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.
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Author Guest Post
Did you have a minor character who insisted on playing a larger role in the story. If so, please tell us about it. And if not, please tell me how you get the characters in your head to behave.
Thank you, Westveil Publishing, for hosting me today!
You asked if I’ve ever had a character who insisted on a bigger role. I have to say, that would be Alesso in ‘Scales and Stingers’. Or, as my publisher dubbed him, a bad boy she loved to hate.
He was meant to be a minor character. A way to demonstrate how ingrained the hatred and prejudice for the Fallen was in Avoch. He was a means to an end; simply a tool for me to get a specific event to happen.
He had other ideas. Haha
His role grew, as I wrote the book. And one thing I saw happen was he began to question the hatred that had been his life for so long. He started to see Thia as a person, not just someone who was half Fallen and therefore a creature of evil. To the point that I toyed with pairing them together. However, it would’ve been out of character for both of them. He comes a long way, yes, but not far enough.Knowing what she does of Alesso’s past, it would’ve been almost impossible for her to ever trust him to tell her anything beyond if it was raining outside.
Alesso is far more complex than the majority of side characters. In some ways, he’s more terrifying than the main villain. Simply because he’s relatable. Readers aren’t going to like him, they’re not supposed to anyway. But you can understand why he is the way he is, why he does the things he does.
He’s the example of how we as a society can be blinded by hatred, and that we need to challenge our own perceptions of different groups. Stop seeing the differences and connect with someone on the basis that we’re all human. It’s not until he’s forced to protect her, until he has no choice to keep her safe, that he starts to see her humanity.
Is it enough to make him change course? You’ll have to read the book to find out.
About the Book
Scales and Stingers
Heroes of Avoch Book One
by K. M. Warfield
Published 8 March 2023
Creative James Media
Genre: Fantasy
Page Count: 337
Add it to your Goodreads TBR!
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
Placing the waterskin on the table, she carefully wrapped her box in its coverings. “Who’d you steal the box from?”
She stared at him. “No one. My father made it for me.”
He snorted. “You expect me to believe that? I know the work. My mother had one she prized.” She started to open her mouth and stopped as he raised his hand. “I know it’s not that one. The acorns aren’t in the same place. Still, I know the craftsman was human. There’s no way you’re related.”
“My father’s name was Bran, and he was human. He raised me on the surface. My mother was Fallen, yes, but I don’t even know her name.” She finished wrapping the box and slid it into the belt pouch. Removing her tunic, she picked up the chain shirt. “I don’t know what happened to your family, Alesso. I only know what happened to mine. He was the only family I had, and Drogon turned our village against me. Against him. The last time I saw my father, he was lying dead across the threshold of our home after the looters set it on fire.” She let the weight settle on her shoulders, then reached for the tunic. “I know you don’t like me. The feeling’s mutual. But you’re the one who asked me to accept you as my Champion.”
“You didn’t have to accept, witch,” he growled at her.
“Yes, she did.” Adam’s voice cut in.
About the Author
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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Giveaway Alert!
K. M. Warfield will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner.
a Rafflecopter giveaway| Aug 26 | The Avid Reader | Aug 26 | Author Deborah A. Bailey Blog |
| Aug 27 | Author C.A.Milson | Aug 27 | Westveil Publishing |
| Aug 27 | Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read | Aug 28 | Fabulous and Brunette |
| Aug 28 | Lisa Haselton’s Reviews and Interviews | Aug 29 | Long and Short Reviews |
| Aug 29 | Kenyan Poet | Aug 30 | Guatemala Paula Loves to Read |
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