Thursday, March 31, 2016

Eolyn by Karin Rita Gastreich Excerpt & Giveaway


Eolyn
by Karin Rita Gastreich

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GENRE: Fantasy

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BLURB:

In a land ravaged by civil war, the Mage King Kedehen initiates a ruthless purge of the magas. Eolyn, last daughter of the magas and sole heiress to their forbidden craft, seeks refuge in the South Woods.

When she meets the mysterious Akmael, heir to the throne of this violent realm, she embarks on a path of hope, seduction, betrayal, and war. Desire draws Eolyn toward Akmael’s dark embrace, but fate binds her to Corey of East Selen, a cunning mage whose ambition challenges the limits of love and loyalty.

Can she trust either man?

Hunted in a realm of powerful wizards and brutal deceptions, Eolyn must find her own path to freedom or she will burn on the pyre.

"Vigorously told deceptions and battle scenes, with a romantic thread." -Publishers Weekly


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Excerpt One:


Farewell


Eolyn knew Akmael did not agree with her decision, and for a moment she thought he would ruin their last meeting by starting another argument. Instead he drew back his sleeve and said, “I would like to give you something to remember me by.”

The symbols embroidered into the fabric of his robe reflected the forest in multiple shades of green. Underneath the folds, Eolyn saw a silver band around his arm. Removing the jewel with care, Akmael offered it to Eolyn.

Awed, Eolyn turned the bracelet over in her hands. On the etched surface she recognized multiple forms of Dragon: winged serpent, snake, lion, butterfly, river otter, fish and many others. Each figure blended into the next, creating a single creature as fantastic as imagination itself.

“It’s beautiful,” she breathed.

“It was a gift from my mother.” Akmael’s voice broke with quiet emotion. “She gave it to me before she died.”

Retrieving the armband gently from her grasp, Akmael slipped it over Eolyn’s wrist and moved it just past her elbow. The metal coiled into a perfect fit against her skin.

Akmael’s hand traveled back down Eolyn’s arm. He caught her fingers in his and studied her for a moment. “I will miss you, Eolyn.”

Then he leaned forward and kissed her.
  
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Karin Rita Gastreich writes stories of ordinary women and the extraordinary paths they choose. She lives in Kansas City, Missouri, where she is part of the biology faculty at Avila University. An ecologist by vocation, Karin has wandered forests and wildlands for over twenty years. Her past times include camping, hiking, music, and flamenco dance. In addition to The Silver Web trilogy, Karin has published short stories in World Jumping, Zahir, Adventures for the Average Woman, and 69 Flavors of Paranoia. She is a recipient of the Spring 2011 Andrews Forest Writer’s Residency.

Twitter: @EolynChronicles

Purchase link for EOLYN: 

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GIVEAWAY 

Karin will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

17 comments:

  1. That is such a fantastic cover on your book!
    Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net

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    1. Thank you! Thomas Vandenberg did the artwork and cover design. He is an amazing artist and a big fan of Eolyn. I think he did a great job capturing this scene between Eolyn and the dragon.

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  2. This book looks like a very good read, I will have to get it!

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  3. What is the besy joke that you have heard recently? Thanks for the giveaway. I hope that I win. Bernie W BWallace1980(at)hotmail(d0t)com

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    1. This is a tough question for me - I'm not very good at jokes, and neither, I guess, are my friends. ;) We laugh at a lot of inside jokes - does that count? Good luck with the giveaway.

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  4. Thank you very much for hosting EOLYN!

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  5. Thank you for informing me of this book.

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  6. This book sounds amazing and such a beautiful cover!

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    1. Thank you, Natasha! The cover art and design is by Thomas Vandenberg.

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  7. Thanks for this great giveaway! What is your favorite book?

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    1. You're welcome!

      Do I have to pick just one? There are so many! One of my all-time favorites is The Country Beneath My Skin by Nicaraguan author and poet Gioconda Belli. It's a memoir of her involvement with the Sandinista revolution in the 1970s and 80s.

      I am also a huge fan of Guy Gavriel Kay, especially his novel The Lions of Al Rassan.

      And Philippa Gregory; I've enjoyed all of her historical fiction novels.

      Oh, and Ken Follet. Pillars of the Earth.

      I better stop now or I'll be going on about books all night...

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  8. Replies
    1. Thank you, Richard! The cover art and design is by Thomas Vandenberg.

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  9. Where are some of the places you've camped?

    Deborah

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    1. One of my favorite places to camp is on the North Shore of Minnesota - in the summer time, of course! I have also done a lot of camping in Costa Rica, for example in Santa Rosa National Park and in Corcovado National Park.

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