Here are three monsters from The Quest, book 2 of the YA fantasy, duology, Illusional Reality.
These evil creatures have names, but I want you to dig deep and come up with three names for these monsters. Everyone who plays will have their name put in a hat and one winner will be shipped this original set of prints.
Now, if you go and buy the book and learn what their real names are, please contact me at kkantasauthorassist@gmail.com and I will need POP so only new purchases are allowed to enter.
If you know the real names, and you are the winner, I will throw in something very special with the prints.
This contest is open to everyone. Get your imagination going and name these three monsters from the epic fantasy novel, The Quest, book 2 of Illusional Reality duology.
Just leave a comment or email me your three names to kkantasauthorassist@gmail.com
Everyone has their fav books that will stay with them forever. For some reason, they become the only books that are in hardback or paperback and have pride of place on my books shelf.
Here are my top five in no particular order
S.E Hinton and her rebel YA dramas, such as the classic, The Outsiders will always have a place in my heart it was her book, The Outsiders in particular, that made me want to write my own story and become an author. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09PNW8851
It was these next three collections of fantasy books that had me binging on Fantasy PNR . And writing my own YA fantasy PNR, Illlusional Reality.
You may have heard of the film and TV series The Mortal Instruments. But I bet you never heard of ClockWork Angel, ClockWork Prince snd Clockwork Princess. Absolutely amazing books.
Only one book was turned into a movie and it starred Nicole Kidman. But it flopped so they never made the other two. These books stretched my imagination thought to the limits. Now it’s a major UK tv show and I’m hoping they stayed close to the original book, as the storyline is epic.
This YA thriller is a great mix between suspense and the repercussions of teen-age bullying. Billy, the victim of teen-age bullying, goes on a summer work trip in Scotland. She meets some new friends, including Shane, and begins to feel accepted. All seems to be going well, until the bodies begin to pile up. The twists, including the final twist, keep the reader engaged and the pages flying. This book well-written and engaging. I look forward to reading more of her work.
This is a dark thriller that keeps you turning pages until the end. You see the darkness that everyone has within them and how people cope with how life treats them. The bullying is rough, but dark actions of people bring out the macabre situation of having to get justice of it all. Paranormal twist to this.
This story has subtle meanings within the pages and has a steady flow. I hung on each word and was ready to flip to the next page. An engaging story.
This book had me intrigued. It is smooth flowing and a quick/easy read. I could picture every scene.
‘Karina draws a thin line between FACT & FICTION.’
If being bullied through every school Billy went to wasn’t enough, being attacked in her own home just pushed her over the edge.
Now severely depressed and suicidal, Billy takes matters into her own hands and sees a counsellor. After just one session, she’s now on her way to Scotland as a volunteer to help the Professor of Edinburgh university, dig and clean up an archaeological site that has just been discovered.
Although she tries to shy away from the others, not wanting them to find a reason to dislike her, she’s soon accepted as one of them. Without realising it’s happening, she becomes closer to Shane, a motocross enthusiast who has taken her under his wing.
However, whilst working at the site, Billy comes across an unusual stone. She takes it to the Professor to be looked at, but he dismisses it as a pendant probably dropped by a hiker and so threads the stone with a black leather cord and gives it back to Billy.
Only the peace they once had, the friendships they had all formed, gets tested as bodies start to pile up.
“A suspenseful short supernatural story that kept me hooked right up to the last page – I loved the twist at the end.”
Download Stone Cold it’s a quick read and only 99c to buy. Oh and thank you in advance for the review.
Find out why fans are loving this unique YA fantasy PNR
The Author has used her creative fantasy to introduce a unique and original plot that has been carefully thought out. The story is set in an interesting alternate reality in a world that has unique magical elements. This is a story of espionage, treachery, suspense, love, sacrifice, hope, courage and so much more.
Oh my, what a world Karina has designed here. She has created her own planet, inhabitants, speech, dress, all unique and vivid. This truly is a fantastical world with magical gifts, a reluctant princess, an angry warlord and oracles, and contains lots of espionage, treachery, suspense with a bit of romance thrown in.
This was a different type of story. The author completely made up a language and a whole new world. That’s pretty cool. Overall I liked it! It was definitely a different type of fantasy then I’m used to.
Kantas’ knack for worldbuilding continues and strengthens as she journeys outside of the kingdom of Tsinia and delves into classic fantasy settings such as deserts, swamps, forests, castles, dungeons, and more.
