{"id":567,"date":"2014-09-17T20:13:02","date_gmt":"2014-09-18T00:13:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beydeckard.com\/blog\/?p=567"},"modified":"2014-10-23T22:45:58","modified_gmt":"2014-10-24T02:45:58","slug":"tom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/tom\/","title":{"rendered":"Interviewing Tom"},"content":{"rendered":"

I had the pleasure of running into Tom, first mate on the pirate ship Baal\u2019s Heart<\/em> last time I was down south. When I asked him if he wanted to answer a few questions, he smiled this incredibly cheeky grin and winked, replying that if there was a beer in it for him, he\u2019d be \u201cbloody game\u201d to talk with me. Here\u2019s what came of it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"border\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pammy\u2019s Tavernhouse, somewhere in the southern isles, late summer<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Tom walks up to the bar, slaps down a few bits of silver, and bellows for two mugs of the \u201cdarkest beer ye got\u201d. I protest and say that I was the one who was going to buy, but he just gives me this quick shrug and says the next round is on me. I have a funny feeling that I\u2019ll be the one buying all the next rounds, but I accept the beer he hands me and follow him to the open patio at the back of the tavern. The view from where we\u2019re sitting is beautiful: clear blue water, whispering, swaying palm trees, and sand that\u2019s so white it looks like snow. I glance at Tom and see that he\u2019s already downed about half his beer and is peering curiously at a two-masted ship that just left port.<\/em><\/p>\n

Tom\u2019s a big guy, but not as big as you\u2019d think. For one, he\u2019s not as tall as I was expecting, but what he lacks in height he makes up for in muscle; there doesn\u2019t seem to be a lick of fat on him, and I\u2019m sort of mesmerized for a moment just watching the way his arm bulges as he lifts the mug to his lips. He\u2019s tanned to the colour of dark honey, and his dirty-blond hair is short and sticking up in places; there are strange tattoos that swirl and meander down his left side, and I can see more peeping above the waistband of his faded green shorts. All I can think for a moment is just how unbelievably sexy he is.<\/em><\/p>\n

The way he\u2019s lounging against the wood suggests a man without a care in the world\u2014totally at ease in his environment. But, when he swivels to look at me, I get the unmistakable impression that Tom\u2019s fully aware that he\u2019s got an effect on me, and he\u2019d been purposefully giving me time to look him over.<\/em><\/p>\n

I pick\u00a0up my mug, take a long swallow, and try to shake off the self-consciousness caused by the amused look in his bright, blue-green eyes.<\/em><\/p>\n

Yes, this is a man who knows exactly how attractive he is.<\/em><\/p>\n

After a few minutes of awkward chit-chat about tattoos (I have a few too) and another trip to the bar for more beer, I finally get around to the questions I wanted to ask.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So, Tom, there are rumours that you found a way through the Devil\u2019s Isles and that you went beyond.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Err. Aye, mate.<\/p>\n

(Tom frowns at me. Suddenly he\u2019s no longer the affable, cheeky ruffian who\u2019s going to drink me out of pocket, and I feel a little nervous. Great start to my interview)<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bad question? We can talk about something else.<\/strong><\/p>\n

(Here Tom lets out a small sigh and waves at the air before taking another swallow of beer)<\/em><\/p>\n

Naw, lovey. It\u2019s just that it weighs a little heavy on the mind, savvy? Weren\u2019t meant to be crossed is what I\u2019m thinkin\u2019\u2026 the shite that happened. (Tom shakes his head<\/em>) I don\u2019t like thinkin\u2019 about it. Actually. Yeah. Ask somethin\u2019 else, mate.<\/p>\n

(I\u2019m a little disappointed. I wanted to ask him about what they found on the other side but I\u2019m not going to push my luck<\/em>)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ok. No problem. How\u2019s this one for nice and simple? You\u2019re well known for kicking ass. What was your most memorable fight?<\/strong><\/p>\n

(Tom\u2019s face lights up and I have to laugh. The tension\u2019s gone again. He takes another gulp of beer and pulls the skinny cigar out from behind his ear. I wait a good five minutes while he lights it and rubs his jaw as he looks out over the water. The smoke from the cheroot is pungent\u2014there\u2019s more than just tobacco in it, that\u2019s for sure. Just when I think he\u2019s forgotten my question entirely, he turns to me with a toothy smile<\/em>)<\/p>\n

