Brand New Blog Platform

Hello! I have a brand new blog platform. HERE. I'm posting my last monthly wrap-up to make the transition easier. Please feel free to explore the new site. Thank you so much for following this one!

We did whaaat? Trains, dragons, and pageant dreams.

Because of course they all go together.

Welcome to the debut of We Did Whaaat? The blog’s monthly wrap-up.

My new site is over one month old. I’m very excited about this. When I started I almost told you what I wanted to accomplish with this blog, but I took a hint from the writer handbook and decided to show instead of tell.

How’d that go? *bites nails*

Did we laugh? Did we cry?

(A good cry or a this is horrible cry?)

Since now you all want to read more (lol), here’s a recap of some of the things we talked about.

I was pleasantly surprised by how many of you are open to embracing the ridiculously optimistic resolution for the pageant dream of world peace.

Despite intentions to the contrary, I scared and freaked you out with my ice cream truck post. I’ll just continue to apologize for that for, well, ever. If that wasn’t bad enough, I followed it up with a video of the creepiest ice cream truck ever.

I also attempted to start The Rap Revolution (I believe rapping about staplers was mentioned in the comments?). We’re still recruiting on that, in case you’re late to the party. You can never be late to the party on this blog.

We went positive and optimistic after the negativity of the internet got to me.

And I was honest about my struggle with The Worry Dragon. I was delighted with the response to that post. Although I’m still not sure if I accidentally managed an inappropriate title.

Don’t forget The Shopping Cart dance move flash mob.

Oh, and you all seemed to like Prickly: The Balloon Animal Making Porcupine. So much so that he’s a little full of himself. Now he insists on wearing shades everywhere. I told him that was so 90s. He argued that stars still do it.

Too cool for Kinley.

I realized I can be a huge thoughtless jerk. Then days later made a counteroffer by professing my sincerity. I asked my husband if he would read my post on me being sincere, but he said no, because he doesn’t read lies. *insert, oh no he didn’t, expression here*

I think a lot of you like getting angry at lime green baskets. GRRR. All together now. Free that fury on a healthy target. And look! A puppy.

How long do I have to hold this pose?

I rounded things out with a question everyone should ask their life partner and a confession about how I really feel about zombies. The Walking Dead may or may not make an appearance in that post.

And I’m pretty sure the consensus was that adult tantrum throwing is okay in the privacy of your own home and without webcams.

The top search for the blog this first month was “Adult Video”, which is completely awkward and probably what happens when you show an adult throwing a tantrum, but tag it with adult video. Lesson learned.

I really hope to create a positive community here and get to know all of you. At least four of you told me you laughed this last month, so I’m walking on air.

On the writing front, a reviewer said Draybeth and Barrett from Excuse My Fairy are kind of a modern Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth. I’m only sharing here because it kind of made my life. When I told my husband, he said I can’t post things on the internet and pretend other people wrote them. DUDE. So here’s that review, to prove it wasn’t me. And since we’re wrapping things up, just FYI, I really do love my husband, despite what I post here.

Keep up the good fight, and I hope to see you around again. They’re trying to stop the train, but I just keep chugging.

Thank you so much for all the support this first month. I hope the best is yet to come. Your feedback has been great, and I can’t wait to hear from you.

May the strange rock on.

Kinley Baker (@kinleybaker)

A New Series. A New Attitude. Excuse My Fairy Release Day!

Welcome! Long time no see. I'm working on changing blog platforms, which is why you haven't seen me around. But I wanted to let you know that Book One of the new Misbehaving Magics series just released yesterday. Excuse My Fairy is fun, feisty and fierce. If you don't mind inappropriate humor and swearing, you might enjoy. Please check out the blurb and excerpt below to see if it's your style.

Excuse My Fairy Blurb: 

Her magic breaks all the rules. He breaks all of hers.

