Blog Tour: SONG OF THE ADOËL

SONG OF THE ADOËL 

Kevin King

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GENRE:  YA Fantasy Adventure

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BLURB:

Raendel is one of the Adoël, the cursed people. Passed on to each generation, the curse drains his body of color, leaving his skin and hair a ghostly white. To protect himself from the commoners who fear what they don’t understand, all of the Adoël live as servants to the royal family, using their unique skill with illusion magic to entertain bored nobility. Raendel is bound by traditions, but also by his own lack of self-confidence. Prince Kenan is the younger of two princes, frustrated by his gilded cage and the combat tutoring that feels pointless in a secure and peaceful kingdom. He dreams of adventure, of making a name for himself with heroic deeds. An unexpected assault from an ancient enemy sets the two on a quest that begins as pursuit of vengeance, but soon leads them into a struggle for survival that will teach them both that they are small pieces of a long, dark history. But even the smallest actions can change the fate of a kingdom.

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EXCERPTS:

Raendel wove through the room with practiced ease, gliding between isolated clumps of noblemen scattered across the room, passing the time with idle gossip as they waited for the guest of honor to arrive. His gaze flicked along the way in front of him, choosing the path that would keep him farthest away from the guests. Most of them wore enough perfume to give him a headache from five yards away. The enhanced sense of smell shared by the Adoël only added to Raendel’s trepidation. All the nobles stank of pride. The smell of fear drifted in clouds, especially near visitors who had never seen one of the Adoël before. Raendel spent most of his day inside the castle, serving Prince Kenan.

His distinctive features would have drawn stares even without the stories. The name Adoël had been used to frighten children for generations.  Mothers would clutch their children as he passed in the street. Don’t go outside at night or the Adoël will get you. Don’t wander into the woods, the Adoël will catch you and suck the life out of you. Each passing generation believed the stories a bit more than their parents. To encounter an Adoël in person resurrected the terrors planted in the hearts of children now grown. 

Whispers swirled in his wake. Ghost-child. Cursed. Tainted. Touched by the Necromancer. Raendel had heard them all before, but he still flinched with every sting.

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Interview:

Where are you from? Tell us a little about yourself!

My dad was in the US Army, which is why I was born in Germany, but we moved back to the US when I was a few months old. Then we lived a couple of different places, but the first place I remember is southeast Texas. We moved to south Louisiana before I started school, and stayed there until I graduated HS. I’ve visited and lived in several other places since then, including Quito Ecuador for eighteen months.

My favorite thing about different places is the food. I love trying local foods, but Cajun food will always be a favorite.


Tell us about your book? How did it get started?
In my twenties I had a job interpreting in a public school. Whenever I had nothing to interpret, during tests or other desk work, I had nothing else to do but daydream. One of my daydreams turned into a cool story, and I decided I should write it. I always loved reading, but I knew nothing about writing at that time. I just jumped in and started writing. I got about a third of the way in, got stuck, and gave up. Ten years later I found the file on an old hard drive and decided to finish it. I got it done, but it was terrible. I tried pitching it to publishers and nobody wanted it. So I gave up again. Years later, in 2014, I moved to Seattle area and found a writing group. I started going to writing conferences and critiques, learned to write, and fixed it. It only took me twenty years. 🙂



How do you create your characters?

I start with the story, and let the characters grow out of it. I didn’t plan it this way, didn’t really think about it, but I have a catalog of characters in my brain from reading so much and from people I know. When I need a character to fill a certain role, I pull characters from that pool and patch together what I need. I try to pay attention to why people behave a certain way, and give my characters a setting or backstory so their personality makes sense. I try to give them more than one personality trait, to make them whole people. I develop their personalities as I write, then I go back and make them consistent when I do revisions.


What inspires and what got you started in writing?

Reading. I’ve always loved stories. I think what inspires me most in stories is the exploration of human nature. Stories of people enduring, overcoming, persevering. Stories that make me want to be a better person, and that show me how.


Where do you write? Is there something you need in order to write (music, drinks?)

I write anywhere, but prefer quiet places. If there is too much other noise I might listen to music to cover it. I do enjoy a good drink while writing, but it’s not essential. Coffee, tea, soda, alcohol – depending on the mood.


How do you get your ideas for writing?
Daydreams, to start. I just let my mind wander, telling itself stories, until something strikes me. Then I start building on that initial idea. I get all my ideas during times when my mind has nothing else to distract it.


What do you like to read?

My favorite is epic fantasy, but I also enjoy certain classics (Victor Hugo, John Steinbeck), mysteries, thrillers, sci-fi, some horror. Anything that transports me to another world and connects me with interesting characters. The only genre I’m not into at all is romance.


What would your advice to be for authors or aspiring in regards to writing?

Read, in whatever your preferred format, as much as you can. Read the best books you can find in the genre you want to write, and read craft books. Find groups of writers, preferably in your genre but you can learn from anyone. Write what you love, just for your own enjoyment. Know that most of what you write will not be great literature, and that’s okay. It still has value. If you want to publish, study the craft, and most importantly listen to feedback and keep improving your work. Practice giving good feedback to other writers, both as a way of giving back to the community and also because reviewing other author’s works will help you improve your own. Comparing yourself to others is inevitable, but don’t give up just because you think someone else’s writing is better. Your writing is better than you think it is, and even if someone else’s really is better, you still have something to offer that nobody else does. Your writing can always improve, and it will improve, as long as you don’t give up. Someone will love your work, and that makes it all worthwhile.

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AUTHOR BIO:

Kevin works as a software developer in the Seattle area by day, and an author by night. He enjoys Renaissance Fairs, bookstores, fencing, and daydreaming. He has been reading fantasy from age six, and writing from age twenty-two. He loves exploring fantasy worlds, especially exploring human nature through fiction. Fantasy is his first love, but he also dabbles in sci-fi, creepy horror, and devastatingly sad dramas. He posts regular flash fiction stories to his Instagram account and website.

Website: www.kevinkingauthor.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevinkingauthor/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevinKingAuthor

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KevinKingAuthor

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/KevinKingAuthor

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

Kevin King will award a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

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