In Love Chosen, dragons and fae have peacefully co-existed, but the fae themselves have lived segregated and very different lives. Why have the fae chosen to live apart?
The fae live segregated from each other in that there are those with majic, and those without. The fae were created when the First Dragon shared her blood with a mortal; and because of the dragon blood, all fae are near immortal…but the majic abilities only present in some fae. Over time, the chasm between those with power and those without grew until it became a social issue.
Why have a Queen’s guard, Tyler, and a rebellious outlaw, Issie, joined forces to defeat a common enemy of both dragons and fae? Why them and not others?
Well, Tyler is the Queen’s most trusted guard, and the political structure is delicate at the moment. The Queen doesn’t trust her High Council, she feels someone there might be involved and she worries these murders are meant to stir discontent among the masses. She needs discretion. Issie is somehow connected to the killings…
Issie fears that Tyler will learn she uses majic to help less fortunate escape the kingdom. Why is escape a good thing for those people? What kind of life will they face outside? Why would Tyler object to his action?
The Lowers, the fae without majic, live in abject poverty while their goods and services go to maintain the Uppers’ lavish lifestyles of leisure. If they can get beyond the Ierocks Mountains, they can have a chance at lives that are more than just survival for servitude. The one pass out is guarded; but more than that, this is the only life they’ve ever known. Most would never dream of leaving what the First Dragon desired. Issie has to help them escape a mind-set as well as the High Council’s laws. Tyler would object to this because it goes against their beliefs, their laws…it’s treasonous thought.
What will he personally gain from a relationship with her and vice versa, her with him?
Well, in the beginning he doesn’t think there’s anything he could possibly gain from a relationship with her, and she thinks he’s…well, given a choice of talking to him or licking dragon phlegm out of a puddle, she’d be hard pressed to choose. When they’re forced together, though, Tyler can calm Issie and he teaches her so many things about herself. At the same time, Issie challenges Tyler’s beliefs, she strengthens him in areas he really needs to grow. They complement each other.
How could a binding love help Tyler and Issie save her life and their world?
I don’t want to give specifics about them. However, in the bigger scheme of things, The Fae Dragon Chronicles deals with prejudice and intolerance. In Love Chosen, Issie’s love helps sway Tyler’s bigotry. I remember hearing as a child that change begins with one person. So, Issie’s love for Tyler, and his love for her, begin to change the tide of prejudice, ignorance, and intolerance—all of which go hand in hand—in their world. However, it’s a slow process…
Briefly describe the magical systems of your world. How do those who are empowered gain their abilities?
As I said in question 1, the First Dragon’s blood flows through all fae, making them near immortal. However, the fae originally were mere mortals. So, when the First Dragon DNA mixed with human DNA, it caused a mutation in the genetic makeup. Some mutations were greater than others; sometimes the proteins lay dormant, much like the color blue in human eyes. Of course, the fae don’t know this, as it’s a pre-industrial world. They are fairly spiritual, and believe the First Dragon willed some to have power, to be the ones chosen to ride the dragons and take care of them. They believe those without majic exist to care for those with power, so they can concentrate on the dragons. There are Majic Trials to test the fae younglings for power, and any youngling can enter the Majic Trials.
Love Chosen
The Fae Dragon Chronicles
Book One
By Marne Ann Kirk
By Marne Ann Kirk
Genre: Fantasy
Romance
Publisher: Crescent Moon Press
ISBN: 978-1937254490
ASIN: 978-1-937254-50-6
Number of pages: 277
Word Count: 86,100 words
Book Description:
For millennia,
dragon and fae have peacefully co-existed, but the fae themselves have lived
segregated and very different lives.
Now a malevolence
threatens to separate them all permanently. Can a Queen's guard and a
rebellious outlaw join forces to defeat this common enemy?
Tyler's touch
sparks fierce desire, drawing Issie to him, but she despises his way of life
and all that palace society represents. If he learns she wields majic to help
the less fortunate escape the kingdom, he'll charge her with treason. Her
punishment - death.
Issie is a sassy
rebel who is constantly looking for ways to circumvent the conventions of their
society. Tyler's head warns that she's a non-majical lower, beneath him. His
heart sees by her inner strength and outer beauty. Only a binding love will
lend them strength to save her life - their world.