Draybeth is broken. Her fairy powers don’t work, her magic is completely dysfunctional, and not even her bad attitude and soft heart can win her back into Fairy favor. Exiled from their land, she struggles to make a life for herself in the human world. But when her bar burns to the ground and she meets one of the Impassables--the devastating Lawman Barrett--things become even more of a struggle. An arrest, murder, and abduction challenge everything she’s worked for, and worse, the Impassable Lawman appears to be her destined mate. But darkness stirs deep within Dray’s heart, and she’s not about to drag the gorgeous lawman down with her.

Barrett never expected to find himself mated to a fairy, let alone one with such a wicked temper and a short fuse. Being an Impassable, he should be immune to fairy magic, but Dray’s magic burns through him like lightning, just as everything else about her ignites him, body and soul. The fairy’s power over Impassables threatens everything this new realm was built upon, and as a Lawman, Barrett’s job is to make sure those threats are eliminated. But his feelings for Dray make him question just where his duty lies.

Add as To-Read on Goodreads! CLICK HERE. 

Buy Links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ All Romance eBooks

Excuse My Fairy Excerpt:

A scream echoed down the hallway and reached Barrett at his desk. He knew they didn’t have a banshee in the vicinity, which always required extra precautions, but his eardrums had never met a sound more sinister than the bellow ringing in his ears.

Captain Syd stormed into the station room, his gaze locked on Barrett.

“Your fairy is driving everyone mad.”

Yep, Barrett had guessed right. His mate was causing a scene. Looked like Barrett would be forced to deal with the consequences.

The rest of the men and women at their desks studied his confrontation with the captain. They weren’t missing any details.

They all knew the fairy was Barrett’s problem, which would reasonably lead anyone to believe the two of them were involved in a relationship. Barrett’s place in the hierarchy among the men just dropped. He was probably going to lose his job.

Barrett pushed back from his desk. “I’ll go talk to her.” Damage control time. Maybe it wasn’t all over.

Captain Syd’s hot breath smacked him in the face. “You better not just talk to her. You better silence her!”

Barrett rarely heard the captain yell. This situation wasn’t going to be easy on anyone. Super.

With a scowl, Barrett headed for Dray. The woman had a sharp hook sunk into his chest. No matter how hard he tried to wiggle free of the catch, the hold buried deeper. She was his problem now. The captain had made the truth public.

Barrett strode toward the prisoner cells. The moment he entered the room, the fairy stopped screaming. He walked right up and glared at her. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Thank the heavens.” The hag two cells down stopped rubbing her temples.

Barrett chose to ignore the older woman.

Dray blinked at him, as wide-eyed and innocent as a doe. Barrett knew well enough not to be fooled.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” Barrett’s own anger mounted.

“Tell me.” Dray threw the words out as though she didn’t have a care in the world.

“Everyone knows you’re my responsibility now.” His heart thudded at the admission. The statement wouldn’t go over well with his mate.

Dray’s eyes flared. “Embarrassed?”

That wasn’t even close to what Barrett felt. He had no idea how to put the chaos inside his chest into words. “You’re not making it easy to like you.”

“Ha! Feeling’s mutual.”

He should have known she would throw the sentiment back in his face. “I’m not your biggest fan, either, sugar.”

Dray snorted. “You couldn’t possibly dislike me as much as I dislike you.”

Now it was personal. “Listen, Beth—”

Her eyes bugged at the nickname. He’d seen her full name on her record.

He smirked. “If you think you can come into my station and run that sassy mouth like the Second Ending is coming and the world will parish without hearing your wisdom, you’re sadly mistaken. I should lock you up for the simple reason that someone thought it was a nice idea to match your surly little temper with those soft and sexy curves.”

Her mouth dropped open.

Using his index finger, he brushed his calloused skin against her soft chin and pushed up so her lips pressed together again. And in that insane moment, he wanted to kiss her.

She smacked his hand. Pain sizzled along his nerves. “If you ever touch me again, I’ll castrate you with my fingernails.”

He looked down at her short, efficient nails, and then back up at her. “You’re welcome to try.”

Her eyes flared, her power shifting behind her gaze. It had been a long time since he’d seen someone this riled. The little firecracker in front of him was set to burst.

