Blog Tour with author TK Richardson!

Hi Amy, 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 the Kremlin!


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!

The Kremlin is probably one of the most well-known buildings in Russia and one that everyone has heard of.  Just the name makes it seem like it’s clouded in mystery, steeped in secrecy, and filled with history. To a great degree that’s true.


And this is exactly how the Kremlin is viewed in Shield the Heart. After all, these are the images and ideas that help fuel the story.

“A potent symbol of two mighty imperial cultures - that of medieval Muscovy and that of the Soviet Union - the Kremlin is at once fascinating and foreboding, a mixture of lavish opulence and austere secrecy, and its eclectic mix of architecture reflects these paradoxes and seismic cultural shifts.

Today, the Kremlin remains as alluring and enigmatic as ever. Two thirds of the citadel territory are closed to visitors, but the remaining third contains enough treasures to occupy several days of sightseeing. Not only one of the largest and most interesting museums in the world, but also the official residence of the President of the Russian Federation.” (russia.info/kremlin)

A Short History of the Kremlin~


“Although there is evidence of human habitation on the site of the Kremlin dating back to 500 BC, Moscow's history really begins around 1147, when Yuri Dolgoruky, Grand Duke of Kiev, built a wooden fort at the point where the Neglina and Moskva Rivers converge. The city grew rapidly and, despite being razed by the Mongols in 1208, was soon powerful enough to attain primacy among the Russian principalities, acknowledged in 1326 when the seat of the Russian Orthodox Church moved there from Vladimir.” (russia.info/kremlin)

It’s easy to see why the Kremlin plays a role in Shield the Heart. But exactly how it fits into the book remains a mystery until you read it! I hope your curiosity is piqued enough to find out more.

Character quote~
It felt like a dream. We walked up the steps and I thought at any moment I would wake up. We strolled past security without any question and it was then I knew the Kutuzov Family was powerful, prominent, and respected- even her at the seat of power for all of Russia.
~Lilly Paige, Shield the Heart


I hope you’ve enjoyed this mini tour of the Kremlin. Be sure to follow us to our next destination. Tomorrow on the blog tour we’ll visit the Ipatiev Monastery!  http://eveningfades.blogspot.com/p/shield-heart-blog-tour.html

Amy, 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

*For a chance to win a Kindle Fire and a signed copy of Shield the Heart, check out my contest! http://eveningfades.blogspot.com/p/kindle-fire-contest.html

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