Author Bio

Kim Smejkal lives with her family on Vancouver Island in Canada, which means she’s often lost in the woods or wandering a beach. She writes dark fantasy for young adults and not-so-young adults, always with a touch of magic. She is the author of INK IN THE BLOOD (2020, Clarion Books) and CURSE OF THE DIVINE (2021, Clarion Books). She is represented by Danial Lazar of Writers House. Follow her online at kimsmejkal.com and on Twitter and Instagram at @kimsmejkal.  

Author Contact Links

Website: http://www.kimsmejkal.com

IG: http://www.instagram.com/kimsmejkal/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/KimSmejkal

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kimsmejkal/

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/Goodreads

INKINTHEBLOODwebsiteversion.jpg

Ink in the Blood

Book Info

On Sale Date: February 11, 2020

ISBN: 9781328557056, 1328557057

Young Adult Fiction / Fantasy / Dark Fantasy

Ages 14 And Up, Grades 9 And Up

448 pages

Series: Ink in the Blood Duology, book 1

Content Warning: Please be aware that INK IN THE BLOOD includes: violence, torture (off page), depictions of blood, character death, substance abuse, violence towards children, and emotional/psychological abuse.

Cover art by artist Emilee Rudd

A lush, dark YA fantasy debut that weaves together tattoo magic, faith, and eccentric theater in a world where lies are currency and ink is a weapon, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Kendare Blake.

Celia Sand and her best friend, Anya Burtoni, are inklings for the esteemed religion of Profeta. Using magic, they tattoo followers with beautiful images that represent the Divine’s will and guide the actions of the recipients. It’s considered a noble calling, but ten years into their servitude Celia and Anya know the truth: Profeta is built on lies, the tattooed orders strip away freedom, and the revered temple is actually a brutal, torturous prison.

Their opportunity to escape arrives with the Rabble Mob, a traveling theater troupe. Using their inkling abilities for performance instead of propaganda, Celia and Anya are content for the first time . . . until they realize who followed them. The Divine they never believed in is very real, very angry, and determined to use Celia, Anya, and the Rabble Mob’s now-infamous stage to spread her deceitful influence even further.

To protect their new family from the wrath of a malicious deity and the zealots who work in her name, Celia and Anya must unmask the biggest lie of all—Profeta itself.

 
 
 

Select Quotes/Reviews

"Smejkal’s exceptional debut champions solidarity and choice while extolling art’s ability to spark revolution. Fierce friendships, fraught romance, and sharply drawn, emotionally complex characters of sundry gender identities and sexual orientations elevate the stakes of this ambitious, thought-provoking tale, whose closing cliffhanger inspires and devastates in equal measure." —Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review

"Smejkal’s smart debut blends magic and religion into a lyrical fantasy....the poetic prose and brilliant characters shine from page one.”—Booklist

"A strong debut that blends dark fantasy, ink magic, and theater. The promising first in a duology with inspiring friendships and original worldbuilding.” —Kirkus

“Smejkal has created a dark, engaging world that is the perfect setting for magic and inking... Fans of dark fantasy and magical atmospheres will anxiously await the sequel.” —School Library Journal

“Smejkal’s debut creates an intriguing, enticing world....This is a vivid, imaginative confection with plenty of bite underneath the glitter that will appeal to fans of Holly Black’s signature dark delights." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Kim Smejkal has masterfully created an immense, fascinating world filled with a large cast of well-written characters. Diverse themes, including religion, magic, friendship, and freedom of choice, are effectively woven throughout the novel. Fans of Holly Black, Kendare Blake and their ilk will find a favourite new author in Kim Smejkal.” —CM: Canadian Review of Materials

"Beautiful, dark and complex—Ink in the Blood is a debut with teeth. I can't wait for the sequel!" —Ryan Graudin, award-winning author of Wolf By Wolf

"Ink in the Blood is an inventive dark fantasy that doesn't pull its punches and is all the more gripping for it. Wonderfully tense and breathtakingly beautiful, the story of Celia and Anya will burrow under your skin and stay there long after you've finished reading." —Linsey Miller, author of the Mask of Shadows duology and Belle Révolte

"Haunting and vividly imagined, Ink in the Blood will crawl beneath your flesh and leave its mark, just like the magical tattoos within.” —Rebecca Schaeffer, author of Not Even Bones and Only Ashes Remain

CurseofthedivineWebsiteVersion.jpg

Curse of the Divine

Book Info

On Sale Date: February 9, 2021

ISBN: 9781328637253, 1328637255

Young Adult Fiction / Fantasy / Dark Fantasy

Ages 14 And Up, Grades 9 And Up

448 pages

Series: Ink in the Blood Duology, book 2

Content Warning: Please be aware that Curse of the Divine includes: violence, torture (off page), depictions of blood, character death, substance abuse, violence towards children, and emotional/psychological abuse.

Cover art by artist Emilee Rudd

Return to the world of inklings, tattoo magic, and evil deities as Celia uncovers the secrets of the ink in order to stop Diavala once and for all. This eagerly anticipated sequel to Ink in the Blood is perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Wicked Saints.

Celia Sand faced Diavala and won, using ink magic to destroy the corrupt religion of Profeta that tormented her for a decade. But winning came with a cost. Now Celia is plagued with guilt over her role in the death of her best friend. When she discovers that Diavala is still very much alive and threatening Griffin, the now-infamous plague doctor, Celia is desperate not to lose another person she loves to the deity’s wrath.

The key to destroying Diavala may lie with Halcyon Ronnea, the only other person to have faced Diavala and survived. But Halcyon is dangerous and has secrets of his own, ones that involve the ink that Celia has come to hate. Forced to choose between the ink and Diavala, Celia will do whatever it takes to save Griffin—even if it means making a deal with the devil himself.

Buy Links

Publisher Page (HMH): https://bit.ly/BuyCurseoftheDivine

Indiebound: bit.ly/CURSEIndiebound

Barnes and Noble: bit.ly/CURSEBarnesAndNoble

Amazon http://bit.ly/CURSEAmazon

Books-a-million http://bit.ly/CURSEBooksaMillion

Hudson Booksellers http://bit.ly/CURSEHudsonBooksellers

Powell’s: http://bit.ly/CURSEPowells

Book Depository: http://bit.ly/CURSEBookDepository

Chapters Indigo: http://bit.ly/CURSEChapters

select Quotes/Reviews

“Grief, revenge and deceit meet in this sequel to Ink in the Blood (2020). This satisfying novel delves deeper into the world’s intriguing mythology as Celia unravels all its mysteries with profound consequences. The story features an engaging narrative full of surprising plot twists and with a generous measure of anguished romance on the side. A fitting conclusion to a duology that is well worth reading. —Kirkus

“Intriguing characters with wit and charm will not disappoint readers. Fans of the first volume will anxiously await this final book in the duology.” —School Library Journal

“Themes including religion, magic, friendship, and freedom of choice are effectively woven throughout the novel. Fans of dark fantasy and magical atmospheres will enjoy this series. Highly Recommended.” —CM: Canadian Review of Materials