Magic Thursday: The Blind Priestess

One of the things I love when I'm reading or following a series are the little extras shared by author's about the characters from their books. Whether it's information shared in an interview or guest blog or even as snippets posted on their websites.

It's like the Special Features in the menu on movie DVD where you can learn more about the making of it, or listen to the actors share insights about the character they play. I usually watch them after the movie, rarely before, but when I go back for another viewing, having that little more information makes the story all the more meaningful.

So, today you get to learn more about Kymora, the blind priestess heroine, from ALLIANCE FORGED, Bk#2 in the Light Blade series (Berkley Sensation). If you've already read the book, then I hope this will make your next reading more interesting, or if you haven't, then I hope it entices you to pick it up! :-)

THE BLIND PRIESTESS

Name: Kymora Tayn

Race: Human

Age: 28

Background: Kymora is the Temple Elect, the high priestess of Sacred Lake and the human provinces. Her Gift was discovered during a search and she entered the Temple as an acolyte at the age of ten.

When she was chosen by the Lady to replace her predecessor, the Blade Council of the time protested her appointment. Having struggled for years to show others she was more than capable, despite her physical disability, Kymora harbored doubt about to her ability to cope. But determined to show them she could, she kept her doubts to herself. It was two years before her brother, Kalan, became the Lady's Chosen, but she often went to both him and Arek for advice in her role as Temple Elect.

The skilled use of her Gift and dedication to her faith earned Kymora great respect and admiration from those around her. It also allowed her a unique insight into people's thoughts and hearts, helping them and fulfilling her role as a Temple priestess.

Kymora first met Varian (the Na'Chi leader) in the Temple when he entered Sacred Lake to find out what had become of Annika (in VENGEANCE BORN). She soon became a champion of the Na'Chi after realising they were the ones the Lady referred to in Her message to the Blade Council. 

Skills: Kymora is able to sense others emotions in their auras. She is able to read people more accurately if she can touch them. In her early days as an acolyte she used her Gift to help resolve conflicts. Both parties would give her their permission to monitor their auras at a much deeper level than she normally would. She'd detect when emotions were running high and diffuse or deflect or clarify them to help the parties come to a mutually beneficial resolution.

This ability is hampered though when Kymora's among a large group of people. Too many sensations bombard her mind and so she has to shut herself off from receiving this sensory input and this leaves her truly blind.

Kymora uses her staff to guide her and help her get around but she's also learned to wield it as a weapon to defend herself.

Interesting Facts:
    •    Kymora and Kalan's parents were traders who travelled all over the provinces but used Sacred Lake as their home base.
    •    6 year old Kymora contracted Claret-rash from her mother after her mother contracted the disease while on a trading trip to the Eastern Crags Province. While her mother died, she survived but was blinded as a result - one of the less severe side effects of the disease. The event triggered her Gift - being able to sense peoples auras and through that, their emotions.
    •    She went from acolyte to Temple Elect at the young age of 21, only the second person in human history to ascend to the position in this fashion.
    •    In her role as Temple Elect, the Lady visits and speaks to her. It's Kymora's responsibility to inform the Blade Council of any message or edict given to her, whether she agrees with it or not.
    •    She dislikes the scent of vaa'jahn, the healing herb used as a generic antiseptic by Healers (a vivid memory left over from the time she was recovering from Claret-rash as a child).
    •    Kymora loves the tactile sensation of Varian's Na'Chi markings on his body.
    •    Keri-blossom is a floral scented incense that she prefers above all others.

There's a similar post to this one about Varian (the hero of ALLIANCE FORGED) over at My Bookish Ways should you be interested, and there are a few posts on my blog about other characters in the Light Blade series (just click on the label characters and you'll find them).

There's also an excerpt of the book on my website.

But before you go dashing off to read the other posts or the excerpt, I have some Light Blade swag* to giveaway (open worldwide).

Kymora loses her sight but gains the power to read auras as compensation. If you were to lose your sight like her, what special Gift would you want to replace it and why?

