Guest Blogger - Sandy Lender

Fantasy author Sandy Lender is visiting my blog today on her virtual book tour for her new release Choices Meant for Kings. Please give Sandy a warm blog welcome!

Change Starts with a Girl
By Fantasy Author Sandy Lender
http://www.authorsandylender.com/books.htm

I saw an ad on some e-mail server system. The headline was “Change Starts with a Girl.” I didn’t look at the rest of the ad because I was in a hurry to move along doing other stuff (story of my life, right?), but that headline kinda stuck with me. I like it.

I like it in light of Onweald, the world I created for my fantasy series, and Chariss, the heroine who has to change things there. Change starts with a girl. I like it in light of the fact I’m a girl (albeit an older girl) who makes a difference in the lives of some cute little birds. I try to make a change in sea turtle conservation. I try to make a change for other authors who need some help promoting their work.

I like it because it’s good to encourage girls to think of things they can do to make positive changes in their environments, in their neighborhoods, in the world. You know, I’m not a crazed feminist who has stopped shaving her legs, but I have some pretty strong opinions about allowing women the opportunity to shine. My fantasy series is Girl Power Fantasy without a crazed feminist agenda because I believe it’s important to provide a good role model for readers—be they male or female readers.

So if change starts with a girl, what good, positive changes have you seen girls making in your neighborhoods and families lately?

“Some days, you just want the dragon to win.”

Blurb:

Chariss is in danger. Her geasa is hampered by the effects of a friend’s marriage. The dashing Nigel Taiman hides something from her, yet demands she stay at his family’s estate where he and her wizard guardian intend to keep her safe. But the sorcerer Lord Drake and Julette The Betrayer know she’s there, and their monstrous army marches that way.

When prophecies stack up to threaten an arrogant deity, Chariss must choose between the dragon that courts her and the ostracized kings of the Southlands for help. Evil stalks her at every turn and madness creeps over the goddess who guides her. Can an orphan-turned-Protector resist the dark side of her heritage? Or will she sacrifice all to keep her god-charge safe?

A Tense Little Excerpt From Choices Meant for Kings
By Fantasy Author Sandy Lender
http://www.authorsandylender.com
You won’t find this excerpt anywhere except Sandy’s current online book tour…

As the soldier stepped toward him, Nigel reached out his arm and caught him by the neck. He slammed the captain against the far wall. He pinned him there with his body, leaning against the man as if he could crush the wind from him with his presence.

He brought his face close to the soldier’s ear and spoke lowly, fiercely, so that no one could have overheard him. The menace and intent behind the words was as surprising to the captain as the words themselves.

“I asked you to accompany [Chariss] on this journey tomorrow because I have faith in your sword, and until this moment I trusted you to keep your distance from her. Now, I find her down here at your side with a look upon your face that suggests more than you realize. So help me, Naegling, the only thing that stays my hand is how displeased she would be if she learned that I sliced you open.”

“The look you see is merely my concern for her honor. Nothing more.”

“I’m not a fool. And I’ll use every last piece of Arcana’s treasury to pay the prophets to justify my reasons for marrying that woman, so you can unconcern yourself with her honor.”

Hrazon stepped off the staircase then and saw Nigel pressed against his guard.

“I still believe you’re one of the best soldiers Arcana’s ever seen,” Nigel continued, “and I want you at her side for this journey, but, so help me, Naegling, she comes back alive and well and not confused in the least about her affections for me, or I will string you up from a tree in the orchard and attach your intestines to your horse’s saddle before I send it—”

Hrazon cleared his throat. “Excuse me. Is there an issue here I should address?”

Thank you Sandy for sharing your new book with us.

Go Girl Power!