Magic, Family, and Wealth
“In our world, magic was the ultimate power. But my family meant everything to me.”
08/27/2019
The first book of Catalina Baylor’s trilogy, SAPPHIRE FLAMES.
To help her friend, Catalina must test the limits of her extraordinary powers, but doing so may cost her both her House–and her heart.
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Praise for Hidden Legacy
From Publishers Weekly
“Andrews serves up a refreshing new magical society, excellent world-building, beguiling characters, and strong storytelling.
–Publisher’s Weekly
From Kirkus
… imaginative and high-octane…Another creative, thrilling paranormal romance from the masterful Andrews.
–Kirkus, Starred Review
From Katie on Twitter
I can’t even.
–Katie who got an early copy in a giveaway
What is Hidden Legacy?
Hidden Legacy is set in the world much like our own, where over a hundred years ago several countries developed Osiris Serum, a solution that awakened one’s latent magical powers. They gave that serum to everybody willing to risk dying from it. Eventually they figured out that giving humans ability to spit fire and summon monsters wasn’t such a good thing, but by that point it was too late. The magical powers turned out to be hereditary.
Now the world is ruled by magical dynasties, powerful Houses, who marry for magic, maintain private armies, and own global corporations. Imagine the aristocratic families like Medici or Tudors, but in addition to being ruthless and cunning, they can now create a tornado or breathe life into a sculpture and use it to pummel their enemies.
In this world, in the city of Houston, lives the Baylor family. Three sisters, Nevada, Catalina, Arabella, their two cousins adopted into the family, Bernard and Leon, their veteran mother Penelope and their Grandma Frida. Together they run Baylor Investigative Agency, except for Grandma Frida who has her own business fixing mobile artillery for the Houston’s magical elite. The Hidden Legacy chronicles their lives, relationship, and adventures.
Click here for the Book list.
Frequently asked.
How many books are planned in Hidden Legacy series?
As of now, the Hidden Legacy consists of two trilogies.
Nevada Baylor
- BURN FOR ME
- WHITE HOT
- WILDFIRE
Catalina Baylor
- Diamond Fire – transitional novella
- SAPPHIRE FLAMES
- To be announced
- To be announced
Click here for the Book list.
Will you ever write stories from the point of view of other characters besides the Baylor sisters?
We hope so. Leon needs a book and a story about Augustine would be fun.
How is it possible to share some historical markers between our world and the world of the Hidden Legacy dating after the pivotal point of the appearance of Magic (Chicago fire, conflict in the east)?
It depends on which theory you subscribe to. Some people feel that all of the events are intertwined and that everything that happens is a part of a tapestry. Cut one thread and the entire tapestry could unravel. At the very least it will never be the same. Other people feel that the our reality is more like a ball of rubber strings. Pull one out, some things might shift, but the ball will largely be the same. There are simply too many factors acting on each other for any one thing to make a significant difference and if an event doesn’t occur, the underlining forces “snap” the reality back in place like rubber bands.
Let’s say someone prevents the death of Arch Duke Ferdinand. In the first case, WWI doesn’t happen. In the second case, some other political person is killed or perhaps a different act of terrorism takes place and the war still happens. Perhaps not on the same date, but it still does.
The appearance of the serum definitely had an impact. there are key differences between Nevada’s world and ours. For example, significant increase in political power of the Latin American nations. But some events still happened as they would’ve happened in our world
How come Magic in the Baylor family appears in so many forms?
You’ll just have to read and find out. I can tell you that Penelope shares magic with her father. Grandma Frida’s husband was a sharpshooter. Penelope’s sister also has the sniper magic, but a different variation of it. Grandma Frida’s talent skipped a generation and returned in Bernard and Leon. Their computer magic is a variant of Grandma Frida’s bond with all things mechanical.
How would Harmonizing or Elenchus work within the magic ranking system? For instance, how would a Prime be better than an Average Harmonizer or truthseeker?
Those two types of magic are will-based. Think of it in terms of rolling the dice in a tabletop game. You open the door of a dungeon and see a scary monster. You roll a pair of dice. Anything under 6 and the monster overwhelms your will and you run away. Anything above six and you forge ahead and fight the creature. A prime always rolls a 12 but an average will never roll above a 3.
To use your example, a minor magic user and a Prime both create a flower arrangement designed to bring sadness to a person who sees it. A flower arrangement made by a minor magic user might make you mildly melancholy. Perhaps you will feel nothing at all. An arrangement made by a Prime Harmonizer will make everyone in the room openly weep. It will stay with you for days. You will dream of it and cry in your sleep.
By the same principle, every time a truthseeker hears people speak, he or she are performing a will check against that person. If their will and magic are stronger, they get a positive reading. Ab average Truthseeker may discern a lie 25-30% of the time. Prime Truthseeker is able to always tell when you are lying and will have other, broad range of powers at his or her disposal.
How did Penelope Lose her PI license?
Penelope came back with PTSD. Not the kind that makes you imagine or relive things, but the kind that make it difficult to adjust to civilian life. She treats every fight as if it is a fight for her life. Mad Rogan demonstrated this mindset very clearly when he dealt with Peaches. If you have to fight, fight to kill.
One night, some years ago, Nevada’s aunt showed up at their house. Bern and Leon were already living with Nevada’s parents. Their mother and her new boyfriend demanded the boys. Penelope told them no. The boyfriend threatened her and tried to take the kids. She grabbed him and tried her best to break his neck. He survived and pressed charges. Because Penelope faced felony charges, she had to surrender her license. Eventually the charges rolled through the court system and were dismissed, on condition that she would undergo therapy, which she did. Her license was never reinstated. The insurance considered it risky and Penelope herself decided that it wouldn’t be the best idea to be in violent situations where her instincts might let her down.
Is DA Lenora Jordan an elemental mage, or a summoner?
Lenora’s powers are arcane.
Letters to the readers
Ranks and Houses
Ranks Magic users are segregated into five ranks: Minor, Average, Notable, Significant, and Prime, with Prime being the highest rank a mage can attain. The difference between Minor and Prime is enormous. For example, a pyrokinetic is considered Average if he can melt a cubic foot of ice under a minute. In the same amount…
Types of Magic
In the world of Hidden Legacy, magic is passed through the bloodline, from parents to child. Usually a person will have one dominant type of magic and while there is a way to improve and strengthen your magic talent through practice and use of arcane circles, you can’t learn a different type of magic. If…