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The Imperial Saga

Home of the Empire of the Seven Continents

  • Overview
  • Main Series
    • Rise of the Phoenix
    • Knight of the Dragon
    • Heart of the Guardian
  • Mythology
    • The Myth of the Scorpion Queen
    • The Myth of The Wolves
  • Character Profiles
  • Continent Info
    • Estova
    • Izuria
    • Krendia
    • Shem
    • Kaehlar
  • Other Info
    • About the Author
    • Contact
    • AI Policy
    • Privacy Policy
YouTube Channel Launched!
2 July, 2024
Cover Reveal: Dance of the Empire
11 May, 2024
Heart of the Guardian Out Now!
15 August, 2023

Welcome to the Empire of the Seven Continents

The Empire of the Seven Continents is the home of the Imperial Saga, a fantasy series by Anne Winchell. This website offers exclusive content of the world and novels and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the writing process. Take a look around and explore the world of the Empire of the Seven Continents and the books and stories from this world!

Enter the Imperial Saga

The war for Tamarud lasted twelve years and devastated the continent’s people and lands. When the royal family was captured, everyone knew it was it was only a matter of time before their defeat, but the Empire shocked the people by executing all but the youngest two royals.

Fifteen years later, the continent of Tamarud has suffered under Imperial rule. After the massacre following the execution of the royals, the population is devastated, their numbers vastly diminished. Everyone in a fifteen year age group was murdered, leaving only older adults and those under twenty-five behind.

Now, the invaders, as those from the Empire are known, can kill at will, and wreak havoc on the people of Tamarud. Tamarudian culture has all but vanished as their books, art, and traditional buildings have been razed. Speaking their language is a death sentence, and they even have to choose Imperial names to avoid being killed.  

In this chaos and destruction, Princess Tahirah is coming into her magical powers. As one of two surviving royals, she wields enormous power, power that makes her both threatening and desirable to the Empire. Her rise to power is marked with death and isolation, but romance and hope keep her going. 

These five novels chart her progress as she gains her adult powers, and the increasing strength of her allies as well. Ari, a young man and the object of her affections, learns to stand on his own, and Jana, a young woman whose love for her girlfriend Leena is the only bright spot in her life, learns to take on a leadership role. Together, Ari, Jana, and Leena hope to help save Tahirah from the Empire. They’ll go to any lengths, but will it be enough?

A fantasy map of Tamarud
Map by Dewi Hargreaves
Book Three Available Now!

Explore the Main Series

Find out more about the individual books here with word counts, status updates, summaries, and more. 

The cover of Rise of the Phoenix, with a dark maroon background, a golden, flaming phoenix in the center with a fiery orange-red skyscrapers in a golden portal, and the words Rise of the Phoenix in fancy golden letters

Rise of the Phoenix is a fantasy novel about a young woman who survived the execution of her family at the end of the war and now lives in an occupied continent. She’s always pretended to be obedient, but she has a secret: she’s created a phoenix egg.

The people of Tamarud remember the brutality of the dragon knights long after the war ended. When Jana accidentally becomes a dragon knight, she must deal with the hatred of her father and her people even while fighting to defend her home.

Ari has always relied on loved ones for guidance, but now Tahirah is trapped on a different continent and his parents might be dead. With new friends and unfamiliar family, he has to forge a way forward even as the Empire’s power draws closer to finding him.

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Check out the latest videos!

The Imperial Saga YouTube channel offers music videos from and about the various continents and characters as well as readings and behind-the-scenes looks into the creative process!

The Imperial Saga

The Imperial Saga
"Phoenix's Rebellion" tells the story of the fantasy novel Rise of the Phoenix, the first book in the Imperial Saga by Anne Winchell.

Over a decade ago, the invading Empire finally crushed the resistance in Tamarud, capturing the royal family. They executed all but the youngest two royal children on a day seared into the memories of all people as the Transition. Under Queen Coral’s control, everything Tamarudian is forbidden, even their own names. Robbed of their heritage, citizens live in a world where an uncontrolled police force kills at will.

The two surviving royals, now adults, struggle to keep their identities hidden as they navigate the world as hostages. They’re kept alive to ensure that the people of the continent don’t rise up again, but the Empire monitors them closely. Princess Tahirah has always pretended to be obedient, but she has a deadly secret: She’s created a phoenix egg. 

Read more about Tahirah and her increasingly complex fight for survival and revenge at https://empire.annewinchell.com.

Buy Rise of the Phoenix, the first book in the series, for paperback, ebook, or Kindle Unlimited at https://amzn.to/3Q6JrQV.

World, concepts, and characters by Anne Winchell
Top image is created by ChatGPT, animated by Sora
Bottom art is drawn by Anna Spies at AtraLuna Design
Lyrics by ChatGPT
Music by Suno

Reach me at
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lilaeris_9
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/awinchell.bsky.social
I occasionally go on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aewinchell/

Like the art at the bottom? (the promo art for the Imperial Saga and Rise of the Phoenix)
Find Anna Spies at https://www.atraluna.de/

All specific language, characters, worlds, events, people, cultures, and other identifying features copyright © 2018 Anne Winchell. However, if you'd like to make art, music, or stories based on any of this, please contact me (https://empire.annewinchell.com/contact/). I'm (almost always) happy to give permission!
Phoenix's Rebellion
"The Imperial Saga Unfolds" sings of the tale told in the fantasy book series The Imperial Saga by Anne Winchell, describing the characters and their individual trials and challenges as well as how the story comes together as a whole. The first three books have been published, out of five total for the series. The books are sequential, meaning the books take place right after the previous ones, so you want to read from beginning to end.

