Storytellers On Tour Presents: Kings & Daemons by Marcus Lee

Today marks the official kickoff of the Kings & Daemons Book Tour presented by Storytellers On Tour, and throughout the week we’ve got a great lineup helping us spotlight this incredible Fantasy Romance tale! Kings & Daemons is Marcus Lee’s debut novel, and book one in his The Gifted and the Cursed series that appeals to both adult and young adult audiences. I’m always on the hunt for a great fantasy story imbued with romance, so I’m very much looking forward to seeing what our hosts have to say in the coming days.

Marcus was kind enough to stop by to chat about what led to the creation of this book, what sets it apart from others, and what lies ahead for him, so keep scrolling for the tour schedule, more info about the book, and the interview.

The Tour

We’ve enlisted a group of wonderful and talented bloggers and Bookstagrammers to help us feature Kings & Daemons. This is what we have going on, so make sure to check out each and every one throughout the week for some brilliant content, including reviews, interviews, and more.

AUGUST 9TH–THE WELCOMING
Whispers & Wonder
––
AUGUST 10TH
Gnoflet Reads
The Sword Smith
@bibliomum
––
AUGUST 11TH
Out of This World SFF Reviews
Book Bustle
Sometimes Leelynn Reads
––
AUGUST 12TH
Jorie Loves A Story
Bookends & Bagends
@katsreadingcorner
––
AUGUST 13TH
Gwendalyn’s Books
Mind of Luxe
Lauren Marie’s Musings
––
AUGUST 14TH
The Book in Hand
@myrelationshipwith
Beneath A Thousand Skies
––
AUGUST 15TH–THE ENCORE
RockStarlit BookAsylum

For more about this tour visit Storytellers On Tour.

---

The Book

AVAILABLE AT
ALSO AVAILABLE ON

---

The Blurb

A tale of conquest, dark kings, and daemonic heroes. A spellbinding story that will enchant you with its plot of ambition, love, betrayal, sacrifice and redemption.

Over fifty years have passed since Daleth the seemingly immortal Witch-King and his army conquered the Ember Kingdom.

Now, with the once fertile lands and its enslaved people dying around him, the Witch-King, driven by his insatiable thirst for eternal youth, prepares his forces to march on the prosperous neighbouring Freestates. It will be the beginnings of a conquest that could destroy nations, bringing death and destruction on an unimaginable scale.

Then, when a peasant huntress whose rare gift was concealed from birth is exposed, it sets in motion a chain of events that could alter the destiny of generations to come.

---

Meet The Author

WEBSITE: https://www.marcusleebooks.com/

Writing hasn’t always been a serious hobby for me … but it has always been there, lurking in the shadows, serving me well when called upon.

As I look back over the years, I realise I was guilty of writing many short stories, as well as poetry, and I’d like to think, that even if they were never intended to be published, they were nonetheless warmly received by the intended recipients.

Then in 2019, I was inspired to write not just a short story, or poetry, but a book. Then, suddenly, one book turned into a trilogy and a labour of love, and it was a love I wanted to share with the world.

So, here we are. The pandemic that put my career in sport on hold also gave me the opportunity to lavish time on my alternative hobby, or if demand dictates my new career.

However, only you, the reader, will decide whether this trilogy, which is still a work in progress, will be the first of many. I genuinely hope so.

Who knows, now these creatives juices are flowing, I might just keep on writing anyway.

---

Thanks so much for stopping by for a chat, Marcus. Since we already have your official bio, care to tell us about yourself in ten words or less?

Hopelessly romantic, love happy endings, loyal to a fault. Oh no… that sounds like a dating profile

What’s a day of writing like in the shoes of Marcus? Do you have any quirks, routines, or rituals?

I’m a firm believer in the healthy body equating to a healthy mind. So most days it’s a workout first thing, much to my neighbour’s dismay due to the music and moans of pain. Following the obvious things like breakfast (often involving salmon) I then spend my morning writing time listening to music that evokes the emotions I am trying to portray in my writing. All the while I am fighting to resist the temptation of the yummy things in my cupboard … they call to me like the Sirens from Greek mythology.

Give us an idea of how Kings & Daemons came to fruition.

I’ve always loved fantasy and the huge canvas it allows you to paint upon, limited only by your imagination. I wanted to start a tradition, a father writing a book for his son, and for him to them carry this on, and then hopefully have this repeated for generations to come. The lockdown allowed this project the time it needed to be ‘completed’.

