Tag Archives: bound trilogy

July 23, 2015

L is for Luid

Luid is the capital city of Tyrea, the home of the king, the cultural and economic centre of the country. It’s home to the greatest stores of human knowledge, to the land’s scholars and researchers and its most promising students. It sits with its face to the country, back facing the ocean, sloping upward from the harbour to the high cliffs where the nobles keep their…

Blah, blah, blah.

That’s what a guidebook would tell you about the city. The pretty things. The not-to-be-missed attractions. It might walk you through the gate quarter, which houses merchants and traders and craftsmen. It might outline various festivals occurring throughout the year, or might advise a visit to the temple of the Goddess, located in the inner city not far from the palace…which no up-to-date guidebook would advise you to visit without notice. Not these days. Not if you want a warm welcome.

The truth is, a city is a being in its own right, and old ones have a habit of keeping secrets. Were you to visit the city on a quick business trip or a relaxing vacation, you wouldn’t see the north end of the city, where the Despair presses against the wall, held back by magic that’s effective enough to keep it from grinding the people’s spirits to dust…most days. You certainly wouldn’t walk down the North End’s filthy streets and see the criminals sent through the gate in that portion of the wall as punishment when a quick execution is too merciful.

No, that’s a secret that the city keeps well, hidden behind twisting streets that seem to direct one’s feet back to more pleasant diversions.

And pleasant diversions abound. The people of Luid, especially the wealthy, want for little. Some say it’s made them lazy, that even those who have magical potential don’t use it as they might. To master any skill requires study and hard work, and most remain content with whatever undeveloped skills they’re born with. Those who do develop it can be dangerous, of course. Perhaps that’s why the king keeps them close by, and keeps them happy.

Every household, every shop, every citizen’s heart holds secrets. Secret fears, secret aspirations, secret desires and shames.

On the surface, everything shines. Clean cobblestone streets, bright shop-fronts, smiling faces.

Just tread carefully, visitor, and you’ll be fine.

2 Comments | tags: bound trilogy, city, fantasy, kate sparkes, luid, Sworn | posted in Bound A-Z

July 16, 2015

K is for Kel

By Kate Sparkes

Raise your hand if you were waiting for this one.

Don’t be ashamed. He’s one of my favourites, too. As someone said in a comment on my Facebook page, “The struggle is real! Between he and Aren, I’m thinking polyamory is the perfect choice.”

That commenter is not alone.

For anyone late to the party, Kel is a mer man who befriended Aren when they were both children (though Kel may be a little older). Kel’s band of merfolk are secretive about the exact extent of their territory, but it definitely covers a portion of the sea in the north of Tyrea and several lakes in its interior, which they access via a magical system of caves. It was in the caves near Glass Lake that a young and adventurous Kel met Aren, who was almost old enough to be developing a chip on his shoulder. Kel was never one to pass up a challenge, though, and found the young human interesting enough that he decided to befriend him.

Aren resisted at first, but few people have ever been able to resist Kel’s charms–certainly not a kid with no friends or family willing to show him the kind of affection that Kel tends to.

I mean yeah, Kel’s physically attractive. Like… super hot. But that’s not what makes him appealing. You see, many merfolk have some level of ability to see beneath the surface of people. Not to read their minds as Aren does, but to see into what lies beneath the teeming, confusing, contradictory swirl of thoughts. He may not know what you’re worried about, but he’ll see the depth of your concerns. You may have built up layers of emotional armour, but Kel might see the fear beneath that, and see that it’s an act that you’ve been putting on for so long that you believe it, yourself.

Not all of the merfolk are as perceptive as Kel, and even those who are don’t always care what they see. Some believe that a person’s actions are what matter, not what lies beneath. Maybe they’re right. Seeking out the bright spots in a person’s soul is a dark and sometimes dangerous journey, and not one that even Kel chooses to undertake with many people.

But once in a while, he finds someone he connects with on that deep level, as though they were destined to meet. Sometimes he meets two of them in the same family, though with slightly different outcomes. And when Kel finds that connection, his loyalty goes beyond anything most of us have ever had the pleasure of experiencing.

