K.M. Shea's Blog, page 42

Summer Reading Event Week 8

Only two more weeks left in the event! Have you found some new books to love?

Summer Reading Event Week 7

This week we have a few litRPG books and some action packed fantasy books with more excellent giveaways. Plus, you can now download a brand new short story that I’ve never shared before!

Giveaways:

BONUS: The short story, A Fairy Godmother Love Story, is unlocked!

Ebook copies of Ritualist by Dakota Krout (The Completionist Chronicles #1)

A Giveaway for everyone! My book, The Luckless, is free until August 18th! (See image below for what a fellow Champion had to say about this series!)

Books for you to check out:

Check out my A.M. Sohma FB page for a video discussing the books below in greater detail!

Ritualist by Dakota Krout (The Completionist Chronicles #1)

Looking for a funny and exciting litRPG with an unusual hero that also treats women respectfully? Here it is!

The Luckless by A.M. Sohma (Second Age of Retha Book 1)

Another funny litRPG where a veteran player has to complete an impossible quest while she’s stuck playing as a joke character.

Soul Render by T.L. Branson (Soul Stones, #1)

Obtaining the power of a legendary soul stone was just the beginning, now Will has to master it and ally himself with groups that may not have his best interests in mind.

Temple of Sorrow by Carrie Summers (Stonehaven League, #1)

 

Tomorrow marks the start of the final two weeks of the Summer Reading Event! We’ve still got some great giveaways and book recommendations that I can’t wait to share, but in the meantime thanks for joining me in this fun-filled summer. It’s been a real joy to throw this with you guys.

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LitRPG Week

It’s LitRPG week here in the Summer Reading event, so to celebrate I’ve put the first book in my Second Age of Retha series, The Luckless, up for free from today through the 18th! If you haven’t heard about The Luckless before, it’s likely because it’s under my not-so-secret pen name, A. M. Sohma.

Lately I’ve had a few people ask why I have the two names. The difference is this….A. M. Sohma books have a bit less romance. More correctly, I should say A. M. Sohma books have slow burn romance, meaning it takes more than a few books to develop. In just about every book/series I’ve written under K. M. Shea, the romance is solved in a single book–maybe two, tops. The only exception to this rule is my King Arthur and Her Knights series. (Which that still might not count because the first six books are all novellas.)

So A. M. Sohma books still have the same humor, same characters, same morals, same standards…it’s just that the romance is a little slower to develop.

Some of you are still a little leery of A. M. Sohma books, considering the only series–The Second Age of Retha–I have out is something called “LitRPG,” which is basically a fancy genre name that mean the story takes place inside a video game. But although the setting is a video game, you do not have to be a gamer to understand (and laugh at) the story! Check out the images to see what some fellow Champions had to say about the series.

 

Personally, the way I (Kitty) would describe Second Age of Retha to my faithful Champions, is to say that I wrote it with the desire of doing to Epic Fantasy what I did with the MBRC series and Paranormal romance/urban fantasy: lovingly make fun of it. Though admittedly, the Second Age of Retha has a more complex and danger-filled plot. But it’s basically what would happen if you dumped a modern 20-something-year-old girl who is a big fantasy fan into an Epic Fantasy storyline. (A lot of sarcasm ensues.)

So why am I pushing this series right now? Because, as I mentioned at the top, The Luckless is free today through the 18th! That means you can try this series for free! (Or tell your friends/kiddos/significant other about the book and they can try it for free!) 

If you still decide to pass, no hard feelings.

Summer Reading Event Week 6

Helllllooooo Champions! This is probably the week of the Summer Reading Event I’m most excited about! We have a sexy drae shifter, a fae who could give Black Widow some pointers, and a long awaited sequel with a powerful elf! And as a special bonus for everyone Book 1 in my King Arthur series is free!

BONUS! Enthroned (King Arthur and Her Knights Book 1) is available for FREE on Amazon (Sunday August 5 through Thursday August 9)

Giveaways:

Ebook copies of Blood Oath by Raye Wagner and Kelly St. Clare (Darkest Drae #1)
Audio book CDs of Red Rope of Fate (Elves of Lessa #1)

Books for you to check out:

(Check out my Facebook Live review if you’d like more information on these books!)

Blood Oath by Raye Wagner and Kelly St. Clare (Darkest Drae #1)

One of the most intense but also hilarious fantasies I’ve read in a long time! (Yes I realize that is an unusual mix.) Also handsome drae (dragon) shifters!

