The Lifeblood of Ill-Fated Women Giveaway Winners

You read that right!  We are announcing the winner of the original prize pack (signed book, swag card, and $20 Amazon Gift Card) AND TWO MORE WINNERS who will each receive a signed copy of The Lifeblood of Ill-Fated Women by Kevin James Breaux.

Grand Prize Winner

Bethany C.

Signed Book Winners

Linda R.

Carl W.

Thank you to all who entered!  Didn't win?  Don't miss our other giveaways here at From the Shadows.  There's still time to enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card in the Mason Dixon Monster Hunter Release Party Giveaway (ends May 11th), win a hardcover copy of Deadmen Walking by Sherrilyn Kenyon in the Deadmen Walking Hardcover Giveaway (ends May 8th), and grab Shadow Sight FREE in the Ivy Granger Instafreebie (ends May 31st).

The Lifeblood of Ill-Fated Women Book Giveaway

Today, we have a special giveaway for our readers.  Love dark fantasy and Norse mythology?  Want to win a signed book and an Amazon gift card?  Keep reading for details!

The Lifeblood of Ill-Fated Women (The Blood, Sun, and Moon #1) by Kevin James Breaux.

The Viking princess Astrid finds herself wandering through a strange land—with no memory of how she arrived. Her search for answers will lead to enemies, both human and demonic.

Astrid the White isn't an average princess. She has always stayed by the side of her father, King Kol, and learned warfare and weaponry from the best Vikings in the land. When she awakens in the city of Birka and hears the sounds of war, she rushes proudly into the fray. She is more than capable of taking down any enemy wishing to disturb the peace.

This enemy, however, isn't what she expected. Before Astrid even gets outside the walls, a golden light knocks her out.

She comes to in the snow, in full battle armor. Astrid first suspects that this is a challenge from her father--or even the gods themselves. By acting correctly, she can gain the favor of Odin, the Allfather.

Astrid wants to complete the test, but it becomes more and more difficult as she explores this new part of the world and encounters both monsters and monstrous men. As creatures from the darkest legends reveal themselves, Astrid will discover that her journey isn't about acting correctly or passing Odin's test. It's about pure survival. Before she can even think about finding Birka, she will have to defend herself against the demons of this new world.

Genre: Dark Fantasy
Add to Goodreads.

The Lifeblood of Ill-Fated Women Book Giveaway

We are giving away a signed copy of The Lifeblood of Ill-Fated Women, a swag card, and a $20 Amazon Gift Card.

To enter, please leave a comment below (include your email address so we may contact you if you win).  This giveaway is open to US addresses only.  Giveaway ends April 27, 2017 midnight EST.

To learn more about Kevin James Breaux and his books, visit his website and don't miss our 2011 From the Shadows Interview with Kevin James Breaux.

One Smoking Hot Fairy Tail Book Excerpt + Giveaway

This month is Faerie Celebration Month at From the Shadows and today we have a special ONE SMOKING HOT FAIRY TAIL by Kevin James Breaux book excerpt and giveaway for you.

Keep reading for a chance to win a One Smoking Hot Fairy Tale prize pack, including a signed book, postcard, bookmark, and $25 Amazon Gift Card!