Can you share with us something about Kings & Daemons that isn’t in the blurb?

Oh my, there is so much. But what makes it a little different, and sets Kings and Daemons apart from lots of other fantasy, is that in a genre littered with magic and powers, here those who are ‘gifted’ by the gods, find themselves cursed as well in equal measure. What those curses are we find out along with the characters in the book. 

Was there any specific research you’ve done or inspiration you’ve pulled from for Kings & Daemons?

I’ve read hundreds of fantasy books, as well as Greek, Roman and Egyptian mythology. I think they’ve all helped prepare and inspire me to create a world and characters that others can get lost in, just as I was lost in them..

What comes first, the plot or the characters?

The characters for me lead the plot, not the other way around and I so hope people feel engaged by many of the secondary characters in Kings and Daemons, not just the main ones. I’ve tried to show that some of the darkest characters can have good traits and the good can succumb to their darker sides under the right circumstances / pressure. This story is definitely character driven and through them all, their memories and actions the world and plot is built.

Do you have a favorite character you’ve written? If so, who? What about them sets them apart from all the others?

It is too easy to say Maya. I think in a genre which is full of strong-minded, willful, driven characters, she is rather vulnerable, full of compassion, somewhat innocent and manages to retain that despite being swept up by terrible events. Her gift makes me smile every time I write about it. There are other characters I really like for such different reasons, but you only asked me for one!

What do you think makes a good story?

For me it is finding something that resonates inside of you. Something that makes you feel actual emotion, whether it be sadness and pain, admiration or hope, perhaps even love.

Is there one particular book you hold dearest to your heart?

The Wizard of Earthsea quartet… four books in one. During my teenage years, I read that again and again.

Writing can be a stressful pursuit. Do you have any tips for aspiring authors?

I’m still gathering tips for myself, so I am not best placed, yet surely working with SOT on getting visibility for your work is a must and takes a lot of stress away…

Ok, let’s see what kind of person you truly are.

Coffee or Tea?
Neither. Used to be a tea drinker but not for over 4 years now. Water or milk at home.
–
Winter or Summer?
Neither. I prefer the colours of spring or autumn, not forgetting I prefer the temperature.
–
Physical books or Ebooks?
Physical. I feel like they’re a treasure in my hands if I love them.
–
Mountains or Oceans?
Mountains. To look down upon the world alongside the gods.
–
Beer or Wine?
Wine. Preferably red, but in summer I’m partial to white or even rose.
–
Books or Movies?
On my own a book. In the arms of someone… a movie.
–
Cowboys or Aliens?
Aliens definitely although as a kid I grew up watching John Wayne.
–
Pie or Cake?
Gotta be good cake.
–
Rural or Urban?
I love the countryside.. green fields, mountains, the less people the better.
–
Work hard or Play hard?
Work. My parents instilled in me a crazy work ethic, and I’ve been unable to shake it since.

Thank you again for taking the time have a chat, Marcus. Tell us what lies ahead for you!

Well, currently I am on edit number three of Tristan’s Folly, book two in The Gifted and the Cursed trilogy. I’m also working with the cover designer to finalise that part of the book. I loved the original cover for Kings and Daemons so it’s a hard one to follow. Thereafter I guess it’s unsurprisingly going to be editing The End of Dreams, the finale of the trilogy.

This is all a huge learning curve from me, and I think however good a book is, unless people hear about it, you will never be noticed. So I need to put a lot more time into mastering social media, engaging with the reading community, building a presence.

I already have my next trilogy sketched out. I’m impatient to start, yet there is so far to go in my current project that I need to stay focused for now.

---

The Giveaway

Enter to win one of five physical copies of Kings & Daemons!
(UK Only)

Kings & Daemons Giveaway

---

That’s all I got for ya! Be sure to keep an eye on the official Kings & Daemons tour page over at Storytellers On Tour (https://storytellersontour.online/2020/07/10/tour-schedule-kings-and-daemons-by-marcus-lee/) to see what the other bloggers and Bookstagrammers have to say!

Find out more about Storytellers On Tour or join our team:
Become a Roadie | Book a Tour | Follow us on Twitter | Follow us on Instagram

Happy Reading!
🖤