The Darkness will invade their dreams and turn their reality into nightmares.
Welcome to one of the February 2nd stops on the blog tour for The Schatten Chronicles by KA Stefana with Silver Dagger Book Tours (scheduled linked.) Be sure to follow the rest of the tour for spotlights, reviews, more guest posts, and a giveaway! More on that at the end of this post.
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Author Guest Post
Do you have any “side stories” about the characters?
For The Forgotten, I am working on some really cozy fantasy stories to explore some of my favorite characters. The short stories can be found on REAM, The Reluctant Rider, and The Dragon Rider’s Journey. The Reluctant Rider follows Sofia and Etienne. The Dragon Rider’s Journey follows Olivia.
What can we expect from you in the future?
Sometime in 2024, I will be releasing a book of poems. I have been writing poetry since I was in grammar school, so this is a special project. Be on the lookout for Shadows and Mist, Poems, and Other Musings. Additionally, I will be releasing two short stories, The Shadow Wolf on May 1st and a short Vampire/Fae Thieve short story. Both stories are a part of shared universes.
What inspired you to write this book?
In most of my stories, you will find the characters wrestling with the darkness in their souls. They are given a chance to choose the light or the darkness. King Stefan chose the darkness, but King William wrestled with it. His love for Idalia will alter his path as she is chosen to fight alongside him to defeat the growing darkness. Then there is the dragon, the keeper of the light.
Where did you come up with the names in the story?
Names are so important for me when starting a new story. As The Schatten Chronicles takes place in the medieval region of Germany, I used databases that had older versions of modern names, i.e., Idalia and Emmeline. One thing that I do not do is name characters after family and friends.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
When I started writing The Daughters of the Darkness, I didn’t have a plan, a plot, or an ending. I wrote chapter by chapter, day by day, on my phone before I went to bed. Of course, the version you see now is not the original from my phone, but what I loved was the freedom to create without deadlines. Since then, many edits later, you have the plot hole-free version of The Daughters of Darkness.
Tell us about your main characters- what makes them tick?
King William: He’s a stern ruler, a womanizer, and an ancient grump. He’s never truly loved a woman and is standoffish to those around him. When he finds Idalia ready to fade to the netherworld, he is ready to let her go, knowing that she could be an enemy. It will take her strength to soften him into the ruler that he is meant to become.
Idalia: She was born into poverty, banished, and betrayed by her mother’s family. They were forced to live alone in the woods, known to all as the untouchables. She was loved dearly by her mother, Emmeline, but her world was shattered when she was abducted, beaten, and abused by strangers. Left on the border of King William’s land, she was leery of this king and his intentions. As their bond grew, so did her strength. She is a force!
Katriona: My red-haired heroine. Katja is wild and spirited, impetuous and brave. She has a true warrior’s spirit. Her story begins in The Origins of Darkness but doesn’t end in the Daughters. There’s more to come in The Aftermath of Darkness.
How did you come up with the title of your first novel?
The title for The Daughters of Darkness came right from the plot of the story. King Stefan was creating an army of his daughters as he was becoming the Darkness that he sought.
If you could spend time with a character from your book, who would it be? And what would you do on that day?
This is a really hard question. If I can only pick one character, then I would choose Morgan, The Keeper of the Light. Why? Because I’d want to fly in his cave and become a Dragon Rider and hear the details of the dragons before they disappeared from Earth.
Are your characters based on real people, or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
Always imaginary! It’s a rule of mine to ensure that I never write about someone I know.
Have you written any other books that are not published?
I have a story that isn’t published. It is probably my favorite story. It takes place in modern times, with the storyline tracing back to King William and Queen Idalia. Morgan plays a central role again. It was one of my first stories and really needs to be rewritten. The plot and characters are great, but my writing style has improved, so I can’t release it as is.
Is there a writer whose brain you would love to pick for advice? Who would that be, and why?
Jeffery Wheeler. Why? Because he was a bi-vocational writer and my inspiration. Once I read his story, I knew that I could write part-time while still working my geeky engineering job.
Fun Facts/Behind the Scenes/Did You Know?’-type tidbits about the author, the book, or the writing process of the book.