Book Excerpt: One Smoking Hot Fairy Tail

     Sitting in her shadow-soaked bedroom, Moselle Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair repeatedly glanced at her smartphone, eager for it to ring. A candelabrum burned seven small red flames, illuminating her room just enough for her to not only spy two of her Abyssinian cats as they chased each other across the marble floor, but to also see what she was mixing.
     Moselle poured jojoba oil from a large container into a small, dark glass bottle with a glass rod applicator. Ten drops of jasmine oil from the flowers she had handpicked in her garden the night before splashed into the bottle as she pondered how much ylang-ylang oil she should add to the mix, desiring nothing but the most erotic scent to seduce the man she had been dating.
     At the chime of her smartphone, Moselle set the bottles aside and pressed the answer button with the tip of her index finger’s nail.
     “Greetings, Father.”
     “You sound disappointed, my daughter.” Moselle’s father’s voice was deep and steeped with his strong Egyptian accent.
     “No, no, no… not at all.” Moselle cleared her throat and presented him with the respect he was due. “How may I serve you, Father?”
     “I am pleased to inform you that everything has gone as designed with the new Club Afterlife,” he said. “This opening is already being touted as a once-in-a-lifetime, red carpet event.”
     “Blessings be, Father.”
     “Have you made travel arrangements yet, Moselle?”
     She took a second to compose her words before speaking.
     “I have not. Father, it is a great honor to attend, not only as the subject of all of the advertisements in your recent campaign, but as your loving daughter, still I have a request.” She sat up. 
      “You know full well your mother is currently unable to entertain,” he stated, clearly assuming she was going to ask if her mother could be at the opening.
     “Oh, yes that. I haven’t broken bread with Mother since last year’s birthday party. I do miss her.”
     “Birthdays?” She heard her father’s dissatisfied tone. “Moselle, you know I find them a foolish distraction.”
     “Yes, I know.”
     “Good,” he replied quickly. “I will send the private jet to Los Angeles in two days. It will transport you to New York City for the event.”
     “Father, my request,” she reminded him. “I have met someone very special, a young man whom I have been dating. He works at the advertising agency you hired for the new club.”
     “Tell me again, Moselle, why do you find them so interesting?” Her father’s tone was filled with frustration and annoyance. “What could you possibly have in common with this… this American?”
     “He is strong, handsome, and funny, Father.”
     “He is not one of us.”
     “I do not care about that. He warms my soul with his humor and kindness. When we work together preparing your advertisements, I find myself inexplicably drawn to him. I have not felt this way in ten or more years.”
     “Moselle!”
     Her father’s raised voice startled her so badly her body froze. She had not angered her him in many, many years, not since long before she had moved out of his home into her own.
     “Why do you tell me this?”
     “I would like him to accompany me to the grand opening as my date,” Moselle answered timidly.
     The phone went silent, and Moselle waited patiently.
     “So be it,” he conceded. “Invite him, but he will need to find his own means of travel to New York. Understood?”
     “Yes.” Moselle beamed.
     “Did you pass along my request to your other friend?”
     “I spoke to Sabrina earlier; she accepted the invitation already.”
     “She is well now, you say?”
     “As well as can be,” Moselle admitted.
     “Good, then, regardless, this will be an opening night for all to remember. Safe journey, my daughter.”
     “Safe journey to you too, Father.”
     Moselle watched the slender metal hands on her wall clock tick forward another notch as she hung up. The hand’s movement boomed in her ears like the footsteps of a titan. It was nearing nine o’clock at night; she had hoped her new boyfriend would have called by now. She unconsciously tapped the bottom corner of her smartphone on the table, harder and harder until… Snap. The protective case broke.    
     “Curse this devil’s game.” Moselle ran her finger over the jagged crack. “My phone, a sacrifice to you, Hathor. See it not wasted.”
     Moselle pressed the speed-dial graphic, a tiny photo associated with his name: Jackson Abernathy.
     “Hello.”
     “Jackson, darling, it is Moselle Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair.”
     “Hey, Moselle…” He paused a moment before finishing. “What’s happening?”
    Jackson’s voice did not ring with the excitement she had yearned for, and she had a clear guess why.
     “Are you still at work?”
     “Yeah, I’m putting the finishing touches on that freelance project I did with Candice Swanepoel.”
     Moselle finally heard a hint of excitement in his voice, but it was not for her.
     “You work too hard and play too little.” Moselle stood feeling suddenly jealous; she was more driven than ever to see Jackson now.
     “To be honest, I need the extra money. I lost a few bucks on the game last night.”
     Moselle admired herself in the full-length mirror attached to the inside of her closet door as she listened. She examined her eye makeup, which included a coat of sparkling purple mascara that complemented her dark eyes.
     “All I am suggesting is that you take a short break.”
     “I took a break earlier when you sent me that one text message. The one with the picture attached. What did it say again?”
     “It said that tomorrow marks a full month on the calendar since you asked me out. It said to prepare for a night filled with earthly delights.”
     Jackson laughed. “Moselle, you are unlike any other girl I’ve ever known.”
     “You are right, Jackson. All you have known are girls, scatterbrained models with apathy toward most things. I am a woman, one who knows what she wants.”
     “Well… I wanted to finish this project and then get a jump-start touching up that advertisement of you in the silver bikini with the—”
     “Jackson.” Moselle’s voice rose in frustration. “Such labor should be done during the hours our beloved sun is high above us.”
     “You’re right, but wouldn’t your father be even more impressed with me if I handed him extra work?”
     “While I find it pleasing that you strive to win my father’s approval, Jackson, I must ask you this: would you have me spend the next few hours alone while you stare at my likeness, or would you gaze upon me in person over a few drinks?”
     “Would you like to go out for coffee, Moselle?”
     “I would love to.”