He might not be the flashy hero, bold and brave, rushing into battle–at least, not when we’ve seen him. But Kel has saved lives.

And he will affect the course of Tyrean history.

Fun Fact: Kel’s name was originally Kai, which means “ocean.” I changed it when I realized how many YA/NA books coming out right now have characters with that name. I think this one suits him a lot better, and I apologize to him for getting it wrong.

Tell me: What character have you fallen in love with for reasons other than a hot body and a cocky smile?

4 Comments | tags: bound trilogy, kel, mer, mermaid, merman | posted in Bound A-Z

June 25, 2015

H is for Heartleaf

By Kate Sparkes

Story ideas come from some weird places.

The inspiration for Bound came from two places: the first was a desire for a story that started with a decidedly non-badass girl saving a hero’s life… an idea that I quickly rejected in favour of her saving a villain’s life, because that’s far more interesting to me. And hey, I write what I want to read.

The other was my headaches.

I get a lot of them. My husband would call that the understatement of the century. All told, I’m insanely grateful if I get through a full day without any kind of pain. Most of the time it’s pain that’s very manageable with drugs, coffee, cold packs, and more drugs. I get through the day, I get my work done, the house doesn’t end up a complete disaster area.

Then there are the headaches that send me to bed because the light and noise of daily life are too much.

It’s not always the same kind of pain. Sometimes it’s a feeling like nausea, but in my skull. Sometimes it’s ice-picks stabbing at my eyes or my temples. Sometimes it feels like someone whacked me with a 2×4 on the back of the head, and sometimes it’s a seething, creeping, crawling pain that oozes around like a tiny monster trapped under the bones of my head.

It’s quite pleasant.

Wait… no. No, it sucks.

But the thing is, something good came of it. Something great, I think. I found a story. As I lay in bed with these monster headaches, or when my head was clear but I was too exhausted to do much else, I started to wonder what it would be like if there was a reason for the pain.

What if it had something to do with magic? What if it somehow hurt someone, made her feel pain like I felt?

What if it led to great adventure? To love, to self-discovery, to danger and wonder and a huge, wide world of possibility?

Well, my own headaches didn’t lead to any of that, but they did lead to me puzzling out a story that’s become a favourite of more people than I ever could have imagined.

Now, to work our way around to today’s topic…

In Bound, Rowan experiences headaches much like mine. At the beginning, she has no idea what’s causing them. No one does (which, it turns out, is probably a good thing for her). Doctors have been no help. The only relief Rowan can find from her pain is heartleaf tea, made from the inner bark of a tree that grows wild throughout Serath. The sweet-smelling, bitter-tasting tea keeps the pain at bay, at least for a while, and she’s learned to ask for nothing more than that.

Too bad for her when it becomes illegal to grow or possess it because of suspicions that it’s a magical substance.

For the record, I didn’t intend to make any statements about controlled substances there. Maybe I did… but I didn’t mean to.

Here’s a picture from my notes of the leaves that give the heartleaf tree its name.

Okay, so it looks a little like a tongue in my drawing… it’s way prettier in real life, I swear.

Tell me: When have you found inspiration in an unexpected place? What was the outcome?

4 Comments | tags: bound trilogy, fantasy, headache, heartleaf, migraine, potions, writing, YA | posted in Bound A-Z

June 20, 2015

One Year Celebration (and giveaway!)

By Kate Sparkes

EDIT: Giveaway now closed. Thanks still apply.

It’s been quiet around here, hasn’t it? On the blog, I mean. Around HERE here, in my real life? Not so much.

But we’ll have time for news and project updates another day. Today we’re here to celebrate the fact that one year ago today, Bound became A Thing People Could Read.

First book of a trilogy.

First book for me.

First time in a long time that I had stepped so far out of my comfort zone that the stress made me physically ill, and the first time I’d ever chased a dream that hard.