The Faerie Guardian by Rachel Morgan (Creepy Hollow #1)

A kick butt faerie guardian in training gets in over her head when the cute human guy she’s guarding discovers her. BONUS! It’s free!

Royal Magic by K.M. Shea (Elves of Lessa #2)

An usually feisty elf princess gets herself married to a notoriously sly human prince–moving tradition, politicians, and her parents–in a bid for freedom.

 

Youtube Video

This one is short, I promise! (Though you need to watch the video part–audio alone doesn’t really convey it well…)

 

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Character Interview

Today I want to give a big thank you to all the amazing Champions who reviewed Royal Magic. Royal Magic has had an amazing launch, and I’m honored and humbled by all the love and support it has received. So I hope you enjoy the final extra: the character interview with Benjimir and Gwendafyn! (And Tari and Arion tagged along, too.) Click here for the PDF!

Sadly I couldn’t include all the questions, but I did try to use comments from as many readers as possible. Some of the questions I didn’t choose were answered in either Red Rope of Fate or Royal Magic, and a few of the questions were a bit too spoiler-y for future books so I passed over them as well.

One topic that did surprise me, though, was the questions regarding Lorius, so I wanted to take a moment to address her. I had quite a few readers ask why Celrin left Fyn with Lorius when she was so bad, which sounds like you only saw Lorius through the scope of that final scene of hers in the book.

If you take a close look at Royal Magic, you’ll see it wasn’t like that at all. In multiple instances Gwendafyn said Lorius obviously loved her, and didn’t push her nearly as much until the last few years. She was stunned by Lorius’ scolding at her wedding and by her aunt taking her swords because Lorius had never gone that far before. Indeed, during a meal with the royal family Gwendafyn even thinks that Queen Luciee is far worse than Lorius.

Throughout the book Lorius’ antics grow stronger, meaner, and more controlling. As Gwendafyn marvels multiple times, Lorius was not always like this. (If you recall, Lorius encouraged Gwendafyn to be ruthless with Talon.) Lorius’ increase in those emotions was not random, but an indication of how she noticed Gwendafyn was changing, and of her own past. (As mentioned in the book, she was forced to rule in her brother’s place until Gwendafyn was old enough to become regent. Now who does that sound like? *wink, wink, nudge, nudge*)

If you missed the scenes and lines I mentioned above, why not go back and read the book again!

So I hope you all enjoy the character interview. Thanks again to all the fabulous Champions who reviewed, and have a lovely day!

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Summer Reading Event Week 5

Another themed week for you, Champions, but this one is my guilty pleasure….YA Contemporary! We have some sweet books, fantastic giveaways, and the next short story is unlocked. Have fun!

Giveaways:

BONUS: The short story The Unicorn Procession is now available!
ebook copies of Engaging Mr. Darcy by Rachel John
Paperback of the first two books in the Vanished series by Meg Cabot

Books for you to check out:

Adorkable by Cookie O’Gorman

One geeky girl needs her best guy friend to act as her fake boyfriend – what could possibly go wrong?

#TheRealCinderella by Yesenia Vargas

A modern day Cinderella with a online best friend who just might turn out to be the prince she needs. It’s also discounted this week!

Engaging Mr. Darcy by Rachel John

18 Hours to Us by Krista Noorman

Youtube Video:

This week I retell the much shorter fairy tale of “The Golden Goose.” In it we’ve got a remarkably dense hero, a little old man who should be arrested for assault, a King who makes questionable parenting decisions, and–of course–a golden goose. Enjoy!

 

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Heroes of Lessa and Calnor

Champions, you guys are the best! Royal Magic recently hit 80 reviews, so let’s party with the next extra: a short story called Welcome Home. (Click here for the PDF!) Thank you to everyone who submitted a review. I appreciate your support and feedback as it helps me a lot as an author, and also helps potential readers make informed decisions. Thank you, thank you, thank you! And now, on to the blog post!

I wrote Red Rope of Fate, because I wanted to create a lighthearted adventure/romance that focused on the relationship between elves and humans. When I started thinking about Royal Magic years ago, I wanted to keep that as the focus, but I also recognized that this sequel would give me the chance to show there are different types of heroes/heroines, and different ways people can be heroic.

This has always been a passion of mine, and you can see it in my Timeless Fairy Tale world. But the Elves of Lessa books are special because they take place in the same country–in the same city–and feature familiar characters and focuses on the same problem. (Answer: the relationship between Calnor and Lessa) It’s that familiarity and shared goal that really highlights how the main couples are so different and yet both do great things for their country.

