N.B. Austin

Author of the Civilands Series

Character Bios

A Jeannie Morrell (Civilands Series) Character Bio

Jeannie Morrell
Jeannie Morrell, as played by actress Gina Fox in the live action Civilands Series book trailer

The story that was to become the Civilands series did not start with a vision of natives who control animals. It did not start with a desire to build a world inspired by Manifest Destiny and the Industrial Age. Nor did it start with any thought of the greater plot of what are now 4, and ultimately 5, books.

The Civilands series, and my writing journey in general, started with nothing more than a young girl being chased through the woods by an unknown group of men and their hounds. Why was she being chased? Where was she coming from and going to? Who was she and who were her pursuers? I didn’t know the answers to any of these questions. But after weeks of attempting to figure out what kind of book I should write by formulating high level genres and concepts, suddenly I was no longer tasking myself with creating a world. Instead all I needed to be was the messenger of what happen within one, simply writing down all the questions I wanted answered about this character and her environment. The Civilands series started with Jeannie Morrell.

Who is Jeannie Morrell?

Jeannie is the thirteen year old daughter of Adonis Morrell, a prominent businessman in the chilly northern Murrieta Territory town of Harran. Harran is a Riverlands settlement of Easterners who traveled west into the Murrieta for a new life. It is one of the only places in the Territory where Easterners reside in peaceful proximity with the native clans. This is thanks solely to relationships Adonis established with the nearby V’ahani clan of the Riverlands. With influence in the region, Jeannie’s stoic father came to develop trade routes beneficial to all its inhabitants.

The Morrell home where Jeannie grew up is located just outside of Harran. Ever since she was a little girl, she enjoyed taking trips into town with her father, mother, and older brothers, Harrison and Donovan. The people of Harran have a great affection for the entire Morrell family, but Jeannie in particular is a hit for her scrappy nature.

Jeannie has an adventurous spirit as well. Her favorite activities are any involving other people. She is an extrovert who made a habit of dragging her brothers out to explore the forest around their home, playing games and searching for anything fun they could find. While her impulsive curiosity can get her into trouble at times, her wit is usually sharp enough to help her cause.

So What’s to Come For Jeannie?

As I mentioned, we begin with a chase on a dreary morning. Before the clouds, the sky is filled with smoke pouring out of the Morrell home. Escaping out back and into the forest is Jeannie, who we follow as she is on the run from those who started the fire: the Keagan gang. But what lies ahead beyond the trees? Well, you’ll have to read the series to find out!

Linchpin, Husband, Big Brother: Who is William Keagan?

Welcome in for another character bio post of the Civilands series. To what lengths would you go for your family? Is the bond you share unshakable? Today I detail the complex leader of the Keagan Gang, William Keagan!

Background

William Keagan grew up wealthy in the city of New Berkeley thanks to his magnate mobster father, Leonard Keagan. Despite the importance of his family’s name in the city though, his childhood was not pleasant. Along with his younger brothers, Clovis and Daniel, William was mostly neglected by his father.

When his brothers and he came of age, William decided to set out on his own. With the additional help of their cousin Walter, they left the city together and went west the Chorisma River into the Murrieta Territory.

A natural leader, William was able to gather a following along the way. Much like other collectives of Easterners in the territory, his growing posse took the form of a gang. However, he was much better equipped for this role than others, given his upbringing. Starting in the central region of the Territory, in the town of Fayette, William and his brothers first took a hold there behind the muscle of his brother, Clovis.

In Pursuit of Pride

The relationship between William Keagan and his father, Leonard, is what drives his actions. Instead of accepting that Leonard considers his brothers and him not good enough, William uses it as fuel to defy the odds. At all costs he will prove his father wrong, with earning love and pride an even greater motive.

Despite all the bad blood between them, William believes he can overcome it by accomplishing what Leonard’s accomplished. Whether or not his brothers share the sentiment is another story, but it doesn’t matter to him. They’re only further motivation as the outcome is as much or more for them as him.

Of the three brothers, Clovis–the youngest–was treated the worst. Both William and Daniel have always cared dearly for their brother and done everything they could for him. The three were bonded in this way more than most siblings. This bond is why William knows he will secure the fatherly love his brothers and he deserve at all costs . . . and if they can build their own empire in a new world along the way, all the better.