You travel with Thya and a couple others through trials and tribulations which are expertly created to make their Quest either successful or a failure. Her magic becomes even stronger but alas their is a dark side to it that she has trouble controlling.
I loved this book! Now, i’m going back to read the first one; even thought this one can be read as a standalone. The action is non-stop! I mean, Realms, hidden identities, Finding yourself and its power, fulfilling prophecies!! I mean wow! This author throws you into another world and runs with it! Mind…Blown! Defiantly reading more of this author!
Publisher: Asteri Press imprint of Bolide publishing
Cover designer: Sharon Lipman from Fantasia Cover Designs
Editors: Michelle Dunbar, Anna Proofing, and Black Cat Edits
Blurb
Nobody expects to stare death in the face, only to find out their entire life is a lie.
When marketing executive Becky is saved from near-death by Salco, she is taken to Tsinia, a magical world filled with peaceful people who are trying to forget their land is on the brink of destruction.
Becky discovers that her arrival is no accident and that she is Thya, the heir to the enchanting land. As if that isn’t enough, she learns that an Oracle prophesied that she will save the gentle Tsinians from slavery and domination by Darthorn, the Warlord of Senx.
The Tsinian council and her kinsmen are certain that a union between Darthorn’s son, Kovon, and Thya will create peace between the two lands. However, Darthorn has plans for Tsinia, as does Kovon for Thya.
Her future has been written, and, if she is to save Tsinia, she must marry Kovon, but Thya gives her heart to another – a love that is both forbidden and dangerous.
Illusional Reality is a story about hope, courage, love, and sacrifice.
The cool air refreshed her, and she was soon wide awake. Alkazar brought a seat out from the room and asked her to sit.
“As I was trying to convey to you, the gift you possess is named Flite. You have the ability to move objects with your mind. All Ganties possess this gift, and tis my pleasured duty to tutor you in the employment of your talents. To move an object, you are required to reach the Owto, a place between conscious and unconscious.”
“Sort of like a trance?”
“Similar to a hypnotic state,” he answered. “You ought to be aware of things around you and pay attention to conversations, yet you need to be able to detach yourself from reality so you can concentrate on what you desire. It is rather like splitting your mind in two.”
“Sounds hard.”
Alkazar laughed. “It can be. It depends on how receptive you are. Let us attempt?”
“Sure, what have I got to lose?”
“Start by relaxing your body. Close your mind and relax in the chair; feel your body loosen. When you think you cannot go further, push your body deeper.” He saw Thya push herself back into the chair. “Employ only your thoughts. Do not employ your physical being.” Thya relaxed once again. “Better. Melt into the chair. Become one with the wood. Breathe deeply. Inhale through your nose, and exhale through your mouth. That’s it. Keep breathing deeper. Good. You ought to feel as though you are drifting.” Thya nodded slightly. “I require you to imagine space as you understand it to be: be darkness all around you, apart from the stars and planets surrounding your view. You are alone, moving through space, drifting. Detach your mind and focus on the darkness – on the silence. Concentrate, Thya.” He paused for a moment. “The stars and planets are fading, and there is naught but utter darkness. Still, you move through the blackness.”
Thya was coming to the crucial part. Alkazar moved closer. He lifted one of her eyelids and saw her pupil was stationary and her breathing steady. Both were good signs. Just for a moment, he felt the urge to lean in and kiss her but pushed the thought aside. He scolded himself. He was supposed to be teaching her how to concentrate yet struggled with his own.
“Continue moving through the darkness,” he continued. “Soon, you will come to a suspended door. Tis grey in colour. When you arrive, grasp the handle until I instruct you to –”
“I sight the door,” Thya called out.
“Continue to grasp the handle. When I command you to unlock it, I want you to open your eyes. Are you prepared?”
“I am,” she answered.
“Unlock.”
Thya opened her eyes, blinked twice, and then smiled at him. “So, how did I do?”
Alkazar wasn’t surprised she did not reach the Owto; they rarely did on their first arrival at the door. However, he was surprised by how far she had gone.
“Very good. Only you have to concentrate harder. Relate to me, what colour was the door?”
“Umm… a light grey with black marks.”
“You have done well. We will discontinue for the moment. You ought to rest, as you will be tired. I will request that Pertius does not announce himself.”
“Thanks, Alkazar. I do not think I can take any of his talk of doom and gloom.”
