K.M. Frontain

I am an anglophone writer in Quebec province, Canada. I like to write epic fantasy with romantic elements and particularly enjoy stories of relationships between men, though this is not my only reading interest. My published stories often have glbtq content.

The Soulstone Chronicles blurb: An enigmatic deity reborn as a human being has been enslaved to work the downfall of the religious sects governing a coastal crescent of his world, but nothing can contain this perilous individual forever, not the memory-crippling blackness of death, the ominous earth goddess who seeks to recapture him, or the powerful spell that binds his soul to a stone.

The chronological order of the series is as follows: Bound in Stone, The Gryphon Taint, The Disposition of Ashes, The Redemption of Tehlm Sevet. Future sets are planned: The Sun Bane, The Apostate God, and Hell Walker.

Please leave reviews.

I'm on Goodreads. Please rate my books. Sorry, Smashwords doesn't seem to allow html on this bio, so please cut and paste.

http://www.goodreads.com/kmfrontain

In case you are interested, I have an alter ego for a paranormal romance series that does not have a strong GLBTQ focus. You can find my other work at the following link (or look for the ocarina image under the cat butt):

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KarenMichaud

Website: http://kmfrontain.wordpress.com/
Twitter: @KMFrontain
Facebook: Facebook profile
Wattpad: KMFrontain
Blog: http://kmfrontain.blogspot.ca/

bdsm    bisexual    demon beasts    demons    dragons    elves    epic    epic fantasy    erotica    exhibitionist    fairy tales    fantasy    frontain    gay    gay erotica    gay romance    ghouls    glbtq    gods    gods and men    gods and mortals    gryphon    horror    lgbtq    love triangle    medieval war    medieval warfare    political intrigue    resurrection    romance    romance erotica gods dragons gay erotica shape shifter sharks gay romance love triangle glbtq lgbtq gods and men gods and mortals    shape shifter    shapeshifters    shapeshifting    sharks    sorcerer    sorcery    soulstone    soulstone chronicles soulstone chronicles frontain fiction literature fantasy epic gay homoerotic mm mm pansexual sorcery bisexual    voyeurism    warfare    weretiger    werewolves    witchcraft    witches    yaoi    zombies   

...and 3 more

• Fragile Bones on Jan. 07, 2012
  
  Fragile Bones, though listed under general gay fiction, is not what I would call gay fiction. This is a story of human nature set in a creation-hell mythos, a story of the darkest sorts of human nature, and in one very important aspect, that two men undergo this dark journey together makes sense and is perfect for the story. In Fragile Bones, men have hurt men. Sure, a woman may have been responsible for abandoning the protagonist, Nathan, when he was a child, but ultimately, men are doing the hurting and it is men (a pair of them) who must heal each other. I find that very appropriate. This is a very yin yang story. It’s about depression and self-loathing and the desire to be better, do better, despite it. It’s about how difficult it is to rise above the bad and how easy it is to succumb or worsen, or to give into anger and acts of violence rather than suffer further as a victim. The most wonderful thing about this story is how the author wove the plot together in a manner that makes the grim aspects of human nature bearable enough to read about. At first, the narrative is somewhat disjointed because of incomplete sentences, but this suits the incoherent nature of the main character. Later on, the wording gets smoother, just as the protagonist becomes more aware and thoughtful. There is a lot of internal conflict in the narrative, but it’s balanced with the continuation of the plot. Every once in a while, the author throws in a bit of wry humour, which I liked. There is sexual tension exactly where it needs to be, but this isn’t a story about sex, not really. I had a number of surprises while reading. Nathan and the partner in his journey aren’t easy on each other, and that’s as it should be. Overall, very worth reading. Kudos to the author for nailing the nuances of depression and self-loathing of a person mired in the history of his victimisation. More kudos for making this dark subject matter so readable. Just in case you’re worried, Fragile Bones ends on a good note. This is a story of redemption, after all. :-)
  
