Monday, September 17, 2012

Tour Kick Off - Meet and Greet - Marc Davies


Today is the Kick Off for the HIVE Virtual Book Tour! 




M/M - Sci-Fi/Paranormal
Date Published: 8/6/12
Publisher: Champagne Books


For centuries the Hive has waged a secret war, pitting psychic powers against the monstrous appetites of the Silencers.  Now its visionary leader has an ambitious plan to tip the balance, and the conflict threatens to boil over onto the streets of modern dayLondon.

Nineteen-year-old Luke is thrust into the conflict when he foils an assassination attempt on the charismatic Dr. Jean-Paul Lysayer, a world renowned expert on telepathy.  Down on his luck, and torn between an old flame and blossoming desire, the last thing Luke needs is to be used as a pawn in the eternal conflict.



But the Hive needs Luke's unique abilities, and when he uncovers evidence of a conspiracy it will take all his street-smarts to stay alive long enough to separate friend from foe.
Purchase Links

Burst Books - Imprint of Champagne Books


Reading Addiction Blog Tours


Marc started writing as a teenager, and has always been obsessed with science fiction and fantasy. He has a soft spot for books with fast plots, unusual characters and twisted humor. The more unusual, the better. He predominantly reads sci-fi and fantasy, depending on mood.

Marc is an active member of several writers groups, including the Online Workshop for Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror, and maintains a blog at www.marcdavies.net.  He lives in an old house owned by a Golden Retriever and a Labrador, with a mountain of books, an impressive collection of half-finished wine bottles, and the occasional ball of drifting dog hair.

Contact Information

Reading Addiction Blog Tours MEET and GREET


#1 – Do You See Writing as a Career?

Yes and no.

Ever since I was 12 years old, I dreamed of being a writer.  But here I am already 33 years old and only now making my debut release.

So what took me so long?  Reality has a way of scuttling childhood dreams; a guy has to find a way to pay the bills, after all.  Being an impoverished writer sounds romantic, but living off packet pasta at college was enough to cure me of that delusion.  Plus, I like good food and wine too much.

So for now I have another career which keeps me busy, and there’s just not enough time to have two careers at once.  But my ultimate goal is to switch to writing as a career one day.  It’s going to take time, but I’m in no rush.

#2 – What was the Hardest Part of Your Writing Process?

The hardest part was accepting that I needed help.  I’m a very headstrong person, and I tend to believe that I can do everything myself without help from others.  Usually that’s true, but sometimes it makes me fail spectacularly.

Writing was one of those ‘fail’ times.  I stubbornly went through two drafts of different novels before I accepted that I needed help from people who knew what they were doing.  Help on structure, help on prose, help on plot.  In fact, help on just about everything.

Once I accepted that, things became comparatively easy.

#3 – Did you have any One Person Who Helped You Out with Your Writing Outside of Your Family?

Yes!  I joined up to the Online Writing Workshop for SF, Fantasy and Horror.  It’s an online writing group with hundreds of members who help review each other’s work, and has graduated a number of excellent, best-selling writers.

That was where I really cut my teeth on writing, and I can’t recommend it enough.  A handful of people there helped me hone my skills, and I’ll always be grateful to them.

A word of caution, however.  One of the most important things about being a writer is learning when not to accept advice.  A lot of people, including other writers, will give advice which is wrong.  Being able to accept criticism, while at the same time trusting your instincts, is one of the most important skills a writer can have.

#4 – What is next for your writing?

I’ve just finished the sequel to HIVE, which will go through a month or so of editing before it can be submitted to my publisher.  Then I need to write the third and final book in the series.  I already know it’s going to be a very exciting conclusion to the series with lots of surprises for the reader.

Once that’s done, I have some ideas for a couple of standalone novels set in fantasy worlds.  I think I’ll steer clear of series for a while; they require a lot of commitment.  And stand alone novels allow a writer to try something new for a while without losing too much if it doesn’t work.