It was when I was a wee nipper. A lad o\u2019 nine or so. I worked in the mines and, since I was a might bit skinnier back then, they had me crawlin\u2019 into these bloody cracks deep in the fuckin\u2019 rock. Well, one of them days, I was in a squeeze\u2014as they call \u2018em, see\u2014 and I can\u2019t see the bloody end of my nose. I\u2019m almost stranglin\u2019 with rock dust, and the walls are pressin\u2019 in on me like they wanna crush me\u2026 and I\u2019m thinkin'\u00a0fuck this shit<\/em>! So I pull meself out o\u2019 there, wrigglin\u2019 and scrapin\u2019 my skin to get loose, and the big prick who was responsible for puttin\u2019 me in the black hells to begin with gives me this look and says some shit like \u201cGit back in there, boy!\u201d (Tom chuckles<\/em>) Well\u2026 I bloody lost it. \u2018Twas the first time I\u2019d ever really rebelled, other than\u2026<\/p>\n

(Tom\u2019s forehead creases then and I get a glimpse of something that looks like pain on his expressive face, but he shakes it off and moves on with his story<\/em>).<\/p>\n

\u2026so, I clocked the fucker in the jaw with my little fist, but surprise of bloody surprises, I hit him square and he falls back all shocked like. Problem is, this arse had these twin sons who were as big, ugly, and mean as their da, and they were comin\u2019 up the tunnel just as I hit their old man. Well, they pounced on me like a pair o\u2019 hellcats. I didn\u2019t know how to punch yet, but I knew that if I kept swingin\u2019, I\u2019d be sure to hit somethin\u2019, aye? Because I was little, I wasn't no match. I didn\u2019t think for a second that I\u2019d win, ye know? But I had to do it. Well eventually, I got my hand around this big ol' rock as they were punchin\u2019 and kickin\u2019 me over n\u2019 over. I put all of it into that last hit and got one of \u2018em boys straight in the side o\u2019 the head. Went down like a tree.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

That<\/em> was your most memorable fight?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Aye, lovey. Was the first time I\u2019d ever downed a mate. The fucker lost an eye because of me.<\/p>\n

(Tom chuckles and takes a drag off his cigar<\/em>)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Did you get away? What happened?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nah. They beat me bloody unconscious. I was eatin\u2019 mush for a month on account o\u2019 the broken jaw.<\/p>\n

(I sit silent for a second, aghast that he\u2019s talking so nonchalantly about being so severely beaten. He sees my expression and gives me another of his little one-shouldered shrugs. He smiles<\/em>)<\/p>\n

What\u2019s done is done, aye?<\/p>\n

(I nod and drink down the rest of my beer. I can\u2019t shake the image of nine-year-old Tom in the mines. I\u2019m surprised when he reaches for my mug and goes off to get another round. I can\u2019t take my eyes off the scars on his back. The interview\u2019s definitely not going the way I expected. He comes back, gives me another one of his cheeky grins and manages to graze my fingers as he hands me back the mug. Suddenly I\u2019m off-balanced again<\/em>)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Um. Tell me about being a pirate?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>Bloody fun. Lot\u2019s o\u2019 work, but bloody fun.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

That\u2019s all you\u2019re going to tell me?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Well, I can\u2019t speak for bein\u2019 a regular pirate, ye see? Ain\u2019t the same on board the Heart<\/em>. We got our own way of doin\u2019 things. It\u2019s prey for pay, aye, but we ain\u2019t got the same sort o\u2019 code o\u2019 conduct as them other mates.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Is the plunder good?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Matey, ye wouldn\u2019t believe what\u2019s restin\u2019 in the hold of the ol\u2019 tub as we speak.<\/p>\n

(Tom gives me a broad smile, but he\u2019s frustratingly short on details<\/em>)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ok, well how about telling me about some places you\u2019ve been? <\/strong><\/p>\n

Alrighty.<\/p>\n

(Tom leans his forearms against the wide railing and rubs his scarred hands together.<\/em> Deep wrinkles appear in his brow as he thinks<\/em>)<\/p>\n

