Scales and Stingers
Heroes of Avoch Series
Book One
by K. M. Warfield
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GENRE: Fantasy
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BOOK BLURB:
Thia Bransdottir is shunned for being half Fallen, a race feared by many. She tries to disguise her lineage, but her lilac eyes make it impossible. When her Father is killed, she is taken to the cloister to be a servant of her faith. Jinaari Althir is sworn to protect Thia from the disgraced half of her heritage. Under his holy vows, he must keep others from killing her for their prejudice and using her for her power. He must succeed, there is no room for failure. Trust for someone like Thia is difficult.
Jinaari may say he is there to protect her, but can he truly do his best when he knows she is of the Fallen? Will Thia stay safe in order to fulfill her purpose or is she fated to die for her origins?
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EXCERPT THREE:
“Are you sure about her?” Adam’s voice was low, but she could hear him easily.
“Garret and Keroys both are. The priest said she was the best they had. She healed me at one point.”
“What happened?”
“Alesso got a cheap shot.”
“I don’t know, Jinaari. She’s Fallen. They’re not known for holding to laws or vows.”
“She’s also human, Adam. On our way here, we got jumped by a pack of Dangreth. She turned them into ash faster than I could blink.” There was admiration in his voice. “I only took out two . . . she took out ten. Keroys instilled his hatred of the undead in her. She asked if we’d be encountering more in Tanisal. I think she’s looking forward to wiping the city clean of anything evil.”
“Where’s she from? Humans and the Fallen rarely interact, let alone mate.”
“Ask her.”
“Don’t you know?” Adam asked.
“I do,” Jinaari paused, “and she trusted me enough to give me an answer. I’m not going to betray that. I don’t think she told me everything, not yet. Her life this far hasn’t been easy, even at the cloister. Trust isn’t something that she blindly gives. You gotta earn it. Garret said I had to keep her safe. From what, I don’t know. But I made a vow to him and Keroys to do that.” He paused. “She’s not like what Alesso and his kind think, Adam. She takes after her human side. As long as you show you’re okay with her heritage, trust her, she’ll come around. And she’s damn good at magic.”
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GUEST POST:
My Favorite Scene
I'm a sucker for a good character driven story. Where it's less about events and more about how the characters react to them. I want to read books where the character grows, changes, evolves. That's not to say there's anything wrong with a plot driven narrative. One of the best things about reading is that there's as many styles out there as there are readers, and we can enjoy what we love.
I grew up reading David & Leigh Eddings, mainly The Belgariad and Mallorean series. The writing made me see the characters as human. There wasn't the 'I'm the hero so I shall do this!' speech. Rather, the main character dared ask, 'Why me?". The same held true with Patricia Kennelly - Morrison and her Keltia books. There's a part in one book, where she's taken on the Authurian saga, that made me cry. Why? Because the characters felt real.
With the Heroes of Avoch series, I strove for that connection between the characters and the reader. I gave them flaws that were relatable, tried to capture the special flow of conversations that happen between dear friends. Ones that become our family, and accept us for who we are and not who they think we should be. There's a cadence to it that's laden with inside jokes that don't necessarily need to be explained. For example, at one point Jinaari makes a comment about how he hates walking around in wet socks. It becomes a running joke that's brought up throughout the series.
One of my favorite scenes is one that demonstrates that actions have consequences. There's someone who does something that readers can relate to. The reason behind it, his motivation, is completely understandable. You can't fault him for it. What he does to get what he wants, however.... that's another story. Those actions have consequences he doesn't anticipate. He doesn't see any problems with it. His God, his fellow paladins, even his mother, all do. And it's the moment when he's taken from elation for completing this noble goal to losing everything because of it that I love.
A fellow author, Sean R. Frazier, made mention that it was one of the best punches he's ever read. High praise that made me smile for days!
Did it stop with a single punch? No. That was, admittedly, the only physical price that he paid. The rest was far more consequential.
Want to know what happened? Get a copy of 'Scales and Stingers' and find out.
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AUTHOR BIO:
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Born in the late 1960's, K. M. has lived most of her live in the Pacific NW. While she's always been creative, she didn't turn towards writing until 2008. Writing under the pen name of KateMarie Collins, she released several titles. In 2019, the decision was made to forge a new path with her books. The Heroes of Avoch series, along with a new pen name, is the end result.
When she's not writing, she loves playing Dungeons & Dragons with friends, watching movies, and cuddling up with her cat. K. M. resides with her family in what she likes to refer to as 'Seattle Suburbia'.
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CONNECT WITH K. M. WARFIELD:
Website:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/kmwarfieldbooks
Twitter:
@KMWarfieldbooks
https://www.twitter.com/KMWarfieldbooks
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AMAZON BUY LINKS:
Amazon US Kindle eBook:
https://www.amazon.com/Scales-Stingers-action-adventure-fantasy-ebook/dp/B0BNXR4K9C
Amazon CA Kindle eBook:
https://www.amazon.ca/Scales-Stingers-action-adventure-fantasy-ebook/dp/B0BNXR4K9C
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GIVEAWAY:
K. M. Warfield will be awarding a $10 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner's Choice!!!) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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