It was also the first time I’d ever taken a risk that big and invested so much in what I suspected would amount to a whole lot of “well, at least a few people read it” and “I wouldn’t have known if I didn’t try, right?” and “It was a great learning experience.”

All of those things are true, but this year has gone SO much better than I ever expected.

Why?

Because of you guys.

Because of people who read my blog and commented on snippets that I posted on WIPpet Wednesdays, kind folks who commented on the first chapter when I posted it, and bloggers who helped out with the cover reveal and release-week posts. Because of writer friends who got me through tough moments, who let me vent about frustrations, and who were there to celebrate the victories and setbacks I didn’t want to talk about in public.

Most of all, it’s because of the people who read the book. Those who bought it when it was new and untested, or when they decided to take a chance on an unfamiliar author. Those who loved it, who recommended it to friends and family, who suggested Bound to their ~~wine-drinking~~ book clubs, who wrote reviews,who shared the book on their blogs and requested it at their local libraries, those who tweeted about it, who mentioned it on “what are you reading” and “who are your book crush” facebook posts…

I wish I could give every one of you a medal and a hug.

See, I wrote a book that I loved and I thought a few other people might enjoy, and I did what I could to make it the best it could be.

That’s about it. The rest of it, the rankings and the reviews and the recommendations? That was all you guys.

Pretty amazing.

It’s my job to make words work for me, to get them to express what I’m thinking, imagining, or feeling, but I continue to be at a complete loss when it comes to trying to thank you guys. It’s too much.

Thanks for making this author’s maiden voyage such an incredible adventure.

*sniffle*

Okay, enough sappy stuff. Who wants free crap?

I mean… a book? WHO WANTS A BOOK?

This is a celebration, so let’s make the prize a good one. Let’s see what we’ve got here… How about a signed copy of the book of your choice (Bound or Torn), or a CD copy of the Bound audiobook? And let’s throw in some extra goodies. Some sea glass and a mermaid charm (my apologies for the fact that she has a fish tail… mammalian merfolk merchandise is hard to come by, and also a bit of a tongue twister). A couple of cover cards that you can use as bookmarks, or as posters for your Barbie Dream House (not judging), or whatever else floats your boat. Also, the last postcard I’ve got here. YAY!

Enter here, through rafflecopter.

To claim your blog post entry, comment below and tell me who your favourite character in the Bound trilogy is (so far) and why. If you’re just joining us and haven’t read the books, no problem! Tell me your favourite species of Fantasy creature, and don’t forget to claim your rafflecopter entry!

And please share! I’d love to see everyone who might be interested get a chance to enter this giveaway. You can tweet for an entry, or share this post on other social media platforms by clicking the wee buttons below.

Thanks again, guys.

I can’t wait for you to see what comes next.

20 Comments | tags: bound trilogy, fantasy, giveaway, indie, magic, mermaid, paperback, romance, YA | posted in books, Bound

May 28, 2015

Bound A-Z: D is for Dragons

By Kate Sparkes

Top-notch office security

We’re going to do something a little different today.

Instead of me telling you about dragons (most of which you’ll have learned on your own in the books, or will learn), I’m going to dig up something from a deleted scene from Bound.

In early drafts, Aren explained far more about dragons to Rowan than he did in the version you all have seen. It was more interesting if she walked in mostly unprepared, and in later drafts Aren got more reserved, and so handing out fun facts and stories willy-nilly really would have been out of character for him.

I hated to cut this part, though. One of the things I like about the world of these books is the folklore and the mythology. Most of it only gets mentioned in passing: the Tyrean children’s stories that Rowan doesn’t read to us, the ballad sung by a Wanderer girl, the many gods of Tyrea, the legends of the Dragonfreed Brothers.

This was a story told in full…and unfortunately, the larger story was better off without it.

From an old draft of Bound, here’s what the original conversation looked like, complete with a little bonus Tyrean history for you. Enjoy, and please forgive the lack of editing. It was a work in progress…

“This might be a silly question, but is the treasure cursed?” she asked. She was looking at me so intently that she almost got knocked off of her horse by a low-hanging branch, which she ducked under at the last moment.