I been everywhere from north t\u2019 south. East... not so much. (I notice he purposefully doesn\u2019t mention west across the black mountain range<\/em>) Dunno, maybe some day. For now there\u2019s plenty to be had in the midlands and around here.<\/p>\n

Somewhere interestin' I been? Hmm, well, two years ago, we were on the run\u2014navy after us like ticks after a dog\u2014and we find ourselves in a lick o\u2019 trouble when the wind up and changes. We turn around and go through the passage just south o\u2019 here. Ye know where those two little islands are?<\/p>\n

(He points off to one side, but I\u2019m really not that knowledgeable about the native geography. I\u2019m just going to have to take his word for it<\/em>)<\/p>\n

Well instead of findin\u2019 a bare stretch o\u2019 sea beyond, there was this small spit o\u2019 land. All shrouded n\u2019 misty and shite. We manage to find a little dip in the shore where the Heart<\/em> wouldn\u2019t stick out so bad, and we dropped anchor\u2026 and waited. Hours went by and there was no sign of the scurvy bastards chasin\u2019 us, so the captain says why dont\u2019cha go ashore and see if ye can find us some grub to eat while we\u2019re waitin\u2019. I says sure, and picked three o\u2019 my best men and rowed us out. Well\u2026 couldn\u2019t believe my bloody eyes when we got to the shore and saw it was made o\u2019 this hard, green rock. Slippery as all hells. We managed to crawl out and tie the dinghy up, but as far as the fuckin\u2019 eye could see, there wasn\u2019t nothin\u2019 but this dark-green rock. No trees, no grass. Nothin\u2019. So, me and the boys start walkin\u2019. We walked and walked an\u2019 bloody walked, but still nothin\u2019.<\/p>\n

(Tom takes a deep, slow swallow of beer and smiles at me. He\u2019s got at least a half-week\u2019s stubble on his face, and it shines golden in the bright sun<\/em>)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So, it was just a rock island?<\/strong><\/p>\n

That\u2019s what we thought! Ain\u2019t never seen rock like it. Every few paces there were lines in it, straight n\u2019 true. Was the weirdest fuckin\u2019 thing. So I pull my knife out and tap it against the stone\u2026 sounded hollow so I tried pushin\u2019 the point in and bloody hells, it sunk in a bit. So I jammed it harder n\u2019 harder, ye know, to try to cut a piece out to bring back to Da\u2026<\/p>\n

(I\u2019d heard rumours of Tom calling the captain \u201cDa\u201d. Were they actually father and son? And if so\u2026 what of the <\/em>other things I\u2019d heard?)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2026 and suddenly, the ground gives a shake and a shimmy and we\u2019re fallin\u2019 all over ourselves trying to stay on our feet. Then, out of the mists comes this sound<\/em>\u2026<\/p>\n

(Tom makes a noise halfway between a growl and a sigh<\/em>)<\/p>\n

Two o\u2019 the lads shit themselves in fear, and the third goes as\u00a0white as a bloody ghost! So we\u2019re crawlin\u2019 on our hands and knees, trying to make our way to the shore. And I see it! Risin\u2019 out of the mists is this thing\u2026 <\/em>higher and higher it goes\u00a0'til it\u2019s as tall as a godsdamned mountain. And then it turned\u2026 and it bloody blinked at me!<\/p>\n

We ran<\/em>, oh fuck did we run\u2026 like the bloody wind itself. Back to the bloody ship, mate. We had to tell the captain!<\/p>\n

(I realise I\u2019m holding my mug too tight when the old break in my hand starts to throb. I force myself to relax<\/em>)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But\u2026 what was it? What did you see?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ducky, it wasn\u2019t a bloody island at all! We\u2019d climbed up onto the fuckin\u2019 back of a gigantic bloody tortoise<\/em>!<\/p>\n

(At this point I realise that Tom is taking the piss out of me, and I start to laugh<\/em>)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I\u2019m calling bullshit.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Naw, lovey. Biggest fuckin\u2019 tortoise in the godsdamned world. Swear to the fuckin\u2019 gods. Swear on me ma\u2019s bones, gods rest her bloody soul.<\/p>\n

