Thursday, December 17, 2015

Bite the Bullet by Angela Louise McGurk Interview


Bite the Bullet
Vampire Cohorts
Book One
Angela Louise McGurk

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Angela Louise McGurk

Date of Publication: 12 December 2015

ISBN: 9781310584299
ASIN: B018EK7082

Number of pages: 324
Word Count: 116,000

Cover Artist: Angela Louise McGurk

Book Description:

Let me tell you what it was to be made vampire. It wasn’t birth. Birth implies pushing, tearing forth into the light, screaming. Becoming immortal was to be pulled, to be tugged irrevocably into darkness, and it was silent.

I should have fought, any person should fight, but my mind had been filled with a hazy calm which forbade any battle. Struggling had been the last thing on my mind, even when my bus arrived and my assailant waved it on, dismissing my last hope of escape.

Yet my lack of rebellion was far from the most unsettling part of the stranger’s control over me. The truth was that the man could’ve asked anything of me and I would’ve complied, but he didn’t need to vocalise his request. I knew instinctively what he wanted. I sighed and surrendered myself as he held me against his front in a lover’s embrace, tipping my head and willingly giving him access to my throat.

“One day you’ll understand,” he whispered, his tone subdued. I’ve often wondered since if he was really talking to me. Perhaps he’d been talking to himself, persuading himself that one day I’d know and accept his reasons for what he’d planned for me.

I wouldn’t. I couldn’t. Because when my fangs came in, my world altered irrevocably. It became somewhere dark, somewhere filled with murder and blood, where magic was sinister and where even my closest ally seemed more like an enemy... Even if he did make my heart skip a beat.

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About the Author:

Angela grew up in a small pit village in the county of Northumberland in England. Currently she lives in an entirely different pit village in the same county, along with her husband and their two children. She qualified in Architectural Technology and has worked in construction, as well as running her own wedding stationery and graphic design business. Currently Angela's time is taken up with chasing a three year old, a four year old and a kid in his thirties who really should know better. Between that she works, writes and draws.

She is currently writing the final book in the Vampire Cohort series while editing the first book in the series for publication, as well as trying to store up the hundred other stories which are always racing around in her mind! While a love of writing has always been part of Angela's life, in recent years it has become a daily requirement. The vampires, werewolves, gods and fae just won't leave her alone!

Among Angela's other loves are camping, kayaking, the Lake District and history. She is a bit of a sci-fi geek, a bit of a Joss Whedon fan, and has such an eclectic taste in music it would take pages to write down what she likes.

Interview
Where are you from?
I’m from Northumberland, England. A beautiful country with a limited population and a lot of open moorland.
Tell us your latest news?
The first book in my new series has just been released. Bite the Bullet: Vampire Cohorts Book One came out on December 12th and is now available in both eBook and paperback.
When and why did you begin writing?
I’ve always written. I’ve always loved stories and whenever I run out of books, I write. I have done ever since childhood. I can remember spending days penning stories, back before we had a computer. The hand cramp was atrocious.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I’ve always considered myself a writer. Writing is too much a part of my life to consider myself anything but a compulsive writer. I’m still having trouble thinking of myself as an ‘author’, however. That sounds so professional. Authors are the greats; J. R. R. Tolkien, J. K. Rowling, C. S. Lewis. Or they’re my personal favourites, those who captivate me, like Chloe Neill and Terry Pratchett.
What inspired you to write your first book?
Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I know, it sounds odd, but the first book I remember writing - although it wasn’t published and I’m re-writing it - was inspired by a Buffy novel called The Evil that Men Do. I was only thirteen or fourteen when I wrote my story, but the characters I penned have lived with me ever since.
The Buffy story which inspired it was emotive. I was captivated by the characters and the suffering that had made them into what they became. I guess that fed into how I write, really. I still love to explore the trials that carve characters into something else, be it a villain or a hero.
Do you have a specific writing style?
Not really. My style varies depending on what I’m writing. I try to write for the mood I’m trying to set, although I have been told that describing emotions in my strong point.
How did you come up with the title?
The title of my new book, Bite the Bullet, came from something my (loosely termed) ‘hero’ said to the heroine. This first book is very much about Darcy throwing herself into becoming part of a vampire cohort which she never wanted to join. She has to ‘bite the bullet’, so to speak.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
That’s a hard question. I’ve already written most of the series and throughout all the books there are themes about being brave, fighting on, holding onto hope, loving, trusting friends, learning to trust yourself while also learning to accept your flaws and mistakes. In a way, Bite the Bullet is setting the scene for the much larger story, but it remains an exploration of trust and deceit.
How much of the book is realistic?
Not much in this one. I suppose some of the interaction between certain characters is based upon experiences I’ve had, but as it’s an urban fantasy book there’s a good dose of make-believe in it.
Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Some of the interactions between characters were loosely influenced by friendships and rivalries I’ve experienced.
What books have most influenced your life most?
Little Women and To Kill a Mockingbird are childhood favourites. The exploration of morality and ethics in both always interested me. However, I’m also a big fan of fantasy and getting lost in an emotive story, which is why I love Lord of the Rings and Chicagoland Vampires.
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
Chloe Neill, without a doubt. I love her Chicagoland Vampire Series and I’ve learned a lot about what I want to write from her stories, even from aspects of her work which I’m not overly fond of.
What book are you reading now?
I’ve just downloaded The Iron Sword by Jocelyn A Fox and Blood Kiss by J. R. Ward so I’ll be starting those soon. Once my book launch is behind me, I’m going to take some reading days.
Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
Emma Leech is relatively undiscovered, but I love her French Vampire Legend series.
What are your current projects?
I’m currently working on the rest of the Vampire Cohorts series, while jotting down the thousand other ideas that assault my brain daily. Book Two is in first draft form, so I’m about to start the second draft of that.
What would you like my readers to know?

For further information on me and my books, please visit my website, http://angelamcgurk.com/ or find me on facebook or twitter.






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