Answer the question by Sunday, 29th July to go into the draw. The winner will be announced Monday, 30th July. Good luck!

ALLIANCE FORGED
Bk #2 of the Light Blade series

There is no mercy in the demon realm. No escape. In this place of desperation and conflict, anyone who is not purebred is virtually powerless. Until a blind priestess lays claim to a half-breed warrior, body and soul…

Hunted and marked for death by Na’Reish demons for their half-blood heritage, the Na’Chi are searching for a new home—something an alliance offered by the human leader could provide. With both races divided by prejudice, when Light Blade rebels brutally attack the Na’Chi, the alliance seems doomed to fail.

Varian, leader of the Na’Chi, a hybrid race of gifted warriors, is cursed with the darker impulses of his demon heritage. Controlling the part of himself that craves the high of the battle is a struggle he’s afraid he’ll lose—until he meets Kymora Tayn, a priestess driven to serve her deity. While he’s unwilling to trust anyone outside his people, he finds himself drawn to Kymora’s strength and passionate nature, and discovers she has the power to calm the darkness inside him.

When the Na’Reish raid human territory for blood-slaves and kickstart a war, the key to the survival of both races —Na’Chi and human— is an alliance. However, when Kymora is kidnapped, pitting human against human, Varian realizes he must embrace his darker half, not only to save the alliance…but also the woman he loves.



Kylie Griffin’s obsession with all things paranormal/fantasy started at an early age, when she used to imagine the jacaranda tree in her front yard was a spaceship used to defend the world from invading enemies. Writing stories seemed a natural extension to her childhood adventures.

Today, she’s a primary school teacher sharing her love for the written word with young children. In her spare time, she writes and reads all things paranormal.     

Kylie lives in a small rural village in outback New South Wales, Australia, where she volunteers in a number of emergency service organizations in her local community. Visit her website at www.kyliegriffin.com

You can also follow her blog, on Facebook, Twitter or Goodreads, or sign up for her newsletter! 

Kylie's books:

VENGEANCE BORN - Bk#1 of the Light Blade series (released Feb.7th, 2012 - Berkley Sensation trade paperback, upcoming release as a mass market paperback on April 2nd, 2013) 

ALLEGIANCE SWORN - Bk#3 of the Light Blade series (released date April 2nd, 2013 - Berkley Sensation trade paperback)

*The draw will be run using Random.com - the winner will have the choice of 2 x Light Blade swag items they'd like from the following - Vengeance Born book banner (50cmx90cm), Alliance Forged t-shirt (XL), Vengeance Born and/or Alliance Forged large magnet (21cm x 29cm), Alliance Forged mousepad.

A Bite of...VENGEANCE BORN

Allow me to introduce to you, Kylie Griffin in our fortnightly "A Bite Of..." with her novel VENGEANCE BORN.

1. Can you, in less than five words describe your book, VENGEANCE BORN?

An intriguing fantasy romance.



2. What inspired you to write it?

The inspiration was the heroine, Annika. She first “appeared” to me exactly as readers discover her in the opening scene of the book - descending into father’s dungeon about to meet a human Light Blade warrior for the first time, about to begin her escape and achieve her goal of beginning a new life.

I played a game of ‘what if…’ to learn more about her. It seems a strange thing to say that I had fun considering the possibilities of a crossbreed child born as the result of a rape. But the idea of a bastard child bred for revenge against an old enemy gave me a huge range of character traits and plot lines to play with.

How would the environment influence her development? Could any one person or influence balance her horrendous upbringing? How could they or it affect her? Which traits would dominate?


I decided that Annika would have strength and courage backed by a determination to free herself – there would be no waiting around for someone to save her (I love a strong heroine) – but, because of her upbringing, she’d also harbor a flawed sense of worth and need for acceptance.



And so, VENGENACE BORN came into being…*grin*

And without further ado...here's the snippet!


“You drink blood, just like the Na’Reish?”