(But Tom is laughing to himself now, his eyes narrowed in mischief. I shake my head at him and finish my beer, then I grab his mug and make another trip to the bar. When I get back, he accepts the beer with a grin and nods his head in thanks<\/em>)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So\u2026 what\u2019s it like being the first mate to Captain Baltsaros?<\/strong><\/p>\n

(Right away I can see that this is the wrong question to ask and my heart sinks. Just a minute ago we were laughing like old friends, but now Tom\u2019s eyes have gone flat like he\u2019s been through hell, and he looks away from me. When a few minutes go by, I realise he\u2019s not going to answer me. Desperate to lighten the mood I ask a dumb question.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Uh. What about\u2026 Um. I\u2019ve heard that you\u2019re very popular with the brothel ladies?<\/strong><\/p>\n

(I want to add \u201cand men\u201d but I\u2019m not sure if I really believe the rumours. Seems too good to be true. And I\u2019ll be damned if I bring it up\u2014there\u2019s this air of poised violence that lurks just beneath his bluff charm. I have no way of knowing how he\u2019d take the question. However, when he turns to me again, the mischievous glint is back and that\u2019s enough to make me take a quick sip of beer just to have something to do with my hands.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

Ye heard that, aye lovey? Who you been talkin\u2019 to about me puttin\u2019 a crack in Jenny\u2019s cup?<\/p>\n

(Tom grins wide and leans towards me, and all I can think about is how the hell I\u2019m going to keep going with this interview. I've had a lot to drink and turning the conversation to sex was a bad idea. I break eye contact and concentrate on the drip of sweat that\u2019s making its way down his chest and watch it get caught in his dark-blond chest hair<\/em>)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I\u2019ve just\u2026 heard things. Nothing specifically. I don\u2019t know why I brought it up.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ye don\u2019t, aye? Was it because ye wanted to know whether I fancy someone wearin\u2019 trousers instead? Hm? Do ye have a personal<\/em> interest in my answer?<\/p>\n

(Tom can obviously tell that I\u2019m embarrassingly rattled by him, and he lets out this bark of laughter and sits back, just smiling at me. Right\u00a0then, there's a sharp double-whistle and Tom\u2019s head swivels quickly.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the Heart<\/em>. I gotta skedaddle, lovey. Thanks for the beer.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The words were spoken brusquely, but they were accompanied with a wink. Before I had a chance to respond or ask anything else, Tom clapped a warm hand on my shoulder and stood. With a spring in his step, he whistled a jaunty tune as he made his way through the bar and back to his ship.<\/em><\/p>\n