One Smoking Hot Fairy Tail by Kevin James Breaux.

Sabrina, a lovely fairy has it all: fame, fortune, and beauty—until her boyfriend Cade, a rebel vampire, films their involvement in a crime as well as the passionate lovemaking that follows.

But Cade loses his camera and the video is posted online, ruining Sabrina’s life. After a year of nursing her wounds, she resurfaces only to find herself hunted for her wings.

The lives of all unearthly beings are at stake—fairies, windigos, mummies, and elemental spirits, caught up in a frightening flood of events that threaten their discovery. Sabrina and Moselle, a sex-starved mummy and the daughter of a wealthy businessman, find themselves in the middle of the conflict, forced to take drastic action to protect their identities and lives.

In trying to save themselves can they also prevent the United States from falling into the hands of an evil mind with horrible intentions?

Add to Goodreads.

OSHFT Prize Pack Giveaway

We are giving away a One Smoking Hot Fairy Tale prize pack, including a signed book, postcard, bookmark, and $25 Amazon Gift Card!

• Signed Book
• Postcard
• Bookmark
• $25 Amazon Gift Card

To enter, please use the Rafflecopter form below.  This giveaway is open to US mailing addresses.  Giveaway ends December 16, 2016 midnight EST.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
What did you think of the book excerpt?  Do you recall the name of the club where the red carpet event is scheduled take place?

One Smoking Hot Fairy Tail Giveaway Winner

Congratulations Debby the winner of the One Smoking Hot Fairy Tail Giveaway at From the Shadows!  Debby will receive ONE SMOKING HOT FAIRY TAIL by Kevin James Breaux and surprise swag from the author.

Thank you to all who entered!

*Giveaway winner randomly selected using Random.org*

Book Giveaway: One Smoking Hot Fairy Tail by Kevin James Breaux

Today we have a special treat for our readers.  We are giving away ONE SMOKING HOT FAIRY TAIL by Kevin James Breaux to one lucky winner!

One Smoking Hot Fairy Tail by Kevin James Breaux

America’s population is slowly dying due to an epidemic, and Alexander, an ancient, immortal shaman, has medicine that can heal people. It has one small side effect—Alexander’s able to control the minds of anyone taking the drug, nicknamed “dust.”

Alexander plans to take over the country once dust is released to the general public, crushing anyone who stands in the way. He needs just a little bit more of a certain magical ingredient to make the medication work properly: fairy wings.

An intelligent, stunning fairy, Sabrina was also America’s sweetheart—until a video of a crime she was involved in surfaces, nearly destroying her. A year later, she’s finally ready to step back into the spotlight. Together with her bodyguard, Mira, a water spirit in human form, Sabrina’s prepared to start over.

Things are starting to look up until she meets Alexander in a club and goes from social outcast to tortured captive in the blink of an eye. Will she be able to escape the evil shaman and his mind-controlled slaves in time to save herself and everyone she cares about?

Release Date: April 6, 2016
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Add to Goodreads.

One Smoking Hot Fairy Tail Giveaway

We are giving away ONE SMOKING HOT FAIRY TAIL by Kevin James Breaux and surprise swag from the author.

To enter, please leave a comment below (and include your email address so we may contact you if you win).  This giveaway is open to US mailing addresses only.  Giveaway ends June 22, 2016 midnight EST.

Good luck!

