Ahe'ey by Jamie Le Fay w/ Giveaway

Ahe’ey

Ange’el Series

Book One

Jamie Le Fay

Genre: Epic Fantasy Romance

Date of Publication / Book Release Date: 8th March 2017

ISBN-10: 0646969188

ISBN-13: 978-0646969183

ASIN: B06XF7T8P1

Number of pages: 625 paperback

Word Count: 155190

Cover Artist: Milan Jovanovic

Tagline: 

Morgan’s feminist books didn’t prepare her to deal with the dashing Gabriel and the land of Ahe’ey

Book Description:

"A thoughtful look at empowerment for women."

"A rollicking trip into a fantasy world complete with dragons, love and strength, and ideas that really get you thinking."

"Highly recommended for all ages."

Morgan is a dreamer, change maker and art lover. She is a feisty, slightly preachy, romantic feminist full of contradictions and insecurities. Morgan uncovers a world where women have the power, and where magic is no longer just a figment of her wild imagination. Sounds like a dream, but it may, in fact, turn into a nightmare.

The world of the Ahe'ey challenges and subverts her views about gender, genes, and nature versus nurture.

The strong and uninvited chemistry between her and the dashing Gabriel makes matters even more complicated. His stunning looks keep short-circuiting her rational mind.

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Excerpt:

"She believed in magic—the magic of places, the magic of people, the magic of coincidences, serendipity, and fortune. She enjoyed wandering through the world with the open mind and curiosity of a four-year-old child. In her world the mystical, mythical, and magical inhabited the same space and time as the ordinary and the practical. At Bethesda Terrace, she always felt close to a source of magic and creativity. It was as if she were tapping into the place where dragons, angels, gods, sorceresses, and demons came to life."

"She killed him instantly. The young woman plunged her hand into his wound and licked the blood. Once again, she dipped her hand into the blood and used four fingers to paint stripes on her face. Sky’s defiant eyes locked on Iblis."

"Debilitating guilt crushed Gabriel every time he interacted with Morgan. The Ange’el’s affection for the human was weakening his mandate to control her movements and influence her decisions. His task was, once again, to deceive and manipulate. He seemed destined to betray the confidence of those he held most dear."

“You know, it would be much less trouble if you were willing to bat your magic eyelashes.”

"Young Sathian was flirtatious, titillating, quick-witted, and brilliant. He left a trail of broken hearts across the land as he teased and taunted his victims with his beauty and charm. Both women and men succumbed to his joie de vivre and panache as he was an untypical Ange’el that carried the sunshine in his smile and in his eyes."

EDITORIAL REVIEWS:

"A bracing mix of emotionally and intellectually honest fantasy." - Kirkus Reviews

"This book is a thoughtful look at empowerment for women. At the same time, it’s a rollicking trip into a fantasy world complete with dragons, love and strength, and ideas that really get you thinking. This book is highly recommended for all ages." - HUGEOrange

"They're flawed, real, and honest characters that can be easily related to. Ahe'ey is the kind of novel society needs to read, to create inspiration and to make people think. Ahe'ey is daring, complex, and honest. A must-read novel that tackles heavy and real topics with a mix of serious and humorous, charm and tragedy." - Reader's Favorite - 5 Star Review

"Ahe’ey contains a richly imagined world that raises complicated and timely questions about our own.

Jamie Le Fay’s Ahe’ey is an action-packed love story that puts forth a nuanced vision of gender stereotypes, body politics, and the dark side of seeking perfection." - Foreword Clarion - 4 Star Review

About the Author:

Jamie is an accomplished writer and speaker that focuses mainly on topics related to girlhood, feminism, gender equality, and the misrepresentation of minorities in media and marketing.

Website: http://www.angeelseries.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/angeelseries

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jamie LeFay/

Goodreads: 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34459933-ahe-ey

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The Zimmah Chronicles by Scott King

Welcome to my tour stop for the Zimmah Chronicles by Scott King! This is a middle grade fantasy series. The tour runs December 1-11 with reviews, interviews, guest posts and excerpts. Check out the tour page for the full schedule.

