Welcome to my stop on the NBtM virtual book tour for Company Assassin by Claudia Blood. This book tour was organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. On my stop, I have an excerpt from the book as well as a guest post from the author. There's also the tour wide giveaway for a chance to win a $50 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card. Be sure to visit the other stops on the tour for more content. Enjoy!
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Series: The Relic Trilogy #1
Author: Claudia Blood
Publisher: Dragon Bane Publishing
Publication Date: January 12th 2021
Print Length: 208 pages
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
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It’s Duff Roman’s eighteenth birthday, but no one is lighting candles.
Turning eighteen in the orphanage on Kalecca means starvation for those who aren’t hired into a Family. Outside the Family compounds lies the jungle. And in the jungle lies death. And Relics—the only real currency on Planet Kalecca.
The orphans are Duff’s family, and he’s sacrificed everything to keep the orphanage running, even his chance to move on. Now, at eighteen, he has no choice but to leave. Without him to bring in extra money, the orphans will starve under the Company’s control. Duff's only chance to save them is to find a spot on an independent crew and hopefully find a Relic to sell.
A seemingly chance encounter with Z, leader of the most feared independent crew, offers Duff his opportunity to score a Relic. And offers Z a chance to relieve the guilt he feels over his past.
But a company assassin has plans to lay waste to Duff's future, and the orphanage as well.
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EXCERPT:
Duff
The upstairs creaked and moaned in the wind. It didn’t seem right. He listened intently, but heard nothing that sounded like there was anything up there. The demons must be hiding. If he and Zachariah made any noise going up, that would alert the demons. He hoped the silence didn’t mean that the demons had killed everyone and left already. Fear dried his mouth, making him wish that he’d checked the basement before coming up here. He knew and had obeyed the rule that the door shouldn’t be reopened until the place was clear. He’d just trust they were all safe in there, waiting like they’d been taught.
Zachariah took out his sword.
Duff waved his arms to catch Zachariah’s gaze. Then Duff pointed to the side and held up two fingers to indicate the second step creaked. Zachariah nodded and stepped close to the wall, stepping over the second step. Duff followed behind. At the top of the stairs, Zachariah quietly opened the door.
The bright light spilled down the stairs. The light was too bright for his gloom adjusted eyes and blinded him.
Once his sight adjusted, the room looked normal but that sense that something was very wrong reared its head. The sense crawled up his back leaving shivery foot prints. There should be some evidence of the demons other than their smell that coated the inside of the room like mud, but from here all he could see were the carefully made beds. Could the demons have left already?
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Claudia Blood’s early introduction to Dungeons and Dragons, combined with her training as a scientist and a side trip into the world of IT set her up to become an award-winning author of Science Fiction and Fantasy.
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GUEST POST:
The background on this book and my process for writing it was chaotic and non-linear. This series was inspired by a dream about the second book.
The scene opened with a team hacking through the jungle and uncovering an ancient ruin. They were looking for Relics (whatever that was), and feeling desperate to find one. They were out of funds and needed a Relic to get food and repair equipment.
Inside the ruin was an alien machine. Rocks and dust fell down on them as they moved into the room. They put a silver pocket watch on a platform and turned on the machine.
Lights and electricity coalesced on a platform and the whole structure shook. But they stayed inside because they were desperate for Relics.
What appeared on the platform? An '80's aerobic instructor who had been pulled forward in time. She was even wearing leg warmers!
I thought wow, I have to figure out what happened!
So I needed to understand what a Relic was. They were the currency on this distant jungle planet ruled by a company. Teams of people scoured the planet looking for them, but they were hard to find.
I soon recognized I was in the middle of something bigger.
One of the characters said something that made me think he had some tragic backstory. He'd been tricked and manipulated into doing bad things. He had a history with the woman who led the company.
Meanwhile, I had this scene where a scientist lost her daughter while demoing her life's work. It was a tragic accident.
Holy cow! The woman who led the company and the scientist were the same person.
I still wasn't sure how that could be possible. The scientist's event had happened near earth and this distant jungle planet was in the future.
There ended up being seers, more tragic backstories, mysteries, and by the time I was done with the trilogy, I needed to write the prequel for the villain!
