Author Interview: James R Tuck

Today I have treat for you all - an interview with the author of the fabulous addictive Deacon Chalk series, JAMES R TUCK. The second in the series, Blood and Silver has just been released and is well worth a read for one of the most intriguing heroes in Urban Fantasy at the moment. But let's find out a little more about the man, behind the man...



The Mann himself, James R Tuck

Welcome to Mel's Random Review, James! First tell us a little about yourself...

The word to describe me is blessed. I'm married to a great wife, have two great kids, four great dogs, a great house, a great business (my tattoo shop) where I work everyday with my best friend of 26 years, AND I'm a published author of a series I am both proud of and is exactly what I wanted to write. So if you look up "lucky bastard" in the dictionary you will find a picture of my grinning face.

How would you describe the Deacon Chalk series to potential readers?

If monsters were real, what kind of man would it take to hunt those monsters down to keep you safe? It's a dark urban fantasy where all bets are off and no character is safe. It's action/horror. A summer blockbuster shot full of anabolic crack.
But I also deal with a lot of humanity in the books. What does it mean to try and heal when your life has been so damaged? How do you love when your heart is a giant lump of scar tissue? How do you stay noble when you are driven to do horrible things to protect people you don't even know.
I am really proud of the books. They are different from the same old same old safe urban fantasies you find out there. <Mel: I will agree with that!>

Deacon Chalk #1

What is the hardest part of writing for you?

Remembering what color eyes people have. lol. When you have a cast of characters and you are in love with description it is hard to keep all the little details straight. Thank God for copyeditors!

What is the easiest?

Because I am writing what I absolutely love I am having a blast while writing these books. So that makes it go quick. Now, like I said before, I am writing a dark urban fantasy and my characters are not safe. They get hurt. They suffer. They go through terrible things that change them...sometimes I have to write a scene that deals with one of my favorites and it gets to me. There is a scene in BLOOD AND SILVER that I wrote through shimmery eyes. I didn't cry dammit, but I got close.

Blood and Silver has a lot of shapeshifters – with a wide range of different creatures. If you could shift into one animal what would it be?

I'd go for a canine. It's big enough to handle itself, but small enough, and common enough that it could go anywhere in the world without anyone thinking anything about it....well, except for Russia, there I might have to worry about being made into a hat. But as a dog you could travel anywhere you wanted and see everything.


Deacon Chalk #2

Deacon Chalk runs across all manner of supernatural beings - have you ever had a supernatural experience yourself?

I'm a believer. I've had supernatural experiences in Church. Little meetings with God that let me know that He exists and we are not a result of coincidence. Thankfully nothing like the things Deacon runs up against.

What have you got coming up next?

I am very excited to have just signed on with Seventh Star Press to edit THUNDER ON THE BATTLEFIELD a sword and sorcery anthology. It's open for submissions now and it's going to be awesome! Here's the link for the announcement:

I also have more Deacon Chalk next year. CIRCUS OF BLOOD in Jan 2013 and BLOOD AND MAGICK March 2013.

There are also a few short stories that will be popping up here and there.

I am also working on TWO new manuscripts. A steampunk pulp action adventure and a straight horror novel. No home for those, but I am really excited about them.

<Mel: Ooo, I would love to see what you do with steampunk! Although the horror one might be too much me! :-) >

Finally a 60 second, quick question quiz

- Favourite Book you’ve read?
Ever? Damn. um, THE OUTSIDERS by S.E. Hinton.

- Favourite holiday?
Give me Thanksgiving.

- Favourite food?
Fried Chicken Liver. (Don't judge me. I'm southern.)

- Favourite film?
The Princess Bride. hands down.

- Favourite music?
Depends on the mood but I can ALWAYS get down with country.

- Favourite authors?
Laurell K. Hamilton, Andrew Vachss, Nancy A. Collins, Richard Kadrey, Harold Q. Masur, and I have been blessed with being friends with a ton of awesome authors, more than I can name and they all rock.