Annika flinched at the hatred in Kalan’s voice. His emerald-colored gaze narrowed and his hand flexed. He’d have drawn a weapon had it been sheathed at his waist. The distance between them across the clearing seemed far too small. She tensed, preparing to flee if he lunged at her.

“No, not just like the Na’Reish.” She hated how her voice wavered. “I eat food just like you, but I need blood, too. I won’t survive if I don’t drink it.” Disgust flashed across his face. “Do you think I like it? I’d stop if I could. I’ve tried, believe me.”

The face of a human boy rose like a specter in her mind, his mouth stretched wide in a silent scream. He’d had such vivid blue eyes, like the color of the sky on a sunny winter morning. Shuddering, she wrapped her arms around her waist.

“I haven’t drunk human blood since I was a child.”

She blinked and the image changed. The same beautiful eyes, no longer so vivid but glassy in death, his skin pale and waxy, one cheek smeared with a rivulet of blood. Saliva flooded her mouth.

Annika swallowed hard and shoved the memory back into the darkness where it belonged. Twice she cleared her throat before she was able to speak. “The Na’Reish took great pleasure in locking me in a room with a human to watch me feed when hunger overwhelmed me. They thought it . . . amusing.”

Disbelief and revulsion warred in the expression on Kalan’s face. The hot rush of familiar embarrassment streaked through her.

“You promised to listen with an open mind.” With her heart pounding in her chest, it took every shred of strength she had to stand and face him instead of running away. “Do you think I liked what they did to me? They turned me into an animal. I hated them for it and I hated myself for letting them do that to me.”

Unable to remember a time when she hadn’t had to justify her own existence, she avoided his gaze, too raw from the memories to let him see her humiliation, and laughed bitterly. “Their little game cured me for life. I swore never to drink human blood again. I abhor the practice.”

“You don’t look like you’re starving.”

His reply cut like a whip. Her temper flared. “That’s because I drink animal blood.” She’d been mocked for that, too. In the world of the Na’Reish, she was despised for drinking animal blood instead of human blood and the humans despised her for having to drink any blood at all. “I wouldn’t take your vein, human, even if I were dying.”

“You’re part-demon.” His tone was flat, unconvinced.

“So, you’re saying that the nature of the beast can’t be controlled?”

“You weren’t able to stop yourself from attacking and feeding on a human.”

“I was a child!” Her cheeks warmed even as she ordered herself not to react, not to show pain, or shame, or anger.

All the taunting, the name calling and beatings paled to the horror and loathing she’d felt once she’d come down from her blood-high and discovered the lifeless body of the blue-eyed boy lying on the ground next to her, his throat shredded and torn out. With her tears mingling with the blood smeared around her mouth, she’d vowed never to drink human blood again, to die before letting herself become the animal she’d shown herself to be.

Her body trembled. How many times had she relived that savage attack? Too many, and not enough. Never enough to atone for her weakness.

“You can stay here if you want”—she forced the words past stiff lips—“but being caught by a Patrol is a certainty if you do.”

Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and strode into the forest. Being born a half-blood wasn’t her fault. Her throat tightened. Would she ever find a place in this world where she felt at peace? Where no one judged her for who or what she was?

Moonlight filtered through the thick canopy but even without it she’d have been able to find her way. Enhanced sight, inherited from her demon father. Yet another reason for Kalan to condemn and reject her.

Why was she letting his attitude affect her so much? Both human and Na’Reish despised her. She’d suffered their hatred and disgust all her life. Why had she expected this human to be different?

She blinked back tears. Perhaps because she had healed and then saved him. What did she have to do to make anyone value her beyond what her gifts could provide them?

And if that excerpt has left you gagging for more - here's where you can find Kylie and her books...