“You’re just like every man I’ve ever met.” Dray turned her back on him.

Barrett couldn’t stop the spike of jealousy. How many men had there been? “You’re nothing like every woman I’ve met.” No one else drove him to this level of ball-busted crazy.

Dray’s shoulders hunched, and he couldn’t get a read on her. She refused to continue their conversation, and that was fine with him. He worried about what he might snap at her in his current mood.

His mobile buzzed, a welcomed distraction, and he quickly read the message.

“Jiva’s here to bail you out.” He had no idea how Jiva had known where her friend was. He hadn’t known how to get a hold of the succubus.

Dray continued to stare at the back wall. Barrett couldn’t see any part of her face. A moment of helplessness overwhelmed him. What was he supposed to do with this fairy? He had no idea how to proceed. “Be careful.” He couldn’t prevent himself from warning her. “Don’t go anywhere alone. The soul-sucker is still out there.” He’d never forgive himself if something happened to her, even if his temper peaked at his max.

She didn’t glance back or acknowledge him.

“Please, be careful.” His words scratched from a dry throat.

A long silence stretched. “I don’t need you to protect me.”

Her words struck him in the gut. Air puffed out of him. Rejection raged through him, uncontained. Wasn’t that the point? The little fairy didn’t need him at all. He chose to walk away then. She’d made it clear she wanted nothing to do with him. Maybe he would make it easy on her and just walk away for good.

He turned his back. No matter how much he wanted to give up on their torrid relationship, that wouldn’t be possible. It looked like they would both have to see this through to the end, whether that end included happiness or death.

Thank you for reading! And come hang out with me on Twitter (@kinleybaker). I want to hear what you all are up to. I'll be posting the address to the new blog soon. I think I'll launch in January.

Kinley

I'm gifting free copies of Freed to your Kindle!

CONTEST CLOSED
You all rock! Thank you for making this so fun! I will definitely being doing more things like this in the future. Stay tuned. :-)

***

I have a confession to make. Sometimes in my real life I am completely oblivious. I get lost in my fantasy worlds and then one day something happens like me saying to my husband: "I didn't know we had a Swiffer WetJet." And then in response my husband rolls his eyes and says: "We've had that for years." So because this is my life (and for some reason I still can't figure out my husband signed up for this crazy train), I've come to accept that sometimes I am slow on the draw. And that is okay! We're all individual and strange. Normal is boring. This is my long introduction to my contest.

I'm giving away free books! First come, first serve, or until my husband yells "Stop spending money!" Kidding... He hardly ever yells.

Contest is over. Thank you!

Add in your own celebrations in the comments! I count anything since June, since that's how far behind I am on celebrating.

These events are what inspired the madness!

HAPPY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY, RUINED! (July 17)

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, HUSBAND! (June 21--I think)

HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY DENIED! (July 2)

HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY FREED! (July 16)

At some point I will close this contest. Let's have fun while it lasts. The number of copies will probably be limited to 50.

Thank you for visiting and go read a good book! It doesn't have to be mine. Lol.

-Kinley (@kinleybaker)

New Crescent Moon Press Releases: Not Your Average Fairy Tale and Practically Dreaming

Please help me celebrate Crescent Moon Press's latest releases!

Not Your Average Fairy Tale Blurb:

Ash Summerland has it all–good looks, popularity, and the best grades at The Academy of Magical Beings. Ready to complete his last assignment in order to graduate, Ash is confident he will get the apprenticeship he wants. When he opens the letter from the Council, he is shocked to discover he has been assigned to apprentice Lady Shenelle, Keeper of Happy Endings. A.K.A. the head fairy godmother. Ash is forced to grant three wishes to a troubled human girl named Kendall, and ultimately give her a "happy ever after". But Kendall turns out to be more than he bargained for. Still grieving over her father's death, Kendall doesn't want anything to do with him. And worst of all, she doesn't believe in happy endings.

