Divided Fates (Immar and Stauros #2) by Stephanie M. Allen

 

Today's it's all things fantasy! Read an excerpt from Stephanie M. Allen's latest fantasy book Divided Fates and then her top 5 list about all things fantasy! Follow the tour for more! Best of luck entering the giveaway!

Ten days after the battle in the north, the world of Erez has been thrown into turmoil.

Princess Isemay awakens - injured and weak - in a strange village. Branded an outcast because of her mixed heritage but forced to stay against her will, she must choose to conform to the sha’nidow way of life or face the consequences. When a mysterious stranger arrives with a heartbreaking message, Isemay’s hope abandons her to a fate far more destructive than she was prepared for.

Princess Alena finds herself the queen of the northern kingdom - powerful, adored, alone. Fighting inner demons of darkness, she travels south to visit her brother, now the king of Neilos. But fate will not allow her to find peace, and she must decide whether she will side with those she loves or the one who holds ultimate power.

Niri Flesh-cleaver, granddaughter to the elusive Choshech and heir to the nashech throne, has everything she could want - and yet her heart yearns for more. Torn between her mother’s orders and a forbidden love, she quickly realizes she cannot have both. Driven by brokenness, she will seek to destroy the one person she blames for Choshech’s demise - and find that perhaps her heart was the better guide all along.

Three women. Three separate journeys. One path to find that fate will divide even the closest of bonds.

Read an excerpt:

Golda sprinted in the same direction, her tail flagging behind her as she stretched her feline body to its limits. With calculated precision, she ran between the doe and their buck, separating them with ease. After watching the hunters chase after the three females, Isemay drove Kele toward the buck, squeezing with her thighs to ensure her balance as she let go of the mare’s mane. Clumsy at first, she spun her hands in a circle, clenching her fists as she readied her weapon. The telltale whistling began as she spun the straps above her head.

Golda snapped at the buck as it grunted in fear, keeping him separated from the other deer. The sha’nidow hunters maintained their focus on the doe, their mounts moving toward them at a marvelous pace. Sensing his herd was in danger, the male tried to swerve toward them. Golda cut him off, causing him to twist mid-stride and continue in the direction he was heading.

Isemay would have to be fast if she wanted to release a lethal blow. With a snap of her hand, she released the darts from her weapon, flinching as she felt that her aim wasn’t quite right. The buck squealed as a single dart hit his flank. Isemay shifted her weapon, sliding another dart in position before spinning her arm once again.

Before she could release it, the buck grunted as three darts slapped into his neck and chest. Melech thundered past her, his weapon already whipping around with a whistle.

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My name is Stephanie M. Allen. I’m an author, teacher, mom, and wife. Here are my top 5 when it comes to books, characters, and all things fantasy!

#5 – My first introduction to fantasy that I remember was The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. I read those books many, many times. Every once in awhile, I like to revisit them as an adult as well. In fact, Narnia was the inspiration for my first book series. I wondered what would happen if a teenager suddenly found herself going through a portal to a new world. That’s how my Harmony series came about. It centers around Anne, an abused teenager who finds herself in the land of Harmony. The series has fae, dragons, enemies to lovers, fated mates, and magic, of course. Loved writing that series!

#4 – In my opinion, the definitive authority on all things fantasy was J.R.R. Tolkien. He was a genius when it comes to world-building and character development. However, ironically, I’ve never read the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy. I love the movies. I’ve read The Hobbit a few times. I own hardcover special editions of the books. But I’ve only read Fellowship of the Ring. Now that the Audible versions have been released, I will most likely listen to them. I have them on my wish list and intend to purchase them. Once I do, I will probably just do a marathon listen over a few weeks because I truly love the story.

#3 – For my first book, Harmony, I tried to write it many, many times. I could never get the right combination of setting and characters though. For awhile, I had the idea to have my characters go back in time when pirates sailed across the seas. That phase didn’t last long. It wasn’t until I moved to Marion, Kentucky and discovered a little place on the Ohio River called Cave In Rock that Harmony came to being. I visited the cave and knew that I’d found my portal to another world. Everything else for that series just fell into place after that. In the second book, Sealed Shadows, the main characters go through a different portal. This one is located through Wind Cave in Custer, South Dakota. I also visited that, which was a treat and I highly recommend it if you ever get the chance!

#2 – Dueling Fates is the story that has been in my mind the longest, though it took me years and years to get right. I never expected to write this particular story, but it was one of those stories that I couldn’t ignore. I was driving home from college one night in 2002 and zoning out while I was listening to music. I was almost home when I had a very clear picture of twin sisters in my head. One had blue eyes with black hair. The other had green eyes with chestnut hair. They were separated across a continent, and they were both very sad. I knew I had to write their story. Their story wasn’t complete until 2015 and even then, it took another five years for their story to get published. This of course leads into…

#1 – Divided Fates. This is my latest release and the sequel to Dueling Fates. This was the most challenging book for me to write for multiple reasons. First, it’s the second book in a trilogy, which means there’s a lot more questions asked then answered. Second, I liken this book to The Empire Strikes Back from the original Star Wars trilogy. Tragedy abounds and it doesn’t have a complete ending yet. However, it’s also my favorite book that I’ve ever written. I feel that I’ve really grown as a writer, and this book showcases it, both in character development and continued world building. I poured my soul into this book and I am so thrilled that it’s finally available for the world to read.

About the author:
Stephanie M. Allen graduated from California Baptist University in 2009 with a B.A. in English and a desire to share her imaginative stories with the world. She loves to write fantasy, particularly centered around young adults. Aside from writing, Stephanie loves to read, ride horses, and sing. She currently lives in Wyoming with her husband and two children.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorStephanieAllen

Twitter: @StephMarieAllen

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15844466.Stephanie_M_Allen

Instagram: thestephmarieallen

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Stephanie-Allen/e/B01LZGBRKL

Stephanie will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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