In Red Rope of Fate Arion and Tari blow open the doors of communication. In bridging the expansive language gap, they bring huge medical and agricultural improvements to Calnor. Additionally, they break a long held taboo in their marriage as previously an elf/human relationship was off limits. Just by existing with their magical bond and Tari’s ability to speak both languages fluently, they tie their countries closer together and become legends. But that magical bond also limits their influence because many assume their relationship is an exception to the regular rules due to their “special-ness.”

Gwendafyn and Benjimir are the exact opposite. Their relationship is not fated, magical, or thrilling. Both of them, however, were in positions of  influence before they were married. The power of their relationship comes from how normal they are, from people witnessing how hard Gwendafyn struggles to master Calnoric, and seeing how they embrace their differences and work together. As a result, Ben and Fyn bring more of a cultural revolution because they prove to their citizens that they don’t need a mythical/magical connection in order befriend/love one another. They normalize it.

As the series progresses you will continue to see how the relationship between humans and elves shifts–and why it’s so important that it does shift. (Which is about as close of a hint as you’re going to get that the High Elves will return…)

But putting the ways they affect their nation aside, Arion, Tari, and Gwendafyn and Benjimir have very different personal roles as well. As shown in Royal Magic, Gwendafyn becomes something of a champion or defender of Calnor, while Benjimir steps into a leadership role in the army. Meanwhile, Tari and Arion continue their role as influencers and begin more readily moving around Calnor.

What might not be apparent is how the two couples help each other. Gwenafyn’s ability to fight was not spurned or even balked at because of Tari’s role as an Evening Star. Even if most people don’t know that Tari is capable of deadly magic, it is known she’s capable of returning insults, sarcasm, and getting angry. (Something that previously might have upset people in both Calnor and Lessa, but since she is the hailed hero fluent in both languages she’s easily forgiven.)

On the other hand, Arion and Tari travel more after Gwendafyn marries Benjimir because Ben’s indulgence in Fyn’s adventurous nature. (After all, if he–as a prince–doesn’t refuse his lovely bride, who can? The only one with the power to do so is King Petyrr and everyone knows he would never tell his daughter-in-law no.)

So not only do the couples change their cultures in different ways, but because of the fact that there are now two very prominent elf/human couples, they make headway for each other, opening up even more doors of possibilities as a result.

With that reflection in mind, it’s time for me to start collecting questions for the Benjimir/Gwendafyn interview I’ll post when Royal Magic reaches approximately 110 reviews! Post your questions in the comments down below, and I’ll try to feature as many as possible in an “interview” with Benjimir and Gwendafyn! (And who knows, Tari and Arion might show up for a moment or two as well!) Thanks for reading, Champions, and enjoy the short!

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Redeeming a Villain

Wow oh wow, thank you, Champions, for all the love you’ve shown Royal Magic with the slew of reviews you’ve left! (I appreciate the feedback, and it helps me a lot!) Please enjoy the first Royal Magic extra: a scene told from an alternate point of view, Ben’s. (There’s actually a lot of new content in this one as for much of the scene Benjimir is apart from Gwendafyn.) I hope you enjoy it, and now let’s continue on with the post!

When you all voted the “Villain turned good guy” as the most wanted hero in the 2018 aptly named “most wanted hero poll,” I sweated a bit. I already had plans for Benjimir (previously a villain) and Gwendafyn to star in their story together, but I really didn’t know how I was going to pull it off, so I kept delaying it. But once “villain turned good guy” won the poll…I knew I couldn’t–or perhaps shouldn’t–wait any longer.

So I’m going to start off the fun by putting Benjimir in the hot seat and say he deserved his multi-year exile and removal of the “Crown Prince” title for his less-than-honorable actions in Red Rope of Fate when he actively tried to separate Tari and Arion. (You Champions seemed to take special offense to it, as Arion in particular never fails to be in the top ten–and usually is in the top six–heroes of my annual hero poll.) So knowing that what he did really was wrong, and that Arion is highly beloved…I was pretty nervous about trying to redeem him.

Thankfully, Benjimir’s saving grace is that the passion and protective instinct he used against Tari and Arion could be (eventually) turned around to work in my advantage by having him do the same for Fyn. You see, even though he didn’t care much for her–personally, anyway–Benjimir was prideful enough (And secretly honorable enough) that he wouldn’t actively sit by and let Gwendafyn’s aunt pick on her. And when he warned off Lorious he unknowingly won big bonus points with Fyn, and that’s the turning point.