Cupcakes vs. Brownies

Zimmah the djinn isn't evil. He simply thinks the world would be more fun if everything was made of desserts. So when ten-year-old Karim Jacobs makes a wish to fix his parent's marriage it's not Zimmah's fault that he twists the wish. He couldn't help himself. Candypunk airships and cupcake castles are cool! Of course Karim isn't happy about his wish going astray, specially when running into fantastical creatures like gummy-grizzly-bears and rock candy beasts; and although he desperately wants to go home, he finds himself in the middle of a war between the Cupcake Kingdom and Brownie Kingdom. With his parents lives in danger, its up to him to stop Zimmah and restore the world to normal.  

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Excerpt

Karim scrambled onto Lion’s back, sinking into the dip between Lion’s shoulder blades and neck. He gripped clumps of the fur in Lion’s mane and held himself in place.

“Yoouuuu want…” Karim said into Lion’s ear.

Lion stiffened, going catatonic.

“You want bath?”

Lion didn’t move or make a sound.

“You want to go night-night?”

Lion whimpered. Karim knew that Lion hated going night-night.

“You want treat?”

Lion squeaked out a half-bark, half-roar that shook the ground.

“You want treat?” Karim asked again. He pointed past the inner wall of the castle toward the village. Peaking over the ramparts were the tips of gingerbread houses. “Go get it. Go get the cookie!”

“Do something, now!” Madam Loope yelled.

The soldiers threw a barrage of spinning nets, but Lion sprung forward, bursting through them. Lion had seen cookies, and nothing was going to stop him. In four leaps, Lion reached the perimeter of the inner wall.

As they grew closer, Karim scrunched deeper into Lion’s mane. He expected Lion to climb the twenty-foot wall. He didn’t want to fall off when that happened. Except, it didn’t happen. Instead of making use of his graceful, snow-lion body, Lion crashed into the wall.

A thunderclap ripped through the air as Lion slammed into the wall. The wall fractured and exploded. Chunks of hardened icing mushroomed into the sky, raining down on the pursuing soldiers. Lion and Karim erupted from the other side. In their wake, the ramparts quivered and collapsed, making it impossible for the soldiers to follow.

Even free of the soldiers, Lion didn’t stop running. At full speed, he charged the nearest gingerbread house. It was gothic with a Victorian wrap-around porch of salted-caramel pretzels. Lion ripped a section of the railing off the porch and held it in his mouth.

“Good boy.” Karim patted Lion’s head and nudged him forward. “Now we gotta go.”

The two made their way down the village street. Most adults screamed when they saw them, while most of the children laughed.

Near the town square, they passed a herd of animal cracker elephants. Having already finished his pretzel stick, Lion eyed them. Karim knew that dog-Lion would have wanted to play with the elephants. Lion always loved making new friends. However, he was concerned that snow lion–Lion might want to eat the creatures. In a stern voice, he ordered Lion to keep moving.

No one impeded their hike through the candypunk town. Within minutes they passed through the city gates and entered the candy forest.

Book Trailer

Mermaids vs. Unicorns

Zimmah the wicked djinn thought he was so smart. He thought nothing could stop him, let alone a mere child. That was until he met Whitney, a devilish girl who used his own powers against him. A wish gone wrong sends Zimmah, Whitney, and Karim to The Otherworld, a magical land where Mermaids and Unicorns are caught in an epic war. All Whitney wants is to save her sick mother, all Karim wants is to get home, and all Zimmah wants is revenge on the children who have tricked him.

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Genie vs. Djinn

The chaotic magic of hundreds of djinn are destroying San Francisco. Dinosaurs. Butterfly volcanos. Buildings made of jello– If someone can wish it, it’s happening. Unable to access his own powers, Zimmah the former djinn, must rely on Karim and Whitney’s help.

Standing in their way is Alkema, Zimmah’s murderous father, an almost omnipotent ifrit who enjoys watching the suffering of others. If not stopped he will not only destroy the city, but plunge the entire world into total madness.

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About the Author:

Scott King is a writer and photographer. He was born in Washington D.C. and raised in Ocean City, Maryland. He received his undergraduate degree in film from Towson University, and his M.F.A. in film from American University.

“DAD! A Documentary Graphic Novel,” King’s first book was published in Fall ’09. He is also the creator and writer of “Holiday Wars” and he is known for his board game photography, specifically his annual calendar that highlights tabletop and hobby games.

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$25 Amazon gift card (INT)
Ends December 16th
Prizing is provided by the author, must be 13 or older to enter and have parental permission if under 17. Void where prohibited by law.

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Cover Reveal: Exile by Nikki McCormack

Betrayed by ally and by love, stranded by uncontrollable magic, Yiloch struggles...

