I'm thrilled to be a stop on T.K. Richardson's blog tour. T.K. is always a pleasure to interact with and she's one great writer. I loved Return the Heart and can't wait to read and post my review of Shield the Heart. Stay tuned for the review. Take it away T.K.!
Hi Lisa, thanks for hosting this stop on the blog tour for Shield the Heart!
The theme for this blog tour is a little different and I hope all of you will enjoy it. It’s titled ‘A Russian Tour’ because each day during the blog tour we’ll explore the Russian cities and historical sites that are the backdrop for my new YA novel Shield the Heart.
Sometimes the setting of a novel is so interesting and unique that it deserves a closer look, and that’s why I thought this blog tour would be so much fun. ‘A Russian Tour’ will give my readers a chance to get a better view of where everything in Shield the Heart takes place.
After all, these are the places that have inspired me, and I hope they inspire all of you, too.
Today on our itinerary we’re visiting Kozelsk, Russia!
To follow along each day and visit some of the places found in Shield the Heart, be sure to follow the blog tour.
Okay, onto our destination!
Козе́льск
The past 2 days on the blog tour we’ve visited 2 well known cities: St. Petersburg and Moscow. But today we’re stopping in a city you may not know much about - Kozelsk.
Hmm… what can I say without giving away too much about how this city ties into the story? Well, what I can tell you is that when Lilly winds up here everything changes, or becomes more focused for her. She knows the importance of this place and she is awestruck.
Although Lilly doesn’t spend much time here, she loves it – from the quaint scenery to the people – Kozelsk is someplace she’s naturally drawn to. Located far from St. Petersburg and Moscow, Kozelsk is situated on the Zhizdra River and is much smaller in population.
Kozelsk is also the place where Optina Monastery is located which has been visited by great writers and people of renown for centuries. (We’ll visit Optina Monastery on the blog tour!) With its ancient ties to the past Kozelsk plays a significant role in Shield the Heart. Although I did take artistic liberty with some scenery and distances, I loved my research of this city.
Character quote~
“For some reason, Lilly, we have to go. There’s a reason everyone is trying to keep us away from here and I think we need to find out just what that reason is.”
~Claire, Shield the Heart
Lisa, thanks again for hosting me on the blog tour. I hope you and your blog followers enjoy my new release!
One Gift, One Prophecy, One Choice
Shield the Heart
(Note: This book is part of a series. Book #1 Return the Heart. Book #2 Shield the Heart.)
What if the battle was in your heart?
Lilly’s gift of reading the heart seemed like a curse, but when she discovered her gift was linked to an old, Russian prophecy it changed everything. What she never questioned, though, was her own heart.
When the prophecy pulls Lilly back to Russia and demands to be fulfilled she is torn between love and loyalty. She must make the most difficult decision of her life and choose between the two. But Lilly’s decision is farther reaching than even she is willing to acknowledge. It stretches from East to West - from the past to the future.
Lilly discovers there’s more to the old prophecy than she realized and enemy forces are bent on stopping it from unfolding.
One thing is certain - there will be casualties. And sparing those closest to her may be impossible. While Seth attempts to shield Lilly from the truth, Nikolai reveals secrets that could change everything.
As Lilly falls into the arms of Russia she must decide: will love or loyalty reign? And can she live with the consequences? Two sides compete for Lilly’s heart and she must find the answers she needs before her enemies find her.
Shield the Heart, by T.K. Richardson, is the riveting second book in the series and takes Lilly deeper into Russia’s mysterious past… and her future.
Available in paperback and ebook
About the author~
T.K. Richardson is the author of YA books Return the Heart, Shield the Heart, Simmer: Recipes for the Teen Palate, and Love, Me: Anthology of Short Stories. She is the founder of Partners In Print.org, a program that donates books to children in the foster care system. She also runs The Writers Resource Directory, a great site for writers filled with publishing and writing links, tips and advice. Her next books: Courtship and the Kremlin, Swan Song, and Dovetail are due out later this year. Find out more at http://tkrichardson.com