Fyn is Benjimir’s redeemer. She sees the real him–she’s intimately familiar with it as she was read into the details about it. And yet she still chooses to reach for him, which in reality is what Benjimir wants more than anything.

So, ironically, you have the hero that is treated like a villain (Fyn) falling for Benjimir because he will stand with her and doesn’t flinch at her magic or large personality, and on the other end you have the villain who is treated like a hero (Benjimir) falling for Gwendafyn because she doesn’t blink an eye at his past or see a problem with his cunning personality. They’re seeking the same thing, but what makes Gwendafyn the hero is that despite what she faces, she never gives in to the temptation to use her strength for selfish or dark purposes. Benjimir is redeemed from his past because now that he has seen Gwendafyn’s love he knows why doing what he did was so wrong. (You can see it in the very public way he takes Lorious out compared to the shady techniques he used on Tari and Arion.)

Hopefully the new extra will give you a little added insight to his character! I hope you enjoy it, and enjoy the rest of your weekend. Thanks, Champions, for reading, and an extra big thank you to everyone who reviews!

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Royal Magic Available Now!

May the celebration begin, Champions–Royal magic is finally available to purchase and read! (You can find it in the USA store by clicking HERE, or in the UK store by clicking HERE!)

A big thank you to everyone for their patience in waiting for this story. The Elves of Lessa is a series that is near and dear to my heart, and it was so amazing to return to their world and revisit old friends. (As you can tell by the quote, Tari and Arion still play an important role in this sequel!)

I hope the story of Gwendafyn and Benjimir entertains you and makes you laugh. I can’t wait to hear what you think of it! Speaking of which…

As usual I’m holding my review special for Royal Magic! As I say with every book release, reviews are really important for authors. They help open up new doors for advertising as some places have a review requirement, and they also provide useful feedback for me and for possible/interested readers. So as a thank you for reviewing, I’ll release Royal Magic extras when we hit big review landmarks! (I count reviews from Amazon.com, the UK Amazon site, the Australian Amazon site, and Goodreads! And please leave honest reviews!)

45 Reviews: Locked: Alternate Point-of-view Scene: Unleashed–from Benji’s perspective: PDF

80 Reviews: Locked: Short Story: Welcome Home: PDF

110 Reviews: Locked: Character Interview with Gwendafyn, and Benjimir, and an appearance from Tari and Arion: PDF

Thanks for reading, Champions, and enjoy the story!

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Summer Reading Event Week 4

Greetings, Champions, and welcome to Week 4 of the Summer Reading Event, Fairy Tale week! We have some excellent fairy tale-ish books, great giveaways and as a bonus my book, Beauty and the Beast, is free!

Giveaways:

Ebook copies Timeless Fairy Tales boxset (by me) which contains books 1-3 in the series.

2 signed paperbacks of Beauty and the Beast (old covers)

BONUS! Beauty and the Beast (Book 1 in the Timeless Fairy Tales series) is available for FREE on Amazon July 23-27th. Get Beauty and the Beast for free: Amazon.com | Amazon UK | Amazon AU

Books for you to check out:

A Stolen Kiss by Kelsey Keating (Stolen Royals #1)

A charming fairytale adventure with likable characters, magical creatures and even some twists! (This book’s fairy-tale style is reminiscent of Ella Enchanted!)

Dragon Hoard by D.C. Harrell

A collection of beautiful dragon fairy tale stories. While they aren’t your average fairy tales, they are beautifully told as if you were listening to a storyteller. (It’s a bit like a collection of Brothers Grimm fairy tales, so if you enjoy those, this is your book!)

Spindle by W.R. Gingell (Two Monarchies Sequence #1)

What happens when a Sleeping Beauty who isn’t a princess is woken by an enchanter who isn’t a prince? (Between the quirky characters and interesting use of magic, this book is for those who love Diana Wynn Jones’ Howl’s Moving Castle!)

Beauty and the Beast by K.M. Shea (The Timeless Fairy Tales Book 1)

Once upon a time a heroine makes a mistake and finds herself with a broken leg stuck in the castle of a cursed prince. (And that’s pretty much all I have to say about my own book, ahaha.)

If you want to hear more about these books, you can check out my Facebook Live session! (Speaking of which, I’m going to schedule a Facebook Live session next week so we can chat about Royal Magic, The Princess and the Pea, and anything else you might want to discuss, so check out my Facebook Page if you haven’t already!)

That’s it for today, Champions! I’ll see you tomorrow as it is the official release day for Royal Magic! Until then, have a lovely day!

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