“A time will come when you’ll have to make a choice, William, between the relentless pursuit of your burning passions and your dedication to those who you love the most. Only then will you understand how difficult it is, no matter which path you might choose. Only then will you understand my choice.” ~Leonard Keagan, from book 2 Crystal Eyes

Thank you for reading and for everyone’s continued support for the Civilands series. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, feel free to subscribe for more blog updates, and click here for free book giveaways, including best-sellers!

 

How Black Mirror Reminded Me of Civilands: Charles Langston

Black Mirror is a TV series which always manages to make you wonder. The ‘what-if’ scenarios presented in this re-imagined Twilight Zone range from twisted to trippy to hopeful and back.

Civilands, my own dark-fiction adventure series, isn’t nearly as tech-driven and modern as this show. However, there was a parallel I couldn’t help but reflect on. What is this common bond you might ask? The characters Robert Daly (Jessie Plemons), of the episode USS Callister, and, “Mayor of Harran,” Charles Langston.

Black Mirror parallels to Civilands.

Robert Daly

Robert is a genius coder and co-founder of the game Infinity, a virtual-reality version of his favorite TV show, Star Fleet. The show (equivalent of Star Trek) involves classic space adventures which are carried over into the game. However, Daly’s role in his company is diminishing, due to his being at odds with his partner and CEO, Walton. Along with setting deadlines Robert doesn’t feel he can make, Walton also connects better with the other people in the office. Some of those employees are hardly even aware of Robert’s role as founder.

Charles Langston

As he tells the people of Harran, Charles was designated the Mayor of the small town by governing forces in the cities of Eastern Duresia. No one knows the comings and goings of Harran better than Charles. Whether it is the history, people, or environment, he’ll have an answer. He also claims to know what’s best for its future, having guided it for so many years and seeing its people grow as a community. Moving to the Murrieta Territory was the best thing he thinks ever happened to him, because of his position.

Why are they similar?

The above section is mostly from their own point of view. In reality, both characters are bastards.

  1. Anti-social – If you’re at odds with everyone, I imagine it’s probably something like 95% of the time your own fault. That’s both of these characters. At his company, no one is aware of Robert’s position because he makes no effort to make it known. Not only that, but he is also impolite and straight up steals their DNA, which is totally uncool. As for Charles it’s much the same. No one in his town respects or acknowledges his position as mayor. The problem is, he doesn’t make any effort to earn their respect either.
  2. Delusional – If these were ranked by importance to the stories, this would be #1. The opinion Robert has of himself makes me question whether new-hire, Annette Cole, is actually even saying nice things to him at the beginning. She is in awe of him and the genius of his code, but it almost feels like we’re in his own head when he reacts to it. He almost certainly tells himself these things on a daily basis. In Charles’ case, he was actually never even designated mayor. In fact, there are no formal “governing forces” in Duresia at the time of his settlement in the Murrieta, let alone ones that delegate positions in this separate territory. Since the people of Harran certainly never elected him, he truly has no claim at all to the title.

More about Black Mirror

Moving past the similarities of these two characters, I highly recommend Black Mirror for a binge-watching session. It’s not for the faint of heart or those who don’t wish to be challenged mentally while watching a TV show. The concepts are meant to make you think and typically not in a comfortable way. However, this makes for some great episodes which are also relevant to our ever-changing society.

Thanks for reading and hope you’re enjoying the Civilands series. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, feel free to subscribe for more blog updates, and click here for free book giveaways, including best-sellers!

The Resourceful Illusionist: Who is Dominic Turner?

For the second character bio post of the Civilands series, we will be talking about Dominic Turner. Time to find out what makes this crafty illusionist one-of-a-kind!

The resourceful illusionist. Dominic Turner.

Background

As industrialization grew in the eastern cities of Duresia, demand for entertainers shrank. Like many, this shift hit illusionist Dominic Turner hard and prompted him to make a move to the Murrieta Territory. What he was to find there however, would be more impactful than any trick he could perform.

Dominic’s journey into the territory was dangerous and his early days of inhabiting it were lonely. The struggle of not finding work back home was hardly worse than the isolation he felt in the tiny settlements of this massive place. Though he loved the adventure, it all made him feel so small as he went it mostly alone. Devastating winters and intimidating wildlife became harder to adjust to as well without support. Once all other options were exhausted, he had no other choice but to turn to the gangs.