- Any pets?
Four dogs, one of which is mine, one of which is my wife's, and two of which are ours. Oh, and a finch that is about 5 years past his expiration date, but he just keeps on living.

- Favourite saying/quote? 
"I ain't complainin', I'm just sayin'

Thanks for stopping by James! I really enjoyed both the Deacon Chalk books so far so if you like your UF on the dark side but with real emotion, give them a try! And if you feel like cyper-stalking James, you can find him on one of these places...

Website: http://www.jamesrtuck.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamesrtuckwriter
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/JamesTuckwriter
Blog: http://jamesrtuck.wordpress.com/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/jamesrtuck

Early Review: Blood and Silver (Deacon Chalk #2)

Blood and Silver (Deacon Chalk #2)

-       James R. Tuck

Publisher: Kensington Books – Released in 7^th August 2012

He hasn't met a monster yet that could give him a scare. With ice in his veins, silver hollow-points in his chambers, and an innate ability to rise from the dead, what's to fear? The answer may be something he doesn't want to face. . .

Deacon Chalk normally has no trouble telling innocent victims from real monsters. So protecting an abused pregnant were-dog is a no-brainer. . .until a vicious lycanthrope leader and his brotherhood target Deacon, other shape-shifters, and any humans in their way. Suddenly, Deacon is outnumbered, outgunned, and unsure who--or what--to trust. The only edge he has left is a weapon hungry for his soul and his most savage impulses. And using it will exact a price even this hell-raising hunter fears to pay. . .

Deacon Chalk is back and this time he is taking on the world of shape-shifters or Lycanthropes. After a day at the fair, Deacon and Tiffany come across a man beating a dog and find themselves embroiled in a shape-shifter civil war. To say much more would ruin the joy that is turning the page and discovering a completely unexpected event. Deacon Chalk is a hard man, but completely dedicated to those who he considers ‘his’. He certainly seems to find it easier to look after women than he does men – an old fashioned man perhaps? However once Deacon has decided you are one of his people he won’t let anyone mess with you.

I completely fell in love with the hard-boiled noir storytelling and surprising elements as events unfold. Some of the were-creatures Deacon encounters are very different from the usual wolves and large cats (although they are there as well!) with Charlotte, the were-spider shown to be the tip of a very large iceberg! While the story is told in first person by Deacon himself, events can and do happen outside of his awareness. This helps makes the world more real rather than just revolving around him all the time.

The pace here is even faster than in the first Deacon book, making breathing an issue at times as you rush to turn the page. I just couldn’t stop reading and was drawn in by Deacon’s deep, melodic voice. Plus some hints of what is happening in the rest of the world nreally intrigue me and I hope that future instalments might explore this. Deacon’s unusual heritage is also explored more here as are his religious beliefs making him a deeper and more realistic character. Plus his evolving relationship with Tiffany is very sweet and tender. I like that she is definitely not the damsel in distress.

This series is now firmly on my must purchase list and I can’t wait to see what Deacon will run into next

Recommended for fans of Jim Butcher and Mike Carey. 9 out of 10

Buy Blood and Silver at Amazon here

STOP BY TOMORROW TO MEET JAMES R TUCK, THE AUTHOR OF DEACON CHALK!

My Book Haul/Showcase Sunday

 

I've decided to join Books, Biscuits and Tea's Showcase Sunday to share my lovely book hauls each week. Have a look back at Vicki's link up to see what everyone is up too!

So I've been very good again - and haven't bought any books. However, this plan to try and cut into my TBR pile by not purchasing any more books doesn't seem to be working out quite how I thought - I seem to have got caught up in plenty of giveaway wins recently. Oh, well - I can't complain! :-) Plus a couple of pre-orders came through and a review book!