BUY LINK

Practically Dreaming Blurb:

In a Zodiac-based world, finding a mate is easy. Falling in love is the hard part.

Astrology influences almost everything, from career choice to where people live. Even romantic matches are based solely on astrological compatibility and determined by the infallible Council of Venus.

Animal psychic Tierra has every reason to trust the Council—save one. Her match with fellow Virgo, Evander, works better on paper than in person. But she stubbornly hangs on, believing their relationship will grow and develop, all the while trying to rationalize her feelings for Lachlan.

Veterinarian and Reiki master, Lachlan, hides a secret, which has kept him single for more than two years. This Pisces dreams of a happily ever after with Tierra, but believes it’s impossible for him.

Tierra and Lachlan must confront their doubts, differences, and society’s belief in the Council. Will they defy the odds and choose each other? Does astrological certainty eclipse the chance to fall in love?

Biography

Jennifer has been writing since she was in middle school. When she discovered romance novels in junior high, she knew she wanted to write them someday. Her writing remained a hobby while she studied biology and forensic DNA science. She worked as a molecular biologist and published cancer research before finally leaving the lab and taking up her laptop full time.

She currently lives in Northern Virginia with John, her husband of sixteen years. John is a professional tarot card reader and astrologer. John and Jen have three children who happen to be cats: Josephine, Morgana Madison, and Luna. Jo is a beautiful black Siamese mix who rules the house. MoMo is a possessive Scottish Fold who loves to knead Jen’s hair. Luna is the baby, an affectionate Scottish Fold who thinks her name is "Cute."

Jen’s website, blog, and contact information can be found at www.jennifer-wells.com.

BUY LINK

Release Day for Freed - A Shadowed Love Story ~ Excerpt & 99 Cent Novella!

Please help me celebrate my latest new release. It's release week for Freed, a Shadowed Love novella. It's only 99 cents at Amazon and it's the story of how the Shadow Shifters discovered the Realm of Shadows. And it's also the love story of King Falon and Queen Ella, the royals who find a way to save the Well of Souls. Please check out this special excerpt below. 

Thank you!

BLURB:

After mortal invaders slay a Shadow Shifter woman, Queen Ella knows there is more blood on the horizon. As the most powerful Sensitive in the village, Ella has always known she’s destined to save the kingdom. But her task seems impossible. She must move the Well of Souls to a new realm to save her people or risk failing the Ancestor gods.

The woman King Falon loves will never love him back, despite a binding marriage built on regal decorum. Falon’s first duty is to his people, and he only wants to provide the Shadow Shifters with a safe future. He must assert his power to gain the respect of the warriors.

Harder still, King Falon must accept the salvation of his people lies with his own Queen Ella, a woman who speaks madness... a woman he’s always loved, but hardly knows.

EXCERPT

Chapter One

The Mortal Realm, 657

King Falon looked up at the darkening sky, and a heavy burden settled inside his chest. Where were their Ancestor gods?

From his castle balcony, he stared over the hills of his homeland in Northern Britain, the place the Shadow Shifters had always called home. Their history and their hearts were embedded in these lands.

The mortals had always been a danger, but his people had escaped their persecution. That was no longer the case. The martyrs wanted to annihilate the Shadow Shifters, a race who thrived in the darkness, who thrived in the shadows, who thrived in the night.

Holy believers were coming for them, without any understanding of what they attempted to fight. The Shadow Shifter village had remained protected on these hills, with their Ancestor gods watching over them. Now, their existence was threatened.

“It isn’t your fault.” The sound of Pavel’s voice came from behind him.

Falon couldn’t bear to face his oldest friend and advisor. “Then whose is it?”

“We knew we couldn’t stay hidden here forever.”

“Why must they attack during my reign? Why must this fall to me?” He sighed. “For centuries, peace existed for our people.”

 New to the throne, newly wed, newly orphaned. Too many firsts weighed on his shoulders. He didn’t know how to handle the burden.

Pavel seemed to read his mind. “The Ancestors would never give you this challenge if they didn’t believe you capable of discovering a way to provide for our people.”

