Fabulous and Brunette: Song of the Adoël by Kevin King - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway

Song of the Adoël

by Kevin King

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GENRE: YA Fantasy Adventure

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BOOK BLURB:

Raendel is one of the Adoël, the cursed people. Passed on to each generation, the curse drains his body of color, leaving his skin and hair a ghostly white. To protect himself from the commoners who fear what they don't understand, all of the Adoël live as servants to the royal family, using their unique skill with illusion magic to entertain bored nobility. Raendel is bound by traditions, but also by his own lack of self-confidence. Prince Kenan is the younger of two princes, frustrated by his gilded cage and the combat tutoring that feels pointless in a secure and peaceful kingdom. He dreams of adventure, of making a name for himself with heroic deeds. An unexpected assault from an ancient enemy sets the two on a quest that begins as pursuit of vengeance, but soon leads them into a struggle for survival that will teach them both that they are small pieces of a long, dark history. But even the smallest actions can change the fate of a kingdom.

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EXCERPT ONE:

Raendel wove through the room with practiced ease, gliding between isolated clumps of noblemen scattered across the room, passing the time with idle gossip as they waited for the guest of honor to arrive. His gaze flicked along the way in front of him, choosing the path that would keep him farthest away from the guests. Most of them wore enough perfume to give him a headache from five yards away. The enhanced sense of smell shared by the Adoël only added to Raendel’s trepidation. All the nobles stank of pride. The smell of fear drifted in clouds, especially near visitors who had never seen one of the Adoël before. Raendel spent most of his day inside the castle, serving Prince Kenan.

His distinctive features would have drawn stares even without the stories. The name Adoël had been used to frighten children for generations. Mothers would clutch their children as he passed in the street. Don’t go outside at night or the Adoël will get you. Don’t wander into the woods, the Adoël will catch you and suck the life out of you. Each passing generation believed the stories a bit more than their parents. To encounter an Adoël in person resurrected the terrors planted in the hearts of children now grown.

Whispers swirled in his wake. Ghost-child. Cursed. Tainted. Touched by the Necromancer. Raendel had heard them all before, but he still flinched with every sting.

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GUEST POST:

Writing Strong Women

It is a challenge, as a male author, to write strong women. One of the best compliments I’ve gotten from a reader was from a woman who told me “I love that you have so many strong women in the story.” So, how did I do it?

I started by modeling my characters after women I know. Women in my life that I admire. I’ve learned that strong women aren’t all the same. Strength looks different with different personalities, different life goals, and different circumstances. And it doesn’t mean a lack of struggles or failures. On the contrary, struggles are the main thing that allow you to see a person’s strength.

Each of the women in my story have different backgrounds, different opportunities, and different motivations.

Peristra is a young woman raised on the fringes of privilege. She’s the daughter of a minor noble, which means she has never lacked food, but also means her prospects are limited by cultural expectations. Her father loves her, but the only way he knows to help her is to find a high-class husband. Peristra is not interested in marrying for political advancement. All she wants is freedom to make her own choices. She loves her father, so she goes to the ball he sets up for her to meet a husband. But she can’t hold back her disdain for the kind of men who attend such things, and ends up driving them all away with her sharp wit. When her father is killed, she sets off to forge her own destiny. Her enemies soon learn to fear her anger.

Seriam grew up relatively poor, in a small village. She loves the quiet country life, and never felt ambition for anything more. She has a man she loves, and a supportive community. She doesn’t want power. She doesn’t want to be a fighter. A warm home and the beauty of nature are all she dreams of. But when her fiancé vanishes and her village is destroyed, she learns that sometimes a peaceful, quiet life is something you have to fight for. To protect the shred of home she has left, she will stand up to literal demons.

Queen Havilah as been named by several of my readers as their favorite character, and I suspect that is because she suffers more than any other character. And because of how she pushes through it. Her story begins with her working to hold together the kingdom with one hand and her family with the other. Her husband the king has sunk into alcoholism, forcing her to take on all the responsibilities of ruling while also keeping him from destroying himself. Neither of their two sons take their duties seriously, in spite of her best efforts to keep them in line. When assassins from her own family kill the king, it hits her hard. But the disappearance of her younger son is the final blow that sends her spiraling into depression. Depression leaves her vulnerable, as her treacherous nephew spikes her tea her with a powerful opiate in the guise of helping her sleep. Withdrawals cause headaches, and he gives her more drugs disguised as medicine. By the time she realizes what is happening, the addiction has sunk its hooks so deep that she can’t even get out of bed. Only her stubborn refusal to quit pulls her through a tortuous recovery, and gets her back in the fight just at the most crucial time. Queen Havilah’s story serves as a testimony that struggling with things like depression and addiction don’t mean you are weak. Sometimes it requires more strength than anyone imagines just to keep moving forward.

Enduring strength comes from within, a strength of character that I admire whenever I see it. I think my appreciation for that characteristic is what allows me to write it in a believable, relatable way.

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AUTHOR BIO:

Kevin works as a software developer in the Seattle area by day, and an author by night. He enjoys Renaissance Fairs, bookstores, fencing, and daydreaming. He has been reading fantasy from age six, and writing from age twenty-two. He loves exploring fantasy worlds, especially exploring human nature through fiction. Fantasy is his first love, but he also dabbles in sci-fi, creepy horror, and devastatingly sad dramas. He posts regular flash fiction stories to his Instagram account and website.

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