Soul Born Saga Giveaway Winner

Congratulations Anash winner of our Soul Born Saga Giveaway at From the Shadows!  Anash will receive a Soul Born Saga prize pack containing a signed copies of Soul Born and Blood Divided by Kevin James Breaux, a Soul Born cover print, signed Blood Divided postcard, plastic knights, and a $25.00 gift card.

The following 10 readers will also be gifted a Kindle copy of Blood Divided; RobinRenee, Carl, Jessica, Melissa, Naina John, LorettaLynn, Jen B., Greg, Dangerous, and VampireAngel.

Thank you to all who entered!

**All giveaway winners selected using Random.org**

Blood Divided Excerpt + Soul Born Saga Giveaway

Please welcome today's guest author Kevin James Breaux.  Kevin is the author of Soul Born and Blood Divided.

Keep reading for a chance to win a Soul Born Saga Gift Box filled with goodies!

The following is an excerpt from Blood Divided by Kevin James Breaux.

     Late that night, after her husband was asleep, Tala opened her eyes, staring straight up into the heights of their enormous canopy bed. Draped with vibrant orange silk, the family heirloom sat in the middle of the royal bedroom, flanked with two wrought-iron candelabras of which all but five candles total had burned down to the end.
     Tala spent many of the first days she lived with the king decorating his bedroom; it clearly required a woman’s touch. Lining the room were many tall lush plants, so many so that the room appeared green when one squinted their eyes. Atop a shelf in the one corner was a collection of rare antiquities that the king had collected from various elven tribes, including the jawbone of a lizard man that an elven chieftain gave him as a thank you for King Ethan’s aid after a flood decimated the chieftain’s lands. Tala always sneered at it whenever her husband was not in the room—it did not go with her décor—but she was too polite to ask him to remove it.
     Although she had not lived with her people for a long time, she still held true to a few of their customs. One such tradition was beating the walls with dried Orange Sparkle Blossoms, a flower that was indigenous only to the north of Kel Tora Castle on the border with New Maejika. It was said to keep the spirits from entering the room, but Tala mostly did it because it left a fresh smell that made her feel like she was sleeping in the wild.  
     The king knew well of her love of the outdoors, and thus sprinkled wild flower petals on the bed daily. It was a testament of his love for her; one she always repaid kindly with a morning kiss.
     The mere thought of explaining where she was going, what she had to do, it made her feel almost as uncomfortable as seeing the man who called himself Khaos just the other day. With no other option in sight, Tala decided to sneak out in the middle of the night.
     It had been many years since Tala vowed never to return to Drae’Qu’s lake home, but Khaos’s appearance forced her to break that vow. Like it or not, Tala knew the enigmatic fairy would provide her with some beneficial information in this moment of stressful perplexity.
     Tala slithered from the bed like a snake shedding its skin, slowly sliding out of the sheets. The candlelight caressed her sweat moistened naked skin, making it shine and sparkle as if covered with thousands of tiny jewels. Tala drew a deep, silent breath and quickly dropped onto a rug on the floor next to her side of the bed. She placed her hands on the floor and sat in a crouch for a moment. She looked around the room. Tala had planned her exit carefully before retiring for the night with her husband. At the far end of the room was a window she had left open. It was her sole means of escape; she would exit where the cool breeze entered.
     Underneath the window, about twenty feet below, was the balcony of the royal hall. Another fifty or so feet beneath that was the royal garden and fountain, a place Tala knew very well. The fountain itself was a sculpture of a pair of women back to back. They held hands out to their sides and spilled water from their mouths at a forty-five degree angle upward. She always thought it was a beautiful sculpture, but very silly too. The pool of the fountain was very large and reached toward the castle some. She had swam in it a very long time ago, so she recalled its dimensions with some clarity. Tala knew it was deep, but she was unsure if it was deep enough to handle a dive from the height of the balcony. Tonight she would find out.