Publication Date: December 11, 2015

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Series: Forbidden Things, Book Two

Yiloch, the newly crowned Emperor of Lyra, stands accused of arranging the assassination of the Caithin royal family. Torn between love for Yiloch and her close ties with the royal family, Indigo wants nothing more than to prove the accusation false, but the evidence puts the blood of the family on his hands.

Trying to protect the Lyran prince from the swift descent of Caithin justice, Indigo exposes the workings of an enemy who is willing to kill to protect his secrets. In desperation, she unleashes magic that sends Yiloch deep into the desert of Kudan before fleeing for her life. She must find him again to save his life as well as her own.

Betrayed by ally and by love, stranded by uncontrollable magic, Yiloch struggles to make his way back to the Lyran capital before Caithin can declare war, but standing between him and his empire is a lethal new enemy, wielding magic unlike anything his people have faced before.

First book in the Forbidden Things series...

Nikki lives in the magnificent Pacific Northwest with her husband, two horses, two cats, and one slightly crazy dog. She feeds her imagination by sitting on the ocean in her kayak gazing out across the never-ending water or hanging from a rope in a cave, embraced by darkness and the sound of dripping water. She finds peace through practicing iaido or shooting her longbow.

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Rise Of The Sidenah by C.M. Story

Title: Rise of the Sidenah
Author: C.M. Story
Genre: YA Fantasy

Adrienna Vedica longs to build the creatures living in her imagination. One day, she hopes to sculpt them out of stone, creating great statues like those that guard the Celany village. 

She doesn’t understand why everyone seems to disapprove. 

It’s only when Tishaan, a powerful man in the high council, agrees to help her sculpt that Adrienna is finally able to pursue her passion. She dives into her work, but creates with such energy she collapses from exhaustion before seeing the final results, giving Tishaan time to hide her masterpieces away. 

Her mentor, Sreng—the man she secretly loves—tries to convince her that Tishaan is using her, but she can’t abandon her art. Only when people start showing up dead does she think again. There’s something off about Tishaan…and then Sreng shows her one of her early works. 

But something is wrong. 

It’s alive. And it’s digging a grave.

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“Adrienna?”

“Yes. I want to pass. Of course I want to pass.”

Sreng looked more intensely into her eyes and she turned her head away, afraid he was reading her thoughts again. “Do you know why you want to pass?”

She nodded.

He waited, but she said nothing more. “It’s best if your motivation is…” He paused. “Well, if it is coming from, or tied to your future, your place in Celany society.”

Adrienna had to concentrate to keep from rolling her eyes. Now he was going to tell her she mustn’t hope for something between the two of them. He had said as much at other times, though always with this hesitant, roundabout language. All to live up to Celany standards, she knew, some code of conduct that as far as she was concerned made no difference, especially if she passed the trial. So he had trained her? How did that make their connection forbidden? She looked away, but he continued.

“I am concerned.” He clasped his hands in front him and squared his shoulders. “Concerned your current focus may not serve you at the arena, when the Interrogator is challenging you. You need a crystal clear image in mind, one that reflects who you will be once the trial—”

“The Tucadorr.” She lifted her chin and centered her gaze on his. “I saw it. Yesterday.”

He started as if she’d slapped him.

It was a desperate move, a way to get him off lecturing her, but she relished the surprised look on his face.

“Where?”

She pointed to the edge of the lake.

“Here? You’re certain?”

“Olwyn crossed to the inlet. I was on the bank, waiting for her. At first I was resting, but when I looked up, it was there, staring at me.”

Sreng fingered the scabbard hanging from his belt. “It just stood there?”

She nodded. “When Olwyn came back, it disappeared.”

His frown deepened. “Did it look the same?”

“Exactly.” She paused. “But it was a long time ago.” She waited, hoping he would assure her the Tucadorr was one of many, a single creature belonging to some species roaming in large packs on the other side of the twin peaks. The first one was an aberration long gone by now. The one she spotted on the other side of the lake was a distant relative, if that. But he said nothing. No words to suggest the one she had seen wasn’t the very same lone creature that still haunted her nightmares. 

“You told me it was dead,” she said.

He walked to the opening of the cave and looked down on the water. He seemed to be searching for it. “I was sure it would not return.”

“I thought you killed it.”

He leaned against the rock. “So did I.”