Website: http://www.kyliegriffin.com

Blog: www.kyliegriffinromance.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kylie-Griffin-paranormal-romance/152760788151938

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/KylieGriffin1

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4882841.Kylie_Griffin

Shelfari: http://www.shelfari.com/Kylie_Griffin-author





BUY LINKS
Penguin – http://www.penguin.com.au/products/9780425245361/vengeance-born

Amazon.com – http://www.amazon.com/Vengeance-Born-Novel-Light-Blade/dp/0425245365/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324458243&sr=1-1

The Book Depository – http://www.bookdepository.com/Vengeance-Born-Kylie-Griffin/9780425245361

B&N – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/vengeance-born-kylie-griffin/1102496659

Fishpond – http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/Vengeance-Born-Kylie-Griffin/9780425245361?cf=3&rid=335575780&i=1&keywords=vengeance+born


Books-a-Million – http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Vengeance-Born/Kylie-Griffin/9780425245361?id=5244581890012#publishers-weekly%C2%AE%20reviews

Indie Bound – http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780425245361

Magic Thursday Winner

Thank you to everyone who commented.

After throwing all the names of those who commented onto the floor in front of Splat (my cat), she pawed the winner's slip across the lino floor and I was just in time to save it from going under the refrigerator.

So, the winner of the signed copy of VENGEANCE BORN is Serix!

Email me - kyliegriffin71 (at) optusnet (dot) com (dot) au - and I can arrange to send your prize to you. Happy reading!

Magic Thursday: Flights of Fantasy (romance, that is!)

One of the things I love best about writing is the daydreaming process. As writers we have a legitimate reason for sitting at our desks, staring out our windows and spending time lost in our thoughts as we go through the "I have an idea for a story" fermentation  process.

When VENGEANCE BORN, my debut fantasy romance for Berkley, was a mere yeast granule in the syrupy depths of my mind, I played the "What if..." game to come up with the characters, their background, and a few half formed plot lines.

Not too many, as I'm a die-hard pantstering-scener (imagine you're standing on a hill on foggy, winter's morning, and all you can see is the tops of other hills in the distance - you have no idea what sort of terrain you're going to cover once you descend beneath the fog but you do know the general direction you're headed - that's a pantstering-scener).

But I digress, back to VENGEANCE BORN!

I saw the opening scene of Annika descending into the dungeon to rescue Kalan, the hero - but what had brought her there? Why was she rescuing him?

What if she were half demon, half human and despised by both races, how would that environment influence her? What personality traits or flaws would that develop? What strengths and weaknesses would she have? A flawed sense of worth? A need for acceptance?

Could any one person balance her upbringing? What role would they play? How could they affect her? Would she have the courage or determination to free herself? Would she be strong enough to rescue herself?

And what about Kalan, the warrior she intended rescuing from her father's dungeon? What was he doing there? Who was he?

If he considered demon's his enemy, what would his response be when he discovered Annika's identity? How would that affect his behaviour toward her? Would it hamper their escape from the dungeon? Their flight to human territory?

Working out the rough details gave me enough to begin writing the story. The opening chapter is up on my website, but this snippet is the first personal hurdle Annika and Kalan face as they escape from her father's dungeon.

Kalan frowned. “Your eyes...”

Annika hesitated in reaching for the pouch at her feet. “What about them?”

“Why do they keep changing color?”

She unlaced the pouch and thrust his clothes at him then turned her back on him to pull her dress on over her head. Was she ignoring his question?

“The color changes with what I’m feeling. This trait belongs only to the Na’Chi.”

“Your eyes are red now. What does that mean?” He laid aside the sodden cloak and slid into his breeches, lacing them up swiftly. They were torn and ragged but better than no protection against the cold night air. He paused, his shirt in his hands, as the silence between them lengthened again. “Annika?”

“You’ve made it quite clear you don’t trust me.” She fiddled with the flap of the pouch. “What’s to stop you killing me if you don’t like some of my answers?”

“There’s always that chance,” he conceded as he pulled on his shirt. He doubted he had the strength for a sustained fight, though she didn’t need to know that. Instilling fear into an opponent didn’t always require a blade.

Yet he owed her, owed her his life. He was out of the dungeon and now he’d have a fighting chance to escape the Na’Reish and live. “But Hesia advised me to listen to you with an open mind and that’s what I’ll do.”

