Hi friends! I'm excited to be a part of the tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions for Beginning of Arrogance by Bryan Cole. The author will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter at the end of the tour. Makes sure you follow the tour and show the other hosts some love as well - the more you comment, the more chances you have to win!
Beginning of Arrogance by Bryan Cole Tour Schedule (Goddess Fish Promotions)
About the Book
Paladins are nothing but trouble. Stories about paladins are everywhere, noble warriors riding magic steeds into battle against terrible foes. Champions of their gods. Heroes to everyone, except those who already have everything. Paladins are notorious for upsetting the balance of power, to the detriment of any who don't worship their deity.
So when Krell is called to service by the capricious god of the seas and skies, ReckNor, those with wealth and power can't help but be concerned. ReckNor hasn't called a paladin in years, and his nature is ever-changing and erratic. The fact that Krell is also an uneducated nobody with a stubborn streak as wide as the sea turns their concerns into fear.
All of which matters less than the threat clawing its way from the waves, ready to turn the ocean red with spilled blood...
Get your own copy of the book via these links!
AMAZON.COM
INDIGO CHAPTERS
BARNES & NOBLE
BOOK DEPOSITORY
KINDLE
APPLE BOOKS
Check out this excerpt from the book!
“Shortly after the tower collapsed, there was a surge of undead. Some priests came in and did something to contain it, and let it be. Or possibly not, since the story has been retold so many times. However, there is an old royal proclamation that anyone who rebuilds and takes residence there will get possession free and clear of all past obligations, though taxes and other fees would need to be paid going forward should you gain the title to the property.”
She paused, looking at them all.
“Thinking of making a grab for it?”
Kraven shrugged. “No ships in harbor to take me anywhere
else, and nothing else to do tomorrow, so yeah, probably. Have others tried?”
Daylan laughed. “Oh yes, many, and hordes of children as well. You’re welcome to walk up there, survey the ruined tower and get scared by the ghost, just like everyone else has been for the last two hundred years. It’s pointless. Much like this conversation. If we could move back to meaningful town business?” Daylan and Amra began discussing the missing fishing vessels again, and what they could do to replace them. Aldrik interrupted, raising a concern about the Black Theocracy and whether Watford would be blamed if one of their trade ships vanished.
Captain Gijwolf walked up to the group of them, gesturing for them to step outside. Aldrik gave an enthusiastic wave as they departed. The evening air was clean now that the rain had stopped, and Krell breathed in deeply, savoring the smell of the sea.
“Well, gentlemen, your work was done and done well. However, more warriors arrived today looking to join the charter. I sent all but one away and was wondering if you’d like to meet him or not. He’s at the Netminder’s Friend, so he is likely at your destination, anyway. What say you?”
Q&A with the Author
What are four things you can't live without?
There are more than a few answers here. The scientist in me would immediately say oxygen, heat, water, and food! Assuming necessities for life are already met (i.e. a working biosphere), I would say my family’s love, the use of my eyes, the use of my hands, and access to the internet. I’m old enough to remember the world before the internet, and I’d never want to go back to that!
What is your favorite television show?
This varies, depending on when you ask me. All-time favorites include One Punch Man, The Witcher, Um, Actually…, The Boys, Rick and Morty, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Last Week Tonight, The Expanse, and so many more choices! Lately, it’s the Rings of Power.
Where do you get your inspiration, information, and ideas for books?
Most of my ideas come from observing the world around me and letting my imagination run wild with the scenario. Recently my daughter and I were talking and we ended up discussing whether the bears that live in Canada were Canadian, and did they talk to the American bears living in Alaska, or were there entire bear nations that exist without us humans knowing anything about them, with their own laws and borders and relations. Finding a normal event, and then laying on the ridiculous and exploring it is fertile ground for new ideas and content!
Do you write full-time or around another job? If you have a full-time job, does it ever play into your writing?