Stephen King Coffee Table Book Inspires the Story of a Sculptress 

One day at the library many years ago, I picked up a coffee table book by Stephen King (who wrote the text) and f-stop Fitzgerald (who took the photos) called Nightmares in the Sky. I was doing some research at the time for a middle grade story about gargoyles, and just happened to run across this great resource. 

Despite the scary title (part of King’s contribution, no doubt), I found the book fascinating. Fitzgerald had taken a number of pictures of gargoyles throughout Europe and the United States. To me, the sculptures seemed magical instead of scary, the endless variety of artwork in stone beyond what I had imagined was ever accomplished in Gothic architecture or during any other period.

It was that book, and a bit of imagination, that inspired my novel, Rise of the Sidenah.

Who Made the Gargoyles?

As I looked through the photographs, I got really curious. Each gargoyle was so different, unique, and amazing in its own way.  

Who were the artists behind these magnificent stone carvings? 

That question set me on a different quest than I’d been on before. I had been looking for the gargoyles themselves, but suddenly I was interested in the creators who made them. What inspired one artist to carve a dragon, another a monkey sort of creature, and another a kind of haggard dog with its ribs showing?

I discovered they were called “stonecutters,” and back then, they were just as common as painters and musicians and writers. These were the artists who carved the statues, shaped the columns, and formed the cornices. They used chisels and mallets to fashion the stone as they wished, each putting his own unique stamp on his creations. 

What must it have been like to be one of these individuals? 

All Artists Make Mistakes

I’ve been a musician all my life. I play the French horn in the symphony to this day, which means I know how stressful it can be to be an artist. If you have a solo, for example, and it’s in the middle of a beautiful symphony, the last thing you want to do is mess it up. 

I wondered: What if, while carving, a stonecutter made a mistake? Did he have to start over? Rethink the design? Try to cover it up somehow? 

As I thought about these things, my main character, Adrienna Vedica, came to life. She’s a talented but flawed young woman who wants nothing more than to be a sculptress. Unfortunately, she lives in a society where the talents of a stonecutter are not valued as much as those of, say, of a teacher or farmer. But carving the white stone is all Adrienna wants to do. 

How Far Should You Go to Fulfill a Dream?

How many risks should one take when chasing a dream? The real stonecutters feared only making their clients unhappy, or losing their jobs. For Adrienna, the stakes are higher, because unbeknownst to her, she has a special talent. 

When she carves the magical white stone, it comes to life. 

(You can see where this came from. I mean, who can look at a gargoyle without imagining it looking back?)

For the longest time, Adrienna is unaware of this. She carves with super-human power, and collapses when she is done. That gives her mentor, a conniving man, the chance to hide her sculptures away. It also allows him to take advantage of Adrienna’s mistakes, and there are many. Like any young artist, she needs time to practice and learn, but unlike a canvas tossed aside by a painter, or a manuscript burned by an author, Adrienna’s mistakes live to haunt her, and those she loves. 

How far should a person go to follow her heart? I imagine some of the stonecutters may have been nervous about how others would see their creations. Yet they let their imaginations lead them, and the results are still there for us to view today. 

In learning more about their work, I was inspired to create a character who did the same, but under much more dangerous conditions that put her and her family at risk. 

Would such a path be worth the consequences? 

I’ll leave it to readers to decide.  

C. M. Story has always been a fan of fantasy in all its many forms, including the kind she frequently indulged in during boring lectures in school. She didn't try her hand at penning her own stories, however, until long after she'd gotten her Bachelor's degree in music. 

Once she sold her first short story, she got a writing job and never looked back. Today she runs a successful freelance writing and editing business out of her home in Idaho, and frequently travels to other inspiring places with her trusty laptop in tow. And yes, despite rumors to the contrary, "Story" is her real last name.

"Rise of the Sidenah" was inspired by gothic architecture, a tune by "The Calling," and the idea that following the heart may cause pain, but is the only way to truly fulfill one's purpose in life.

Find more at cmstorybook.com.

Author Links:

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Arrows Of Darkness (World of Arcas, Volume 2) by B.I. Woolet

Arrows of Darkness by B.I. Woolet
(World of Arcas #2)
Publication date: October 2nd 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult 

Jackson returns to Arcas expecting to find peace—a peace  greatly lacking within his own home. But when a violent archer takes over as Lord of the White Palace, the future of the ancient kingdoms is shaken. 