“It’s not silly.” Her ignorance was infuriating, but it wasn’t her fault. Better that she know the dangers of the land we’d soon reach. “A dragon doesn’t intentionally do anything to its possessions, as far as we know. Something gets into them, though. There are stories about people who possess something as small as a gold coin from a dragon’s hoard going insane, killing strangers or loved ones out of rage or envy. There was a king hundreds of years ago who took possession of a dragon’s gold after it died; it’s said he was a great king before that. He was generous in sharing the treasure with his household and his friends, even his servants. According to the stories, barely a month later the idea of ruling the kingdom had been thrown out in favour of decadent feasts, drunkenness, experimenting with potions and exotic entertainments. That was only the beginning. Soon they wanted more and stranger diversions, and they became cruel, reaching levels of depravity a nice person like you wouldn’t be able to comprehend, I’m sure. They lost all respect for life, lost whatever inhibitions they once had. You probably don’t want to hear those stories.”

She looked like I’d insulted her, but said, “I suppose not. And the court fell?”

“More than that. They had to pay for all of this somehow, and the gold made it into the hands of nearly everyone in the city. It was complete chaos. People outside eventually realized what was happening. They burned the city to the ground, and everyone in it. The next king rebuilt far to the south, in Luid, and no one has resettled the old place since.”

That bought me another few minutes of silence. “Does it affect everyone the same way?” she asked at last.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, does one dragon’s treasure make everyone who possesses it murderous, and another’s make people…” She paused. “Gluttonous?”

That’s not what you were going to say, I thought, but let her continue.

“Or does it depend on the person? Last question for now, I promise.”

Thank the gods. “People used to think it was the former, that a dragon’s particular influence would cause everyone to act like that dragon. We think now that it’s more a case of it bringing out whatever darkness is already in a person so that it drowns out everything else that a person was. We don’t test that theory, though. There was one scholar who thought that if a person who was completely without vice were to take the treasure, the magic wouldn’t affect him or her. Then they could melt it down and make it safe for others.”

“And?”

“And then they realized that there’s no such person.”

Rowan smiled sadly. “Good point.”

TELL ME: If you stole a dragon’s treasure, what would it bring out in you? Lust? Envy? A willingness to literally kill for the last Oreo in the box?

5 Comments | tags: bound trilogy, dragons, legend, treasure | posted in Bound A-Z

May 14, 2015

Bound A-Z: B is for Belleisle

By Kate Sparkes

This isn’t the topic I wanted to cover today, but I realized that the one I wanted to do would have been either spoiler-laden or super boring.

And we don’t want “B for Boring.” Nope, nope, nope.

So Belleisle it is, that peaceful island off the east coast of Tyrea.

They do things differently there. Whereas Tyrea is ruled by the most powerful Sorcerer, Belleisle has no king, but is rather watched over by a governor–a position that’s easily lost should it be determined that the governor isn’t working in the best interests of the people. Their decision-making processes tend to be more democratic than those in Tyrea. While final decisions rest with the governor, open meetings where people can speak their minds are frequently held in the city, and residents from towns and villages all over the island travel there to have their say.

There’s magic on the island, and plenty of it. In fact, there’s far more mid-level human magic in Belleisle than in Tyrea. Some people, and powerful ones at that, believe that this is because Belleisle sits far from the choked-off magic of Darmid, but that’s not the only theory. Others place the blame squarely on the ruling family of Tyrea*, on the lay of the land and the types of creatures living there, or on the whims of the gods.

The truth of that (or whichever version of the truth is most widely accepted) will have far-reaching implications for all three countries.

In any case, the magic there is strong, and is more widely spread out through the population than it is in Tyrea. A peaceful nation, Belleisle is nonetheless equipped with impressive defenses thanks to generations of Sorcerers who made it their mission not to rule, but to defend. And though the people of Belleisle try to stay out of Tyrean business, you’d have to be a fool to threaten them. The people of Belleisle don’t trust people from Tyrea, especially those with great political or magical power.