His friend had so much faith in bodiless apparitions. As the Spirit Teacher, perhaps Pavel had to have faith. But Falon struggled. He’d always struggled.

“That girl--” He couldn’t finish. Seeing the mutilated body of one of his people had made bile rise to his throat. His people had looked to him for answers, and he’d nearly crumbled in front of them.

“You did your duty per our traditions and honored her family.”

Falon had done his duty, but the young girl’s face. He’d never forget it.

“When do you think they’ll come?”

Pavel sighed. “After their savagery, it could be this night, it could be a fortnight. I do not have the answers.”

“We must prepare the Warriors.” To stop his people from being destroyed.

“Then you’ll fight?”

“What other choice do I have?” He glared at his friend, freeing his frustration.

“None that you see.”

“I don’t have time for riddles.”

Pavel smiled. “You never did.”

“I’ll do whatever’s necessary to protect our lands and the Well of Souls. We can’t afford to allow the mortals access to our sacred power source.”

“I trust you’ll do what you must.”

His friend might have too much faith. Falon studied their lands for another long moment, watching the sun fall into the lure of the mountains.

“Of course I will.” But when he glanced back again, Pavel was gone. He had a way of disappearing.

Falon knew he couldn’t dwell on the events of the past week. A young girl was gone, killed by bloodthirsty strangers, but the rest of his people remained. He could not allow her tragic death to befall the whole.

He strode through his private chambers to an adjoining room, deciding not to use the shadows to shift so he could take a deep breath and collect himself. After passing through the doorway, he came to an abrupt halt.

His breath caught at the sight before him. A woman of supreme elegance stood in the last flickers of light, staring out at the disappearing sun from her balcony.

Heavy, thick robes lined her luscious form. Beautiful velvet in a rich blue color fit snugly to her curves. A crown of entwined flowers sat proud atop her head. Her delicate profile showed her true regal magnificence.

Light hair curled down long and brushed against the fabric of her dress. She stood, ethereal, like an Ancestor goddess in his midst. Perfect. Untouchable. Supposedly his.

She didn’t turn to look at him, although he knew she always knew when he entered the room. This was a woman of ultimate power, the strongest Sensitive in the kingdom. And one of only a few in the village who seemed to glow with magic.

So soft. So kind. So distant.

She was his wife. His queen.

And so far out of reach. He wanted her with a desperation that made him ache. But he often thought his wanting of her would be the death of him. He couldn’t allow it to be the death of his kingdom.

“We’re expected for the evening meal.” His tone was rigid.

Her stance remained the same, as if she couldn’t hear him.

“Ella,” he said.

She didn’t move.

Ella made him question himself in a way no one ever had. As a royal and now a king, he wasn’t used to scrutiny. No one seemed able to read his shortcomings as easily as his wife.

His patience frayed. Defiance was not a battle he needed to wage this day. Especially against the one woman who was supposed to stand by him always. Newly married and he’d already learned. The wife he’d married for love would never love him back. And she’d never be on his side.

***

War. Ella’s blood boiled with the truth. The scent of blood drifted on the horizon. As the sun faded behind the mountains, her people’s safety faded with it. She felt this truth as surely as she felt her nails curling into her palms.

Loss. The wind swirled with it. Inevitable sacrifices lingered in their future, but she couldn’t define what they risked. Everything inside her yearned to place the pieces into a discernible pattern, something she could give to the king to use. But for the first time in her life, answers eluded her.

Were the Ancestors punishing her? She stared into the angry gray clouds and questioned. Something she’d rarely had to do. As a Sensitive, she’d always known the truth. Not now. Everything was changing, evolving, yielding, one day into the next, a whirlwind she couldn’t stop.

Despair. She could feel the pain in the air, like a blade suspended in time, destined to kill through the ages, destined to harm. A tear slid down her cheek. She was supposed to save her people. She’d always known it. But how?

***

Thank you for reading the excerpt! If you'd like to read more, Freed is available on Amazon for 99 cents!