You can learn more about the Imperial Saga at https://empire.annewinchell.com/

World, concepts, and characters by Anne Winchell
Lyrics and Art by ChatGPT
Music and line-by-line lyrics by Suno
Arranged by Anne Winchell

The image is derived by putting the lyrics into ChatGPT and will contain inaccuracies. It is meant to represent the overall feel for the character and world, but is not considered canon. You can find the official character art designed by Anne Winchell as well as other concept art at https://empire.annewinchell.com.

This includes generative AI, including Suno and ChatGPT. I am not an affiliate of either, and all AI content is clearly labeled above. You can read more about my policies on AI use at https://empire.annewinchell.com/ai-policy/ 

Reach me at
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lilaeris_9
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/awinchell.bsky.social
I occasionally go on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aewinchell/

All specific characters, worlds, events, people, cultures, and other identifying features copyright © 2018 Anne Winchell. However, if you'd like to make art, music, or stories based on any of this, please contact me (https://empire.annewinchell.com/contact/). I'm (almost always) happy to give permission!
The Imperial Saga Unfolds
"A Queen in Bloom" tells of Coral's unrequited love for Maren as a young woman, two characters from the Imperial Saga, a fantasy book series by Anne Winchell. 

When Coral, the Emperor's daughter, joins the royal court after growing up on Estova, she discovers that her father has adopted a son a few years older than her and instantly falls in love with her. To her shock, he rejects her advances. And thus began a war of wills as she sought to do everything in her power to break him and get him to love her, her maliciously immoral personality exposing itself as she uses anything and everything to manipulate him until the finally the Emperor steps in and removes Maren to live with the dragon knights where she can't reach him. But is that enough? Only time will tell...

Read more about Coral and her malevolent and unrequited love at https://empire.annewinchell.com.
Buy Rise of the Phoenix, the first book in the series, for paperback, ebook, or Kindle Unlimited at https://amzn.to/3Q6JrQV.

World, concepts, and characters by Anne Winchell
Lyrics by Anne Winchell
Art by ChatGPT
Video by Stable Video Diffusion on NightCafe
Music and line by line lyrics by Suno
Arranged by Anne Winchell

The image is derived by putting the lyrics into ChatGPT and will contain inaccuracies. It is meant to represent the overall feel for the character and world but is not considered canon. You can find the official character art designed by Anne Winchell as well as other concept art at https://empire.annewinchell.com.

This includes generative AI including Suno and ChatGPT. I am not an affiliate of either, and all AI content is clearly labeled above. You can read more about my policies on AI use at https://empire.annewinchell.com/ai-policy/ 

Reach me at
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lilaeris_9
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/awinchell.bsky.social
I occasionally go on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aewinchell/

All specific characters, worlds, events, people, and cultures and other identifying features copyright © 2018 Anne Winchell. However, if you'd like to make art, music, or stories based on any of this, please contact me (https://empire.annewinchell.com/contact/). I'm (almost always) happy to give permission!
A Queen in Bloom
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The Mythology of the Empire

Each of the seven continents has their own mythology and lore, and you can explore the constantly expanding collection of stories from their people in this compendium of myths.

The Myth of the Scorpion Queen

An elaborate golden scorpion on a crimson backdrop with gold ornaments around the edge

When Tamarud was first created, the entire continent shared a pleasant climate and the creatures thrived. Now, however, the north is inhospitably hot, and the south is in a perpetual freeze. What changed this balance? Learn about Queen Alareab of the Scorpions for more!

Start Reading

The Myth of the Wolves

Once, all of the wolves were united and lived in harmony with the other creatures of Tamarud. Now, the anova wolves of the north hunt people for fun while the vasha wolves of the south work with people. What created this split? Learn more about the attack on Queen Zeinab for more!

Start Reading

Read Character Profiles

A young woman in a black sweater with curly red hair, bronze skin, and amber-gold eyes
A young man in a dark blue button-up shirt with shaggy dark brown hair and brown eyes.
A young Black woman with twist braids and light brown eyes with red circling the pupils in a black tank top with pink hems and a fain pink design on the front and makeup to match, and a gold chain around her neck
A young Asian woman with black hair, dark brown eyes with red circling the pupil, and a patterned black/orange/green/gold top
A stern-looking man with ebony hair, pale skin, and a military uniform
A young white woman with light brown hair pulled back in a bun with braids along her hairline and a few strands falling loose. She has green eyes, a bit of a smirk, and is in a blue dress with a brown cloak loosely pinned together with gold chain.
A dramatically lit woman with chin-length black hair, smoldering makeup, and a black dress

Read Continent Information

Find the Series on Amazon

Available for eBook and Kindle Unlimited
Available for Paperback
A mockup of Rise of the Phoenix showing the front and back of the paperback as they will appear on the books.
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  • Overview
  • Main Series
  • Mythology
  • Character Profiles
  • Continent Info
  • Other Info

Copyright © 2024 Anne Winchell.

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