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GIVEAWAY:
One randomly chosen winner via Rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card. To increase your chance of winning, leave a comment at a different blog stop on the tour each day. Good luck!
Looks like an interesting book.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the contest.
Hi Slehan, Thanks for reading the blurb. The book was so much fun to write. Hope you enjoy. :)
DeleteThanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteGood Morning Heather! Thank you for hosting. We match! Married, two kids, and a dog for me, as well! ;) My kids are 8 and 10. I've heard two boys can be quite the handful. If you bring them with you on your travels, I bet that adds an extra layer of adventure. I'm excited to be on your blog. Thanks again for hosting.
ReplyDeleteGood morning =) Thanks for stopping by! Ha, they are a handful, and they still argue a lot despite the age difference! Lucky I love them, and they're cute, haha.
DeleteThank you Heather for hosting What a wonderful group of people you have following your blog. Kids are cute. LOL except when they are not. ;) My kids tend to argue less if I burn enough of their energy off. Fingers crossed. Thanks again!
DeleteThank you! So true, haha. And you are very welcome! <3
DeleteSounds like a great read.
ReplyDeleteHi Rita, Thanks. I hope you enjoy.
DeleteI like the cover. It has very nice artwork.
ReplyDeleteabfantom at yahoo dot com
Hi Ann Fantom, Thank you! Kelly does a great job on the covers. She is very easy to work with.
DeleteHow long was the writing process?
ReplyDeleteHi Deborah, I think my first response got lost. :) I tend to write more than one book at a time. So full duration was about a year.
DeleteSounds like an exciting book. Love the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteHi Peg42, Thank you. I hope readers find it exciting and fun to read.
Deletevery nice cover, congrats on the release
ReplyDeleteHi Wendy! Thank you for the compliment on the cover. This is the second version where we added the lighter blue color. It really helped the shadow pop. Thank you. The release was was a bit stressful. It was my first novel. :)
Deletekeep up the great work!
ReplyDeleteHi zelda, I will! :) Thank you for stopping by.
DeleteSounds like a great book. I like the cover.
ReplyDeleteHi susan1215, Thank you. I hope readers enjoy the book. And thank you for the comment on the cover. I never realized how much goes into deciding on a cover. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteThis sounds like a very good book.
ReplyDeleteHi Sherry, Thank you for stopping by. I'm glad the book sounds good to you.
DeleteLooks like a fun fantasy tale. Thanks for your good work.
ReplyDeleteHi Paige, The book was fun to re-read during the editing process. Thank you for stopping by.
DeleteSounds likes a really solid read.
ReplyDeleteHi David, Thank you. Nice to see you here. :)
DeleteI enjoyed the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteHi Kim, I'm glad you enjoyed the excerpt. Thank you for leaving a comment. :)
DeleteThis sounds like an amazing read!
ReplyDeleteHi sfzphd, Thank you and thanks for stopping by!
Deletenice book cover ,and the book sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteHi Deb, I do love the cover. Kelly did such a great job. Thanks for the comment. :)
DeleteThis sounds like an exciting book!
ReplyDeleteHi Lisa, I had such fun with chapter endings. It's one of my favorite parts of writing. Thank you for stopping by.
DeleteThanks for sharing the excerpt!
ReplyDeleteHi Victoria, Glad to be here and share information about Company Assassin. Thanks for the comment.
DeleteSounds like a complex concept, nice book.
ReplyDeleteHi Calvin, Thank you. The complexity made it harder to come up with a good tagline and blurb. I hope I captured the essence and enticed readers to give the world a try. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteNice cover and excerpt!
ReplyDeleteHi Thomas, I love this cover, and my favorite cover in the trilogy is the second book: Horizon Found. Thank you for posting. :)
DeleteCool cover
ReplyDeleteHi Jeffrey, Thank you. I love it. :)
DeleteThe book sounds really great.
ReplyDeleteHi Dale, Thank you. I hope it has intrigued you enough to try it out. :)
DeleteHave a happy Friday!
ReplyDeleteThanks Thomas! TGIF!!!
Deletethis looks like a great reaad
ReplyDeleteHi Molli, Thank you.
DeleteInteresting cover.. makes me want to read this book....
