Ever wonder what it’d be like to be bonded to a dragon?

Shawnahur hadn’t even thought it was possible, but then it happened! Suddenly he’s gaining attention.

First the chief’s mage shows up declaring Shawnahur dragon king of a nonexistent kingdom. Then he receives a summons from the chief’s household to be the chief’s personal musician, which shows him a side of the warrior he’d never expected.

With the clans united against a common enemy, Shawnahur’s brothers march to war. When Shawn takes supplies to his brothers, he unwittingly walks into a battlefield, and with his dragon’s help, defeats the champion.

As Shawnahur’s successes mount, the chief’s approval turns to jealousy. Shawn soon finds himself on the wrong end of a glaive more times than he can count. Now he only longs to stay alive; pleasing his brothers and herding would be a life of ease.

If this sounds up your alley or you know someone who’d like it, please share it. The ebook is on pre-order for 99-cents this week only. Then it’ll be back up to normal price.

Cover Reveal celebration

To celebrate the cover reveal, you can pre-order Determined for only 99 cents! That’s this week only, so be sure to snag your copy.

If you haven’t started yet, you can start with book 1, Uprooted, for only 99 cents. The rest of the series is on sale for 30% off.

I also wrote an interview for The Fantasy Princess. It features Hest, Sydur, and Kyeth along with some Easter eggs, so you’ll want to bookmark it and return to it after reading Determined as well as Resolved and Divided.

What It’s About

What’s all the hype? Four Stars over Ardatz: Sovereigns is a coming-of-age epic fantasy set in a world where one side of the planet is always in night and the other side is always in sun.

18-year-old Hest lives on the dark side of the planet, and gets along with horses better than people. When a magnificent stallion walks into his stables, and the horse’s owner hands the innkeeper coins, Hest assumes he’s been sold into slavery.

It’s not until he’s traveled to the capital that Hest discovers he’s been taken on as squire to Captain of the Royal Guard of the neighboring kingdom.

If that’s not enough, he frees a baby dragon and sets into motion events that are beyond his small town heritage.

The first trilogy follows Hest as he learns to deal with castle intrigue, relationships, and his bond with the dragon. The second trilogy, beginning with Determined, focuses on Siobhan and then their daughter.

Blurb

When your nightmares waken, where do you find rest?

Eighteen-year-old Siobhan had lived a sheltered life until the Navwood attacked and a dragon bonded with her betrothed. Living with the remnant terrors of two abductions has left its mark, and that cut is getting deeper as she tries to adapt to life as a queen, a wife, and a mother.

Her husband is more interested in spending time with his dragon than being with her—or fulfilling his duties as king. Siobhan’s jealousy over their bond feeds her fear of the draconic features that come and go with his emotions, and the dragon’s silver around his eyes is a constant reminder that he’s not wholly hers—or ever will be.

But when the Navwood send a kidnapper to steal their daughter, Hest marches to battle, leaving his family under the protection of a palace guard. Unfortunately, the dangers of war are closer to home than either of them realized, and to save herself and her family, Siobhan will have to find new courage in the face of a waking nightmare.

When Hest returns, it’ll take all her strength to face the pressures from the court—let alone the changes war has wrought on her husband. Can their own bond survive both the pressures of a kingdom and the fears they both carry?

Cover

Book Summary

What would you give to be a dragon rider and marry the princess?

Two months ago, 18-year-old Hest discovered a baby dragon under the dungeon, and now he’s hearing the dragon’s voice. It comes at the strangest times, but usually when he needs it most in training fights. If only he could know when he’d get the help consistently instead of being the laughing stock of the other knights.

But not everyone believes the baby dragon is safe. The kingdom mage warns Hest that the dragon will overpower him if he’s not careful. As the bond grows in strength, Hest can’t keep it a secret, and if he thought life as a knight was complicated, try being next in line for the crown!

Hest isn’t the only one who wants the position as king. A traitor mage is determined to steal not only the crown, but the princess and Hest’s dragon!

Keeping a dragon is harder than finding one, but Hest will do anything—even allow the dragon to control him—to save his kingdom and his betrothed.

Blessed is the second book in the coming-of-age fantasy series, Four Stars over Ardatz: Sovereigns. If you like action, wonderful characters, multi-dimensional clean romance, and dragons, you’ll love Kandi J Wyatt’s book.

Scavenger Hunt

Today’s National Scavenger Hunt Day. What better way to celebrate than with a scavenger hunt! Search #fourstarsoverardatz to find all the clues. Then put them together to find the phrase. In the giveaway, click on the scavenger hunt entry and follow the link to add the phrase for five extra entries.

Giveaway

The giveaway is for an advanced hardback copy of Blessed, a dragon keychain by OwlBeeDamned, and a sand castle figurine made in Canada. Unfortunately, I can only send these to someone in the continental U.S. For international readers, I have an advanced ebook and dragon wallpaper.

Limited Edition Hardback

There is a limited edition hardback book available from now until June 15. The cover is different than the rest of the series or what the paperback and hardback will be after June 15.

Last summer, Finding God in Anime released and has remained a best seller. It appears that there are many who want a devotional for anime lovers. Like a good anime, I’m proud to announce there’s a sequel.

Finding God in Anime 2

Have you ever wanted a season two of your favorite anime but found out it is unlikely for the company to produce one? Stinks, doesn’t it? (And that’s an understatement!) Well, Finding God in Anime definitely isn’t like that. After all, you’re looking at volume two right now!

            Welcome to the second installment of the acclaimed devotional: Finding God in Anime! Each bite-size piece comes straight from the passionate otaku souls in our collective of Christian authors. You will find anime inspired pieces from across tons of beloved genres within this devotional, and each one presents a unique and Biblical outlook on your favorite shows!

·       Find God’s fatherly love in Daddy’s Girl, inspired by Fullmetal Alchemist

·       Go down to your atoms to discover God’s purpose for us in Jobs, inspired by Cells at Work

·       Huddle up to hear God’s game plan for living like Him in Get Your Head in the Game, inspired by Kuroko’s Basketball

…and so many others! So grab your shuriken or computerized make-up compact and join us on the exciting adventure of finding God’s teachings in anime!

More Details

The devotional for anime lovers releases on June 1st, but is now available for pre-order. Each bite-sized devotional is a perfect way to start your day and come from the heart of each author. (I know mine were written based on what I’ve been learning this last year.)

However, anime and Christendom don’t traditionally go together. Most adults will look cross-eyed when teens discuss anime. So when I heard about this anthology of devotionals based on anime, I jumped on board. Immediately, I thought of the anime my middle son watched with me, Re:Creators. I loved the art style, but even more, it made me think about the worlds I create. It’s because of Re:Creators that my current world I’m working with has songs, stories, tasty food, and lore.

Premise of Finding God in Anime

I love how God works. Among the worst times, or in the most unexpected places, you can see His fingerprints. That’s the idea of Finding God in Anime: A Devotional for Otakus. The various authors have seen pieces of the Creator among their favorite anime and have written to encourage you through them.

Blurb

Being a Christian can be tough. Being an otaku can be tough. But being both at once?

Sometimes it seems easier to become Hokage rather than explaining your faith and passions to others. That is why we otaku have united in this devotional: To encourage otaku like you spiritually and through a medium we all cherish.

In this devotional, you will find God in the animes you know and love. Each devotional presents spiritual lessons found in animes ranging from the world-famous Attack on Titan to fan-favorite Haikyu!! to beloved classics like Cowboy Bebop. Each piece will feature a different theme such as:

• Human Will vs. The Holy Spirit in Yona of the Dawn
• Choosing to be Free in Free! Swim Club
• Not by My Might in My Hero Academia

…and many others! We believe that God can be seen throughout His creation—even in places where people might not intend! So pull out your cosplay and snuggle close with your plushies as you join us in Finding God in Anime.

What anime do you see God in? What are your favorite tales?

However, in June after finishing An Unforeseen Adventure, I shared in a facebook message with the students that they were the ones in the story. I added the parents I had contact with, and to my surprise all the parents accepted the idea of having their child do a photo session for the stock photos! That began our planning. The week of the 4th of July, we met together on a very windy afternoon on the Southern Oregon Coast at Battle Rock in Port Orford. The boys, one mom, my husband (the photographer) and I wandered down the bluff to the beach. I shared my idea with my husband, Eric Wyatt Photography, and he took various photos from various angles. Within fifteen minutes we were finished.

When we returned home, Eric uploaded the photos to a dropbox, and I shared it with Amalia Chitulescu from Romania. She then worked her magic and created this wonderful cover. What do you think? Do you like it?

Blurb:

Protect their community or protect their discovery?

