disclaimer: The Ebook version is intentionally simplified for easy access on different devices and doesn't have interior designs. The contents remain unchanged from the printed version.
 

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​The Gesha (Prologue)
So many stories about the Gesha spread throughout Sankaris. Unfolded in different accounts, but the same culmination.
Though restricted to half a continent, the influence reached all over the world.
None of the four moons were visible that night as dark clouds gathered over the ailing Kingdom of Aranka.
A realm so cursed by the plague and the sudden death of two monarchs in a short time.
The thunderstorm came afterward.
A massive roar echoed from the clouds, even in distant places on three continents.
The sound was too bizarre to be a rumble of thunder.
The blazing white lightning impossible to see fell to the ground somewhere in Aranka. A burning reverberation resonated, shrieking.
The powerful earthquake trembled the underground.
Twisted and massive, rapid winds danced along with the fire. It lasted a moment in time but seemed an eternity.
Then, void. Silence, darkness. Without a trace, the clouds vanished, unveiling the night sky with the imposing moons of No Sak and No Nunn.
 
By the morning, when the sun arose, Aranka was no more.
Nothing.
All existence of a realm gone.
Life became dead. Sand only sand. Desert.
A kingdom obliterated.
Everyone knew the morning sensed strange.
A severed balance immutably maimed Sankaris.

Joseph Kopel is an imaginative author who has transitioned from Sci-Fi to Space Opera and now ventures into the realm of Fantasy with his debut in the genre.

What began as a hobby has grown into thirty-five years of writing. Being bilingual, he switched between English and Spanish. The greatest influences on him were the Latin American literature in Mexico City's libraries and the most famous American Sci-Fi authors.

When he is out of any fantastic realm to be in the world of reality, he enjoys his time with his wife, three kids, and his two pets.

Currently, he lives in Northwest Missouri, in a small peaceful country town of only 250 people.
 

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​What inspired you to write this book?
Writing was a hobby I had for a long time ago. I used to buy notebooks and draft my stories by hand. At 22 years old—I am talking 1994—after the bunches of notebooks of finished and unfinished stories, and taking advantage of long college summer shutdown, I had the desire to write an epic story, the longest one I had done.
Last spring, my mother gave me a VHS boxed set of the original Star Wars trilogy as a birthday gift which I loved, and I had The Neverending Story as one of my favorite movies.
Just to have fun, I created a new story by merging both movies. I placed the Childlike Empress into a galactic empire, and I outlined a story.
Rather than being inspired by someone or something, my first Space Opera inspired me to write six more drafts in twenty years. It captivated me.
 
 
What can we expect from you in the future?
I plan to make a trilogy of this series where the Main Character grows from being a child to an adult. In the second trilogy it will tell the story of the descendants and the conclusion in a third one. I believe there will be 9 books in total in perhaps 6 years. My first draft back in 1994 had over two thousand pages, and I am rewriting it into volumes in a new setting.
Perhaps, some short spinoffs.
I also plan to write and publish romance, drama and Sci-Fi, besides fantasy.
 
Do you have any “side stories” about the characters?
The story centers on three main characters; the empress leads them, but together they create a unique dynamic. Each also has their own origin story and side plot.
 There are more characters and most of them also have sides stories.
In the end, all the characters have the empress as the center of their lives.
It is a multi-character story with their imperfections and struggles.
 
Can you tell us a little about the characters in “The Empress’ Palace”?
The character of Nehel, a fourteen-year-old girl, was born as an Empress, but never a princess. She is the sole and last descendant of a large line of monarchs. Her true mystical nature will be revealed later. As she grows into adulthood, she experiences many changes and, coincidentally, must face unexpected circumstances.
Alessandro is a twenty-one years-old, an orphan of kind heart but with conflicting emotions, adopted by Orssandro. He plays an important role in the Jyistereerk as one of the two Pillars.
Marissa, who is also twenty-one, and the other chosen Pillar, trains her squires to become knights, experiences failures, and yearns for someone who does not reciprocate her feelings.  
Lady Fabehel, twenty-one, a survivor confined in a wheelchair because of an illness during her childhood, is a harsh but smart girl that was confided to become an Ambassador in the Empress’s name before the Queen Shiann of Fenn, to deal with the unfair Giefo Treaty that had enslaved many.
Juni, a former troubadour, sixteen-year-old Juni, is determined to become the next knight, even though the Empress disapproves. He shares an unconditional friendship and newfound love with her.
Carrasso. Who is that mysterious warlock?
Keleana, an official leading the Imperial Guard, finds out about the existence of someone related to her.
Corr travels to his home country of Fenn for the first time since his escape four years ago, as an escort for Fabehel.
Missar, a distinguished archmage, contemplates abandoning his position as Casak’s Head to join the Jyistereerk Guild’s magical branch.
Carlissa, or Ykarte, is important in the story.
There are other characters I don’t want to spoil, yet important to the story.
 