She glanced at him then away, something he noticed she did a lot. “Perhaps we can talk as we keep moving.”

A delaying tactic. The reluctance in her voice was a dead giveaway. He motioned her to lead the way, willing to let her get away with it but determined to get some answers.

A half-moon provided enough light to see by. The grassy bank gave way to a rocky roadway that they crossed quickly. His patience ended as they reached the edge of a densely wooded forest but before he could prompt her, she spoke.

“I’ve used a lot of energy tonight. Red means I’m hungry.”

“Hungry?” He halted by a thick tree trunk, the shadowed darkness beyond it less daunting than the fear that skittered along his spine. “For what?”

“For blood.”

His scalp crawled, shock and anger twisting within him. Lady’s Breath! Hadn’t he been trained never to let his guard down? A half-demon, even a pretty one, was still a demon. With a curse he jerked away from her, reaching for a sword no longer belted around his waist. “You drink blood?”

Adrenaline raced through him when he realized he was unarmed. Unarmed against a woman powerful enough to kill with a touch. He fisted his hands.

“That’s why you helped me escape? Why you need me with you?” The image of her latched onto him, feeding, flashed through his mind. “I’m a convenient food source?”

How many Light Blade warriors had he seen fall in battle? How many had he heard scream in agony as demon teeth ripped into their throat or wrists so they could be drained of blood?

Nausea choked him. Too many.

Kalan dropped into a crouch, teeth bared. “Come one step closer and I will kill you."

Their relationship is very Shakespearean - they come from warring houses, and from the start both believe any romantic involvement is doomed to fail, a tragedy in the making.

They have so much to overcome – personal and external prejudices and misconceptions, opposition from those who know them, and it’s complicated by the rising tension between humans and demons. Throw in a couple of culture-shaking secrets and it makes you wonder if they’re ever going to have a happy ending!

Unfortunately, I can't tell you how the story ends, but if you want to find out then share with me one of your all time favorite, happy endings - personal event, book, movie, whatever you like - and I'll put you in the draw to win a copy of VENGEANCE BORN.

I look forward to reading your answers!

VENGEANCE BORN
(Book #1 of the Light Blade series) 

There is no mercy in the demon realm. No escape. In this place of desperation and conflict, anyone who is not pure bred is virtually powerless. Until an unlikely champion is born… 
Annika, half-blood daughter of the Na’Reish King, longs for more than her tormented life among her father’s people. Conceived in hatred and bred as a tool of retribution, she’s gifted with a special talent that can heal as well as destroy.
With the Na’Reish vastly outnumbering them, Kalan, a Light Blade warrior, knows the future of humankind depends on him alone. Incursions into human territory and raids for blood-slaves by the Na’Reish Horde have increased. As Chosen-leader, he faces the task of stopping the demons—and convincing the Council of aging Light Blade warriors that change is necessary for survival.
When Annika learns Kalan is a prisoner in her father’s dungeon, her dream of escape seems within reach. She agrees to free him in exchange for his protection once they reach human territory. Now, marked for death for helping him, Annika must learn to trust Kalan as they face not only the perilous journey to the border but enemies within the Council—and discover a shocking truth that could throw the human race into civil war…

VENGEANCE BORN was released with Berkley Sensation on February 7th (USA/Canada).
The second book in the series, ALLIANCE FORGED, is due out on July 3rd (USA/Canada).

Kylie Griffin’s obsession with all things paranormal/fantasy started at an early age, when she used to imagine the jacaranda tree in her front yard was a spaceship used to defend the world from invading enemies. Writing stories seemed a natural extension to her childhood adventures.

Today, she’s a primary school teacher sharing her love for the written word with young children. In her spare time, she writes and reads all things paranormal.

Kylie lives in a small rural village in outback New South Wales, Australia, where she volunteers in a number of emergency service organizations in her local community.

You can visit her website, blog, or find her on Goodreads, Shelfari, Facebook & Twitter.