Buy Freed at Amazon

Denied (Shadowed Love Book Two) Release Day!

Thank you for your support of the Shadowed Love Series! It's Denied's release day and I hope you enjoy the story of Caleb and Tabitha! Head over to Amazon to download a free preview.

When invaders brutally massacred the women and children of the Varner, Caleb witnessed loss and destruction on a scale few can comprehend. As the leader of a race on the brink of extinction, his only hope for survival is gaining acceptance into the Shadow Shifter Kingdom. Struggling with new customs, he meets Tabitha, a woman who challenges his limits.

Refused the right to join the king's guard because of her gender, Tabitha must be stronger than the men to prove she deserves to be the first accepted female Warrior in the kingdom. She believes Caleb will help improve her abilities, until she learns her goals conflict with the foundation of his culture.

When the realm is attacked, Tabitha and Caleb must come together not only to fight, but to find the strength to win against an evil with the potential to destroy everything they revere most--including each other.

BUY LINKS

Amazon Kindle

Amazon Paperback

Barnes & Noble Paperback

A Midsummer Night's Blog Hop!

Welcome to the blog! Today, we have a post in honor of A Midsummer Night's Blog Hop! Special thanks to Wendy Russo for organizing this event.

We have characters interviewing characters, and I think they turned out great. Please be sure to visit all the participating sites, and I'd like to welcome Krystal Wade to this site, whose stories sound excellent.

---

The Interviews!

---

Gregor Caine + Circe (Christine Ashworth & Claire Gillian)

Sydney + Poseidon (Cindy Young-Turner & Sasha Summers)

Caleb + Arland and Kate (Kinley Baker & Krystal Wade)

Leigh Baxton + Micah Fuller (Lindsay Loucks & Diane M. Haynes)

Shayla Dormyr + Kara Magari (Raven Bower & S.M. Boyce)

Kellyn O’Brien + Julianna (Louann Carroll & Siobhan Muir)

Ivory + Sara Wiley (Rebecca Hamilton & Sandra Bunino)

Xylia and Landon + Avant (Avery Olive & Kary Rader)

Asar + Matty Ducayn (Jean Murray & Wendy Russo)

THE INTERVIEW

Arland: Nice to meet you, Caleb. Kate tells me we have many things in common. If your Tabitha is anywhere near as headstrong as her, I know you must be exhausted trying to keep her safe.

Caleb: We share a similar history. Sorry to hear about the loss of your people. The women and children of my race were slaughtered in a savage invasion, so I know how hard it is to lead when it feels like there is little hope. And yes, keeping Tabitha safe is exhausting.

Tabitha: Oh please. Don't listen to him, Arland. We keep each other safe. Nice to meet you, Kate. Don't you dislike when the men talk about us as though we aren't here?

Kate: Honestly, this is the first time he's ever done that. I'll make him pay . . . somehow.

Arland clears his throat: I believe the point here is how our two worlds are similar, and eerily so. We suffered a daemonic invasion twenty years ago. Knowledge of my duty to Kate was the only thing that kept me going after they murdered my mother.

Kate: And he had to keep me a secret, even after I arrived. Did you lose anyone close to you during the invasion, Caleb?

Caleb: None of my family during the invasion. But watching the men who lost their destined mates was painful for all of us. We experienced their loss with them. None of those men will ever take another woman as their own again. I did lose someone later on.

Tabitha: You don't have to talk about it, Caleb. They'll read Ruined if they want to know more, since it's so painful for you to talk about.

Caleb: Let us talk no more of loss. How about the two of you tell us how you met.

Tabitha: Oh, that's a good question! How did you two meet, Kate? And aren't you glad they don't usually talk about us like we aren't here? I would never be able to handle that.

Kate: He'd be in deep trouble if he always did that. And about our meeting . . . well, it is kind of embarrassing. I'd just found myself alone, scared, and worried my best friend Brad was going to die. I went in search of answers but found food. I loaded a plate and turned around to take some to my friend and bumped right into Arland. I couldn't believe the man I'd dreamed about for six years stood in front of me—

Arland: We met before then, Kate.