I wrote the first chapter of the book without knowing where The Daughters of Darkness would end up. There wasn’t an evil king with vile plans, a path for William and Idalia. Nothing. Just one chapter. In the end, that little chapter will turn into The Schatten Chronicles.
About the Books
The Origins of Darkness
The Schatten Chronicles Book One
by KA Stefana
Published 31 October 2021
Genre: Dark Fantasy Romance
Page Count: 351
Add it to your Goodreads TBR!
They witnessed the death of the evil king and thought that they had saved the land from the darkness within, but he survived and hid within the Northern Boundaries for almost a century. He found a way to escape and regain his powers but he could not break the curse that bound him to the icy wasteland, until one day. One spell bound within ancient magic. One spell that unleashed his plan.
Night after night he visited young innocent maidens in the remotest villages as they were just about to come of age. He entered their dreams and tempted them with raw desire. As they fell prey to his evil plan, he took from them what he wanted and destroyed their futures so that he could rise again.
Soon his daughters would rise, the daughters of darkness. They would travel to lands beyond, where his feet could no longer touch the ground. His daughters, sired for evil, would reign terror down on the southern kings and he would reclaim what was stolen from him and break the curse that bound him.
This is the prequel to The Daughters of Darkness, A Schatten Novel by KA STefana.
Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Bookbub
Excerpt
A lover’s conversation interrupted. Unfinished thoughts floating in the wind. Dreams left for another night. Hearts raced as the end of their time together drew quickly to an end. Their fingers intertwined. Hidden in the shadows from the prying eyes of the villagers.
~ Emmeline & Ash
The Daughters of Darkness
The Schatten Chronicles Book Two
by KA Stefana
Published 19 January 2022
Genre: Dark Fantasy Romance
Page Count: 402
Add it to your Goodreads TBR!
In the peaceful Land of the Rhein, the Darkness looms on the horizon. Evil infiltrates the castle walls, and traitors lurk in the shadows. Can King William protect his beloved land from the impending doom? Enter Idalia, an enigmatic outcast whose fate is uncertain. Could she be the one to fulfill the prophecy, to save the kingdom from its imminent downfall?
But as the truth about Idalia’s past unravels, King William must decide whether to trust her or condemn her to death. Amidst betrayal and treachery, the dragon Morgan holds the key to the prophecy that will determine the fate of the land. Will the outcast born for evil rise to power and defeat her father? Or will she betray those who trust her in the heat of battle?
With twists and turns at every corner, only time can reveal what lies ahead in this epic tale of romance, betrayal, and banishment.
Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Bookbub
Excerpt
The Scouting Report
He reached out and touched her cheek and caressed her. He took a deep breath to take in her scent. He started to relax as he pulled her close and kissed her forehead. He was afraid to show her more affection than that. Her fingers intertwined with his, and he could feel her breathing becoming shallow. He knew her body was betraying her, but she was fighting the pull to touch him.
~ William and Idalia
About the Author
Welcome Readers! Followers and Members of the Shadowverse. I am so excited that you are taking this journey with me. I love to weave tales of darkness and light, pushing my characters to the end of themselves. How will they react? Some may fall into evil, spiraling into a never-ending vortex of darkness. Others may walk the line between the realms of darkness and light. Only a few will rise above the chaos. They are the defenders and heroes in the world of shadows, but they, too, wrestle with the shadows surrounding them, trying to lure them down dark alleyways and into the back rooms of iniquity.
My friends always ask me where my tales come from. I guess it comes from years of reading great tales from the likes of Tolkien, Lewis, and so many others. In reality, I don’t have a clue. The stories somehow flow from the unruly characters that beg to be written yet refuse to follow their storylines. Just the way I like it!
Past the shadows, you will find a twist of romance between kings and outcasts, enemies to lovers, and everything in between.
As for me, I started my writing journey during quarantine and haven’t stopped writing since. I am thankful for the writing community and their support and for my family and friends. Most of all, I am blessed to have a husband who supports all of my late-night shenanigans, wrestling with characters and pounding away at the keyboard until the wee hours of the morning.
~ A million hugs! Thanks for joining the Shadowverse.
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Giveaway Alert!
Swag Magnets of both books (US only),
$20 Amazon giftcard (WW),
-1 winner each!
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
This looks like a great novel. Thanks for hosting this giveaway.