Alliance Forged (The Light Blade #2) - Kylie Griffin

Publisher: Berkley

There is no mercy in the demon realm. No escape. In this place of desperation and conflict, anyone who is not purebred is virtually powerless. Until a blind priestess lays claim to a half-breed warrior, body and soul…
Hunted and marked for death by Na’Reish demons for their half-blood heritage, the Na’Chi are searching for a new home—something an alliance offered by the human leader could provide. With both races divided by prejudice, when Light Blade rebels brutally attack the Na’Chi, the alliance seems doomed to fail. Varian, leader of the Na’Chi, a hybrid race of gifted warriors, is cursed with the darker impulses of his demon heritage. Controlling the part of himself that craves the high of the battle is a struggle he’s afraid he’ll lose—until he meets Kymora Tayn, a priestess driven to serve her deity. While he’s unwilling to trust anyone outside his people, he finds himself drawn to Kymora’s strength and passionate nature, and discovers she has the power to calm the darkness inside him.
When the Na’Reish raid human territory for blood-slaves and kickstart a war, the key to the survival of both races—Na’Chi and human— is an alliance. However, when Kymora is kidnapped, pitting human against human, Varian realizes he must embrace his darker half, not only to save the alliance…but also the woman he loves.

I won this from the lovely Kylie Griffin on a Guest post at The Quillery. I just adore the handsome guy on the front cover and it's reminded me that I have the first book in the series, Vegeance Born still to read. But I think this series sounds fantastic!

Ghost Story (Dresden Files #13) - Jime Butcher

Publisher: Orbit

When we last left the mighty wizard detective Harry Dresden, he wasn't doing well. In fact, he had been murdered by an unknown assassin.  But being dead doesn't stop him when his friends are in danger. Except now he has nobody, and no magic to help him. And there are also several dark spirits roaming the Chicago shadows who owe Harry some payback of their own. To save his friends-and his own soul-Harry will have to pull off the ultimate trick without any magic...

The Dresden files are always pre-orders for me (in paperback) as I think it is one of the most consistently good Urban Fantasy out there. After the cliffhanger at the end of Changes, I can't wait to see what this means for Harry.

Gunmetal Magic - Ilona Andrews

Publisher: Ace Books

Some people have everything figured out — Andrea Nash is not one of those people. After being kicked out of the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid, Andrea's whole existence is in shambles. All she can do is try to put herself back together, something made easier by working for Cutting Edge, a small investigative firm owned by her best friend, Kate Daniels.
When several shapeshifters working for Raphael Medrano — the male alpha of Clan Bouda and Andrea's former lover — die unexpectedly at a dig site, Andrea is assigned to investigate ... and must work with Raphael. As her search for the killer leads her into the secret underbelly of supernatural Atlanta, Andrea knows that dealing with her feelings for Raphael might have to take a backseat to saving the world .

Ilona Andrew's Kate Daniels series is another automatic purchase for me so when this companion novel focusing on Andrea was announced I had to have! I was so excited when it arrived this week!

Breathe - Sarah Crossan

Publisher: Bloomsbury

The world is dead.
The survivors live under the protection of Breathe, the corporation that found a way to manufacture oxygen-rich air.
ALINA
has been stealing for a long time. She’s a little jittery, but not terrified. All she knows is that she’s never been caught before. If she’s careful, it’ll be easy. If she’s careful.
QUINN
should be worried about Alina and a bit afraid for himself, too, but even though this is dangerous, it’s also the most interesting thing to happen to him in ages. It isn’t every day that the girl of your dreams asks you to rescue her.
BEA
wants to tell him that none of this is fair; they’d planned a trip together, the two of them, and she’d hoped he’d discover her out here, not another girl.
And as they walk into the Outlands with two days’ worth of oxygen in their tanks, everything they believe will be shattered. Will they be able to make it back? Will they want to?

I got this for review from Bloomsbury. It sounds like an awesome dystopian tale. Not due out until October though...

What did you all get this week?

