Read:
Favourite Reads:
Reviews:
Monday, 31 March 2014
Blog Tour + Interview + Giveaway - Secret of the Corpse Eater (Undertakers, #3) by Ty Drago
Find the tour schedule here.
Title: Secret of the Corpse Eater (Undertakers 3)
Publication Date: March 25, 2014
Publisher: Month9Books
Author: Ty Drago
The Corpses are up something.
U.S. Senator Lindsay Micha had been kidnapped and replaced with a “dead” ringer, the sister to Lilith Cavanaugh, the Queen of the Dead. Now Will Ritter must go undercover in our nation’s capital to ferret out the truth and try to stop this ambitious deader. But his mission becomes even more dangerous when he learns of a mysterious ten-legged monster that prowls the halls of the Capitol Building — a lethal monster with a taste for Corpse flesh.
Can such an alien “enemy of his enemy” truly become Will’s friend?
Previous books in the series:
About the Author:
In addition to the first two books in UNDERTAKERS series, RISE OF THE CORSPES and QUEEN OF THE DEAD, Ty Drago is the author of PHOBOS, a Science Fiction whodunit and THE FRANKLIN AFFAIR, an historical/mystery about Benjamin Franklin. His short fiction has appeared in numerous venues, including the 2009 anthology YESTERDAY, I WILL ..., and he has written articles for WRITERS DIGEST. His first UNDERTAKERS novelette, NIGHT OF MONSTERS, is currently available for FREE on Smashwords.com and barnesandnoble.com.
Author Links:
When did you start writing?
I can’t really remember when I wasn’t a writer. My parents had this photo of me as a fat four-year-old with no shirt on sitting on our living room floor, drawing pictures with a crayon, holding them up and yelling “Cow!” The funny thing is that I sort of remember doing that and, in my head, I was telling a story. So I guess you can you say I started writing before I knew how to read!
What makes you want to write?
Birth. I’m a storyteller by nature. A thousand years ago, I’d have been that weird old man who showed up at the village at sunset and, for the price of a hot meal and warm bed, would sit around the hearth and regale the local children with stories of Robin Hood and King Arthur, and who would then leave the next morning, walking stick in hand, to do it all over again at the next village.
Sadly, you can’t live that way in modern American because it’s “creepy.” :)
Fiction writers tend to see the world as a tapestry of overlapping stories. That’s certainly the case with me. I don’t “want” to write so much as “need” to write. There are always stories to be told. Always.
Do you ever get writer's block and what do you do to get over it?
I’ve never really had writer’s block. Normally, if I get stalled it’s because I’ve run into a quandary in a particular story that I don’t know how to solve. When that happens, I generally take a walk or otherwise change my venue, relax, and just let it all sort itself out in my head. Music helps.
Do you have a special way of going about writing?
I find the right music. I used to think is approach was a bit peculiar, but I’ve since found that a many, if not most, writers do the same thing. I basically put together a playlist that helps me think about the particular story that I’m trying to tell. Then I listen to that playlist, over and over again, and let the “Idea Machine” churn. The Undertakers have their own playlist, which is actually getting quite long and is surprisingly eclectic. But its central anthem is “E for Extinction” by Thousand Foot Krutch. What are your hobbies?
My wife and I hike and kayak. We’re also big travelers. We’ve been all over the U.S. We’ve visited Europe three times, Asia once, and have our eye on a trip to China, hopefully in the not too distant future.
How did you choose the character names for Secret of the Corpse Eater?
Will Ritter, the young hero of the Undertakers, draws his last name from the German word for “knight.” Helene Boettcher, the heroine, shares my wife’s name (how cool is that?). Tom and Sharyn Jefferson, the leaders of the Undertakers, were actually characters I invented when I was about eight years old. I used to draw these comic books for the kids in my neighborhood and Tom and Sharyn were my original good guys. The other names were all conjured up, either from the names of kids I
once knew or out of whole cloth. I actually “collect” names, and when I come across one that I especially like, it often ends up in a book.
Do you have any works in progress?
Book Four of the Undertakers Series, “Last Siege of Haven,” is done! So, since it’s not yet time to start on the fifth and final installment in the series, I’ve turned my attention to some other projects.
I just finished a stand-alone Young Adult steampunk superhero story called TORQ. It’s about a world that exists entirely within an ancient, enormous Machine, wherein the “Haves” completely subjugate the “Have Nots,” except for a legendary hero who fights for justice. Think “Metropolis Meets Zorro!”
Now I’m writing another stand-alone. This one is Middle Grade horror. It’s called “Bad Boy.”
Who is your favorite character in Secret of the Corpse Eater?
Ack! That’s like asking a parent: “Who’s your favorite child?” I love ‘em all, but for this particular story, I think I’m partial to Lindsay Micha. Without giving anything away, she’s a complicated and amazing character who had a powerful impact on both the story and on Will’s life. She also happens to be named after my niece, by the way!
Where did you get the idea for Secret of the Corpse Eater?
I wanted to take the Undertakers to the next level, move at least some of the action from Philly to Washington D.C., and toss something new and unexpected into the mix. I’ve always like the whole “enemy of my enemy is my friend” theme, and I wanted to see what I could do with it in the Undertakers’ universe.
What are you currently reading?
TRUE BLUE by David Baldacci and AMERICAN GODS by Neil Gaiman.
What is your favorite book?
That’s easy. LIFE OF PI by Yann Martel. I’ve read it four times and it’s the most amazing written work I’ve ever encountered.
Who is your favorite author?
That’s tougher. I’d probably have to say Lee Child, the creator of the Jack Reacher series. I’ve devoured every one of his books, and even got to meet him briefly at Book Expo America a couple of years ago. I’m a big fan!
Quick-fire questions:
Chocolate or vanilla ice cream? “I like vanilla. It’s the finest of the flavors!” :)
Paperback or ebook? Toss-up. I love them both.
Dogs or cats? Dogs (said the man with one dog and two cats!).
Go out or stay in? Stay in. I can tell you right now that my wife dislikes that answer!
Summer or winter? Summer. Hands down.
Tour-wide giveaway
Open internationally
Sunday, 30 March 2014
My Week in Books (24th-30th March)
Read:
Unbound (All Good Things, #1) by Georgia Bell
2/5 stars
Review to come after blog tour.
Song of the Fireflies by J.A. Redmerski
2/5 stars
Read my review here.
Bought:
The Guard (The Selection, #2.5) by Kiera Cass
(Kindle copy, £0.99)
For Review:
Thanks to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers.
Won:
Thanks to Another World of Books.
Currently Reading:
Longbourn by Jo Baker
All pics from Goodreads.
I had my first week at work and it went well :)
Hope you all had a great week!
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)