The Sapphire Crucible is now available on Amazon.com!
Quest for the Red Sapphire is currently on sale for .99 on Kindle!
Quest for the Red Sapphire is currently on sale for .99 on Kindle!
Today I'm happy (but also somewhat terrified) to have Hugon stop by.

Character: Hugon
Book: The Sapphire Crucible by Rival Gates
Tell me a little about yourself.
I am the head jailor at the Imperial Palace of the Mandrean Empire in Marinhalk. I oversee the prisoners and have the pleasure of torturing them as well.
Where do you live?
My barrack is near the roundhouse prison.
Who is the most important person in your life?
I care only for myself and my goblin brothers.
What was your childhood like?
I was the largest of my tribe in the Goblin Nations. Starvation and cold were constant companions. Then I was sold to the Mandreans as a soldier. The Emperor saw my gift for extracting information and gave me this post.
Of all the people you've met, who would you LEAST like to be stuck in an elevator with?
This new prisoner named Linvin Grithinshield. He is a high priority prisoner and I am not permitted to kill him. He taunts me and the day will come when I have my chance. Until then I must try to control the burning in my goblin blood telling me to dismember his body.
What is the most important thing in your life? What do you value most?
I love my work. There is no greater satisfaction than breaking the will of a prisoner and hearing them confess all their deepest secrets. Then I am permitted to finish off the interrogation with any sort of murder I enjoy.
What is your biggest fear?
Lord Necromancer. He is not one to be disobeyed. I do not think that my prisoners deserve to live but he believes that no one deserves to live except him.
What is the most important thing that ever happened to you? Why?
The most important thing was being selected to my position. Life in the Mandrean Army is rough and you are always taking orders from some foolish human. Here I make the rules and decide who lives or dies. That is true except for the new elf prisoners and that girl in the tower. My orders are very specific about them.
Do you have any special talents or abilities?
I am the strongest and biggest goblin there has ever been. I can crush a man’s skull between my hands.
How do you see your future?
Like all prisoners, I see the day coming when these “important prisoners” will not be so important anymore. Then I will have my fun with them.
If you could spend the day with someone you admire (living or dead or imaginary), who would you pick?
I would pick the Goblin Warlord trained by the Mandreans and sent to the Southern Marshes to fight Valia. He is the greatest goblin general to ever live and is giving the Valians all they can handle. There’s a goblin who could teach me a thing or two.
If you had a free day with no responsibilities, how would you spend it?
I would form a raiding party and attack a Human settlement. Then I would burn the people alive. I love the sound of their screams and the smell of their flesh as it cooks.
Wow. Where can we find out more about you?
Read The Sapphire Crucible. I have a prominent role in the story.

Biography
Rival Gates is also the author of Quest for the Red Sapphire. He grew up as the son of an editor and a high school teacher. He wrote his series as a hobby and published it as a promise fulfilled to his dying mother. Rival lives in Nebraska and loves spending time with his wife and children. When not working, he dreams of more adventures with bone crushing fights and epic battles.
Rival Gates is also the author of Quest for the Red Sapphire. He grew up as the son of an editor and a high school teacher. He wrote his series as a hobby and published it as a promise fulfilled to his dying mother. Rival lives in Nebraska and loves spending time with his wife and children. When not working, he dreams of more adventures with bone crushing fights and epic battles.

The Sapphire Crucible
Captured! In The Sapphire Crucible (Book 2 of the Sapphire Chronicles) Linvin Grithinshield and his party find themselves prisoners on the maniacal Lord Mandrean and his Necromancer. The Emperor has a surprise for Linvin. He knows where the Red Sapphire is! In order to attain it he needs Linvin's help. With his family as hostages he has no choice but to help. Now they must find a way to escape, find the Red Sapphire and make it home alive. Along the way they must fight ever-growing odds of survival.
Captured! In The Sapphire Crucible (Book 2 of the Sapphire Chronicles) Linvin Grithinshield and his party find themselves prisoners on the maniacal Lord Mandrean and his Necromancer. The Emperor has a surprise for Linvin. He knows where the Red Sapphire is! In order to attain it he needs Linvin's help. With his family as hostages he has no choice but to help. Now they must find a way to escape, find the Red Sapphire and make it home alive. Along the way they must fight ever-growing odds of survival.

Quest for the Red Sapphire
Former General Linvin Grithinshield returns home to find his parents murdered and a price on his head. Through his wise Uncle Anvar he discovers his destiny is to find and master the legendary Red Sapphire. In his flight from danger and ensuing quest he must fight man-eating wolves, goblins, bandits, a dragon and worse of all, his cousins. Will he find the gem before the murderers do? Will he prove worthy of the gem at all? Can one half-elf truly make a difference for many?
Former General Linvin Grithinshield returns home to find his parents murdered and a price on his head. Through his wise Uncle Anvar he discovers his destiny is to find and master the legendary Red Sapphire. In his flight from danger and ensuing quest he must fight man-eating wolves, goblins, bandits, a dragon and worse of all, his cousins. Will he find the gem before the murderers do? Will he prove worthy of the gem at all? Can one half-elf truly make a difference for many?
The Sapphire Crucible will be released on 04/10/14 on Amazon.com
Quest for the Red Sapphire is currently on sale for .99 on Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Quest-Red-Sapphire-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00DZ100MO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1388726338&sr=8-1&keywords=quest+for+the+red+sapphire
Quest for the Red Sapphire is currently on sale for .99 on Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Quest-Red-Sapphire-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00DZ100MO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1388726338&sr=8-1&keywords=quest+for+the+red+sapphire