     She stared at the window intently. Her muscles tensed. Her eyes moved to a pile of dirty clothes she had hidden her satchel underneath. Inside the pack was simple attire, something she could wear to blend in with the townsfolk. At the bottom of the pack was a pair of hooked knives, a rope, and a small water skin.
     Tala could hear the guards walking outside the bedroom and even some of the ones outside the window on the grounds. To her advantage, elven hearing reached much further at night, when most of the world around was silent and still. She waited for a clear sign that the guards were distant, then made her move. Sprinting toward the window, her bare feet slid across the chilled stone floor. A tiny shiver of anticipation shot across her body. Without breaking stride, she bent forward and scooped up the satchel from its hiding spot, finally slinging it over her shoulder. Then, with one clean motion, she jumped up to the windowsill, landing still and quiet. She brushed her yellow-green hair from her face and peered down to the balcony. No guards as far as her eyes could see. A gust of wind blew so hard she was forced to brace herself on the cold, lifeless stone behind her. Once she regained her balance, she took a final glance back at her husband in bed across the room. He laid still, sound asleep.
     With a hop, Tala jumped down to the balcony. It was a quick fall, but it still caused her heart to race. She landed softly on the hard stone balcony, as only an elf could, with only the slightest thud. Tala snapped her head to the right and then the left. As she feared, a guard approached from far away. Knowing she had only a moment to act, Tala backed herself into a shadowy corner, until her body was completely engulfed in darkness. How embarrassing it would be, she thought, to get caught leaving through a window in the middle of the night, naked. How would I explain myself to my husband? It has been years since I did this. What would the king think? Unfortunately, it was all a risk she had to take to get the answers she needed.
     The guard rounded the corner and passed with his back to her. His footfalls chimed a clunky metallic rhythm as he walked. A sound, she thought, that was loud enough to wake the dead. Humans and their silly need for heavy armor; she shook her head. After waiting for the guard to round the next corner, she confidently stepped from the shadows. Tiptoeing softly to the railing, Tala gazed down at the moonlit, sparkling water inside the fountain.
     Not wanting to waste another moment, she threw her backpack down into a fully grown rose bush below. After a short elven prayer passed her lips, she stepped up to the railing and dove down to the water.
     Tala hit the water, creating only a minute splash. Immediately after piercing the water, she arched her body, pulling her head back hard toward the surface. She could feel the skin on her knees tear as they scrapped open at the bottom of the fountain. The structure was shallower than she remembered, leaving a fresh sense of relief where the fear of dying once sat in her chest.
     Tala breached the water slowly, moving her head steadily as an alligator would while patiently watching its prey. A pair of guards marched by the garden, neither aware of her presence. The crystal clear water rippled around her body as she swam to the furthest end of the fountain. After swiftly pulling herself out of the basin, she scurried into the shadows toward her backpack. Her wet bare skin tingled against the night air; it had been a long time since Tala had taken a refreshing, nude swim. The sensation was exhilarating, revitalizing her with an energy she had not felt in many, many months.
     Once dressed, Tala crept from tree to bush, taking care to keep hidden in the shadows. She worked her way from the castle to the town, where she stepped out onto the street as if she had always been there. The town was normally quiet at this time of night. Only guards and the occasional traveler were seen about. Security was relaxed due to the nearly nonexistent crime in Kel Tora. Acting as if she had done it every night, Tala walked out of town through the gates past the guards.
     It did not take Tala long to jog out to the fairy’s home. As always, she was cautious, making sure no one followed her. Few knew of this small lake’s existence, let alone its importance.
     Unlike other bodies of water in the forest outside of Kel Tora, this lake held one of Mother Nature’s most precious secrets. It was the hidden dwelling of one of the last surviving fairy kind. Although invisible to human eyes, the lake shimmered with a pale blue radiance at night, its illumination a product of the magical energy from the fluttering of the fairy’s wings.
