Friday - Release coming - Janet Lane Walters - Lines of Fire #fantasy #romance

Since the person who should have done the How She Does It feature never sent her material, I'm taking over at least today with news about my uncoming release that will arrive sometime in January.

Lines of Fire is a fantasy romance that was fun to do and is an imaginative adventure that is a bit different, at least I hope so. Fearful of being forced by the sorcerers, the four Guilds of Investia have crossed the mists to a new world. They have erected a large structure known as the Guild House. The Guilds are Healers, Defenders, Artisans and Justicars. Not all of their people have the talents in the four areas and live in villages and farms.

Lines of Fire is the first of a trilogy about the Defenders Guild. Alric, the hero has promised his father a banished Defender to return the Defenders Guild to the ways of old and to find his missing siblings. Alric is chosen to train as a Defender and the story opens when after a duel with a Desert Rider, he learns his second bondmate will not make the bond permanent. According to rules established by the family who has ruled the Defenders for generations, a third failed bond will banish him. The current Swordmaster wants this to happen even though Alric is the best dueler among the group. Alric also sees the lines of fire that flow over people's skin and uses them when he duels.

Kalia, the Swordmaster's older daughter has no wish to bond or to be a Defender.  She also sees the lines of fire but wishes to use them to heal. She has halted the flow of blood following injuries many times. Once, she managed to dissolve a blood clot that threatened someone's life. The Swordmaster has decided she will marry his favored Defender and Kalia would rather flee than bond to Petan.

Petan and the Swordmaster's lines of fire are dark and turgid rather than the vivid red of the others. Petan wants Kalia for taking from her lines will allow him to continue to function.

The hero and heroine must learn how to clear the lines and to defeat those who wish them harm as well as learn that love is the answer to many problems.