The aspect of the island most relevant to the Bound trilogy is the school run by the Sorcerer Ernis Albion and his wife, the Potioner Emalda Albion. They take in the most promising students from the island and guide them through their schooling, helping them identify natural skills and develop others, and educating them in matters that go far beyond magic. Languages, history, magical theory, religion, and a host of other subjects go hand-in-hand with the development of magical power in the hopes that these students will become well-rounded and capable citizens. Brains are as important as magical brawn, and humility is encouraged. Magic is a gift not to be taken lightly, nor abused in a blind quest for power.

That’s not to say that every student becomes a model citizen. The school has seen its share of troublemakers, back-stabbers, and jerks. Wherever there is power, there is potential for its abuse. The headmaster only hopes that careful guidance will help the most troublesome students come out all right on the other side.

Things you didn’t know #1: On a few occasions, the school has accepted students from Tyrea. It’s a dangerous proposition, as these students come from families the king might see as a threat, who don’t want to send their children to Luid for training. There are strict conditions placed on the students’ enrollment, including being completely cut off from their families for the duration of their stay.

Things you didn’t know #2: Nearly all of the students at the school are of near-Sorcerer level magical power, but Emalda also occasionally allows young Potioners to train under her. Only the most promising make the cut, though, and she only takes on one apprentice at a time. When Aren and Rowan arrived at the island, she was between apprentices.

—

*Their tendency to breed the strongest magic into one family and to kill off rivals is thought to not be great for human magic, overall. Funny thing.

1 Comment | tags: belleisle, bound trilogy, fantasy, magic, school | posted in Bound A-Z

May 7, 2015

Bound A-Z: A is for Adventure

By Kate Sparkes

Bet you thought I was going to say Aren, didn’t you?

Oh, hi.

One of my favourite things about reading and writing Fantasy is the potential for adventure. Not adventures in meeting rich guys in coffee shops… not adventures in parenting, or shopping, or real estate, but the kind of adventure that takes characters away from their regular lives and throws them into something completely unfamiliar and even magical.

Big adventures.

Epic adventures.

The Bound Trilogy is a series of three adventures, but it’s also just one. Each book has its own story: Bound is about Aren and Rowan’s meeting and (as suggested by the title) the search for a cure for her binding. Torn is about SPOILER ALERT Aren’s quest to find his father and everything that happens during that time, with he and Rowan on separate adventures. Sworn is about… well, you’ll see.

But overall, there’s one massive task, which means one ginormous* adventure: Dealing with Severn. He’s the big bad guy, even if he only shows up a few times in the earlier books. He’s the challenge, the thing that threatens the characters we’re rooting for, and each book is a step closer to whatever the conclusion of that adventure will be.

Of course, life doesn’t deal out one problem or adventure at a time, and neither do stories. Adventure comes in many forms: finding love, losing it, growing up, and even the little things that distract us from our big goals are all adventures in their own right.

Sometimes adventure leads to glory. Sometimes it ends in heartbreak. And some adventures don’t end with every thread tied up in a neat “happily ever after” bow. Life is messy, and life goes on after the adventure is over. That’s another thing I love about Fantasy. Even when the story’s over, the fair dude or damsel saved, the monsters slain (or not), and the world granted a measure of peace, there’s still so much potential for the reader’s imagination to continue the fun. Unless everybody dies, the story goes on.

Life itself is the greatest adventure, and there’s always room for one more.

TELL ME: What’s your favourite adventure in a book or movie? What adventures has your own life led you to recently?

*I know it’s not a word, but it feels good to say it.

10 Comments | tags: adventure, bound trilogy, fantasy | posted in Bound A-Z

May 5, 2015

Paperback Giveaway!

By Kate Sparkes

Hey, guys!

Just a quick note today, and one some of you might be interested in.

Paperback copies of Torn are finally here! Formatting issues are all cleared up, and they look fantastic. Drool-worthy, even. A little distracting, actually.

*stares at front cover*

Ahem.