I have a full-time job, which cuts heavily into my ability to write. I’d love to do writing full time, but that would require a LOT of book sales. I work in enterprise software, which is the sort of technology that helps the internet work properly, for example. This does play into my writing to a degree, as the concepts behind technology and our interconnected world will have analogues in the use of magic in my setting. Magic lets those ideas be implemented without any of the constraints we face in reality, so I’m pretty excited to see what I come up with.
What three works of art have most influenced your writing? This can be an actual piece of art, a movie, a book, or a video game - whatever makes the most sense for you!
First and foremost, Star Wars (Episodes IV, V, and VI – the original trilogy). If there was a better hero’s journey for a young Bryan to see, I can’t imagine what it would be. I’m old and wise enough to see the flaws with those films, but they rightly stand as masterpieces of storytelling. Second on this list would be the Deed of Paksenarrion, by Elizabeth Moon. Another fantastic heroic journey, and one of the most influential books I’ve ever read on what a story could be about. Finally, a shout out to Overly Sarcastic Productions on YouTube, particularly their Trope Talk series. Aspiring writers, you should go watch all of those videos.
What is your favorite writing snack and/or drink?
Ice Water with some sort of flavor added to it. I call it “red juice” despite there being no juice whatsoever inside it. I’ll drink five or six glasses a day. As for snacks, I’d charitably describe my diet as erratic, so it varies from apples and oranges to Doritos and Oreos. No consistency whatsoever.
What was your hardest scene to write and why?
The climax of the book. There’s a certain amount of putting the characters into jeopardy, but not too much that they cannot plausibly survive or triumph. I must have rewritten parts of the climax over a dozen times, swinging between way too much (this would kill all of them without any exception, and the bad guys wouldn’t even have to try that hard!) to way to easy (why didn’t the unnamed town guards from the background cast take care of this?). Getting the pacing of the end correct was something I worked on a lot.
What is a significant way your book has changed since the first draft?
The interconnectedness of events. The first draft, especially early in the book, was a completely isolated set of events. It was only after feedback from beta readers, especially John, where the threads that connect the book came together and linked all the scenes into a cohesive story.
Aside from writing, what is one thing you do for fun?
Board games – I’m always looking to play games that are fun and quick, like Sushi Go or Hanabi, but I also love extremely complex games, like Arkham Horror and Twilight Imperium. I also like the ones in the middle, like Terraforming Mars and Lords of Waterdeep. Essentially, if you have a board game you enjoy, I’d be happy to play a game or six with you.
What projects do you have coming up next?
The big project after Beginning of Arrogance is book two in the series, which is around eighty thousand words written at the moment. Finishing that is the next big thing on my list, but the story arc for Krell is all planned out, so there will be many more books to follow, considering how good the initial reviews and feedback has been on book one!
About the Author
Bryan Cole is the author of the Paladin’s Journey series. New to the writing world, he spent years working in the enterprise software space, focused on quality assurance and delivery of software applications. Which is weird, because that has nothing to do with writing fiction.
For that, we need to go back – way back – to his first experience with Dungeons & Dragons. His friend Chris brought over the box set for Myth Drannor, eager to play. Together, they realized they had no idea what they were doing, because neither of them owned a copy of the Players Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, or the Monster Manual.
From those incredibly awkward beginnings, a lifelong passion for epic science fiction and high fantasy adventure was born. Everything from his grade 4 teacher letting him stay after school to play a video game where you were the wizard on a quest, defeating monsters by answering math problems, to some truly memorable movies like Willow that showed him a world bigger and more exciting than the real one.
Of course, Star Wars and Star Trek have had a major influence on him. Want to get in good with Bryan? Lead with a Star Wars meme. From one of the good movies. Otherwise, your plan will backfire.
Bryan is also an avid gamer, and enjoys video games, board games, and tabletop roleplaying games.
These days, he lives in Toronto with his wife and daughter, and his adorable cat.
CONNECT WITH BRYAN COLE
WEBSITE: https://fatpaladin.ca/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/FatPaladin
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/fatpaladinbooks/
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22517522.Bryan_Cole
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