I sat there for at least a quarter hour, just nursing my beer, waiting for my pulse to slow.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"border\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Want to meet Tom and the rest of the crew? Join them in Caged<\/em><\/a> and Sacrificed<\/em><\/a>, the sequel due out October 15th, 2014.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I had the pleasure of running into Tom, first mate on the pirate ship Baal\u2019s Heart last time I was down south. When I asked him if he wanted to answer a few questions, he smiled this incredibly cheeky grin and winked, replying that if there was a beer in it for him, he\u2019d be \u201cbloody game\u201d to talk with me. Here\u2019s what came of it.     Pammy\u2019s Tavernhouse, somewhere in the southern isles, late summer Tom walks up to the bar, slaps down a few bits of silver, and bellows for two mugs of the \u201cdarkest beer ye … <\/p>\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":568,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"generate_page_header":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[72,6,7],"tags":[9,36,165,175,30],"class_list":["post-567","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beys-tales-writing-2","category-caged","category-beyond-the-spires","tag-caged-2","tag-interview","tag-sacrificed","tag-team-tom","tag-tom"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/interview-with-tom.jpg?fit=600%2C350&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/s4sexs-tom","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":631,"url":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/teamtom-shirts-now-available\/","url_meta":{"origin":567,"position":0},"title":"#TeamTom shirts now available!","author":"Bey","date":"October 7, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"I've opened some stores... you'll find stuff like map kindle covers, #TeamTom shirts, and compass rose mugs! Redbubble -\u00a0Cafe Press","rel":"","context":"In "Art"","block_context":{"text":"Art","link":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/category\/my-life\/art\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"team-tom-draft","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/team-tom-draft-278x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1372,"url":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/happy-birthday-sacrificed-50-off-sale\/","url_meta":{"origin":567,"position":1},"title":"Happy Birthday, Sacrificed – 50% off sale","author":"Bey","date":"October 15, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Sacrificed: Heart Beyond the Spires is one year old today! To celebrate, I'm putting the Baal's Heart trilogy on 50% sale for the rest of the month at Smashwords. https:\/\/www.smashwords.com\/books\/byseries\/12012Just enter the following coupons at checkout:Caged: Love and Treachery on the High Seas: CZ46V Sacrificed: Heart Beyond the Spires: BN46V\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Announcements"","block_context":{"text":"Announcements","link":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/category\/announcements\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/teaser-promo9.png?fit=650%2C336&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/teaser-promo9.png?fit=650%2C336&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/teaser-promo9.png?fit=650%2C336&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":928,"url":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/toni-hanks-interviews-tom-from-the-baals-heart-series\/","url_meta":{"origin":567,"position":2},"title":"Toni Hanks interviews Tom from the Baal’s Heart Series","author":"Bey","date":"January 9, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Toni asks: Favorites: Color\u2014 Tom: Yer askin\u2019 me what my favourite colour is? Ha! What the bloody hells for? Oh\u2026 gods-be-fuckin\u2019-damned, I just took a peek at the rest of the bloody questions. I\u2019ll play, but it\u2019s a fuckin\u2019 bloody lot of half-cracked questions, ye know that? Read the interview\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Caged"","block_context":{"text":"Caged","link":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/category\/book-updates\/caged\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/teaser-promo9.png?fit=650%2C336&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/teaser-promo9.png?fit=650%2C336&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/teaser-promo9.png?fit=650%2C336&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":590,"url":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/want-the-first-three-chapters-of-sacrificed\/","url_meta":{"origin":567,"position":3},"title":"Want the First Three Chapters of Sacrificed?","author":"Bey","date":"September 19, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day! To celebrate, here are the first three chapters of Sacrificed: Heart Beyond the Spires,\u00a0the sequel to Caged.\u00a0 A\u00a0whole three chapters, you ask? Yes... these three chapters belong together, woven like a three-sided tapestry. Choose yer format, me hearties: mobi epub pdf More Fun? Did\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sacrificed"","block_context":{"text":"Sacrificed","link":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/category\/book-updates\/beyond-the-spires\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/banner-fb-group.png?fit=802%2C250&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/banner-fb-group.png?fit=802%2C250&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/banner-fb-group.png?fit=802%2C250&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/banner-fb-group.png?fit=802%2C250&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":645,"url":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-blogger-girls-give-sacrificed-5-stars\/","url_meta":{"origin":567,"position":4},"title":"The Blogger Girls give Sacrificed 5 stars!","author":"Bey","date":"October 11, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"JustJen at The Blogger Girls says: \"This book picks up where Caged left off. Captain B and Jon are eagerly awaiting to see if Tom will give in and join them on their next adventure. Within the first few pages, I was pulled right back into this story and the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sacrificed"","block_context":{"text":"Sacrificed","link":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/category\/book-updates\/beyond-the-spires\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":625,"url":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-novel-approach-gives-sacrificed-5-stars\/","url_meta":{"origin":567,"position":5},"title":"The Novel Approach gives Sacrificed 5 Stars","author":"Bey","date":"October 6, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Lisa at TNA writes: \"Unlike anything I\u2019ve ever read before,\u00a0Sacrificed\u00a0packs emotion, sensuality, adventure, fantasy, and danger into every one of its chapters. Knowing that Captain Baltsaros was a more complex character than was introduced in\u00a0Caged\u00a0(and, trust me, he was already plenty enigmatic),\u00a0Sacrificed\u00a0takes the reader on a perilous journey to a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sacrificed"","block_context":{"text":"Sacrificed","link":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/category\/book-updates\/beyond-the-spires\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/treasure.jpg?fit=640%2C427&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/treasure.jpg?fit=640%2C427&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/treasure.jpg?fit=640%2C427&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/567","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=567"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/567\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":740,"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/567\/revisions\/740"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/568"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=567"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=567"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=567"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}