• The Summer of the Frogs on Aug. 08, 2012
  
  This review is late in arriving. I bought The Summer of Frogs a while back, but—as is often the case with me—I was not ready to read a novel of this sort. I will explain that. The Summer of Frogs is a veritable cloud of uncertainties with a bright ray of sunshine somewhere above the overcast sky. You can feel the glow as you read the novel. This is a first person story about a young woman with problems; most would say mental problems, possibly schizophrenic. One wonders, throughout the telling, if anything Claire experiences is real or not. Her problems start after she suffers a dog attack, but the dog may not have been a dog at all. It could have been something otherworldly. Then, while raving in her bedroom, bleeding from self-mutilation, Claire meets a man, Tommy, who may have arrived to finish her existence. But he doesn't. The title is almost a red herring until you look at the book cover again after reading a certain small anecdote the protagonist relates about a park filled with artisans. The cover is art by the author. It's absolutely beautiful. I never fail to stare at it. And now attach this conception of artistry to the prose. That's Tressa Green's gift: imagery, some of which is pure poetry. Ok, back to not being able to read this for a few months: it's mostly because I'm a rather linear sort of reader/writer and tend to choose action-filled novels, but The Summer of Frogs is a cloud of events. The author can leave you wandering in that cloud (which, I remind you, has a glow from that hidden ray of sunlight) and while you're in the cloud wandering, you're often musing on what you should think about the latest thing Claire said. You keep reading, thinking you'll figure Claire out later, but you once more end up pondering truths after the author skillfully leads you to believe in Claire's sanity again, and all throughout, there is this poetic imagery. While reading it, I started thinking of this cloud as a soft sort of coral with branches leading off. Claire tends to branch at random, but one always comes back to that bright main trunk again. This story is as much about accepting loss of control as it is about anything else. And you can feel that loss of control. You can see Claire being selfish and then generous, blind and then radiant. She's really fractal. But that main trunk of story draws you back inward, the story about Claire and Tommy and whether their relationship—a strange composite of fear, love, closeness, dependence and independence—can survive their enemies. Ok, up front and honest, I know Tressa Green from working on line with her. Her grammar and punctuation in this story needs work (she'll probably laugh after reading that, because it's just like me to say so, very blunt like). If I gave her five out of five stars for the writing, it wouldn't be fair. She really needs to buckle down on the grammar and punctuation. This brilliant piece of work deserves smoother grammar and punctuation. But enough editorial harping. I am giving her five out of five, and it's because of the cover art. That deserves a ten out of five, but yeah, Smashwords won't let me do that. Keep doing what you do, Tressa—and get better at the punctuation and grammar. :-) Well done, you. Once I finally picked the story up for a proper read, digested it all in a day. Awesome cloud! P.S. Would have given Tressa a four out of five for the story, but you know, the cover. Really beautiful.
  
• Keeper on Aug. 23, 2012
  
  Really enjoyed this first novel in the series. Nice premise for a difficult friendship relationship between men. It was a fast read for me, as in I ate the story in a day.
  
• Madness on Aug. 23, 2012
  
  Bit too much repetition of character thought processes in this one--it filled a lot of book space--but still a good theme for a friendship story. Alex Marcase, who is an experienced space explorer and captain, dithered too much with decision making--a drawback of lingering too long on repetitive thought processes when writing male POV--and perhaps "patting" Evan was a poor choice of action description, leading some readers (see earlier reviews) to think the story was getting bromancy. But then, if you can get past this novel to story three, you get the feeling Alex was being a big baby just to wake Evan the heck up. I still could have done with less repetition of thought processes. I read this one for the plot arc so I could continue on with the story. Again, the premise behind the friendship is excellent. Small spoiler for those worried about it: this series is not a bromance as of book four. Keep reading.
  
• Tools of Extinction on Aug. 23, 2012
  
  This book picked up and moved faster for me than book two in the series. A lot more space exploration, which meant more SF. Alex Marcase is more decisive, while Evan is starting to figure him out better, including the fact that Alex can be a nuisance to purposely force someone to backpedal and think. I liked it. Some parts slow (thinky bits), most of the story very good.
  
• Sha'erah on Aug. 23, 2012
  
  Fast pace, lots of harsh realities for the main characters. Not that they didn't have harsh realities in the other novels, but this time they're fugitives, on the run, in a ship with engine trouble, and possibly the cause behind a galactic war. Yeah. They're not having fun, and that of course means Alex--and Evan--are going to cause trouble because it's the only right thing left to do. This is a must read.
  
• Forgotten Soul (Book 1 of the Soul Reader Series) on Sep. 17, 2012
  
  I just read this. It's so good. The plot is exceptional for a vampire story, paranormal romance with a good dose of hotness. The male-male relationship was hot, but felt more like it happened because of romantic reasons rather than purely physical ones, which of course made the sex even hotter. Nothing is hotter than love. Minor fixes to punctuation/grammar needed; this is still one of the better written short stories I've read in a while
  
• Merrick on Sep. 26, 2012
  
  I bought this last night and swallowed the story whole. This is a well-written indie pub. The story had a nice combination of mystery, romance, sex, angst ,of course, vampire lore. The lore included a nice twist different from what I've seen in previous vampire novels I've read. The protagonist felt very real and his 'voice' was very personable. Excellent short novel. Highly recommended.
  
• Social Skills on Feb. 21, 2013
  
  I really enjoyed this novel. The characters felt very real, both the main ones and support. Connor's painful, stumbling attempts to socialize are poignant, his trouble with overbearing, judgmental parents very real--judgmental as in overly concerned with making an impression on society/neighbours, to the point where happiness is no longer a factor in decisions for a future, the type of judgement that can eat a person alive in slow bites. Brilliant portrayal of oblivious parents who force decisions on their kids for all the wrong reasons. Jared, whose family is much more generous of spirit, has a more difficult time coming out for entirely different reasons. His struggle is poignant and very well written. It's not simple. It does hurt. There is guilt, even if you do have the full support of your family. This is a story where gentleness and self-acceptance prevails. Highly recommended.
  
