Shield and Scepter
by K. M. Warfield
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GENRE: Fantasy
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BLURB:
After an intense battle against the malicious Goddess, Lolc Aon, and freeing the Fallen citizens of Byd Cudd, Jinaari and Thia are presented with new challenges while in the public eye. Even though Thia has been granted nearly unlimited healing power through the God Keroys, many still doubt her because of her Fallen lineage. Jinaari does his best to support her, but his lessons are cut short after his sister is kidnapped.
Faced with life-altering obstacles, will Jinaari keep his vow to protect Thia even from afar? Can Thia learn to trust herself and win over the public? Or will it be too late?
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EXCERPT
Jinaari looked at his friend, “You and Pan kept all three of us alive, and brought us back here. That’s plenty.”
Adam shrugged. “I know that’s what you needed us to do. It
doesn’t feel like enough, though. You two do all the heavy lifting while we
barely make a dent.”
“Stop that,” he stared at the warlock. “I couldn’t have gotten her away from Lolc Aon alone. Not in one piece. You kept that spider from getting her, too.”
“After I led her into the nest in the first place,” he grumbled.
“Hey, I told everyone to check the wall and she ended up
falling into a pit because of it. That doesn’t matter. We’re a team. You and
Caelynn know what to do so well that I don’t have to tell you. I trust it’s
going to happen, and it does. Thia’s learned a lot since she first came to us.
She trusts you and me. I don’t worry about anyone else dying because I know she
won’t let it happen. She’s too damn stubborn.”
The blonde man nodded. “You’re right.”
“Of course I’m right,” Jinaari said as he sat back. “I’m glad you finally admit it.”
“You’re also arrogant, insufferable, and demanding,” Thia’s voice made him twist in his chair.
Caelynn stood next to her. The blue tint of her skin had
faded. It wasn’t gone, but it wasn’t as prevalent as when they’d first come
back. The bard’s face was tired but happy.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
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Many thanks to Kenyan Poet for hosting me today!
One thing that attracts me to a book is if the characters are well-developed. Do they act 'real' or are they superficial? Can I predict what the hero will say and do? Does the villain have a long speech explaining himself?
Let's be honest. The people we truly care about aren't superficial. They may be the hero or the villain, depending on who is telling the story, but not everyone's 100% predictable. And I have yet to hear one of the villains in my life do any sort of monologue about why they did what they did. Give excuses? Most definitely. But no Shakespearian speeches.
What makes fictional characters come alive for me as a reader is how relatable they are to me. Can I see myself whining about a stubbed toe? Is the woman who takes care of everyone one of my dearest friends? What about the guy who probably is the smartest one in the room but doesn't talk to others like he does?
What makes characters jump off the page are the same things that happen in daily life. Bad things happen to good people. The strongest of us, the most resilient, rise above adversity. They learn from their mistakes and become better people. We have inside jokes with our friends. We have public faces that we wear at work and only those we truly trust see who we really are.
Writing a good character, regardless of motivation, is about finding those mundane and normal things and drawing them out. They make the character believable, even in a fantasy setting that doesn't exist. For example, one of the characters in my Heroes of Avoch series absolutely hates walking around in wet socks. Personally, so do I. I don't think I know anyone who is perfectly comfortable doing this. Jinaari mentions it to get Thia to change her socks in 'Scales and Stingers'. That becomes a running joke between the two of them. It shows the friendship between them.
Not everything has to be unique to make a character memorable. Sometimes it's the smallest details that matter the most. The ones that have nothing to do with motivation or plot, and everything to do with getting a reader to connect with them.
K. M. Warfield
Author - Heroes of Avoch trilogy
She/Her
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
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'.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kmwarfieldbooks
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/KMWarfieldbooks
Website: https://kmwarfield.com/
Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Shield-Scepter-Heroes-Avoch-Book-ebook/dp/B0CGMQ94VH/
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE:
K.
M. Warfield will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly
drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
6 Comments
Thank you for hosting today.
ReplyDeleteYou are most welcomed.
DeleteThank you for the spot!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcomed, K.M. it was a pleasure to host your beautiful book.
DeleteI liked the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a good book and I really like the cover.
ReplyDelete