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