Kate: But how am I supposed to remember that? I was two-days old, and my parents were about to escape to Earth.

Arland: I remember our first meeting clearly.

Kate: He was five. So, we have different memories. What about the two of you? And what was the hardest obstacle you had to overcome?

Caleb: I found Tabitha training in the woods. I’d never seen a woman wield a blade with such skill. She was extraordinary. I knew then that she was mine. Simple.

Tabitha: Ha! There was nothing simple about it. In Caleb's culture, the women didn't even touch weapons, which is similar to the Shadow Shifter Kingdom where I grew up. He didn't want me to fight, and there was a lot of conflict. A lot.

Caleb: Maybe not simple. But I still knew you were mine.

Tabitha: Well, we figured it out, but I can't believe you would call anything about the experience simple. This relates to my hardest obstacle. As the first female Warrior in the kingdom who wanted to be accepted as a Guard, I had to prove I was stronger than the men in order to be accepted. Actually, I overcome a lot in Denied, but some of it's kind of personal and probably best left for you to read, where I don't have to see your reactions.

Caleb: Yes, you did. And my hardest obstacle was saving my people and being denied over and over by circumstances.

Tabitha: What challenges did you two face during the early parts of your relationship?

Kate: My identity would have tipped off a few people of my arrival into Encardia, and that would've been a bad thing. So, Arland kept me, and his feelings for me, a secret.

Arland: All while trying to discover her magic. Her prophecy stated she would become the most powerful Draíochtan of our time and overcome Darkness, but she was scared and confused, and to an extent, so was I. From my prophecy, I knew Kate needed protection, but I did not realize how underprepared she was.

Kate: If my mom had shared anything about my true life with me, maybe it wouldn't have been so difficult. I'll let the readers figure that one out. Next to finding my powers, learning to control them and my emotions were the biggest obstacles.

Arland: By the way, Tabitha, Kate is fairly handy with a sword.

Tabitha: We should practice together. That's my weapon of choice.

Caleb: She's better with a sword than an arrow.

Tabitha: Caleb! Don't tell them that story.

Caleb: Fine. It's not like they can't read it anyway. Denied outlines the whole amusing event.

Tabitha: Well, they'll just have to read it then. Kate, tell us one thing we should all know about Arland.

Kate: Sounds like you and I should swap embarrassing archery stories, but definitely not today!

Arland: I believe she asked about me.

Kate: Ahh. Yes. Arland loves his people, deeply, maybe as much as he loves me. Protecting me and saving Encardia are two things he will never give up on, and sometimes he beats himself up when he doesn't think he's doing enough. Do you guys have time for one more question? Just a teensy little question?

Arland: No matter your answer, she will ask.

Kate: He's right. So, if the war was over, and you could go anywhere in the world, where would that be, and what does it look like there?

Caleb: I can answer that one. After years of traveling the realms, I know exactly where I'd go. It's a realm full of shadows and darkness, greenery and fresh waters. There is struggle there and things are not always easy, but the kingdom has a lot of heart.

Tabitha: Sounds like the Shadow Shifter Kingdom.

Caleb: That's right. I wouldn't want to go anywhere else.

Tabitha: Me neither. It was so nice talking to you, Kate and Arland. We definitely have a lot in common and your story sounds great. Can't wait to hear more about it. As a last question, why don't you both tell us one of your favorite moments in the story, or at least give a little hint?

Kate: The moment I discovered my magic—

Arland: Or what fuels it. That was my favorite moment as well, but we should not give away any details.

Kate: We definitely need to allow the readers to discover this scene for themselves. The details are too intimate to share. Thank you so much for sitting down with us. Hopefully we'll do this again soon.

***

Thank you for reading our interview! I hope you enjoyed it.

***

Wilde's Fire is out now! Wilde's Army releases July 4th! Check them out and find out more information about Krystal here: www.krystalwade.blogspot.com.