Frightening creatures have overtaken the beautiful Starling Forest, destroying everything in their path. Jackson and Nekkar narrowly escape the beasts together, but Nekkar blames the Son of Earth for releasing the present darkness in Arcas. The rocky, new friendship strengthens as they journey through dangerous lands toward the Free Realms. Can their  loyalties survive when the beautifully gutsy Princess Andromeda interrupts their quest and the darkness of war batters their souls? 

While Rigel, Otava, and Merope work together to rescue the six sisters trapped at the White Palace, Sephdar returns from shadowy crusades to find White Wings’ army leaderless. The new self-proclaimed ruler has a plan for the Seven Sisters and a plan for The Bridge to  Earth. But when his ambitious arrows pierce the peaceful kingdoms, an unlikely force confronts the dark lord and the future of the crowns is changed forever. 

Hold to your axe and hold to your lass as you join Jackson to combat the darkness spreading through the world of Arcas. But remember, the most powerful arrows do not pierce the body but the soul. 

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“Mark the door!” Scruuutch. “The queen’s not in this room!” Scruuutch. An axe scraped across a heavy wooden door each time a room was cleared. “Someone’s alive! Come quickly!” another shouted for help. 

King Alderamin squeezed the handle of his axe until his knuckles blanched. He could no longer control the passion inside him. Water flowed to his eyes while anger fought like a dam to hold back the flood of sorrow. With no destination in mind, he began running, running, running through the glass and the blood and the toppled bricks. He had arrived too late to outrun the enemy, but perhaps he could outrun the guilt. 

Suddenly, the scenery changed. Everything felt untouched as he reached the back hallway. Every mirror was still perfectly intact, every wall still standing. And there was his light brown face in image after image with blood-shot, yellow-brown eyes looking back at him. 

“RAAAAAHHHH!” He viciously swung his axe right and left, shattering each image that now looked detestable and pathetic to him. Crash! Crash! Crash! Shards of glass blasted from the sharpened edge of his axe as it collided with the mirrors covering every wall. But the last unblemished mirror that he swung the heavy weapon into didn’t respond as the others. His axe didn’t just sink into the glass; it sunk into the wall itself. The king jerked and yanked, but the iron head stuck firmly. In anger and frustration, he kicked the mirrored wall. 

Click-click. Alderamin froze as the wall sprang open. Grabbing the edge of the solid door that was hiding behind a reflective façade, memories fell upon him like rain saturating a thirsty ground. I know this place, he realized, peering into the dusky staircase. Entering the dim passage, he slowly exhaled and inhaled to tame the wild breath of emotions that exited his lungs moments ago. For a moment, the world behind faded. His fingers traced along the stones on the passageway, but what he felt was a hand interlocked in his, pulling him forward. Pulling him Down. 

The Hunter, the Bear, and the Seventh Sister (World of Arcas, Volume 1)

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B. I. Woolet (Benji & Ila Woolet) is the author of the World of Arcas series. Their Arcas adventures began with The Hunter, the Bear, and the Seventh Sister and now continue with Arrows of Darkness. When the Woolets aren’t working, writing, or chasing their four little girls around, they are active in their local community and church. The couple enjoys creating lyrical and literary arts, playing music together, and exploring nature. They are happily married and live in Indiana.  

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Dreamwielder by Garrett Calcaterra

Dreamwielder by Garrett Calcaterra
(The Dreamwielder Chronicles, #1)
Published by: Diversion Books
Publication date: September 29th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis

In a world shrouded by soot and smoke, young Makarria has literally been forbidden to dream. 

Legend has foretold the demise of Emperor Thedric Guderian at the  hands of a sorceress with royal blood, and the Emperor has made it his  legacy to stamp out all magic from the Sargothian Empire in favor of  primitive coal fired smelters and steam powered machines. When  Guderian’s minions discover a Dreamwielder on a seaside farmstead, a  chain of events forces Guderian’s new threat—the young Makarria—to flee  from her home and embark upon an epic journey where her path intertwines  with that of Princess Taera, her headstrong brother, Prince Caile, and  the northman Siegbjorn, who captains a night-flying airship. 

Dogging their every step is the part-wolf, part-raven sorcerer,  Wulfram, and Emperor Guderian himself, a man who has the ability to  stint magic and a vision to create a world where the laws of nature are  beholden to men and machines. Only by learning to control the power she  wields can Makarria save her newfound companions and stop the Emperor  from irreversibly exterminating both the magic in humans and their bond  with nature. 

