FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mankind is only one of the twelve races, born of the twelve energies that created the universe. When the Balance that holds the races and the universe in harmony is threatened, two are chosen to restore it. Told through dual timelines that weave together mythologies, religions, and existential theories from all over the world, Ania’s breakthrough sci-fi/fantasy title, Balance of the 12 (Amazon, July 2019), takes readers on a journey across time and space.
Billions of years ago, the Great War threatened to destroy the universe by annihilating the Balance between the twelve races. The attempt is thwarted by the Visionary Reader and human Protector at a great cost, but their sacrifice has since allowed the races to live in harmony. Until now. With another war looming on the horizon, Samuel, a human, and Jane, a Reader, are the only ones who can stop the war and restore peace. In a riveting tale both fantastical and futuristic, myth and reality collide in a fight for the greater good and the lives of all.
Ania is a translator, author of Balance of the 12, and mother of twin girls. She has spent the past decade studying philosophy and now holds a degree in the field, working especially in the philosophy of politics and existentialism. Watching her children grow up has inspired her interest in human nature, perception, and learning systems. A passionate traveler, her work is influenced by the different locations she travels to and the cultures she encounters. To learn more about Ania and her books, please visit www.aniabooks.com, or connect with her on Facebook or Instagram @ania_author.
Balance of the 12
Ania | July 23, 2019 | PUBLISHER
ISBN: 978-6-0580672-0-2 | Price:
Science Fiction/Fantasy
In an interview, Ania can discuss:
* Her choice to merge mythology, religion, and conspiracy theories to create her fictional lore
* The inspiration behind the novel
* How experience with hyper prolactinoma disease and how it influenced her interest in science-fiction and fantasy
* Her background in philosophy, and how it impacted the book’s creation
* Why she read almost all of the holy books, existential philosophies, Far East philosophies, and mythologies before and after writing the book
An Interview with ANIA
Where did the idea for this story come from?
The story came to me eight years ago while I was studying existential philosophy. I also watched many documentaries about space and physics which influenced me greatly. The universe has an incredible harmony. Every being acts as though it has some knowledge of existence. Suddenly I thought what if we could decode molecules and see the things that they have been through. This idea made me create the race, Reader. Then the rest followed…
You weave philosophical ideas from all over the world into your story. How did you prepare to do this, and what do you hope the story accomplishes by combining so many beliefs?
To be honest, I didn’t prepare anything. I think this knowledge was in my mind and was naturally in the process of creating the story. It all came together just like pieces of a puzzle. I hope it can show people that no matter what we are taught, we all have one thing in common to share— life.
What drew you to fantasy and science-fiction?
This is a question I ask myself all the time. Could I ever write in another genre? I tried once and have learned a lot from the experience.
If you think writing in one genre is just about loving that genre, I must say that is not the reason in my case. I have always created fantasy or sci-fi stories because it was the way my imagination works. When I was 14 years old, I was diagnosed with hyper prolactinoma caused by a tumor. Through the years of my treatment, I hallucinated and sometimes my perception of time got much slower. It may sound pitiful, but most of the time I had fun because I had full knowledge of what was happening in those episodes and was strong enough to separate reality from my imagination by observing other peoples’ reaction. That period of my life made me ask questions about the human mind, creativity and perception. “What is reality?” was my first question. I am still searching the answer though.
Observing other people, experiencing their diverse perceptions, drew me to the fantasy and sci-fi genre. After a while I wondered if I could write in another genre. I tried writing in horror, romance, action, mystery and comedy. Eventually, I felt I achieved. People who read those stories liked them as much as my other fantasy or sci-fi.
But was I satisfied? So and so, I would answer. I was happy to see that I could write in other genres, and I enjoyed writing them. The creation process is always fun. Yet I found I didn’t feel as good writing other genres as when I wrote fantasy or sci-fi. Creating worlds and races is the best way for me to reflect on my ideas about the world we live in. Sometimes we have ideas or perceptions that we can’t change, and I usually create a world based on these preconceived concepts, then leave my character in that World to see what struggles he or she has. I think many authors may agree with me that a character decides its own path right after it is created. By allowing my character to explore the World I’ve created that may be based off my own ideas, I can see unprejudiced reflections of the world we live in and my own ideas. Sometimes my perception changes and I learn more about myself and our world even when I am still writing. That’s why I love writing fantasy and sci-fi genre. I am mostly interested in who I may become rather than who I was. Writing is my way of thinking and realizing myself.
How did your background in philosophy prepare you to encounter challenging ideas about existence and being?
I have always been a questioner. Philosophy taught me how to ask the right questions. In philosophy every system has to be consistent. There are different approaches on both existence and being. Thanks to my background I can evaluate and learn these different approaches with a clear state of mind because I look at the big picture of the system and theory. In time, challenging ideas becomes a mind game that I actually enjoy.
How will readers be able to connect the story to their own lives?
The story has so many different characters, and although the story is fantasy the characters are like us. They have feelings, challenges— they love and struggle against difficulties in relationships. Moreover the story starts in the present time. Through the series, readers will easily connect the characters with themselves and the people they know. Do your dreams come true? Do you sometimes sense something before it happens? Maybe you are from the Reader race and you aren’t even aware of that yet.
What can readers expect from the rest of the series?
The rest of the series will take place mostly in the present time. It will be full of action and mystery. Who knows, maybe most of the conspiracy theories will make more sense. I hope readers will start questioning the world we live in and ultimately enjoy the story.
