Kylie Griffin

ALLIANCE FORGED

A Novel of the Light Blade
Berkley Publishing Group
ISBN 10: 0425256014

There is no mercy in the demon realm. No escape. In this place of desperation and conflict, anyone who is not purebred is virtually powerless. Until a blind priestess lays claim to a half-breed warrior, body and soul… 

Hunted and marked for death by Na’Reish demons for their half-blood heritage, the Na’Chi are searching for a new home—something an alliance offered by the human leader could provide. With both races divided by prejudice, when Light Blade rebels brutally attack the Na’Chi, the alliance seems doomed to fail. 

Varian, leader of the Na’Chi, a hybrid race of gifted warriors, is cursed with the darker impulses of his demon heritage. Controlling the part of himself that craves the high of the battle is a struggle he’s afraid he’ll lose—until he meets Kymora Tayn, a priestess driven to serve her deity. While he’s unwilling to trust anyone outside his people, he finds himself drawn to Kymora’s strength and passionate nature, and discovers she has the power to calm the darkness inside him. 

When the Na’Reish raid human territory for blood-slaves and kickstart a war, the key to the survival of both races—Na’Chi and human— is an alliance. However, when Kymora is kidnapped, pitting human against human, Varian realizes he must embrace his darker half, not only to save the alliance…but also the woman he loves. 

ALL ABOUT KYLIE

Kylie Griffin’s obsession with all things paranormal/fantasy started at an early age, when she used to imagine the jacaranda tree in her front yard was a spaceship used to defend the world from invading enemies. Writing stories seemed a natural extension to her childhood adventures. 

Today, she’s a primary school teacher sharing her love for the written word with young children. In her spare time, she writes and reads all things paranormal.              

Kylie lives in a small rural village in outback New South Wales, Australia, where she volunteers in a number of emergency service organizations in her local community. Visit her website.  

Kylie's first release won the RWA Golden Heart in 2010. Please welcome back our Unsinkable sister...

THE Q&A

MAUREEN: What was your favorite book when you were 12?

KYLIE: THE HOBBIT by JRRTolkein - my 6th grade teacher read it to us one term and I loved it! When I went to my grandparents place I discovered the book in their library and my grandfather gave it to me to keep. I still have it.  

JILLIAN: Since the 2010 Golden Heart, what has been your most rewarding publishing moment?

KYLIE: Holding BLOODBORN (as it was titled then), the GH winning entry, in my hands as a print book (now known as VENGEANCE BORN). Opening that box of print books every author gets from their editor was an incredible moment. I was so excited I opened mine in the local post office, pulled out the first copy, looked at it and promptly burst into tears. It was such an emotional milestone. 

SIMONE: What inspires you daily?

KYLIE: For writing? Setting myself a word count and being accountable to someone for producing it. :-) In general? Nature. I love being outside in the garden, in the bush, sitting on rocks or sand at the beach listening to the waves, star gazing... 

CAT: What has surprised you the most about being published?

KYLIE: The way some people perceive you as being the "expert" on all things writerly once you get THE CALL. It's humbling (flattering and astounding) the number of emails from I've received asking me for my advice or opinion on certain topics.

I don't think of myself as an expert in anything - the simple fact is, I'm a newbie to the publishing industry.  I'm still learning about the business and I'll always continue to develop and improve my craft. Maybe in about 50 years I could reassess that point of view! :-D 

DONNEL: Complete this sentence. When I want to relax, I. . .

KYLIE: ...dive right into my To Be Read pile of books and gorge on them. I usually read them in an easy chair out in my back entertainment area (which is enclosed, so no flies or mozzies - mosquitoes). If there aren't any interruptions I can read two or three single title books in a day. I never get sick of reading. 

ANGI: Which already filmed movie represents your writing style?

KYLIE: The Lord of the Rings trilogy - fantasy, romance, adventure, friendship, sacrifice, other races, empirical wars, good vs. evil. 

ANGI: What is your biggest vice?
KYLIE: For times when my sweet tooth kicks in - chocolate (caramello or snack flavored). For the savory tooth - Twisties (an Australian cheesy or chicken flavored food). 

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: Who inspired your hero for ALLIANCE FORGED?

KYLIE’S NAME GOTTA ANSWER: Despite being a leader, Varian's been very much a loner all his life, looking from the outside in because of an event he experienced in his past.

Characters like Preacher in Pale Rider (actually Clint Eastwood played quite a few loner characters in his movies), Aragorn in LOTR, Riddick in Pitch Black, Mariner in Waterworld, Wolverine in X-Men, Max in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome all had troubled pasts or were isolated in some way because of something they did or had happen to them. 

Each of them ended up with leadership thrust upon them or in a role where they were responsible for someone and this was made harder as they struggled with personal demons. I guess these sorts of characters were all inspiration for Varian.

In Varian's case, he was lucky enough to end come across Kymora and...well, I can't tell you exactly what happens between them, but their story has a HEA (it's a romance after all)! :-) 

FINDING KYLIE:

Email    Website   Facebook   Twitter    GoodReads    Blogs    Shelfari  
Newsletter sign up on my website or blog
CHECK OUT KYLIE'S FIRST GLIAS INTERVIEW

UP NEXT FOR KYLIE:
ALLEGIANCE SWORN, the third book in the series. I don't have a confirmed release date or cover for it yet but as soon as I do I'll post it up on my website and other social media sites.

ALLEGIANCE SWORN

Book #3 of the Light Blade series

There is no mercy in the demon realm. No escape. In this place of desperation and conflict, anyone who is not purebred is virtually powerless. Until a demon leader seeks to unify the races… 

With the alliance of the humans and the half-blood Na’Chi forged, the demon Na’Reish prepare for war by seizing human blood-slaves. Captured during a rescue mission-gone-wrong, Light Blade warrior Arek Barial finds himself claimed by a Na’Reishi female who offers him an unexpected choice. 

Raised in the elite ranks of a society she abhors, Imhara Kaal lives a dangerous double life as a Na’Reish Clan-leader and an advocate for a caste-free life that honors the Old Ways. Openly rebelling against the Na’Reish would mean her death, unless she can find an emissary willing to present her petition to the human Blade council.

But Arek isn’t about to blindly follow a demon—despite the intense attraction growing between them. And while hatred for the Na’Reish is all he has ever known, Arek must learn to trust Imhara, or risk the destruction of all three races…

PREVIOUS RELEASES:

VENGEANCE BORN
Berkley Sensation
ISBN 10: 0425245365
EXCERPT 

KYLIE’S GIVE-AWAY:
I'd love to offer a copy of ALLIANCE FORGED. Feel free to make it a random (international) draw, Angi. It will come from TBD but I'm happy to send out a signed bookplate to go with it. 

Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed by the author. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Winners of drawings are responsible for checking this site in a timely manner. If prizes are not claimed in a timely manner, the author may not have a prize available. Get Lost In A Story cannot be responsible for an author's failure to mail the listed prize. GLIAS does not automatically pass email addresses to guest authors unless the commenter publicly posts their email address.

DON’T FORGET to FOLLOW us on Twitter (#GetLostStories) or LIKE us on Facebook to keep up with all our guest authors and their prizes. Join me tomorrow for the Q&A of my friend Robin Covington’s debut. ~Angi

THE QUESTION FOR TODAY

Kylie’s biggest vice are chocolate and a savory treat known as Twisties. What’s your biggest vice (besides chocolate!)?  FYI: remember that Kylie's located on a different continent...but she will respond.