DREAMWIELDER is available in eBook and print editions on SEPTEMBER 29, 2015. 

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Excerpt

“Hold on, what do you mean you know what to do?” Caile started to say, but Makarria ignored him and sprinted off through the tunnel toward the city before the words were halfway out of his mouth. “Get back here!” Caile yelled, but Makarria paid him no heed.

Caile snatched up his weapons with a curse and ran off in the direction of Issborg. At the edge of the cavern city, he caught sight of Makarria nearly halfway to the other side—the only movement in the entire city. The Snjaer Firan were hidden away in their homes and had closed the shutters over every window. Only the blue daylight protruding through the glacier aboe illuminated the city. Damn it all, she’s fast, Caile swore inwardly as he chased after Makarria. When he finally caught up to her at the far end of the city he grabbed her shoulder and dragged her to a halt, heavily winded.

“Stop. Wait!”

Makarria pushed his hand aside and trotted on. “Please don’t try to stop me.”

“I’m not here to stop you. I’m here to help. Now just slow down for moment and tell me what it is you think you’re going to do that a sorceresses can’t.”

They were getting close to the chambers beyond the city now and Makarria slowed to a brisk walk. “I need to get Kadar into one of the chambers.”

“All right, that’s a start. What chambers?”

“A few hundred yards down the corridor on the right, there’s a bunch of caves with doors.”

“Does it matter which one we get him into?”

“No.”

“All right,” he said again. “And what do we do after that?”

“Then I do my work. Quiet now. We’re getting close.”

Caile bristled at being shushed. “Slow down then,” he whispered. “We don’t want to rush headlong into something.”

As if on cue, a heavy concussion echoed through the cavern.

“I’ve heard that sound before,” Caile whispered. “That’s sorcerers fighting.” He left his sword sheathed and instead strung his bow and notched an arrow, remembering what Talitha had told him about trying to kill sorcerers. Surprise them. Be unpredictable.

The sound of concussions and bellowing flames grew louder and more frequent as they continued on, and before long they could hear voices, although, they could not make out the words. Talitha’s indecipherable shouts were little more than guttural moans, while Kadar’s heavily accented words were taunting in their tone. Suddenly, dark figures appeared before them, and Caile almost let loose his arrow but luckily held it back at the last moment, realizing it was the Snjaer Firan warriors who had accompanied Talitha. There were only four of them, and they all huddled close to the wall at their right.

“We’re here to help,” Makarria whispered when one of them turned back to see her and Caile approaching. “Where’s Kadar?”

“Up there,” the man said with effort, and Makarria and Caile saw that he was badly burned on one side of his face. “Talitha is trapped on the far side, below the glacier.”

“Where’s the rest of your men?” Caile asked. “I thought there were twelve of you?”

“There were.”

Caile pursed his lips and pushed his way forward past the four men to peer farther down the corridor. A torrent of flames spat forward in the distance, and for a brief moment Caile could make out Talitha’s form huddled behind a stalagmite twenty yards ahead and Kadar a little farther beyond her. Then the flames were gone and he saw only shadows again. Caile stepped back safely out of sight. “He’s got her cornered, and he’s too far away for me to get a clean look at him,” he whispered to Makarria. “How is it you think we’re going to get him into one of those caves?”

“I’ll get him into the open,” Makarria said. “When I yell, start shooting.”

“I don’t see how—” Caile started to say, but before he could get the rest of the sentence out Makarria strode forward into the middle of the corridor.

“Kadar!” Makarria yelled. “Kadar! It’s me, Makarria. Stop, please.”

“Makarria, no, get back,” Talitha’s voice rang out.

Makarria ignored her and walked on, fear in her belly. He won’t risk killing you—you’re too important to him, she told herself, but now that she was exposed, she wasn’t so certain.

Kadar peered out from his hiding spot and began laughing an oily, rodent-like laugh. “It is all right, Makarria. Yes, come to me. I would not hurt you.”

“Leave the woman alone,” Makarria said. “And then you can have me.” She stopped parallel to the first of the caves on the right. She saw in front of her the smoldering bodies of the slain Snjaer Firan warriors but quickly averted her eyes and kept her attention solely on Kadar.