Alkazar laughed. “Pertius has much to instruct you about your legacy, the past, and of your future. It does not have to be as doomed as you remark. I am confident that once you have conversed you will find a sudden interest to learn all.”
“If you state so,” she replied casually.
“Rest if you can. However, I declare that after our session your mind will be wandering.” He turned to leave, pausing at the door. “Understand this, Thya. If you ever require me as a friend or as a tutor, you have only to summon and I will attend you. This I vow. For the present, farewell.” He bowed then left.
Prize Draw
Download Illusional Reality now for just $0.99/£0.99 and send proof of purchase to karina.kantas@yahoo.com. You will be entered in the draw for this stunning necklace – identical to the one Thya is given, an heir loom carried through the generations of Ganties, and now it could be yours.
Pre-orders are included in this contest. The prize draw is open internationally. No other prize will be given out.
The winner will be announced in Karina’s newsletter. http://eepurl.com/daKief This contest is run and organised by the author Karina Kantas.
“With most books, you have to back up a page or two. That is something I NEVER had to do with this one! It is well written and captures the imagination, guiding you into the new land and language with such easy grace that you hardly are aware of it.”
“This is a unique story filled with intrigue, deception and danger. As you read along so much unfolds.”
“The detailed descriptions let me see the magical land of Tsinia, with it’s tree-top dwellings and it’s friendly and peaceful inhabitants. Senx, the home of her ‘intended’, Kovon and his father, Darthorn, is a much darker and gloomier place.”
“Karina sets up some great and compelling characters. Thya, Alkazar, Omad, Kazer, Kovon, Siren are all intriguing for their own reasons. We love them, we hate them. I’ll let you make your own opinions. This truly is a fantastical world with magical gifts, a reluctant princess, an angry warlord and oracles, and contains lots of espionage, treachery, suspense with a bit of romance thrown in.”
“What a delightfully touching love story! Our author entwined our world with a fantasy one with action, magic and of course, love.”
Meet Thya ,rightful ruler of Tsinia and guardian to the ChanglinsMeet Alkazar, tutor of the Arts
Author’s Bio
Karina Kantas was born in the Midlands, UK, and has lived on the island of Corfu for twenty-seven years.
Karina Kantas is an award-winning, prolific author of thirteen titles, including the Outlaw books—the gritty MC thriller series—and the exciting YA fantasy duology, Illusional Reality.
She also writes short stories, and, when her imagination is working overtime, thought-provoking, dark flash fiction.
There are many layers to Karina’s writing style and voice, as you will see in her flash fiction collection, Heads & Tales. In Undressed, she opens up to her fans, giving them another glimpse into her warped mind.
Karina writes in the genres of fantasy, MC romance, young adult. sci-fi, horror, thrillers and comedy, romance, paranormal romance, dystopian, and erotica.
When she’s not working on her new books, she helps her clients by offering affordable Author Services five days week.
Titles To Date
***The OUTLAW series*** – MC thrillers In Times of Violence Huntress Lawless Justice Road Rage
***Collections*** Heads & Tales – mixed genres UNDRESSED – poetry, prose, short fiction mixed genres A Flash of Horror
In Times of Violence Young Adult Edition – MC romance Stone Cold – YA supernatural thriller Toxic – dystopian erotica
***Illusional Reality duology*** Illusional Reality – YA romantic fantasy The Quest/fantasy – YA paranormal romance
***WIP*** Broken Chains (Mafia Romance) currently on Wattpad
The second book to the exciting duology, Illusional Reality, will be hitting bookshelves on New Years Day – 01/01/2019.
Fans have been waiting for The Quest ever since book one. Illusional Reality was published back in 2016.
Reader’s Favorite Review
Karina Kantas’ young adult epic fantasy, Illusional Reality, is an intriguing and thought-provoking coming of age novel about a young woman whose life straddles two existences: that of her everyday life on earth and her regal existence as a Tsinian Ganty.
Once she’s in that alternate world, she’s faced with an arranged marriage to the evil and sadistic son of Darthorn, the despotic ruler of the neighboring Senx. Becky is resolved not to go along with that plan. While being a princess is something she doesn’t mind dreaming about, the reality can be much less appealing.
This epic fantasy is intricately plotted and will please fantasy readers who enjoy visiting alternate realities and exploring their cultures, justice systems, magic and religions. Illusional Reality is recommended for epic fantasy readers.
Now The Quest is almost upon us.
So what is The Quest all about?