     It was the fact that she knew what the shimmering light belonged to that made her feel slightly sick to her stomach. The lake held many memories for Tala, both good and bad. Slowly, old emotions began to overwhelm her, squeezing her between the sensation of wanting to cry and the urge to empty her stomach. Kneeling on the soft soil beside the water, Tala breathed deeply and rhythmically. After a few moments to calm herself, she felt better.
     “Drae’Qu, I’m here,” she called out while wading into the water.
     The water’s radiance grew with intensity until the fairy emerged from the center of the lake. The fairy looked like a tiny human, a sight that most would find odd, yet Tala had grown so used to, she gave it no mind. As she flew, the fairy’s butterfly-like wings created a tranquil fluttering sound. Although the wind whipped the fairy’s long, wavy, light blue hair around, it did not move the silver ribbon that slithered around her otherwise uncovered body as if it were alive.
     Drae’Qu buzzed around Tala a few times before settling into a hover beside her face. After staring deep into the young elf’s eyes a moment, Drae’Qu spoke in her native tongue, a voice that sounded like a dozen children screaming all at once, mismatched in time.
     “How long has it been, Avatar?”
     “Over ten years,” Tala sheepishly admitted, looking away. “Please, do not call me that.” 
     “I knew you would return this week. The balance has been tipped. There is great evil coming to our lands.”
     “I fear the evil is already here. I saw him.” Tala paused. “You should’ve warned me.”
     “My knowledge is limited to these shores. Opal left over twenty years ago.”
     “So it’s true. This man, Khaos… is the son of Karn and Opal?”
     “Yes,” the fairy answered gravely.
     Tala dropped her head down, facing the water out of frustration. When she lifted it back up, the fairy waited eagerly.
     “Tell me, how did your children accept the knowledge that they were Karn’s children as well?”
     It was this moment that Tala had hoped to avoid all these years. She did not want to tell them the truth that their father was not the king, instead the long dead hero Karn. The King of Illyia had raised her children since they were babies. He had provided them with everything they needed, from shelter and food to education and sophistication. She did not feel it was fair to him. He had given them so much and asked for nothing in return.
     “I have told them nothing.” She hoped to at least wait until after her husband passed to reveal this secret.
     “You promised to tell them on their sixteenth birthday!” Drae’Qu snapped.
     “Look, I’m sick of these responsibilities, Drae’Qu! That’s why I stayed away for so long.”
     “Try to avoid them as you may, but you are one of Nature’s Avatars.”
     Tala hated the title—with it came unreasonable responsibilities that she felt had ruined at least half of her life. She wanted nothing more than to be a normal girl, rid of all of this.
     “What more could you ask of me, Drae’Qu?” Tala insisted. “I have lied! I have killed! I have done everything you desired!”
     “You have been rewarded for your services too,” Drae’Qu said with her tiny arms crossed.
     An uncomfortable silence passed between them as Tala and the fairy, stared at each other.
     “What should I do?”
     “You know the legend. The child of Karn will unify nature and man, bringing peace to the lands,” Drae’Qu reminded her.
     “I always figured it was Lucien, that one day he would become King of Illyia,” Tala replied. “Now I am not sure which child. Could the legend be about the child of Karn and Opal?”
     “Tala, I am sure of this: Khaos is pure evil. What worries me now is the safety of your children,” the fairy added.
     Tala had not thought that Lucien or Autumn would be in serious danger. Now the sick realization that Khaos may have come to kill them drilled deep into her chest.
     “I will bring Autumn to you tomorrow. She needs to know the truth.” Tala gave in.
     “What of your son?” Drae’Qu asked.
     “He loves his father so much. This news may devastate him, and I need his strength now more than ever.”
     “It is, in the end, your decision.”
     A moment passed before Tala spoke again. “Can you do me a favor now?” she asked shyly.
     “Would you like to see…?” Drae’Qu began to ask.
     “No,” Tala interrupted. “No visions today. I need an animal spirit.”
     The fairy perked up; she enjoyed using her magic in every way.