• The Between on Feb. 25, 2013
  
  I did not want to stop reading this story. After the least interruption, I was back reading it again. I loved this story. I don't write reviews for just any book. For me to read a story, it must first of all be decently written; not perfectly, just decently. Then it has to have characters I want to stick with. After that, if the author wove the tale about those characters in an engaging manner, I'll finish reading. But to leave a review, I have to at least see something done with a story that isn't typical, such as an unexpected take on a theme, or a twist that left my mouth dropping open, or basically just awesome writing that really engaged me in the lives of the characters--writing that made me want to read an old theme like it was new again. The best writers can take the oldest idea and make you feel like you're walking the path for the first time. This story has all of that. If I could give it a six star review, I would. Underneath the fantasy story of a girl who is dragged into the world of the fae unwillingly, you discover a deeper story of soullessness, of lost compassion, of love abandoned as something useless. This is a story of what happens when you lose your spiritual roots, when you decide status is more important than what is right. It's about the selfish decisions and lack of empathy that leads to warfare. It's about the outsider looking at the powers in control of her life and deciding it's just not right. I really, really loved this book. Fantasy can entertain, but it an also explore really tough themes in the most brilliant, illuminating manner, and this one does that. Very much hoping for more from this author.
  
• Hainted on May 20, 2013
  
  Very nice story. This is a romance adventure with paranormal elements, all of it combined to make an entertaining story. Lots of effective background on different culture versions of folk/tribal exorcism, which set the mood nicely. 4½ stars if I had the option, and since I don't, five stars. The few things that bothered me had nothing to do with plot or characterization, just some name vs pronoun awkwardness when in character head space. This story had great balance between adventure and romance, pensiveness and action.
  
• Widdershins on June 08, 2013
  
  This author is fast becoming one of my favourites. I almost can’t encompass how much this story has everything that makes me happy to read a book. Romance, beautiful and complicated men, supernatural horrors, sorcery, a steep learning curve for oblivious characters who are forced to wake up right now or die. The scenery: it’s grim and snowy and cold and set in an alternate early America, in a city born from the whaling trade. You get that harsh flavour of hard work, now and in the past, mixed with industry and ruthlessness and authority and arrogance. Tuck in the all but smothering attitude of learned men in a museum, and you feel edifices will crush your emotions to a grey pulp. And then you get the redeeming characters who remind you why we make friends, have lovers, entertain hopes. The bright parts are so bright, you are warmed when the characters feel that warmth. Loved the narrative. Very beautiful balance between feelings, scene and action. I’m on the second book in the series now. If not for distractions in the house, I’d probably read it in hours like the first. But I’ll do my best in any case, no doubt.
  
• The Foxhole Court on Oct. 14, 2013
  
  I enjoyed these two novels (The Foxhole Court and The Raven King). The story was engrossing, but very dark emotionally, which is to be expected when the plot concerns mafia, death threats and mental illness. After finishing, it took me a while to rise out of the miasma of the main character's life. So as I said, very dark, but riveting. I admit to skimming some of the sports bits. That said: the sports bits that I read were very well done. I've just never been that interested in sports. But the author has meshed the sports very well with the plot and character emotions/thoughts, so I doubt many readers will skim like me. I'm a chronic skimmer or speed reader. Some things just put me into speed mode. Sports is one, but gotta say, I slowed down for this book. This is an excellent first novel in a series and well written over all. Mafia matters are very intertwined with the sports in this series. It works. It was very easy to suspend disbelief except every once in a while I wondered if Japanese mafia members were really that f---ed up and totally without a sense of humour. There's always some twisted SOB or two in a story with mafia. I'm looking forward to book three and how the main character continues rising out of his emotional shut down while learning to have faith in some of the human race again.
  
• The Raven King on Oct. 14, 2013
  
  This is an excellent series so far. I just about inhaled the story, I read so fast. Totally engrossing. Here's a cut and paste of the review I left on The Foxhole Court: I enjoyed these two novels (The Foxhole Court and The Raven King). The story was engrossing, but very dark emotionally, which is to be expected when the plot concerns mafia, death threats and mental illness. After finishing, it took me a while to rise out of the miasma of the main character's life. So as I said, very dark, but riveting. I admit to skimming some of the sports bits. That said: the sports bits that I read were very well done. I've just never been that interested in sports. But the author has meshed the sports very well with the plot and character emotions/thoughts, so I doubt many readers will skim like me. I'm a chronic skimmer or speed reader. Some things just put me into speed mode. Sports is one, but gotta say, I slowed down for this book. This is an excellent first novel in a series and well written over all. Mafia matters are very intertwined with the sports in this series. It works. It was very easy to suspend disbelief except every once in a while I wondered if Japanese mafia members were really that f---ed up and totally without a sense of humour. There's always some twisted SOB or two in a story with mafia. I'm looking forward to book three and how the main character continues rising out of his emotional shut down while learning to have faith in some of the human race again.