Sensational Fantasy Sidekicks Giveaway

Concept Art of Piper from Crown of Bones

 Hey Everyone,

I'm excited to say that Crown of Bones is on a BookBub special and going for $0 for the next seven days. Jump on over to  Bookbub and select your favourite eBook formate. I so appreciate the support.

And meanwhile, to launch my series of posts for the rest of the year, I'm letting Piper - orange-robe of Baiseen, lead the way. 

Piper is an orange-robe (high level) healer savant who raises a phantom in the form of a two-headed snake. Her job in the company is to heal, boost strength and endurance and restore the other party members. She is also trained in hand-to-hand and stands as a strong ally in any fight.

In some ways, Piper is the heart of the company, giving of herself to sustain and care for everyone else. As a healer, she makes no distinction between savant, non-savant, friend, foe, animal, plant or even coral reef when asked for help. She’s ready to do what she can.

With her passionate relationship to the caller/alter savant, Samen, another member of the company, and her enormous store of medicinal knowledge and lore, Piper is always a joy to write. 

She’s the moral compass of the group (along with Ash) and represents a powerful female character who, though kickass in her combat skills, doesn’t leverage stereotypical masculine traits to get the job done. Her power comes from belief in herself, something she doesn’t have to prove to anyone, ever. It is always within.

Let me know what you think of her when you read Crown of Bones, and tell me about your favourite sidekick characters.

Comments always welcome.

xxKim

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Kim Falconer, writing YA Fantasy as A K Wilder, is the author of Crown of Bones, book #1 in the Amassia Series. The sequel, Curse of Shadows, is due for release in June 2022.

Kim can be found on  AKWilder Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. 

You can Throw the Bones, read your monthly horoscopes or Raise Your Phantom on the AKWilder.com site or just drop a comment to chat. See you there!

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Raise. Your. Phantom.

 

Phantom Motion - Ave Fenix – Ascenso 

In the spirit of Halloween and all the great posts this month on ghosts and ghouls, I thought I would offer a little 'phantoms 101' for those intending to read Crown of Bones.

What is a Phantom?

Do not mistake a phantom for a ghost.

Phantoms reside in the depths of a savants’ soul and with training, they can be raised, held to solid form and commanded. Some say they are the shadow side of the savant, but they are also an embodiment of their will. 

Let’s be clear. They have a will of their own! Training does not always come easy, or stick.

How to Raise a Phantom

To raise their phantom, the savant must be touching the earth, usually dropping to one or both knees. The phantom separates from the savant, travels through the ground and then rises in a blast of rock and dirt. Earth is necessary to take material form.

Classes of Phantoms

The 5 Classes of Phantoms - Art by Anna Campbell Art

There are five categories or classes of phantoms one might raise – warrior, healer, ouster, caller, alter -- each offering a unique way to serve the realm. Warriors are for defence and offence, healers care for people, animals and plants alike, callers can draw the winds, rain, crops, weapons. They can find lost kittens or, with High Savants, call blood from the enemies' bones. Ousters have similar abilities but push instead of pull. Alters are shape-shifters with uses from observation, battle, communication and survival. 

Phantoms can also be a combination, for example, Samsen’s caller-alter. When it’s clear which class the savant belongs to, they are thereafter referred to simply as a warrior, or healer etc.

Take the Quiz

Find out what phantom you raise and report back. I'd love to know!

In the meantime, have a happy Halloween. You can read your Bare Bones Scopes HERE.

xxKim

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Kim Falconer's New YA Fantasy is out January 5, 2020 - Crown of Bones. book #1 in the Amassia Series (Writing asr A.K. Wilder) 

Also, check her urban fantasy  - The Blood in the Beginning - an Ava Sykes Novel and the SFF Quantum Enchantment Series. 

You can find Kim on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Or pop over and throw the bones or Raise your Phantom on the AKWilder.com site.