Love Chosen Short
Excerpt:
Tyler pushed his way through the
onlookers. They reeked of sex and sweat. The foul odor made his eyes water and
his vision blur as he forced his way to the front of the crowd, almost stepping
on the female lying in a heap on the floor. He turned, saw his guards at the
rear of the crowd, and addressed the unfortunate Lowers. “Leave now.”
He turned back to the scene,
expecting them to follow his orders. Disgust filled him as he assessed the
scene. Blood pooled on the bed where two bodies laid holding each other. The
heads from both bodies were missing. He wouldn’t bother searching for them now.
He wouldn’t find them. The killer, it seemed, liked to keep the heads as
trophies.
Tyler sighed, becoming aware again
of the others crowding the room. When he found those heads, he’d find the sick
bastard who did this.
“But what ‘bout Lenore?”
“I ‘eard Issie scream.”
“She all right?”
One chattered over the next in their
efforts to find out what happened. They weren’t listening to him.
His eye twitched. He hated when that
happened.
How could he make these dullards
leave? Did they not see the violent murders on the bed? Or did they not care?
Were their lives so barren and meaningless, death didn’t bother them?
His gaze fell on the female at his
feet. Her face covered by her mass of honeyed tresses, she lay in a limp pile,
her robes undone and revealing a creamy swell of ample breast.
The two victims in the bed were
beyond help, but this unconscious female held the concern of the others.
He knelt by her side and lifted her
in his arms. She smelled clean, like moss and sea air, instead of the sweaty
body he’d expected. Her hair caressed his arm when he stood with her nestled to
his chest. It fell like a lowered curtain and hung almost to his knees. A
waterfall of honey.
She felt right in
his arms; her neck fit into the crook of his shoulder, her breath warmed his
chest like she belonged there.
Where had such a
thought come from? He didn’t associate with the powerless Lower class. Ever.
He pushed aside a
rising need to draw her even nearer.
Tyler faced the
crowd again. “As you can see, she sleeps. She’s not injured. Now go. All of
you.” He fixed a few of them with the glacial silver stare which always yielded
results. “Go back to your beds. I’m Tyler, of the High Council. My warriors
will take care of this.”
“But, Issie. Is she
hurt?” one barmaid asked, wrapping her arms around her waist as if she feared
retching.
“You, take me to
Issie’s rooms. The rest of you, go. She’ll be fine.” Or at least I’ll be, if
I can have some quiet to think.
“But--”
”What ‘bout Lenore?
She pass through the gates?”
Everyone began
speaking at once, like a gathering of Lower younglings after a sweet. They had
no regard for his orders. Such disrespect was unacceptable. He had to get this
under control.
”Go,” he roared,
silencing the room.
The crowd shuffled
down the hall and disappeared behind different doors. Bits of conversation--
“Can’t believe Lenore’s gone,” and “who could do such a thing?” --floated back
to him.
Who indeed? The fae were
peaceful caretakers for the dragons. Murder didn’t happen among them. It was a
coarse crime of the mortals--until three moons ago. And now, it had happened
again--to another messenger and another whore-maid.
Marne Ann Kirk grew
up wild, exploring the vast high deserts and mountains of the West with her
family as a child. Marne Ann loved making up stories and, well, lied about just
about everything. Thankfully, she grew out of the lying stage...now she calls
it story-telling.
Her debut novel,
“Love Chosen: Book One of The Fae Dragon Chronicles,” is available now. “Love
Dared: Book Two of The Fae Dragon Chronicles,” is coming soon. “Goddess on the
Run,” a paranormal romance, will be available September 17, 2012. You can find
out more about Marne Ann through her publisher, Crescent Moon Press, or visit
her at: www.marneannkirk.com or www.cowboysndragonscafe.blogspot.com
Twitter: MarneAnn
Facebook:
MarneAnnKirk or www.facebook.com/marneannkirk
Goodreads: Marne
Ann Kirk or http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5822484.Marne_Ann_Kirk
2 comments:
Wow, fae and dragons! This looks really great, loved the interview, Marsha and Marne. I can't wait for Goddess on the Run to release, too. It's right up my alley :)
I'm glad you enjoyed the interview, Ella! I had a blast doing it ;-)
If you entered the contest give-away for Love Chosen, good luck! And I hope you pick up a copy of my books. Goddess on the Run is available now, on Amazon, so that's super-exciting...
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