Today I have a spotlight on the new dark fantasy release,
Child of the Night Guild by Andy Peloquin, first novel in the
Queen of Thieves series. I have a look at the book and the author, plus an excerpt. Enjoy.
Child of the Night Guild (Queen of Thieves Book 1) by Andy Peloquin
"They killed my parents. They took my name. They imprisoned me in darkness. I would not be broken."
Viola, a child sold to pay her father's debts, has lost everything: her mother, her home, and her identity. Thrown into a life among criminals, she has no time for grief as she endures the brutal training of an apprentice thief. The Night Guild molds an innocent waif into a cunning, agile outlaw skilled in the thieves' trade. She has only one choice: steal enough to pay her debts.
The cutthroat streets of Praamis will test her mettle, and she must learn to dodge the City Guards or swing from a hangman's rope. But a more dangerous foe lurks within the guild walls. A sadistic rival apprentice, threatened by her strength, is out for blood.
What hope does one girl have in a world of ruthless men?
Child of the Night Guild can be found at:
Excerpt from Child of the Night Guild
"Are you
sure you're doing it right, Seven?"
Seven scrunched
her face, concentrating hard. "I'm doing it just like he showed us, Three.
See?" She attempted to snatch the purse.
Three patted
the oversized waistcoat Master Velvet had given him.
"I could
still feel it. So you're doing something wrong."
Frustration
mounting, Seven tried again, doing exactly as Master Velvet had taught them. Walk toward the mark. Bump into him. Dip two
fingers into his pocket to hook the purse. Apologize to the mark and touch him
with my free hand. Hide the purse in my palm and hurry away.
He shook his
head. "That time, too. I can feel you pulling the purse out when you move
away. Maybe you need to do it faster."
"I can't
do it faster, Three. Not yet, at least." Seven clenched her fists in
frustration.
He held up a
hand. "It's okay, Seven. Give it time. You'll get it."
"Here."
She threw him the bulging, cloth-stuffed purse. "Let me try again."
Even as she tugged the purse free, the look on Three's face told her she'd
failed.
Her friend
shrugged. "Still felt it."
Seven ground her
teeth. Master Velvet said this is
supposed to be easy. So why can't I get it right?
Three tugged
the vest over his head. "Let's give the bump a break for a moment."
He pulled a dun-colored cloak around his shoulders. "What say we give the
snatch a try?"
Seven nodded.
The snatch required timing and dexterity, but she'd grown adept at it. She
walked toward Three, brushed against his cloak, and lifted the purse from the
hidden pocket, all without breaking stride.
Three's eyes
widened. "Damn, Seven. I didn't feel a thing!"
She beamed.
"Well, at least there's one thing I'm good at."
Master Velvet
strode up behind her and took her small, muddy hands. "You've got good
finger-work, tyro." He ran his calloused hands over her fingers.
"They're quick and nimble. With the right training, you could become quite
the purse collector."
"Thank
you, Master Velvet." She flushed at his praise. It was the first full
compliment she'd ever heard pass his lips.
"Keep it
up, Seven. Three." With a nod, he moved to the next pair of tyros.
Three slapped
her on the shoulder. "Look at that! You're getting there."
"Yeah. Now
if only I could get the bump down properly." She held out her arms.
"Here, give me the vest and cloak. You've got to practice, too."
As Three passed
her the clothing, Twelve's shout echoed through the Menagerie. "Damn it!
You're doing it wrong, you stupid sack of shite."
Two met
Twelve's glare without a trace of fear. "How in the Keeper's name can I be
doing it wrong, Twelve?" Two was taller than Twelve, though not as broad.
"I'm standing here in this vest. You’re
supposed to be pulling the damned purse."
"Well…"
Twelve faltered, his face reddening. With a snarl, he threw the purse in Two's
face and stormed off.
Three snorted.
"Looks like he's not doing much better than you are, Seven."
Seven glared at
her friend. "That's not saying much for me, you know. With those fat
sausage fingers, he can barely fit his hands in the pocket."
"There you
go." He gave her a broad grin. "You've got the advantage, at least
over him. Just give it time and you'll get better at it."
She rolled her
eyes. "Well, let's see how good you
are."
"I'll bet
you a peach I can do the bump better than you."
"You're
on!"
Vicious, ruthless criminals are made, not born. Child of the Night Guild—an insight into the transformation from innocent child to thief and killer.
Author Bio:
Andy Peloquin: Lover of All Things Dark and Mysterious
"I am, first and foremost, a storyteller and an artist--words are my palette. Fantasy is my genre of choice, and I love to explore the darker side of human nature through the filter of fantasy heroes, villains, and everything in between. I'm also a freelance writer, a book lover, and a guy who just loves to meet new people and spend hours talking about my fascination for the worlds I encounter in the pages of fantasy novels.
Fantasy provides us with an escape, a way to forget about our mundane problems and step into worlds where anything is possible. It transcends age, gender, religion, race, or lifestyle--it is our way of believing what cannot be, delving into the unknowable, and discovering hidden truths about ourselves and our world in a brand new way. Fiction at its very best!"
A Few of His Favorite Things
Favorite Books: The Gentlemen Bastards by Scott Lynch, The Stormlight Archives by Brandon Sanderson, Sherlock Holmes by A.C. Doyle, Warlord of Mars by E.R. Burroughs
Favorite Songs: Wrong Side of Heaven by Five Finger Death Punch, Prayer by Disturbed, I'm an Albatraoz by AronChupa, Look Down from Les Miserables, Shatter Me by Lindsay Sterling and Lizzi Hale
Favorite Movies: 300, Red Cliff, Shoot Em Up, Love Actually, Princess Bride
Favorite Comics: Anything with Deadpool, Wolverine or Doop in it
Favorite Foods: Hot Wings, Meat-Lover's Salad, A good sandwich (made by me), Yaki Soba, Sushi
Favorite TV Shows: The Flash, Daredevil, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Hawaii Five-0, Brooklyn 99, Firefly (too soon!), The Last Ship, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones
