Happy Book Birthday to REBEL’S BLADE by Frost Kay!
Now, today’s a very exciting day!
Frost Kay’s debut novel, Rebel’s Blade, releases! This was one of the manuscripts that I recently copyedited (I do freelance copyediting and critiquing alongside my own writing), and I felt I just had to share it with you on release day because it’s exactly the type of book I love to read and I’m sure my own readers would enjoy this one too.
So, let’s take a look at the book!
NOTHING IS BLACK AND WHITE
Secretly trained, swordsmith Sage Blackwell steps up to run her family’s forge when her father falls ill. Sage desires to help the neglected Aermians but is bound by duty to provide for her own… Until, that is, she’s offered a chance to make a difference.
THE REBELLION
Sage knows the risks; imprisonment or death, and yet, she’s still willing to take them to protect her family. But when plans unravel, Sage finds herself facing the devils themselves, her sworn enemies, the princes of Aermia.
THE CROWN
Tehl Ramses is drowning; crops are being burned, villages pillaged, and citizens are disappearing, leading to a rising rebellion. As crown prince, and acting ruler, Tehl must find a way to crush the rebellion before civil war sweeps through his beloved kingdom. He’ll do whatever is necessary to save his people. Yet, his prisoner is not at all what he expected.
ONE STORY. TWO SIDES. ONE GOAL: SAVE AERMIA.
So, this is book one in a new fantasy series, and it’s amazing. Go and grab a copy now.
And we’ve got a mini interview with Frost Kay right here!
Hi Frost! So, what inspired you to write Rebel’s Blade?
Scenes of Rebel’s Blade have been running around my mind since I was 12 years old. Stories like Deltora Quest by Emily Rodda, and the Protector of the Small series by Tamora Pierce sparked my imagination, and along came Sage. She clamored enough that in high school I wrote a short story about her, then shoved her in a closet once I received my grade. But if you’ve read Rebel’s Blade, you know Sage is not one to go down without a fight. So last year I broke down and began writing her story.
How long did the first draft take you to write? And did the story change vastly during revisions?
My first draft took around 5 months. The overall story didn’t change too much in revisions but some of the characters personalities evolved into something more, they became real
How do you go about building a fantasy world?
Fantasy worlds, stars above, I could talk about this for hours. I LOVE fantasy worlds. Before I even put one word on paper, I had designed a map, and that really set the stage for The Aermian Feuds. Next, came the races. I wanted diverse world of people and creatures that were a blend of something new, yet traditional. The challenge was, I didn’t want to use magic as a crutch to explain the unexplainable. SO I did hours, and hours of research, and ended up with some really uniques races. Then came these questions: How would the races survive? What sort of environment would they live in? What skills would they offer the world? How would they interact with others? What prejudices would they have? I spent a lot of time daydreaming in the sun last summer, watching the clouds drift by and scribbling down ideas.
Your female protagonist, Sage, is a strong main character, and I absolutely loved her! How did she change during the writing and editorial process? Was she always as a strong as she is now?
My lovely Sage. She was a strong woman from the beginning, with a high sense of loyalty and love for her family. She changed more in the editorial process than the writing process. When I reread her story, I realized she was strong, but not human. I adjusted a few scenes, and Sage really blossomed becoming relatable and strong in a way that inspires.
I was so pleased to learn that Rebel’s Blade is book one in a series. Can you give us any teasers for book two? And when can we expect book two to be out?
Crown’s Shield is Book two in The Aermian Feuds. It’s my dearest hope to release it in August or early September. Without further ado here’s a little sneak peek of Crown’s Shield:
“So you came here for protection?” Sam asked.
“No, I can protect myself, but I wasn’t going to put my family in danger. I figured the Elite could handle whatever stalked me.”
“Damn straight.”
Sage arched a brow. “Strong words. I hope you can back them because I’ve slipped through your fingers before.”
Sam scowled playfully at her. “You had help.”
“Help that was living in your own home. Some spymaster you are,” Sage needled with a smirk. “If you need training, I could show you the ropes if you’d like.”
Sam squinted and then relaxed into a lazy smile.
She did not like that smile one bit, it spoke of trouble.
“Ropes? I love ropes. They have so many titillating uses. I could show you the ropes if you’d like?”
Sage gaped at the spymaster for a moment. Did everything have to be an innuendo? No wonder her brothers loved him. Her eyes narrowed as she stabbed a finger at him. “I don’t know whether to laugh, or slap the living daylights out of you.”