The King's Spy Review

The King’s Spy

-       Andrew Swanston

Publisher: Bantam Press

Summer, 1643. England is at war with itself. King Charles I has fled London, his negotiations with Parliament in tatters. The country is consumed by bloodshed. For Thomas Hill, a man of letters quietly running a bookshop in the rural town of Romsey, knowledge of the war is limited to the rumours that reach the local inn. When a stranger knocks on his door one night and informs him that the king's cryptographer has died, everything changes. Aware of Thomas's background as a mathematician and his expertise incodes and ciphers, the king has summoned him to his court in Oxford. On arrival, Thomas soon discovers that nothing at court is straightforward. There is evidence of a traitor in their midst. Brutal murder follows brutal murder. And when a vital message encrypted with a notoriously unbreakable code is intercepted, he must decipher it to reveal the king's betrayer and prevent the violent death that failure will surely bring.

Set near the start of the English War in 1643, The King Spy find bookseller and mathematician Thomas Hill asked to come to the Royalist court in Oxford by his old professor and ends up caught in the political intrigue of codes and ciphers. The Civil War is a period of history I’m not overly familiar with – other than that it was between the King and his loyal royalists and Parliament and the cavaliers. While Thomas Hill is working for the royalists and the king, this seems to be because more through default rather than any great loyalty or belief in the cause. The court seems decadent and unsympathetic in the extreme, still throwing lavish balls and masques for its own entertain while draining Oxford dry of its resources.

However, Thomas Hill is a clever man and one who generally hates violence avoiding it were he can and hoping to save as many lives as possible through his work and bring the war to a quick close. He is an easy man to like – although I didn’t manage to really feel a deep emotional connection to him. He spends a lot of time on his own figuring out ciphers, which slows the pace down even if it is still interesting. Thomas’s walks around Oxford are how we really get to see what impact the war has had on the ordinary people and where the descriptions come to life.

The intrigue is well done, but because Thomas doesn’t meet a lot of people it’s easy to guess what will happen making me wish for an unexpected twist or shake up in the final few pages. Overall, though this is a fun read – and considering the Civil War lasted until 1651, there is plenty of scope of sequels!

Recommended for fans of Margaret George and Ariana Franklin. 7 out of 10

Throne of Glass Review

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1)

-       Sarah J Maas

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Review Copy courtesy of Bloomsbury: Released 2nd August 2012

After serving out a year of hard labour in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men—thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the kings council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined...

It feels like I’ve been waiting ages for this book to come and for once it was worth the wait! Celaena, assassin extraordinaire is given the chance of freedom from the mines of Endovier, if she takes part in a tournament to become the king’s Champion. The fact that she hates the king and all his does in his never-ending conquest, doesn’t stop her from grabbing the chance and working hard to return to her full fitness after a year of drudgery.

Celaena is thrown into a situation which will test her strength, her courage and challenge her core beliefs. After reading four novellas starring Celaena, I felt like I was meeting up with an old friend – but this is a friend who has been changed by her experiences – and she still has some secrets. Celaena is an angry young woman – she is proud, arrogant (deservedly so) and confident in her own abilities. But she is strangely vulnerable when it comes to trusting others – she doesn’t have a sneaky, cunning side to her, being straight forward and wilful. She is a great role-model – if you don’t mind the assassin part!

I loved the introduction of the new characters – Captain Westfall and Prince Dorian, both old-fashion types of men, full of courage and morals in a world lacking in both. Her friend Princess Nehemia is one intriguing character and I want to know more about her, while her companionship with fellow competitor Nox was built on respect and I liked him more than I expected. In short, every character was unique and interesting.

The plot meandered slightly, taking place over so many weeks that so much time was rushed over a simple – training continued. Tension built towards the end and many foundations for future conflict and excitement was laid. In many respects this was very much setting the scene and introducing the new set up. However, the writing was easy to fall into and get swept along with – Sarak J Maas has a deft touch with words, painting pictures of the world that makes it feel like you are there in the winter air yourself.

Throne of Glass is a fun read with traditional fantasy elements. It is so easy to swallow that you are left immediately desperate for more (there is definitely something addictive in the writing!). I think it will be a long wait for the next book in this series to come out.

Recommended for fans of Kristin Cashore and Maria V Synder. 8.5 out of 10.

What Shall I Read This August? + Giveaway

Last month you choose Bright Young Things for me to read and to be honest I wasn't sure I was going to like it. Turns out I loved it! (Read my review here) so I guess you guys are better judges of books than I am!