#5 – Do you have an addiction to reading as well as writing? If so, what are you currently reading?

I love reading for relaxation.  I tend to stick to sci-fi or fantasy, but I also read political biographies, satire and current events.

At the moment I’m reading Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie, a fantasy novel.  I like it because Abercrombie has a deliciously wicked sense of humor.  The more twisted the book, the more likely I am to read it.

This or That?

#1 - iPd or Mp3?

I’ve been enslaved to Apple products ever since I bought my first iPod.  I’d love to change, but technology is frustrating enough without making more work for myself.  I have an Apple TV which rarely works, and an iPhone which has a busted speaker.  Sometimes I really do consider going back to the simple days of radio and a typewriter.  At least if you make a bad keystroke, you know it’s only your own fault.

One of my biggest problems with Apple is that the prices on iTunes are just about high enough to make me weep (especially here in Australia).  I refuse to download illegally, but that just means I end up paying through the nose to have things distributed here.  If someone can explain to me in words that make sense why companies are justified in charging 100% more to distribute products over the internet to Australia, I’ll give them a free book.

#2 – Chocolate or Vanilla?

Both!  Vanilla ice cream with a warm chocolate brownie.  Heaven.

#3 – Mashed Potatoes or French Fries?

Too hard to choose.  I’d love to eat French fries most of the time, but then I would feel too guilty to actually eat them.  A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips.

Now I’m feeling guilty for that salted caramel cheesecake I ate last night.

#4 – Comedy or Drama?

I would usually choose drama, especially if I can find drama with fantasy or sci-fi elements.  My sense of humor borders on wacky, so it’s rare that I find something weird enough to make me laugh.  Think Mighty Boosh, Monty Python or Borat.

#5 – Danielle Steel or Nicholas Sparks?

Danielle Steel.  I tend to find her books to be lighter and more camp.

#6 – Fantasy or Reality?

Definitely fantasy.  I’ve had enough of reality.  Get me out of here!

#7 – Call or Text?

I think most writers tend to be a bit introverted and anti-social.  You need that kind of personality to survive countless hours alone in front of a computer screen.  I’d like to say that I would call someone if I wanted to contact them, but reality is I’d probably text them instead.

#8 – Public School or Home School?

I don’t have children, so I can’t speak from personal experience.  However, I would be concerned that if I home schooled my children that they would miss out on something.  It’s a rare person who is knowledgeable and talented in a wide enough array of subjects that they can confidently teach a child everything they need to know to function as an adult in this world.  That’s best left to the experts in my view.  And socializing with other children is such an important part of school.

#9 – Coffee or Hot Chocolate

Give me caffeine, NOW!

#10 – eBook or Paperback?

Both.  I still like to hold a physical book in my hands, but nothing beats the convenience of being able to download a book I want without having to go to the store.

Other factors also come into play here in Australia, too.  Our prices are outrageously inflated, with paperback books starting at $22.00 in the store.  I value the product enough to pay that much, but if I can download it from Amazon for one quarter of the price without cheating the author of royalties, then that’s what I’d prefer to do.

GIVEAWAY





Follow Along With This Tour:


September 16 - What's on the Bookshelf - Review/Guest Post
September 17 - Bibliophilia, Please - Interview/Giveaway/Excerpt/PROMO
September 18 - For the Love of Film and Novels - Giveaway/Guest Post/Excerpt/PROMO
September 18 - Literary Getaway - PROMO
September 19 - My Reading Addiction - Review/Giveaway/Excerpt
September 20 - Cozie Corner - Review/Giveaway
September 24 - Books Down My Pillow - Review/Excerpt/Giveaway
September 25 - How I See It - Review/Guest Post
September 26 - My Seryniti - Giveaway/Excerpt/PROMO
September 27 - Reader Girls - Review/Interview/Giveaway
September 28 - Up All Night Reviews - Review/Giveaway/Guest Post/Excerpt

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