Anyway, to celebrate, and to say thanks to readers, I’m doing a signed paperback giveaway for newsletter subscribers! All you’ll have to do is watch for the rafflecopter link in the next newsletter (coming Thursday) and click through to enter. The winner will be chosen at random, and given the option of which book (or Bound audiobook) they want. Open internationally. The only requirement will be that you get the newsletter.

Not signed up yet? No worries, there’s still time! Follow this link and enter your name and e-mail address. I don’t send out newsletters very often, just when there’s something exciting going on like a cover reveal, release news, giveaways, new project sneak peeks, and other fun stuff.

Good luck to everyone who enters!

6 Comments | tags: Bound, bound trilogy, fantasy, giveaway, kate sparkes, kate sparks, paperback, torn, YA | posted in books, promotion

April 13, 2015

What’s Taking So Long? (Part 1)

By Kate Sparkes

Torn, book two of the Bound trilogy, came out on March 31.

On April second, I got the first message asking when book three was coming out. Others soon followed, all polite and wonderfully enthusiastic.

I’m so glad people are as excited about finishing this story as I am. Putting a book out into the world, especially when expectations are high, is a hard thing to do, and positive reader response is like iced tea on a warmish day in Hell.

I love the enthusiasm and the desire for book three.

I do feel bad about not having hard answers for people, though.

See, I didn’t put a release date for book three in the back of Torn. Not even an approximate guess. I have my reasons for being secretive, but as the messages, e-mails, and Facebook comments come in I’m starting to feel like I owe some kind of an explanation so that people don’t think I’m going to flake on them.

No worries, draft three revisions are scheduled!

The explanation is this: Deadlines set too far in advance have a nasty tendency to bite me in the ass, so I’m not making anything public yet.

Not enough explanation? Read on.

Before Bound came out, back when there were maybe twenty people really waiting for it, I set a deadline. I said it would be out June 2014. I’d heard back from my editor, I knew I had things under control, we were good.

…until my basement flooded and we had to evacuate, and everything was up in the air for a while.

I still got it out on June 23. I said “Winter 2015” for Torn‘s release, thinking that left me plenty of time. Eight months shouldn’t have been a problem, right? I was already on draft three, ready for first readers, yadda yadda.

I didn’t think about the fact that I didn’t have my editor booked yet, and couldn’t pay him until I had money from book sales in-hand*. Then there were more delays, and edits turned out to be a slightly bigger challenge than I had anticipated.

Cue major stress as I realized how much work I needed to get done to meet my foolish, self-imposed, late-March deadline.

Such stress is not great for the creative mind, or for families who enjoy things like clean laundry and hot meals. I felt like I was constantly juggling family, too many work balls, my mental health, my physical well-being, and social obligations, all at double speed–and truth be told, I totally suck at juggling. My confidence was shot, and I worried I was going to disappoint everyone.

This isn’t a “woe is me” party. I survived, the book is exactly what I hoped it would be, and I learned a lot from the experience.

But I don’t want to go through that again, so I’ve chosen to not make promises this time until after edits are back in August.

Do I have an idea of how long it will take? You bet. Unless we run into horrible delays in the editing process, we should be looking at the same space between Torn and Sworn as there was between Bound and Torn. About 9 months.

Should be.

No promises.

Put the pitchfork down.

I would love to be able to put out a book every three months for you guys and have them be exactly the quality you expect from me, but I can’t do it. I could have a complete but not professionally-edited book out this summer. I could have a rushed-but-okay-I-guess book out in October for sure. I could probably guarantee something satisfying for December…

…but that’s not good enough for me, or for you.

I’m not releasing Sworn until I know that it’s the most epic, kick-ass, beautiful, gut-wrenching, heart-shattering, oh-gods-I-need-to-reread-this-series-right-now conclusion I’m capable of producing.

And that takes time. That takes editors and readers and chances to sit and think things through. It takes middle of the night epiphanies and long, boring drives when I can perfect tiny details to the best of my ability. It means not settling for the first ideas that come to mind, but digging deep into every character, pushing them harder and further, studying the way the threads weave together and figuring out how best to bring out the fullest beauty of the story.