     “It has been a very long time since you took the spirit of an animal. What was it last?”
     “A bear,” Tala answered, recalling the memory.
     “Yes, a bear. What spirit would you require this time?”
     “One that can fly high and fast.”
***
     All of Kel Tora was resting silently. The townsfolk slept comfortably in their homes, and guards stood casually on alert while the remainder of Kel Tora’s army slept off another night of drinking. One of the royal guards, an older veteran walking the outside perimeter near the balcony of the royal hall, watched as the large bird flew the night sky. The falcon glided effortlessly atop the wind, flapping its feathered wings only once in a great while. The guard watched as the falcon seemed to point itself directly at the castle. He muttered hushed words of confusion to himself, not understanding where the feathered creature could be going. Perhaps it was just going to crash into the coarse stonewalls, he thought. The guard repositioned himself to get a better view of the falcon’s path. As he did, it became obvious to him that the bird was flying directly toward the king’s chambers.   
     The old guard jolted out of his relaxed state and ran as fast as his weary bones would let him through the royal hall. The sound of his heavy metal armor and metal-encased boots alerted other guards who raced to his position.
     “What is it, Deter?” one guard yelled as he realized the loud footfalls belonged to a friend.
     “I just saw a bird fly directly into our lord’s room!”
     “So?”
     “It looked like a falcon!” Deter yelled as they ran through the castle.
     “A war falcon?”
     “I pray not!”
     The two guards ran up the staircase and down the halls of Kel Tora’s most inner sanctum. As they approached the king’s chambers, the number of guards increased. Outside the king’s room stood six stoic guards. They were dressed in dark red-orange colors, even though Kel Tora’s royal guard’s colors were black. All in service of the king knew that any soldier wearing the dark red-orange sigils belonged to Kel Tora’s elite Vermillion Force. They were a complete mystery: all were young, strong, and silent. No one knew their names or where they resided, only that they were loyal—dangerously loyal.
     Both royal guards slowed their pace and identified themselves before reaching a comfortable distance from the king’s chambers.
     “State your business,” one of the elite Vermillion Guards said coolly.
     “I was walking outside the hall when I witnessed a falcon fly directly into our lord’s window.”
     No sooner were the words out of his mouth did one of the elite guards knock slightly on the door before shoving it swiftly open. Two of the six elite guards turned and entered the room, while the other four held their positions facing away from the room. As the two guards stepped into the dark room, Tala greeted them. Emerging from the shadows wrapped in a shawl that barely covered her, Tala moved directly to the guards as they stood cautiously.
     “Lady Tala, we have word that a falcon may have entered your window. Is everything… satisfactory?”
     Tala slid up the shawl slightly to reveal just the bottom most point where her legs met her hips; had the candles in the room or torches in the hall been any brighter the two royal guards may have been able to view the most intimate part of her anatomy.
     “As you can see, I’m not properly prepared for guests.” Tala spoke softly.
     “Please, accept our apologies, milady.”
     “The falcon you saw is one I’m training as a gift for my husband.”
     “Then all is well?”
     “All is well… as long as you did not wake the king,” Tala whispered as she turned away from the guards, giving them a full view of the curves of her buttocks.
     The elite guardsmen quickly exited the room and stepped back into formation. After the guards shut the door, Tala unraveled the shawl that hid her body. Feathers that had only seconds before lined her transformed body dropped softly to the floor while others still clung sideways to her body. She could not help but giggle as one falling feather brushed against her ankle before landing on her foot.
     Tala collected the extra feathers and placed them carefully aside, out of view. After surveying the room for any proof she was up, or even worse, out, she stepped up to the bed. Her husband lay still, asleep as she left him—lucky for her he was a deep sleeper. Tala climbed back into bed, wrapping her body up against his in a spooning position. She breathed a sigh of relief. She had much more to worry about than just waking the king now.