So what is this all about? I realised the other day that I've been doing these Throwback Thursday posts inspired by Melissa at My World...in words and pictures for nearly year now - I have posted about over 60 books I own but I have hardly read any yet. So on the first Thursday of each month I will post a poll highlighting all the Throwback Thursday books I've highlighted in the last month plus one of the older Throwbacks and ask you to pick which book I should read. The most popular book after 5 days or so, will be picked up by me and actually read and (hopefully!) reviewed by the end of the month. However, in thanks I will also offer anyone who enters a copy of any book from my TBR Shelf. This way older books get a lot of love from both of us!

So to summarise -
- Pick a book you want me to read from my Throwback Thursday's posts and be in with a chance to win a book for yourself from my TBR pile for your own - check my TBR Shelf at the top for some other books that I need to get round to reading!
- I'll ship it out to from the Book Depository or fishpond so it will be open internationally.
- Leave a comment for an extra entry telling my why I should read your choice!
- Open to followers only (Sorry, but I want to reward those who stop by regularly! Also I'm not advertising or publicising this giveaway so it's just for those who read my blog regularly!)
- Poll closes midnight on Tuesday 7th August - I will try to announce the winning book and lucky follower, by next Thursday.

This month the books I need to give some serious love to are (you can go to the original posts to see what I said about them if you click on them!):

Unholy Ghosts - Stacia Kane

666 Charing Cross Road - Paul Magrs

Bloodring - Faith Hunter

Room - Emma Donoghue 

<<<GIVEAWAY CLOSED>>>

The Assassin and the Throne of Glass Novellas #2

The Assassin and the Underworld (Throne of Glass Novella #0.3)

-      Sarah J Maas

Kindle Book

When the King of the Assassins gives Celaena Sardothien a special assignment that will help fight slavery in the kingdom, she jumps at the chance to strike a blow against an evil practice. The misson is a dark and deadly affair which takes Celaena from the rooftops of the city to the bottom of the sewer—and she doesn’t like what she finds there.

After her summer in the Desert with the silent assassin, Celaena returns to Rifthold determined to free herself from the King of Assassin – and discover what happened to her friends Sam after their adventures with the Pirate King...

This is the first time in these novella we see Celaena at work, taking an assignment to kill one of the leading slave traders. It was great watching her at work – scouting out the locations, using her brains and seeing her clash with her mentor. She is still very impetuous and reacts more than she thinks, but that lack of cunning, of long term thinking is one of the things I like most about her. It was also great to see her reunite with Sam as they struggle to figure out what their relationship to each other is.

This had a very sweet ending, that made me happy, but also slightly scared as I can’t help thinking this isn’t the happy ending it seems for Celaena.

Recommeded for fans of Tamora Pierce and Rae Carson. 8 out of 10

 --------------------------------------------------------------

The Assassin and the Empire (Throne of Glass Novella #0.4)

-       Sarah J Maas

Kindle Book

Celaena Sardothien is the assassin with everything: a place to call her own, the love of handsome Sam, and, best of all, freedom. Yet, she won’t be truly free until she is far away from her old master, Arobynn Hamel; Celaena must take one last daring assignment that will liberate her forever. But having it all, means you have a lot to lose . . .

This is where things all go wrong for Celaena. In order to finally escape from the King of Assassin – and for him to not come after them, she and Sam agree to pay him off. But in order to raise the money, they need to assassinate the king of the underworld – the one in charge of all crime in Rifthold and his sadistic lieutenant.

Celaena still has secrets – and I liked that after three novella’s there still seems to be more to discover about her and why she is hard and difficult most of the time. However, both Sam and Celaena’s youth seems to be at fault here with neither of them questioning what is happening – and as a result suffering for it. I was heartbroken reading some parts of this – even if they weren’t entirely unexpected.

This leads us perfectly into the start of the full length novel – one of my most anticipated reads for this summer!

Recommeded for fans of Isobelle Carmody and Kristin Cashore. 8 out of 10