THE QUEST FOR THE TRUTH BEGINS
When Hati, notices a Tsinian crystal glowing, she knows she must stick to her word and return to her homeland as Thya. Knowing her kinsmen needed her, there was no hesitation. Even though there was more to lose than just her life.
Once more a prophesy was given that informed the reader of oracles, that only Thya could stop the war and save not just her people, but the rest of Enumac from Kovon’s psychotic plans.
Along with three other companions, Thya is sent on a perilous quest to locate a dark crystal which holds evil known as the Dark Force. The group are tried and tested throughout their journey by monsters, death and courage. New friendships will be formed and other lost. Thya’s power becomes stronger and a second will threatens to take over her mind body and soul.
A terrifying surprise waits for them in the city of Helkon.
Will they survive?
Will Thya return to Tsinia and for the final showdown with Kovon?
˃˃˃ A raw emotional story about love, betrayal, and sacrifice.<<<<
“In Times of Violence had an addictive storyline. I actually got up in the middle of the night to finish reading it. I loved Jade, although I don’t fully understand her or her motives.”
“Do not miss this book. Jade, Marcus and Dylan will bring out the feels.”
Buy a paperback copy of In Times of Violence – Young Adult Edition, to be entered into a prize draw for the awesome biker jewellery + a chance to win a mystery prize.
Karina Kantas is the author of the popular MC thriller series, OUTLAW and the loved romantic fantasy, Illusional Reality
She also writes short stories and when her imagination is working
overtime, she writes thought-provoking dark flash fiction. There are many layers to Karina’s writing style and voice, as you will see in her flash fiction collection, Heads & Tales and in UNDRESSED
she opens up more to her fans, giving them another glimpse into her warped mind.
When Karina isn’t busy working on her next bestseller, she’s designing
teasers, book trailers, recording audio or videoing small readings
and then working on Twitter and FB posts. She’s also the host of a
popular radio show, Author Assist on the Artist First Radio Network.
Karina writes in the genres of fantasy, MC romance, Young Adult. sci-fi,
horror, thrillers and comedy.
Her inspirations are the author S.E.Hinton and the rock band, Iron Maiden.
S.E. Anderson can’t ever tell you where she’s from. Not because she doesn’t want to, but because it inevitably leads to a confusing conversation where she goes over where she was born (England) where she grew up (France) and where her family is from (USA) and it tends to make things very complicated.
She’s lived pretty much her entire life in the South of France, except for a brief stint where she moved to Washington DC, or the eighty years she spent as a queen of Narnia before coming back home five minutes after she had left. Currently, she goes to university in Marseille, where she’s studying Physics and aiming for a career in Astrophysics.
When she’s not writing, or trying to science, she’s either reading, designing, crafting, or attempting to speak with various woodland creatures in an attempt to get them to do household chores for her. She could also be gaming, or pretending she’s not watching anything on Netflix.
S.E.Anderson is the author of the funny Sci-fi novel, Alienation. We managed to get hold of her and ask her a couple of questions.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I love to read, but also create book covers. And knit, and cross stitch. And study the universe! I’m currently studying for a Masters of Space sciences.
What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
How many friends would support me! I couldn’t believe how cool and excited everyone was about Starstruck and my little career as an author.
3. How many books have you written? Which is your favourite?
I’ve written 23 novels, though only Starstruck has ever been published – and Alienation soon! The other ones might be worth publishing one day, but they need a lot of work. Some are fantasy, some are scifi, and I even have a YA romance I’m dying to get back to!
4. Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
I love my readers. I was amazed that they reached out to me, and I could not be happier! Many have become great friends of mine. They seem to really love the humor, and also… the growing relationship between Sally and Zander! They’ve even come up with a ship name – Zally!
Maakuna
Follow this exciting blog tour starting at your first stop UrbanHype101 and if you get lost in cyber space, come back to UrbanHype101 for the tour map.
There’s something new to read see or hear on each of these stops.
Don’t forget to hunt for that special word and if you find ALL of them, send them to scavengerhunt@bolidepublishing.com and you could win a signed copy of Alienation and a gift pack of unique swag. This contest is open internationally.
Now hop onto your spacecraft and visit the next blog.
S.E. Anderson can’t ever tell you where she’s from. Not because she doesn’t want to, but because it inevitably leads to a confusing conversation where she goes over where she was born (England) where she grew up (France) and where her family is from (USA) and it tends to make things very complicated.
Explosive Writer 