ReplyDeleteHi Michele, Thank you. Covers are so hard to get right. I didn't want a couple because its not romance. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteGreat blog post- love finding new (to me) authors
ReplyDeleteHi DaneWeimMama, Thanks! I enjoy hearing from readers, so it is a win-win being on this blog. :) Thanks for the comment.
DeleteI enjoyed the excerpt. Thank you for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteHi Debbi, I'm glad you enjoyed the excerpt. Giveaways are so much fun! :) Thank you for stopping by.
DeleteThe excerpt is interesting. Thank you for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteHi clc408, I'm glad you found the excerpt interesting. I'm always happy to interact with readers. Thank you for the comment. :)
DeleteThis has a unique story line and I am intrigued.
ReplyDeleteHi katieoscarlet, I am so glad you are intrigued. That is one of the best compliments I can get. :) Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteHave a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteYou too Deborah. And a great weekend. :)
DeleteI have a question, where did the orphans come from and why is it the Company haven't taught them survival skills?
ReplyDeleteHi Cindy, That is a great question. The answer is the Company does not want them to survive without being beholden to the Company itself. It's part of a dastardly plan the head of the company has. :)
DeleteCool cover
ReplyDeleteHi DVDgal75, I'm glad you thought the cover was cool. Thank you for leaving a comment.
DeleteInteresting summary. Looks like a good read.
ReplyDeleteHi Paula, I'm glad you found the summary interesting. Thank you for stopping by.
DeleteSounds like a great read
ReplyDeleteHi Danielle, I'm happy this sounds like a great read. Thanks for the comment.
Deleteyou are amazing!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi zelda, Oh my, that is very kind of you to say. I'm just glad to chat with you. Heather has been such a wonderful host. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteHave a happy Saturday!
ReplyDeleteHi Thomas, You as well. We have a slight warm up for the weather in the mid-west and I'm looking forward to it. :)
DeleteHave a wonderful day!
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI ONCE READ THE FOLLOWING JOKE.
I MAN WHO WROTE SEVERAL NOVELS(BUT NEVER HAD THEM PUBLISHED). THE MAN DIES AND GOES TO THE PEARLY GATES AND SEES ST. PETER THERE.
ST. PETER TELLS THE MAN THAT HE WILL BE TAKEN TO HELL AND THEN TO HEAVEN. HE WILL THEN DECIDE IF HE WISHES TO SPEND THE REST OF ETERNITY IN HELL OR IN HEAVEN.
IN HELL,THE MAN SEES PEOPLE GOING UNDER ALL KINDS OF TORTURE. IN HEAVEN, THE MAN SEES PEOPLE GOING UNDER ALL KINDS OF TORTURE.
THE MAN SAYS TO ST. PETER,"I DON'T UNDERSTAND, I DON'T SEE ANY DIFFERENCE IN HELL AND HEAVEN. WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?"
ST. PETER TELLS THE MAN, "IN HEAVEN, AUTHORS GET PUBLISHED."
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS JOKE?
Hey Jeffery, That's good. It might be up to you to decide if getting published is additional torture. ;) Thanks for sharing.
DeleteI got to thinking this last comment might leave the wrong impression. For some/most authors publish a book is a terrifying act. They are caught in this torturous place between wanting to NOT be published where the book is still 'good', but no one sees it, and being published, but opening themselves up to everyone's opinion on the book. :) It's not always easy putting something like a book out to the world. I think this is true for any creative endeavor.
DeleteNice cover. It sounds like a really interesting book. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHi Diana, I'm glad the book sounds interesting to you. I've been passing along the compliments to Kelly, the lady who designed the cover. Thank you for stopping by.
DeleteHappy Sunday!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteHow do you come up with ideas for your covers!
ReplyDeleteThis one is amazing!
Hi Barbara, The book has assassins and a jungle, but it wasn't a romance, so the person or two on the cover didn't feel right. Kelly was the one who put it all together. I'm so glad you like it. :) Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteHave a lovely day!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a good read.
ReplyDeleteHi Leela, Thank you. I hope that this book is a good read. I did my best to make it so. :) Thank you for commenting.
DeleteWhat's your advice for new writers?
ReplyDeleteHi Jamie, There is a lot f writing advice out there and some of it is even conflicting. So I think I would tell you four things.