For eighth graders Chace, Harley, Will, and Cherise, that’s a life-changing question after they find a dragon’s egg while hunting for thundereggs on the beach. Toss in summer jobs, family struggles, and a National Security Agent, and their summer vacation just became complicated.

Can they find a solution that won’t leave their hearts broken or their community in flames?

Pre-order:

An Unexpected Adventure is now available for pre-order on most sales channels. You can pick yours up today. Keep an eye out for an upcoming giveaway as well.

Interview

Kendra, will you please introduce your character? Does he or she have a nickname?

My character’s name is Adrian. No nicknames as of the beginning of the book. He does gain one towards the end, though.

Would you describe Adrian for my readers? What is your his hair color? Eye color?

Black hair and hazel green eyes.

Ooh, I love hazel green eyes. They remind me of hawk eyes. Does Adrian have a secret?

Yes. He’s actually twin brother to the Princess Obsidia. And he doesn’t even know that when the book opens…

Twins are awesome! I have a whole series with twins in it. So, where was Adrian born? Where has he lived since then, and where does he call home?

He was born at the castle, but that very night, his father was killed by a usurper king and due to the mess that is the politics of his country, his mother sent him away to be raised by her trusted companion as a commoner. And, so, he lives in a humble village, which is where he most certainly calls home.

Let’s welcome Adrian to the blog. So glad to have you here. What is your favorite occupation?

My father – or my foster father, that is, as I’ve recently discovered – is the village printer, and I’ve always thought the best occupation in the Sphere. I’m his apprentice, and he says that I’m really good at it. Unfortunately, this is only until they can find a way to return me to what is apparently “my” rightful throne.

Wow! Sounds like you’ve had some interesting couple of days and are just coming to grips with this new information. Where would you like to live?

 Right here, in the village, where I’ve grown up.

I can understand that. I didn’t have any one place growing up, and always wanted that. I’m blessed to have lived in the same area for the last twenty-six years. On what occasions do you lie?

 Used to, it was only on my birthdays when it came to just how much I didn’t like them. Now that I’ve found out that I’m secretly a prince … well, it’s a bit more often.

Well, most people don’t like to tell their age, so trying to hide a birthday’s understandable. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

 The fact that I’m a prince. I don’t like politics. At all. Why did I get this job?

I don’t think I’d want the job of prince or princess either. It’s always fun to fantasize about what it would be like, but in reality, it wouldn’t be fun. Let’s move on to the final question. How would you like to die?

 I know how I don’t want to die. At the hands of the dragons who orchestrated my real father’s death.

It was very nice to have Kendra and Adrian here today. 

Book info:

Princess Obsidia’s father was killed the night she was born. Since there was no male heir, the crown went to the man who killed him, by Dialcian law. This never bothered her, growing up, and when it comes time for Obsidia to choose her husband, she chooses Prince Delaney, the son of that man, with little hesitation. Only then does her life start crumbling around her.

Adrian expected to live a normal life, taking his father’s place at the print shop when his father retired. But, on his eighteenth birthday, when the princess’ engagement is announced, his world is ripped out from under him when he learns that his life was a ruse, and he is the twin brother to the princess – and expected to take back his father’s throne.

Delaney knows that his country is hovering on the brink of war – and that his father may harbor murderous intentions towards his intended bride due to her Zovordian blood. He wants nothing more than to protect Obsidia and his people, but as merely prince, he has little power against his father.

The ancient war between the Dragons and the Immortal King and Queen is nearing its climax, and the three are already caught in it.

About the Author:

Kendra E. Ardnek loves fairytales and twisting them in new and exciting ways. She’s been or acting them on her dozen plus cousins and siblings for years. “Finish your story, Kendra,” is frequently heard at family gatherings. Her sole life goal has always been to grow up and be an author of fantasy and children’s tales that glorify God and His Word.
Find her online at: Website || Blog || Goodreads || Facebook || Twitter || Amazon 

Excerpt:

You can read the first chapter on Kendra’s website.

Cover:

More Information:

If you’d like to follow the blog tour, feel free to head over to Kendra’s blog. You can also enter for a free paperback copy of the book and a 15 ml bottle of Peppermint essential oil (U.S. only), but there’s an international prize for the person who comments the most on the blog tour. So take a look over there.