I get one shot at this thing. I’m going to give you guys all I’ve got.

…in the 4.5 whole hours a day I get to work on it.

But we’ll talk about that another time.

–

*My editor is worth every penny, but it’s a lot of pennies.

4 Comments | tags: book three, bound trilogy, fantasy, kate sparkes, kate sparks, release date, Sworn, YA | posted in about me, Bound Trilogy Book 3, Family, Home Life, Sworn, writing

April 8, 2015

WIPpet Wednesday – Parties and Sorrow

By Kate Sparkes

*yawns*

*growls*

Sorry. I’m still getting over my post-party crash after the Torn release party on Facebook last week. Big thanks to everyone who came out! I had so much fun chatting with all of you, and loved seeing your responses to posts.

And giving stuff away. I really like doing that, too.

And BIG, HUGE, MASSIVE thanks to those who have picked up the book, read it, reviewed it, sent me lovely messages or posted on my facebook wall, shared tweets and blog posts, or told friends to pick up the series… you’re superstars, and I’m so grateful. You make this possible.

(insert cheesy, tear-filled gratitude montage here)

For anyone who’s not familiar with what we’re doing here today, WIPpet Wednesday is when we (the WIPpeteers) post a short snippet from a work in progress that relates in some way to the date–say, eight lines from chapter four for April eighth, or 12 words for 4+8… that kind of thing. Our math can get a little zany as we try to make a passage fit the date rather than the other way around, but that’s part of the fun!

As Torn is no longer a work in progress, we’ll move on to book three today. I’ve just finished reading through what was my second draft. There are a lot of changes I want to make, big and small, before it goes to alpha readers.

But guys? It’s going to be AMAZING. It’s going to be my favourite of the three by the time it’s released, and you know I love the first two.

TITLE SPOILER AHOY

I’m going to start calling book three by its proper title here. The first intrepid readers have had a week to discover it on their own at the back of Torn. I wanted to leave that as a little surprise just for them, but all good things must come to an end. Stop reading if you want to finish Torn and find it for yourself.

We good?

Okay. So today’s WIPpet Wednesday snippet comes from chapter 35 of Sworn. Two paragraphs (8/4=2) that I think say a lot about what’s to come without giving too much away.

Rowan’s POV.

The thick forest made passage difficult, as did the exhaustion that had already drained my arms, and the black sorrow that threatened to overwhelm my heart.

I couldn’t think about what had happened, and I couldn’t think of anything else.

–

*waits to hear the anguished cries of our WIPpet host, KL Schwengel*

For more WIPpet fun, click here! You never know what the WIPpeteers will share. Might be magical, bight be silly, or sexy, or terrifying. Enjoy! (and this is an open event, so feel free to jump in on your own blog and link back! The more, the merrier)

22 Comments | tags: bound trilogy, fantasy, snippet, sorrow, YA | posted in Bound Trilogy Book 3, WIPpet Wednesday

disregard the prologue

Tag Archives: bound trilogy

L is for Luid

K is for Kel

H is for Heartleaf

One Year Celebration (and giveaway!)

Bound A-Z: D is for Dragons

Bound A-Z: B is for Belleisle

Bound A-Z: A is for Adventure

Paperback Giveaway!

What’s Taking So Long? (Part 1)

WIPpet Wednesday – Parties and Sorrow

Vines and Vices (All the Queen’s Knaves book one)

Urban Fantasy (writing as Tanith Frost)

Bound (Bound Trilogy Book One)

Torn (Bound Trilogy Book Two)

Into Elurien

At Any Cost (Bound Trilogy prequel novella)

The Binding (Short Story)

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disregard the prologue

Tag Archives: bound trilogy

Vines and Vices (All the Queen’s Knaves book one)

Urban Fantasy (writing as Tanith Frost)

Bound (Bound Trilogy Book One)

Torn (Bound Trilogy Book Two)

Into Elurien

At Any Cost (Bound Trilogy prequel novella)

The Binding (Short Story)

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Kate Sparkes

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