Delete1. Know yourself. What do you need to do to stay motivated to write? What works and doesn't work for you?
2. Get feedback. This one is tricky. Not only is there the grammar aspect, but there are expectations for the genre you are writing. A horror writer is going to give you different feedback than a YA writer about what to include and how to put together a scene.
3. Read. Find books that you love and figure out what they did.
4. Write. When in doubt write or do something writing related.
Thanks for commenting.
Best of luck with the book.
ReplyDeleteHi Rajeeva, Thank you for your good wishes. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteHappy Monday!
ReplyDeleteLOL Happy Monday! But I saw this on Tuesday... so Happy Tuesday!
DeleteHave a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteHappy Tuesday!
ReplyDeleteLOL Hi!!!
DeleteHave a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteGreat sounding book
ReplyDeleteHi Jeffery, I'm glad you thought the book sounded great. I have to admit that it was the second book which inspired the whole trilogy. The first books sets everything in motion. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI moved it up to Jeffery above. :)
DeleteDo you wear glasses?
ReplyDeleteHi Jamie, le sigh. Yes, I do. For reading. Or I can make the font REALLY big on sites. :) Thanks for commenting.
DeleteHappy Wednesday!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteWhat makes you one of a kind?
ReplyDeleteHi Jamie, ohhh. An interesting question. Aren't we all the sum of our experiences, perceptions, and choices? I know we all have labels on us that try to help explain our uniqueness. I have Mom, Military Wife, Sister, friend, Geek, Hyper, socially awkward, introvert, work-a-holic, story teller. I guess that starts down the path of defining that uniqueness. How would you answer that?
DeleteHave a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting!
ReplyDeleteHave a great evening.
ReplyDeleteYou too! :)
DeleteNeat!
ReplyDeleteDo you get much snow where you live? We're expecting 2 to 3 FEET of snow this weekend.
ReplyDeleteHi slehan, All of our snow melted. March is the snowiest month for us, so who knows. I have a friend in Colorado who is forecasted to get 1 inch to 4 feet of snow?!?!? That's like door covering. I wonder if you guys are in the same area. Take care!
DeleteHave a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteTGIF
ReplyDeleteThank you for the great read!
ReplyDeleteHi Barbara! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for stopping by. :)
DeleteHave a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteDo you like meeting fans?
ReplyDeleteHi Jeffrey, So while I like meeting fans, in real life I'm a bit shy. If I know you I talk too much, but new people I tend to clam up. I am very happy to meet in this forum. Especially now, it seems like a good way to interact. It's one of the reasons I keep coming back to this blog. You all have been so much fun and so interactive. :) Did that answer your question?
DeleteI like the cover would love to red the book too.
ReplyDeleteHi Laurie! I'm glad you like the cover. I hope you do read it. You will have to let me know how you like it. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteEnjoy your Sunday!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteI think that the cover of your book is attractive and engaging.
ReplyDeleteNancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com
Hi Nancy, I'm so glad you liked the cover. I had no idea how hard it was to come up with a cover for a book, until I started this journey. Thank you for commenting.
DeleteHope you're having a nice weekend.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteYou too! We have storms hitting us. I think I would rather have 4 feet of snow than 1/4 of ice.
DeleteHow do you figure out what to use for your covers?
ReplyDeleteHi Barbara, Covers are hard. The normal advice is to look at the popular books in your genre. Many genres have some very specific expectations. The cover is supposed to convey the genre and yet still be unique. Did I mention covers are hard? Thanks for the question.
DeleteWhat is your favorite part of writing?
ReplyDeleteHi Jeffery, The ideas!!! I tend to fast draft the first draft. It's a steaming pile when I am done, but I love that I can just go with the ideas. See where they lead me to. :) Do you write or pursue something creative?
DeleteThank you for a great read!
ReplyDelete:D Thank you for stopping by.
DeleteNice cover and it sounds like a really interesting book to read.
ReplyDeleteHi Laurie, Thanks for stopping by. I'm glad you liked the cover and thought it sounded like a good read. :) Thank you for stopping by
DeleteSounds like an intriguing read! Neat cover!
