Title: The King's Fear
Author: Isaac Grisham
Series: The Brass Machine #2
Genre: M/M Romance, Fantasy
Release Date: May 6, 2019
Cover Design: Dissect Designs
Publisher: Cooper Blue Books, LLC
Everything will burn
Myobu has waited all his life to find love, and just as he makes a connection, it’s taken from him in an instant. Reeling from the fatal climax of his love story with Prince Kitsune, the magical Yokai must take advantage of his second chance at life, reconciling his past and present while keeping the prince from going down a path of darkness. Together with Kitsune, Myobu is tasked with destroying an evil that threatens the brass machine—and their world.
Meanwhile, Prince Kitsune is lost in the depths of responsibility and the murkiness of grief. His role is at the head of an army, defending against the whims of his deranged father. King Oni’s aggression is mounting, and he will stop at nothing to maintain his power over Kitsunetsuki.
Overcome with the guilt of killing the man he loved, Kitsune finds direction when he discovers the legendary Sword of Inari—but when the voices within the steel speak to him, they lead him deeper down a path of deceit. In a tale of good versus evil, life and death, Kitsune and Myobu must come together alongside their allies to face unspeakable horrors.
It was the perfect morning.
Treating himself to a good long stretch, Myobu worked his way up to sitting. With his back against the wooden headboard, he looked down at the pair with whom he had spent the night. Ryn and Nikki owned one of the oldest taverns in Hawte, having belonged to Ryn’s family for generations. Myobu had met them not long after arriving in the capital nearly three sun cycles ago.
Something else had happened as their friendship grew. Late one night after helping close up the tavern, they had spent a few hours drinking by the hearth. Ryn and Nikki spoke of their first encounter and subsequent marriage, purportedly a scandalous affair.
Having lived over a century without ever engaging in sexual activity, Myobu had drunkenly bombarded them with endless questions on the subject. The pair looked at one another, a glimmer of humor and desire in their eyes, and decided to answer his queries physically rather than verbally. Taking him by the hand, they led him upstairs to bed.
Upon closing the bedroom door, the first thing the couple did was peel off their clothing. Myobu had watched in awe as the differences in their skin were revealed. Ryn was a burly man, and there were few areas on his body not covered in hair. Nikki was dark-skinned and appeared free of any blemishes or extraneous hair.
The two had begun tugging at Myobu’s own clothing, which he sluggishly gave up. He wasn’t timid or particularly self-conscious, though he had wondered if the human form he had taken was correct in the details. He possessed all the parts of a man, but he lacked the massive tufts of hair Ryn displayed. He was almost as smooth as Nikki. Concerned they would figure out he wasn’t actually human, he had contemplated adding hair to his body before his shirt could be removed.
In the end, the two hadn’t given a second thought to his nearly hairless form. They stripped him naked, looked at him appreciatively, and began running their hands over his body. The dual sensations of Ryn’s rougher palms and Nikki’s smoother fingertips elicited a gasp from Myobu. Goosebumps broke out over his flesh. It heightened his tactile awareness, dulled his sense of time, and deeply aroused him. He tentatively put a hand on each of their bodies, awkward at first, but easily got into it once he realized his touch elicited the same types of responses from them.
Treating himself to a good long stretch, Myobu worked his way up to sitting. With his back against the wooden headboard, he looked down at the pair with whom he had spent the night. Ryn and Nikki owned one of the oldest taverns in Hawte, having belonged to Ryn’s family for generations. Myobu had met them not long after arriving in the capital nearly three sun cycles ago.
Something else had happened as their friendship grew. Late one night after helping close up the tavern, they had spent a few hours drinking by the hearth. Ryn and Nikki spoke of their first encounter and subsequent marriage, purportedly a scandalous affair.
Having lived over a century without ever engaging in sexual activity, Myobu had drunkenly bombarded them with endless questions on the subject. The pair looked at one another, a glimmer of humor and desire in their eyes, and decided to answer his queries physically rather than verbally. Taking him by the hand, they led him upstairs to bed.
The two had begun tugging at Myobu’s own clothing, which he sluggishly gave up. He wasn’t timid or particularly self-conscious, though he had wondered if the human form he had taken was correct in the details. He possessed all the parts of a man, but he lacked the massive tufts of hair Ryn displayed. He was almost as smooth as Nikki. Concerned they would figure out he wasn’t actually human, he had contemplated adding hair to his body before his shirt could be removed.
In the end, the two hadn’t given a second thought to his nearly hairless form. They stripped him naked, looked at him appreciatively, and began running their hands over his body. The dual sensations of Ryn’s rougher palms and Nikki’s smoother fingertips elicited a gasp from Myobu. Goosebumps broke out over his flesh. It heightened his tactile awareness, dulled his sense of time, and deeply aroused him. He tentatively put a hand on each of their bodies, awkward at first, but easily got into it once he realized his touch elicited the same types of responses from them.