David as Kirito for Fellowship of Fantasy’s Cosplay

Two years ago, my youngest son participated in Fellowship of Fantasy’s cosplay contest and won with his representation of Kirito from Sword Art Online. His prize was multiple audiobooks by Fellowship of Fantasy authors. One night at the dinner table, he looked at me and said, “Mom, have you read any of H. L. Burke’s books? You should read Beggar Magic.” I followed his advice and have never been happier. I’ve added several of her books to my book lists over the course of the years. You can find my input on Nyssa Glass on this blog about books for children’s book week. The top three recommendations in this post of five books for March are H. L. Burke’s. Finally, her Spellsmith & Carver trilogy can be found on this post for four fall reads.

With that said, you can imagine how excited I am to present a new book by H. L. Burke. Spicebringer sounds very intriguing.

The Blurb:

Let me share with you what I’ve learned:

A deadly disease. A vanishing remedy. A breathless journey.

All her life, Niya’s known she will die young from the fatal rasp. She survives only with the aid of vitrisar spice and a magical, curmudgeonly fire salamander named Alk. Then an ambitious princess burns down the vitrisar grove in an effort to steal Alk so she can claim her rightful throne. Joined by Jayesh, a disgraced monk, Niya and Alk must flee to the faraway Hidden Temple with the last vitrisar plant, or all who suffer from the rasp will perish.

But even as Niya’s frustration and banter with Jayesh deepen to affection, the rasp is stealing away her breath and life.

For a girl with limited time and a crippling quest, love may be more painful than death.

Doesn’t that sound good? I love a good love story, and this sounds like it’s going to deliver that.

The Cover:

About H. L. Burke:

Born in a small town in north central Oregon, H. L. Burke spent most of her childhood around trees and farm animals and was always accompanied by a book. Growing up with epic heroes from Middle Earth and Narnia keeping her company, she also became an incurable romantic.

An addictive personality, she jumped from one fandom to another, being at times completely obsessed with various books, movies, or television series (Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Star Trek all took their turns), but she has grown to be what she considers a well-rounded connoisseur of geek culture.

Married to her high school crush who is now a US Marine, she has moved multiple times in her adult life but believes that home is wherever her husband, two daughters, and pets are.

Where to find her:

Facebook page

Facebook Reader Group

Twitter

Instagram

Website

Where to pre-order Spicebringer:

Where can you get your copy? I’m glad you asked. Just read away–or click for your favorite retailer. Ooh, and there’s a special autographed paperback copy offer!

Amazon Kindle

Barnes & Noble Nook

Kobo

Apple iBooks

And the Paperback offer: Regularly 17.99, autographed paperback preorders are 14.99 with free shipping discount (free shipping to US locations only)

Uncommon Universes Press – autographed paperback preorder: https://uncommonuniverses.com/product/spicebringer-autographed-paperback-preorder/

Meet the characters:

Arianna:

My idea of Arianna at the beginning of the story is in some ways an Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables. With that in mind, here’s the opening scene.

“Arianna Roris, that’s not fair!” Pasha called to her friend. “You can’t hide in a tree!”

“And why not?” Arianna’s laugh rang through the courtyard.

Placing her slender hands on her hips, Pasha planted her feet and glared up at the cypress, her dark eyes hiding among her ebony tresses, in a stance unbefitting a young lady. Blue eyes met chocolate ones and held. Finally, Arianna relented.

“Fine, I’ll come down.”

Disentangling her blond hair from a tree branch, Arianna looked below her and jumped down as smoothly as a cat.

Pasha shook her dark head. “How will I ever explain the state of your dress to Mother this time?”

“Don’t worry, Pasha.” Arianna laid a gentle hand on her friend’s shoulder. “I’ve learned not only how to climb the tree, but how to clean my dresses afterward, so that even Lady Hemma won’t know.”

Pasha chuckled. “That’s what I’ve always liked about you, Arianna. You’ve learned how to take care of yourself.”

Arianna’s Uncle Marcos raised her until she turned ten. At that time, the Rector family took her in as a foster daughter to help train her in the ways of nobility and womanhood. The two families had been friends since Arianna and Pasha were little, because Uncle Marcos and Lord Praus, the head of the Rector family, work together in the duke’s castle.

Duke Callon:

Arianna first meets Duke Callon on Pasha’s wedding day. Here are her impressions.

Arianna noticed Lord Praus with a man who carried himself with confidence and authority. His dark hair and golden skin told Arianna that he was a Canalvian. The man’s deep baritone resonated with the quartet playing in the background. Arianna didn’t know what to say. His brown eyes, flecked with lighter brown that seemed to shift like the shadows cast by the last leaves of autumn, met hers and seemed to sparkle.