“But I can kill her and still take you,” Kadar said.

“Not if I’m in the way, you can’t,” Makarria retorted, and she stepped forward to place herself firmly in the path between the two sorcerers. “Go,” she said, looking back toward Talitha.

“Are you mad?” Talitha hissed. “You’ll be killed.”

“Just go,” Makarria told her. “Trust me.”

In the distance, Kadar laughed again. “Go on. Let the little girl save you for now.”

“Go,” Makarria said again.

Talitha paused for a moment longer, then sprang from behind the stalagmite and scurried back into the cavern behind Makarria toward the others.

“My end of the bargain is met now,” Kadar said. “Now it is your turn. Come to me.”

“I’m right here. Come get me.”

Kadar stepped forward from his hiding spot, and when he spoke there was menace in his voice. “What is it you hope to accomplish, girl? Your dream powers are weak and unhoned still. I could burn you to ash or bring that ice crashing down upon your head before you even close your eyes, let alone dream.”

“Not if you want me to kill the Emperor, you can’t.”

Kadar smiled and his black teeth glimmered as he slowly stepped forward. “You are a clever girl. Too clever for your own good.”

He was almost upon her now. She waited one breath longer, then turned and sprinted away. “Now!” she screamed.

Caile stepped out into the corridor and loosed his arrow. It whizzed by Makarria’s ear, and Kadar leapt to the side, just narrowly dodging the projectile. He raised his hands to strike back, but Makarria had changed her course to run right for Caile, blocking Kadar’s line of sight. Caile fired another arrow over the top of Makarria, and this time Kadar had no choice but to jump for cover in the nearest of the chambers.

“He’s in!” Caile yelled, notching another arrow.

Makarria skidded to a halt and plopped down on her butt, facing back toward the chamber. “Keep him in there,” she said breathlessly and closed her eyes.

“I only have four arrows left—move fast,” Caile yelled, but Makarria was already halfway in her trance...

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Meet the Author

Garrett Calcaterra is author of the epic fantasy novel DREAMWIELDER, available from Diversion Books. In addition, he is author of the horror collection UMBRAL VISIONS, and co-author of the mosaic fantasy novel THE ROADS TO BALDAIRN MOTTE. His humor titles include CODE BROWN and A GOOD BREW IS HARD TO FIND. When not writing, Garrett enjoys hiking with his two dogs and quaffing good beer. Learn more at  www.garrettcalcaterra.com

Author Links:

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Sky Chariots Saga by Emily Mah

Welcome to my tour stop for Sky Chariots Saga by Emily Mah!  

This is a YA/NA high fantasy series.  This is a series tour with three books. 

The tour runs September 21 to October 2 with reviews, author interviews, guest posts and excerpts. Check out the tour page for more information.

About Restless Earth:

For over a thousand years, the Tanoa have relied on their Earth Shamen to bring rich harvests, temper stone tools and weapons, and imbue pottery with strength like metal. Now, though, the bloodline has dwindled to one Shaman, Tuwa, who is trapped high in the mountains, holding bedrock together to prevent a volcanic eruption while the rest of her people flee to safety. The only way to save the village is for her to sacrifice herself and buy them the time they need to evacuate.

But her grandson, Ahote, refuses to abandon her to die. Rather than do as she asks—marry and bear daughters who might inherit her gift—he sets out to find the one person who might be able to save Tuwa’s life.

Kasha is a Tanoa girl in who lives in Solace, a city of the pale-skinned Andalanos. If the Engineers Guild ever discovers her gender or race, they could order her execution—for in violation of the King’s law, Master Engineer Seamus trained Kasha as his apprentice. She is a genius in all things mechanical and earned her master certification when only fourteen years old. Since Seamus’s death, she has been discreetly working his job as the City Engineer.

She knows there is no machine or technology that can save Tuwa. In order to complete this task, Kasha must invent a vehicle unlike anything the world has ever seen, and risk exposure and death in the process.

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About Blessing Sky:

Master Engineer Kasha lives in hiding. As a Tanoa and a woman, she has no legal right to her title, and risks expulsion or even execution if the Guild discovers her identity. For over a year she has served as the City Engineer of the Andalano city of Solace, home to the Winged Riders and their Pegasus mounts.

Now, though, her people need her. The last of their Earth Shamen is trapped in the mountains, holding back a volcanic eruption so that the rest of her people can escape. It is a job for only the greatest of all engineers, and that happens to be Kasha.

