Hi, lovelies!! It gives me great pleasure today to host Stephanie M. Allen and her new book, “Divided Fates,” here on FAB!! For other stops on her Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of the images in this post.
Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $25 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card!! Also, come back daily to interact with Stephanie and to increase your chances of winning!!
Thanks for stopping by!! Wishing you all lots of good luck in this fabulous giveaway!!
Divided Fates
Immar & Stauros Trilogy
Book Two
by Stephanie M. Allen
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GENRE: Fantasy
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BLURB:
Ten days after the battle in the north, the world of Erez has been thrown into turmoil.
Princess Isemay awakens - injured and weak - in a strange village. Branded an outcast because of her mixed heritage but forced to stay against her will, she must choose to conform to the sha’nidow way of life or face the consequences. When a mysterious stranger arrives with a heartbreaking message, Isemay’s hope abandons her to a fate far more destructive than she was prepared for.
Princess Alena finds herself the queen of the northern kingdom - powerful, adored, alone. Fighting inner demons of darkness, she travels south to visit her brother, now the king of Neilos. But fate will not allow her to find peace, and she must decide whether she will side with those she loves or the one who holds ultimate power.
Niri Flesh-cleaver, granddaughter to the elusive Choshech and heir to the nashech throne, has everything she could want - and yet her heart yearns for more. Torn between her mother’s orders and a forbidden love, she quickly realizes she cannot have both. Driven by brokenness, she will seek to destroy the one person she blames for Choshech’s demise - and find that perhaps her heart was the better guide all along.
Three women. Three separate journeys. One path to find that fate will divide even the closest of bonds.
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EXCERPT TWO:
Golda sprinted in the same direction, her tail flagging behind her as she stretched her feline body to its limits. With calculated precision, she ran between the doe and their buck, separating them with ease. After watching the hunters chase after the three females, Isemay drove Kele toward the buck, squeezing with her thighs to ensure her balance as she let go of the mare’s mane. Clumsy at first, she spun her hands in a circle, clenching her fists as she readied her weapon. The telltale whistling began as she spun the straps above her head.
Golda snapped at the buck as it grunted in fear, keeping him separated from the other deer. The sha’nidow hunters maintained their focus on the doe, their mounts moving toward them at a marvelous pace. Sensing his herd was in danger, the male tried to swerve toward them. Golda cut him off, causing him to twist mid-stride and continue in the direction he was heading.
Isemay would have to be fast if she wanted to release a lethal blow. With a snap of her hand, she released the darts from her weapon, flinching as she felt that her aim wasn’t quite right. The buck squealed as a single dart hit his flank. Isemay shifted her weapon, sliding another dart in position before spinning her arm once again.
Before she could release it, the buck grunted as three darts slapped into his neck and chest. Melech thundered past her, his weapon already whipping around with a whistle.
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GUEST POST:
Bring on the boo’s! Everyone loves to hate the villain! Tell us all about this truly loathed character and the inspiration behind their development.
The villain…it’s both the most loved and most hated character that many authors write. In this particular trilogy, which has been the story of my heart and mind for many years, I knew that I wanted an epic villain that was also going to have a lot of depth. I love villains that have a tragic story that causes the reader to feel something for them. It’s not an easy thing to accomplish. So many times, villains can fall flat or come across as maniacal without a purpose. I certainly didn’t want to have my villain be one of the forgettable ones.
In the first book, Dueling Fates, Choshech is the villain that is talked about but not seen. He’s behind the scenes, stirring up tension and strife, though his handiwork can be seen throughout the book. In Divided Fates, we finally get to meet Choshech and understand his plan and purpose. Choshech is a dragon, and he was once the most powerful, light-filled dragon there was. But he grew prideful, power-hungry, and felt jilted at the fact that he wasn’t as needed as he wanted to be. He decided to cause chaos among the humans, but he didn’t count on something happening – he fell in love.
Ah, yes, the age-old problem for the villain – forbidden love. Choshech fell in love with the queen of a kingdom, though he didn’t realize she was the queen. And then, of course, his heart was broken, and he was betrayed by the only one who’d taken his heart. Cursed to lose his wings and his freedom to shift, he’s forced to bide his time, waiting for the one who can come along to free him. Ironically, it will be sacrifice of a new love that will free him and he knows that it will break him once again.
Choshech is the villain that my readers love to hate. He is both charming and cunning, power-hungry yet patient. In Divided Fates, he revels in the fact that he is coming back into his power. He has yet to realize that the required sacrifice will break him far more than he ever expected, driving him to the very edge of his sanity in the third and final book. Overall, he is one of my favorite villains that I’ve ever written and it’s doubtful that he will ever see redemption. However, he will learn along the way and he will evolve, even if it means breaking through the shattered remains of his brutalized heart.
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AUTHOR BIO:
Stephanie M. Allen graduated from California Baptist University in 2009 with a B.A. in English and a desire to share her imaginative stories with the world. She loves to write fantasy, particularly centered around young adults. Aside from writing, Stephanie loves to read, ride horses, and sing. She currently lives in Wyoming with her husband and two children.
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CONNECT WITH STEPHANIE:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorStephanieAllen
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/StephMarieAllen
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thestephmarieallen
Goodreads Author Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15844466.Stephanie_M_Allen
Goodreads Book Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60885240-divided-fates
Amazon Author Page:
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AMAZON BOOK BUY LINKS:
Amazon US Kindle eBook:
Amazon US Paperback:
Amazon CA Kindle eBook:
https://www.amazon.ca/Divided-Fates-Immar-Stauros-trilogy-ebook/dp/B09X9PHJHF
Amazon CA Paperback:
https://www.amazon.ca/Divided-Fates-Stephanie-Allen/dp/1950502716
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GIVEAWAY INFO:
Stephanie will be awarding a $25 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner’s Choice!!!) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase is made, I may receive a small commission to help support this blog. This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those fabulous community outreach projects and awesome giveaways on here**
This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions. Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteYes thank you so much! I really appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteGreat excerpt and cover.
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday! Thank you for sharing your guest post and book details, I have enjoyed reading about you and your work and I am looking forward to reading Divided Fates. Have a lovely Memorial Day weekend!
ReplyDelete