Kenden:

Kenden is Pasha’s older brother. He loves nothing better than to be locked away in his laboratory in the duke’s castle working on his various projects. He also enjoys sticking up for the underdog. He’s a champion for those he loves, besides being a genius inventor.

Lord Kakalian:

I always had a love/hate relationship with the original character that became Lord Kakalian. His arrogance irked me to no end, but his comeupance that he received always thrilled me. So, I tried to write those emotions into Lord Kakalian. The reader will discover more about Lord Kakalian from his sons really than from the lord himself. His first appearance in the story is in a council meeting.

Micyjah raised a hand. “Your grace, Lord Kakalian has many tenant buildings. I suggest we place him over housing needs in the city.”

“Very well spoken, Lord Micyjah.” Norval turned to Kakalian. “Are you willing to add those responsibilities to your mining business?”

Kakalian sat back in his chair and fingered his beard. “I suppose I could place several of my middle sons over the mining projects currently. That would free up my time to devote to the housing situation. Does anyone know if we have a shortage or not?”

Nine heads shook, and Callon leaned forward. “I would say that would be your first order of business. Then you can report directly to me on what you find.”

Slender fingers worked their way through Kakalian’s red beard, and a lamp flickered. Someone coughed. “I would be honored to hold the position of city housing director, Your Grace.”

As I said, the reader learns more about him through his sons who are introduced on the first page, but these quotes pretty much sum it up.

In reality none of Lord Kakalian’s brood were pleasant. The lord had ten sons, every one of whom had either inherited or learned their father’s racial hatred and cruelty.

***

“So far, Lord Kakalian hasn’t committed any crimes. Everything with his fingerprint on it is legal, but that doesn’t mean it’s ethical.”

Blurb:

When Duke Callon divorces his wife and decides on an uncanny way of choosing his next duchess, Arianna’s left with little choice. Faced with the intricacies of politics, Arianna struggles to find her place. Just as she thinks she has her footing, a decree, issued with the blessing of her husband, calls for the extermination of her entire race.

A young innocent girl, a capricious duke, and a decree that will change everything. What will it take to save a race?

Follow along in this one of a kind Steampunk Biblical retelling of an Old Testament classic by Kandi J Wyatt.

Cover and links:

Matt Konar did an amazing job on this cover. He took the ideas I’d gleaned from a young friend and created the castle garden with Arianna, Duke Callon, and Lord Kakalian plotting behind them. I love his watercolor pencil work that he did here.

You can find To Save a Race on the major outlets on pre-order for $.99. The price will go up three days after it releases on March 6th.

Get Your Copy Now

It’s Contemporary Young Adult Fiction

Blurb:

Cecily has always had a huge crush on singer Andrew Holiday and she wants to be an actress, so she tags along when her friend auditions for his new video. However, the director isn’t looking for an actress, but rather the girl next door—and so is Andrew. Cecily gets a part in the video and all of Andrew’s attention on the set. Her friend begins to see red and Cecily’s boyfriend is seeing green—as in major jealousy. A misunderstanding leaves Cecily and her boyfriend on the outs and Andrew hopes to pick up the pieces as he’s looking for someone more stable in his life than the models he’s dated. Soon Cecily begins to realize Andrew understands her more than her small-town boyfriend—but can her perfect love match really be her favorite rock star?

Book Details:

The book officially releases in ebook and paperback on March 20^th.

You check out the Can Dreams Come True Pinterest inspiration board here!

About the Author:

Krysten Lindsay Hager writes about friendship, self-esteem, fitting in, frenemies, crushes, fame, first loves, and values. She is the author of True Colors, Best Friends…Forever?, Next Door to a Star,  Landry in Like, Competing with the Star (The Star Series: Book 2) and Dating the It Guy. True Colors, won the Readers Favorite award for best preteen book and the Dayton Book Expo Bestseller Award for childen/teens. Competing with the Star is a Readers’ Favorite Book Award Finalist.

​Krysten’s work has been featured in USA Today, The Flint Journal, the Grand Haven Tribune, the Beavercreek Current, the Bellbrook Times, Springfield News-Sun, Grand Blanc View, Dayton Daily News and on the talk show Living Dayton.

Where to Find Her:

WEBSITE

INSTAGRAM

TWITTER

FACEBOOK

PINTEREST

AMAZON BIO

The Cover:

And for the drumroll! Cora Graphics for Clean Reads did the artwork.