ReplyDeleteHi Veronica, Intriguing is on my favorite word list! I'm so glad you thought the book sounded that way. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteI think that the cover of your book is attractive and engaging.
ReplyDeleteNancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com
Hi Nancy, I'm glad you found the cover attractive and engaging. Kelly did an amazing job with this cover and across the whole series. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteHope you're having a nice weekend.
ReplyDeleteHi Jeffery, Yes! The sun came out for a bit and the kids got to scooter and ride bikes. always good for bedtime too when they burn that much energy off. :) Did you have a good one?
DeleteHit 65 degrees today. Will have snow tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteHi slehan, Oh that sounds like Colorodo. :) We are raining.
DeleteI would enjoy reading this book!
ReplyDeleteHi Barbara, Let me know if you decide to and if you enjoyed it. Have a great day!
DeleteHappy Sunday!
ReplyDeleteHappy Wednesday!
DeleteHope you are having a good day!
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic cover!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a book that i would enjoy reading
ReplyDeleteHi Laurie, I'm s glad it sounds like a book you would enjoy reading. if you ever do, feel free to drop me a line. :) Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteThis book has a wowzer cover!
ReplyDeleteHi Barbara, Wowzer will now be added to my fav word list. ;) LOL Thank you. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteYep I like the word wowzer!
DeleteOf course when I try to think of my other favorite words, my mind goes blank. LOL I know them when I see or hear them. :)
DeleteHaving a nice sunny spring day in MN.
ReplyDeleteI'm in he rainy part of the upper mid-west. I really like MN. :)
DeleteSounds like a great read.
ReplyDeleteHi Jodi, I'm happy you think it sounds like a great read. The first book was written to get to one scene in the second book. Matilda is still one of my favorite characters. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteWhat's your favourite writing snack?
ReplyDeleteHi Jamie,
DeleteI have a terrible sweet tooth! I'm trying to work on it, but I just love brownies. The gooey, yummy kind that doesn't have any room for more chocolaty goodness inside. Thanks for stopping by!
It's time for me to try a new author.
ReplyDeleteI like some variety.
Hi Barbara, There are so many great authors out there just waiting to be discovered. So many stories and characters to enjoy. Thanks for stopping by agian. :)
DeleteWhat's your most wild meeting on the internet story?
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your Sunday - hope it is a day of rest for you!
ReplyDeleteDo you have any pets?
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like an interesting book and I also like the cover.
ReplyDeleteDo you ever use real life experiences for your books?
ReplyDeleteAny good April's Fools pranks? #GiveThanksNotPranks
ReplyDeleteDo you have certain times of the day to write or is it random?
ReplyDeleteAny big plans for April?
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds like an enjoyable read for many people.
ReplyDeleteNancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com
Do you have any swag for your book?
ReplyDeleteBeautiful day in MN - sunny with high of 66!
ReplyDeleteThank you and have a wonderful evening.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing the review for this great read!
ReplyDeleteShared on Twitter
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/ThomasG25488903/status/1378880517601423360
How long does it usually take you to write a book?
ReplyDeleteShared on Pinterest
ReplyDeletehttps://www.pinterest.com/pin/1040050107665467286
Shared on Facebook today.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/alpacalover627/posts/467008637836669
Tweeted this https://twitter.com/JalapenoMama/status/1379469351917600773
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this review - I enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteWhat was your favourite meal ever?
ReplyDeleteHave you ever done any malicious compliance?
ReplyDeleteShared this on Facebook
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/barbara.montag.7/posts/10225891254844287
Congrats on your writing success!
ReplyDeleteI like the cover and would enjoy reading this story too.
ReplyDeleteDo you take weekends off from writing?
ReplyDeleteAre you an allergy sufferer?
ReplyDeleteHope you are enjoying your weekend.
ReplyDeleteShared on Pinterest today.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.pinterest.com/pin/1040050107665487669
I think that the cover of your book is very eye catching!
ReplyDeleteNancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com
What kinda music do you listen to when you write?
ReplyDeleteAbout how long does it take you to write a book?
ReplyDeleteThis story definitely has my attention. I liked the guest post.
ReplyDeleteWHAT DO YOU LIKE TO READ?
ReplyDeleteThis book has such an amazing cover!
ReplyDelete