Welcome Kelly A. Harmon

Today my guest is Kelly A. Harmon. She is featuring her latest book, Blood Soup. It's a Dark Medieval Fantasy and you can find this intriguing tale of suspense and murder at Eternal Press. Please welcome Kelly as she shares her insights on writing as well as her blurb and an excerpt from Blood Soup.

Five Things I Wish I Knew About the Writing Before I Got Started

1. Selling books is a commercial occupation. If I wanted published, I needed to focus on the final product. Take the time to detail the steps needed to achieve your specific goals.

2. I'm not just a writer; I must wear a slew of other hats, too. Getting and staying organized is the key.

3. Marketing a book is a whole lot tougher than it sounds. Make a plan for how and where you're going to market. Lay the groundwork for a huge marketing push in the weeks before your book debuts.

4. I need a platform. Start a web site, a blog, join social networks, and begin building a community. An excellent resource on platform creation is “Get Known before the Book Deal” by Christina Katz. Techno-marketer Matt Dickman also has useful advice on marketing.

5. I need to be able to tell (pitch) my story in 30 seconds or less. Briefly describe the plot and the main characters of your story. Make certain it’s succinct.

BLOOD SOUP BLURB:

A tale of murder, betrayal and comeuppance.

King Theodicar of Borgund needed an heir. When his wife, Queen Piacenza, became pregnant, he’d hoped for a boy. His wife, along with her nurse, Salvagia, knew it wouldn’t be so: with each cast of the runes, Salvagia’s trusted divination tools yielded the same message: “A girl child must rule or the kingdom will fall to ruin.” The women were convinced that the child would be a girl.

When the queen finally gives birth, the nurse and the king are equally surprised. The king is faced with a terrible choice, and his decision will determine the fate of his kingdom. Will he choose wisely, or will he doom Borgund to ruin?

BLOOD SOUP EXCERPT:

“Do you want to learn about your sister?” King Theodicar asked.

“Go on.”

“Salvagia had a set of runes, and she cast them over and over and over as Pia’s pregnancy advanced. Always, the answer was the same: ‘A girl child must rule or the kingdom will fall to ruin.’”

“Do you believe that, Father?”

“Your mother did. And so did Salvagia. They came from Omero, where the eldest born ruled, not just the eldest male. They believed your sister should rule.”

“But, did you believe?”

“I think your mother wasn’t meant to bear children. She was little and frail. Her labor arrived early—almost too early for you to survive. Your sister was born first. She was tiny, and just as delicate as your mother. Pia died the moment she was born, without even seeing her. Salvagia cut the girl’s cord and handed her to me. Then your mother’s belly contracted, and we realized there was another babe: you.”

“So, you killed my sister so she wouldn’t take the throne.”

“It wasn’t like that at the time.” Anguish washed across Theodicar’s face. “The girl was frail, but you were worse. Salvagia could only save one of you. She was certain you wouldn’t last through the night, and she tried to convince me that your weakness fulfilled the prophecy. I wouldn’t listen to her. I told her to sacrifice the girl so you could live.”

“The girl, the girl, the girl. Has my sister a name?”

“Her life was given for yours before she was named. I’d asked Salvagia to remove the body afterward, so there would be no question about who would rule after me.” He looked down at his feet. “I’m fairly certain Salvagia named her, though she never told me so.”

“How did my sister save me?”

“Her blood, Amal. You drank of her blood to strengthen your own.”

Amalric’s hand tightened on the glass in his lap. He swallowed hard, imagining he could taste the tinny flavor of blood on his tongue. It was worse than he first thought: not only was he winner by default, but he was beast—some variation of an incestuous cannibal—alive only because he drank his sister’s blood.

Blood Soup available from Eternal Press
Visit Kelly's Web Site

And I almost forgot to tell you-- Don't you forget to leave a comment on any of Kelly's blog tour stops and you’re eligible to win a $25 Amazon or B&N gift card!

Kelly, good luck on your Goddess Fish blog tour! And I wish you many sales with your fantastic new story, Blood Soup.

Kaye