Straight Chatting from the Library: Claudia Blood

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READ THE INTERVIEW

If you could apologize to someone in your past, who would it be?

My best friend died right after college while we were in the middle of a fight. I wish I would have just called her and apologised. I now make sure I am at peace with my relationships.

If you could keep a mythical/ paranormal creature as a pet, what would you have?

Oh there are so many choices.

I love the idea of having a snarky talking, sidekick who maybe even was a familiar. I guess I would have to learn magic for that to work.

Or I have always loved the little fire lizards from the Dragon Riders of Pern. I love the idea of befriending a telepathically connected fire breathing lizard.

How do you keep your writing different from all the others that write in this particular genre?

I have what's called ideation when you do the Gallups Strength Finder test. I take two ideas that are completely different and smash them together to come up with something new. I read alot of science articles and have played D&D my whole life.

What are the best and worst pieces of writing advice you ever received?

The best writing advice was the 'not your cookie' advice from Margie Lawson. Meaning you are not trying to please the people who like peanut butter cookies, if you make damn good chocolate chip cookies.

The worst advice was I had to outline. Boo! That stymied me for a long time. I've become a firm believer that you have to find the way that is right for you.

READ THE BLURB

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.

READ AN EXCERPT

Z took a small sip of the best whiskey they had at the Inn. It burned the back of his throat. He stood as if he didn’t care that he was the only freelancer in the place. He stood as if he’d only come here to enjoy some whiskey. It was good. It left a sweet smoky taste in his mouth. But he was here to gather information and to sort out a few things before going back into the jungle.

He’d gotten good at watching a room without seeming to. The Families had finally calmed down enough to resume the conversations that had stopped when he’d walked in.

They all recognized him as an ex-company man. The first time he’d come in here, there’d been bets on how long before he ended up dead. No one knew that he had something over Ravenne, which made him harder for her to kill. Not impossible, just harder.

He took another sip of the whiskey and closed his eyes as if he was just enjoying a drink. That allowed him to focus his senses on the conversations. No one was talking about the orphanage or Duff. They’d been long forgotten. There seemed to be a general unease in the room. Too many high ranked Family men were here. Odds were good they would meet in secret later. There was definitely something going on.

He’d also noticed that there seemed to be less Relics in the normal spots and that the company was paying a bit less. That would be a troublesome trend.

MEET 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.

For her latest release, visit her at her website.

Website: http://www.ClaudiaBlood.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorClaudiaBlood
Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/ClaudiasAdventurersFB
Twitter: http://twitter.com/AuthorClauBlood
Instagram: http://instagram.com/authorclaudiablood

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