Gangs were expanding quickly in the territory as a means of safety and fraternity for easterners. In the early days of Dominic’s involvement, he was provided just those things. Food, shelter, and regular relationships were no longer luxuries. It was all just starting to feel right when he started noticing a change.

A Day That Doesn’t End

As more gangs formed, so too did rivalries. Dominic’s group was no exception, as its leadership began arming followers. Orders were given to conduct raids he felt he couldn’t refuse in his debt to them. Over time, he started utilizing his resources as an illusionist to steal goods for the gang. This caused his skills to improve significantly. Though he still felt a pit of guilt in his stomach, he couldn’t deny his enjoyment to be doing his craft in any capacity.

The gang soon started expanding in influence thanks to people like Dominic, prompting its leaders to grow more power hungry. One day though, a red line was finally crossed . . .

An order came one morning for Dominic to kill a member of a rival gang–something he’d never had to do. This enemy group was also growing, and went by the surname of the brothers who led them, the Keagans. Whether or not he follows through on the order is answered in the books, so you’ll have to read them to find out! 😉 The event changes him as a person and has a big impact on his development in the series. It is also the subject of the soon-to-come short-story prequel blog post series, An Illusionist’s Tale.

“And from your pain, your fortunes will be awoken. Because what you see here isn’t beyond your own reach or ability. This ‘magic’ as you will see it, it’s drawn only from the magic you provide back to the world.” ~Dominic Turner in Crystal Eyes (Civilands #2)

Ready to see what this crafty, Daryl Dixon-esque illusionist is made of? Come one, come all because the show’s about to begin. Start the series now readers are hailing a “wilder, richer adventure,” available at the links below:

Crimson River Amazon linkCrimson River nook linkCrimson River Kobo link

Thanks for reading and hope you’re enjoying the Civilands series. Feel free to subscribe for more updates, or click here for your chance to earn free books, including best-sellers!

From Fearful Hermit to Fierce Female Lead: Who is Latera?

Welcome to the first character bio post of the Civilands series. Today I detail as fierce a female lead as you’ll find, Latera of the V’ahani!

Fierce female lead. Latera.

Background

Latera is the daughter of the V’ahani Chieftain Arkouda and sister of Hanzah. Her clan, the V’ahani, are known for their ancient connection to the land and ability to control of the great grizzlies of the Murrieta Territory’s Riverlands.

Under the tutelage of her late mother, she learned to be a nurse for wounded clan warriors. Even now though, Latera remains sheltered and disengaged in the politics of her clan. The larger world of the Murrieta Territory is simply not a worry of hers in the harsh, northern Riverlands.

Will she be able to remain closed off from the world when the Keagan gang makes their presence felt?

Ground to be Gained

Latera is one of my favorite characters to write because there is so much for her to still figure out about herself. Let me be clear, she isn’t the youngest point-of-view by any means at age 20. However, when we first meet her she is in a state of misconceiving her own identity and desires. Because of this, there is a lot she needs to unlearn, before she can learn.

This forced cloudiness is something many of us go through, myself especially included. Too many times I’ve experienced periods where I pretended I was satisfied with my circumstances, while simultaneously knowing I could achieve more. Have you gone through something similar? If so, how important was this period of transition to you becoming stronger today? Most of the time, we are broken out of this haze by some shock event. Latera is no exception to this rule.

Her own trauma will shake her in a way that doesn’t turn her into something. Instead, it makes her realize what her potential is and pushes her to turn it into her reality.

“The characters are all well drawn and I felt that, with Latera especially, there is great growth throughout.” ~Amazon Review for Crimson River (5 stars, User PeaceLoveHope)

So can you wait another year or more for Daenerys Targaryen’s return to satisfy your kick-ass craving? Let Latera quench your thirst now and start the series readers are hailing a “wilder, richer adventure,” available at the links below:

Crimson River Amazon linkCrimson River nook linkCrimson River Kobo link

Thank you for reading and for everyone’s continued support for the Civilands series. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, feel free to subscribe for more blog updates, and click here for a FREE e-book!