What is the biggest influence/interest that brought you to this genre?
Beyond a doubt, the single biggest influencer would be my partner, Justin. I don't mean that he continually supports and encourages my writing (which he does), but that events in my life with him have affected and made their way into my work. My first two books, The King's Sun and The King's Fear, represent vastly different stages in our history...all wrapped up in a fantasy setting! Our past aside, Justin introduced me to my first gay romance book, Something Like Summer by Jay Bell. It's a super sweet book that made me go 'Awww' in one chapter and then cry my eyes out in the next! I knew I wanted to have that same impact on others.
When writing a book, what is your favorite part of the creative process (outline, plot, character names, editing, etc)?
Definitely the plotting. I love to experience the story unfolding, regardless of whether an outline exists or not. Watching the little details, the character quirks, and dialogue all fall into place, forming a larger, more comprehensive story is exhilarating. Editing can be like that, too. There's a level of satisfaction with re-crafting a sentence or paragraph into something better. Though about the third or fourth time through, like many authors, I want to pull my hair out!
When reading a book, what genre do you find most interesting/intriguing?
This was hard to answer, and a review of my Goodreads history did not help illuminate the matter! Over the past few years, I've greatly enjoyed works by Tolkien, Philip Roth, Orwell, Ken Kesey, Joe Hill, Robert Galbraith, and so many more that span a variety of genres! If I were to pick up something on a whim, it would probably be a technothriller (like Michael Crichton or Daniel Suarez) or horror (Stephen King or Joe Hill).
If you could co-author with any author, past or present, who would you choose?
My favorite author is the late Michael Crichton. So many of his stories were simultaneously thrilling and educational. Jurassic Park, in particular, really made me want to tell exciting stories. To work alongside Crichton, to immerse myself into that level of research and storytelling, would have been an incredible and rewarding experience.
Have you always wanted to write or did it come to you "later in life"?
Writing is something I have always enjoyed. I was in grade school when I put my first story down on paper. It was about a sick dog that had to go to the vet, and it was fully illustrated in crayon! The school librarian was so cool and encouraging, and she put the story on the shelves so it could be checked out by other students.
Beyond a doubt, the single biggest influencer would be my partner, Justin. I don't mean that he continually supports and encourages my writing (which he does), but that events in my life with him have affected and made their way into my work. My first two books, The King's Sun and The King's Fear, represent vastly different stages in our history...all wrapped up in a fantasy setting! Our past aside, Justin introduced me to my first gay romance book, Something Like Summer by Jay Bell. It's a super sweet book that made me go 'Awww' in one chapter and then cry my eyes out in the next! I knew I wanted to have that same impact on others.
When writing a book, what is your favorite part of the creative process (outline, plot, character names, editing, etc)?
Definitely the plotting. I love to experience the story unfolding, regardless of whether an outline exists or not. Watching the little details, the character quirks, and dialogue all fall into place, forming a larger, more comprehensive story is exhilarating. Editing can be like that, too. There's a level of satisfaction with re-crafting a sentence or paragraph into something better. Though about the third or fourth time through, like many authors, I want to pull my hair out!
When reading a book, what genre do you find most interesting/intriguing?
This was hard to answer, and a review of my Goodreads history did not help illuminate the matter! Over the past few years, I've greatly enjoyed works by Tolkien, Philip Roth, Orwell, Ken Kesey, Joe Hill, Robert Galbraith, and so many more that span a variety of genres! If I were to pick up something on a whim, it would probably be a technothriller (like Michael Crichton or Daniel Suarez) or horror (Stephen King or Joe Hill).
If you could co-author with any author, past or present, who would you choose?
My favorite author is the late Michael Crichton. So many of his stories were simultaneously thrilling and educational. Jurassic Park, in particular, really made me want to tell exciting stories. To work alongside Crichton, to immerse myself into that level of research and storytelling, would have been an incredible and rewarding experience.
Have you always wanted to write or did it come to you "later in life"?
Writing is something I have always enjoyed. I was in grade school when I put my first story down on paper. It was about a sick dog that had to go to the vet, and it was fully illustrated in crayon! The school librarian was so cool and encouraging, and she put the story on the shelves so it could be checked out by other students.
Isaac Grisham currently lives in a blue county of Illinois with his partner and doggos. By day, he works at a local college. The King's Fear is his second completed novel and, by night, he is busy assembling the gears of the third and final piece of The Brass Machine.
The King's Fear #2
The King's Sun #1