But when her kinsman, Ahote, breaks the most sacred law of the Winged Riders, an alliance with him means certain death. Kasha must work alone to solve the most difficult engineering problem of all time before the summer months are done and winter comes to claim the life of the Shaman and the hope of her people.

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About Cleansing Fire:

Kasha has lived her life in hiding, working the job of the City Engineer of Wingmount, in a society that lets neither women, nor any member of the Tanoa race work trades. Finally, she has been offered the chance to work for her own people, who must evacuate their beloved Earth Shaman from the slopes of an active volcano. No other engineer in history could build the craft that Kasha has designed for this task: the sky chariot. However, in order to fly it, she and her cousin, Ahote, will breach the most sacred rules of the Andalanos, the pale skinned race of people who govern their nation. Once, Kasha thought she would not mind betraying them. They had only given her grief. But as she has grown in her talent for engineering, many Andalanos have supported her at great risk to themselves. Even high ranking government officials seek her counsel and beg for her aid in a costly war they fight on the coast, in a part of the kingdom Kasha has never seen and never thought she’d care about. There is no way to help one people without betraying the other, and in this society, betrayal often means death. Kasha must decide where her loyalties lie, and whether she is up to the task of saving the last shaman of her people.

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Excerpt:

As Ahote climbed in, the craft leveled itself. The seats felt flimsy as the wood bowed under his weight. Only Kasha’s confidence convinced him that this rideable kite, or “sky chariot,” would hold together. As they strapped in, the wind tugged and yanked at the great wing that spanned over their heads, sending shudders through the craft’s entire frame.

Air is a substance, like water, Ahote thought. They weren’t about to try to fly off into nothing, but rather to sail an invisible sea. Kasha had explained this, and on its face, the concept did make sense. Air could lift a kite, turn a windmill, or even create winds strong enough to destroy a wood-frame house. Still, Ahote preferred to rely on things he could see. When Kasha said that things were a certain way, she was never wrong.

Which was why he was sitting in a seat suspended below a large kite, preparing to leave the ground. He took Sky’s lines in his hands, and the brown-and-white paint Pegasus, feeling them shift against his sides, bent his neck to look back at them.

“All right,” Kasha said loud enough for her voice to carry. “Let’s go.”

Ahote took a deep breath of air scented with the slightest touch of morning dew then coaxed Sky with a slap of the lines.

The Winged responded at once, going from a standing start to a loping run. The harness lines went taut, and the chariot lurched forward with a jerk. They’d chosen the smoothest stretch of land they could find, but even still, the wooden skids on the bottom of the craft transmitted every bump and hollow. After Ahote snapped the lines again, Sky moved into a canter and then a gallop. His wings were still folded against his sides.

The chariot bounced and jostled until a gust of wind caught it and hefted it into the air. Ahote had to admit that the chill whipping across his skin and through his hair did indeed feel like a substance. The great cloth wing above them billowed out like a ship’s sail, and the ground fell away beneath them. He sucked in his breath and focused on Sky, who was still running along the ground below.

The pegasus looked back and up at his master.

“All right?” Ahote had to yell to be heard.

Kasha’s lips were pinched into a firm line, one hand gripping the wooden rail in front of them with white knuckles. With the other, she manipulated the omni-directional lever that controlled the chariot’s rudder and flaps. She gave a curt nod.

“Up, Sky!” Ahote shouted, snapping the lines a third time.

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About the Author:

Emily writes as both Emily Mah (for science fiction and fantasy) and E.M. Tippetts (for chick lit). Her short stories have appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact, The Black Gate, and anthologies like The Dragon and the Stars, Shanghai Steam, and The Change: Tales of Downfall and Rebirth.  Her E.M. Tippetts novels have been on the Amazon Top 100 numerous times, and her novel, Someone Else's Fairytale was semi-finalist for the Best Indie Book of the Year -  Kindle Book Review, and a runner up in Romance for the Best of the Independent Book Awards - eFestival of Words. She is a graduate of the Clarion West Writer's Workshop for Science Fiction and Fantasy and Viable Paradise Writers Workshop, and she often teaches the unit on self-publishing at the Taos Toolbox Writers Workshop.When she is not writing or chasing small children, she manages E.M. Tippetts Book Designs, her company which offers formatting, cover design, and editing services to authors and publishers.

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This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.