Blood Divided (Soul Born Saga #2) by Kevin James Breaux

There exists an ancient elven proverb, dating before the time of man. Life and death, like day and night, meet at a point where they blend into one. It is that brief moment when anything is possible.

There was a time when four sparks of life burned brighter than the sun itself. Megan was born with power, Lucien born with station. Autumn was born full of life, while Nathan was entwined with death.

Peace has come and gone... The conflicts of old have returned-rejuvenated and driven. This is the beginning of the end. The children of Karn have come of age, and now they will take part in shaping the fate of Illyia.

Will they join forces, or with blood will they be divided?


Thank you Kevin for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Kevin James Breaux and his books, please visit his website.  Also, don't miss our interview with Kevin here.

**Soul Born Saga Giveaway**

We are giving away a Soul Born Saga Gift Box with:

(1) Soul Born signed
(1) Blood Divided signed
(1) Soul Born cover print
(1) Blood Divided post card signed
(3) plastic knights
(1) $25.00 gift card to Amazon.com

To enter, please leave a comment on this post and include your email so we contact you if you win.  This giveaway is to US mailing addresses only.  Giveaway ends June 6, 2012 midnight EST.

**Update**

Kevin has generously offered to gift Kindle copies of Blood Divided to 10 From the Shadows readers.  Entry in the above giveaway will automatically enter you in the Kindle giveaway.  One entry, two great giveaways!

Guest Author Interview: Kevin James Breaux

Please welcome today's guest author Kevin James Breaux!  Kevin is the author of Soul Born.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Kevin:  I started writing on weekends back in 1998. It was not until around 2006 that I started writing almost every day, which is totally necessary for authors. In 2007 I sold my first short story, a zombie tale called DEAD MAN'S PARTY, to an online web magazine for $50. I was so excited! That was the moment I finally realized that people truly liked my work.

For the past year and a half I have been writing full time. I am another victim of the bad economy, unable to get back into my former career, so I have focused my energy on writing and it has really paid off.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Kevin:   Some of my favorite movies and TV shows are from the paranormal genre. When I was in college I was a huge fan of White Wolf Publishing's World of Darkness books, especially Vampire the Masquerade. Back then I was watching Forever Knight and playing Vampire RPG games, while reading Anne Rice. Once I felt I was truly ready I wrote my first Urban Fantasy novel in 2008. Although SOUL BORN, my debut novel, is an epic fantasy, I hope to develop a series of urban fantasy novels as well. I would love to paint an entire world of paranormal beings.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?
 
Kevin:  It's hard not to pick a Vampire with all the cool ones on TV these days. I mean Spike, Eric, Damon, these guys get all the girls! Like, I can yell "Sookie!" with the best of them! Other than that, I think the ability to control time would be great: slow it down, speed it up, stop and rewind it. You could relive you favorite moments, and speed by the bad ones.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Kevin:  SOUL BORN allows the reader to take the first steps into a new world and take the journey, along with the characters, as that world comes out of a dark age and moves into one steeped with fantasy. Some of my first readers have called the novel "brutal" and "thrilling" which might stem from my background writing horror. Soul Born was never intended to be a dark fantasy, but has some elements in that sub genre. I think Soul Born has a lot to offer to a large variety of readers. It has a love story, and love triangle, along with bloody action and large battle scenes. Most of my work is character drive so I promise you will get to know the people in Soul Born and will end up liking or hating them.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Kevin:   I love this question and blogged about this very topic the other week. I have an art school background and I visualize all my writing as movies in my mind. The leading characters in Soul Born: Opal the mage, Tala the elf and Karn the warrior would be played by Bijou Phillips, Kelly Brook, and Eric Etebari.

Bijou looks just like I imagined Opal, and she has even acted like her in former movies. I love the wickedness of Bijou's look, she super pretty and seems to have a bad side. Kelly Brook, if you read about her, claims to be very athletic, yet has a very voluptuous, pre-raphaelite style build. Tala is just that, an alluring beauty that can fight if need be. Eric Etebari and Karn could be separated at birth. Have you ever seen the Witchblade TV show, from years ago, that is how Karn looks and acts. I cannot imagine anyone other than Eric in that role. You hear me Hollywood, no way would Tom Cruise play Karn! No way!!!

Soul Born by Kevin James Breaux.

All Opal wanted was to be respected as a wielder of magic, but her teachers passed her over time and time again. When a mysterious warlord embarks on a conquest to destroy the lands of Illyia Opal seizes an opportunity to step out from the shadows of her instructors and take her rightful spot among them.  Tala, an alluring young elf, was banished from her tribe, hunted and nearly killed by the beasts that dwell in the deep forests, but more than anything else she is a survivor. Joining forces with an ancient elemental power Tala finds herself in the center of an unrelenting human war. She never wanted any of this.  Flesh like leather and bone as strong as steel Karn, a veteran from the first kingdom to fall, is fueled by vengeance. While pushing ever headlong into battle Karn begins to recall memories of another life; ghosts that haunt his dreams.

Through death of soul, their world is born.

Thank you Kevin for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Kevin James Breaux and his books, please visit his website.