How did you come up with the concept and characters for the book?
The original draft yielded most of the characters, especially Lakia, Alessandro, Marissa, and Fabehel. But they were characters that belonged to a Space Opera and showed their personal conflicts while working together under an empire. I didn’t want to just put heroic or mere characters to fill a story, but also to reveal an intimacy of each one, their virtues, struggles, and imperfections.
My choice to switch my story from the Space Opera to the Epic Fantasy was because it lacked credibility and deepness to the story. I found the characters in Space Opera and Sci-Fi, despite the genres’ good stories, typically dry and superficially distinct.
As I transplanted it into Fantasy, I needed new characters properly for that new story. Hence, Orssandro, Peken and others came to life.
The general concept of the story was the beginning or foundation of a new regime, to bury the past and welcome the dawn of a new era, as a necessity to confront greater forces and recover the balance the world has lost, the involved heroes are not heroes at all, as the villains aren’t too, not gray characters but human ones. My logic showed that, despite her age, an empress with unique characteristics would successfully establish a government, with a motive that the book reveals. Something parallel to King Arthur and the birth of Camelot.
 
How did you come up with the names in the story?
It was a random choice, then stuck with them in all the drafts I have made. As I was yet in Mexico, the original names were Hispanic—Alejandro, Marisa, Fabiola—in the sixth draft I adapted them into English, Alexander, but for my book they grew and classified them according to each region’s culture.
 
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
The Empress’ growth, the conspiracies and political intrigues, mystical conflicts, struggles and romances.
 
How did you come up with the book’s title?
It came from the original drafts I made. There was a golden palace in Aranka, and everyone called it “Empress’ Palace”.
 
Who designed your book’s covers?
A worldwide group of talented young designers, led by their outstanding team leader Aamna, made the cover and interior designs, even though I developed the concepts. The best part about them is that they create their art from scratch, by hand, to finish on the computer. They explicitly forbid the use of artificial intelligence.
 
If you had to do it all over again. Would you change anything in your latest book?
Short answer: No.
Six Space Opera drafts and a seventh in Fantasy were enough.
 
Did you learn anything from the writing of your recent book?
I learned more about styles and editing, and writer’s perks from many valuable authors I haven’t done before.
 
Anything specific you want to tell your readers?
Enjoy your life, but never stop reading. Read, read and read.
 
What is your favorite part of this book and why?
The last chapters before the final one, considered the darker ones but also the most crucial in the characters’ development for Nehel and Alessandro.
 
If your book was made into a movie. Who would you like to play the lead?
I still do not know who would be in the lead.
 
If you could spend time with a character from your book, who would it be? And what would you do on that day?
I guess the Empress herself, and we would have a long conversation, mostly answering her questions about herself.
 
Are your characters based on real people, or did they come entirely from your imagination?
Nehel, the Empress, is partially based on The Neverending Story’s empress, but my version of herself.
Alessandro is a younger version of myself as he has many elements from my personality, and Fabehel is a distorted version of a classmate during Middle School, in whom I had a crush.
The other characters were from my imagination.
 
Do your characters seem to hijack the story, or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?
Well. . . My characters seemed not to stop and insisted and keep writing more pages, but I says: “No more, the story ends here! There’s time for more!”
 
Convince us why you feel your book is a must read.
It’s the critical point that ties the first book with the third, upcoming, as it gives a complete 360-degree turn in two of the most important characters. It is called character development.
 
Have you written any other books that are not published?
Yes, and there are dozens of them. Over time, I will publish them.
 
If your book had a candle. What scent would be?
Like the scents of those candles in the old churches.
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