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Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Bec McMaster: Fancy a bite?


Vampires are in, right? Everybody knows that. They’re hot, they’re dangerous, they’re sparkly. The ultimate alpha, they’re obsessive and protective and basically, they’re the bad-boy redemption story we readers just can’t resist. Can any woman (or man) save them from the darkness within them? It’s easy to see why everyone loves a good vampire.

When it came to writing Kiss of Steel, the first in my London Steampunk series, I knew vampires were going to be involved. I had this idea about a virus from the Far-East turning the British aristocracy into blood-drinkers, but one of the things I wanted to do was give the vampire myth a twist. Blame it on the fact I’d recently been watching a lot of horror (30 Days of Night etc.), but I didn’t want my vampires to be the heroes. They’re the horror in the dark, a blood-thirsty predator that is almost mindless with the craving.

Stricken by the craving virus, the Echelon (the aristocracy) refer to themselves as blue bloods. Stronger, faster, almost immortal, with only the blood craving to hold them back as they rule London with an iron fist. What isn’t spoken of in polite company, is what the virus makes them evolve into.

My blue bloods are slowly turning into the very thing they despise, though it might take decades. It’s their ultimate fear. To lose control, to develop, to evolve… They might be predators already, but they’re predators dressed in silk waistcoats and carrying blades. To become little more than a monster, mindless, consumed by the craving, well it’s not to be born.

In Georgian times, a spate of vampires drove the city to mad riots and cost over ten thousand lives. So now, law dictates that the blue blood’s monitor their virus levels and when they hit dangerous heights, they’re executed.
           
But what happens when there is no cure? And when you’re standing dangerously close to that line where you’re no longer human? That’s the question my hero, Blade, asks himself every day when he stares in the mirror. Every day he measures his craving virus levels and every day the answer fills him with dread. Once his levels hit 80 %, he’s asked his verwulfen lieutenant, Will, to execute him before he slaughters them all.

One of the themes I wanted to explore in Kiss of Steel was fear and facing it. My heroine has her own fears to confront, but as for Blade, his are seemingly impossible to overcome. Or are they? There has to be a happy ending of course, as this is romance. I’ll let you find out how though.

So what’s your worst fear? I’ll be honest, mine are sharks (hey, I live in Australia), but I have this insane urge to learn to dive. I look at pictures of the Great Barrier Reef or shipwrecks and I desperately, desperately want to learn. I also have this hankering to cage-dive with the Great White Shark’s off Cape Town in South Africa. Call me a sucker for punishment.

So do you run from your fears, or do you confront them?  One lucky commenter will go into the draw to win Kiss of Steel (open to international entries)

KISS OF STEEL

A brilliantly creative debut where vampires, werewolves, and clockwork creatures roam the mist–shrouded streets of London…
When Nowhere is Safe…
Most people avoid the dreaded Whitechapel district. For Honoria Todd, it's the last safe haven. But at what price?
Blade is known as the master of the rookeries—no one dares cross him. It's been said he faced down the Echelon's army single–handedly, that ever since being infected by the blood–craving he's been quicker, stronger, and almost immortal.
When Honoria shows up at his door, his tenuous control comes close to snapping. She's so…innocent. He doesn't see her backbone of steel—or that she could be the very salvation he's been seeking.

“Kiss of Steel is an enthralling debut with rich steampunk and vampire elements, and a leading man as wicked as he is irresistible. McMaster has crafted a hero and heroine who are intellectual and emotional equals; their love affair is heart-wrenching, redemptive and stirringly passionate. Expertly rounded out by pulse-pounding adventure, dastardly villains and complex secondary characters, this is a series opener to be read and savoured.” – RT Book Reviews

Award-winning author Bec McMaster lives in a small town in Australia and grew up with her nose in a book. A member of RWA, she writes sexy, dark paranormals and steampunk romance. When not writing, reading, or poring over travel brochures, she loves spending time with her very own hero or daydreaming about new worlds. For more information, please visit http://www.becmcmaster.com/ or follow her on Twitter, @BecMcMaster.

***Bec's winner is Stefanie! Please email totebag@authorsoundrelations.com with your mailing details!***

20 comments:

Mary Preston said...

I'm a fighter, so for the most part I will make a stand.

Natasha D said...

Facing up to your fear is the only way to overcome it - find away around it, to understand and negate it - make it in to something that can be lived with - to tolerate it - accept it. Its amazing what you can do if you set your mind to it.

Watching my late husband face death and how he set his mind to it showed me that I could face what was, to me, my truly paralysing fear - arachnophobia.

Linda said...

I avoid all my fears, as much as i can *snickers*
Life is filled with enough things to bring one down without adding to it, the same reason i stick with HEA books =) I´m a fluffoholic.

Thanks for the giveaway & Happy Tuesday
//Linda

Unknown said...

I want to fight my fears, I'll try my best to confront them...

Thanks for the giveaway, and open it international,

Hope can win *wink*

Mary Kirkland said...

I have fought some of my fears and then there are other fears like Bee's that I just run away from. lol I don't think anything scares me as much as a bee...I hate that but there it is.

miztik_rose@yahoo.com

Karen H said...

I'm most afraid of snakes. I hate snakes and I even jump when I run across a picture of a snake in a magazine. Gives me creeps when my finger even touches a picture of a snake. Fortunately, I've never come face to face with anything more dangerous than a Garter Snake. Wouldn't want to run into a Cottonmouth or Copperhead (the live in abundance here in NC).

Love the premise of your book. Sounds like it will be a lot of fun to read. Thanks for the giveaway.

JeanMP said...

Definitely try and face my fears, don't want them to rule my life.
Your book sounds really good, thanks for the giveaway.

Lory Lee said...

I'm scared of blood ( can't stand watching those movies with so much blood splattering or zombies running after human beings and you know what comes after they capture their victims) But when my younger brother had an accident, his leg was deeply cut with a broken glass, I was the one who helped my older brother clean his wound. Everyone can face their fears specially if it's really important. Just take a huge gulp, close eyes, say a little prayer and viola! we're still scared! ;p

host said...

I try to confort them although it is not always so easy to do it :) The book sounds interesting, I would love to read it.

Stefanie said...

It's so silly, but I'm one of those women who're afraid of spiders. When I'm home alone and the spiders isn't too big, I'll smash it myself. Otherwise I just turn around, go away and hope it'll be gone when I come back. Or I call for my hubby. :p

Pat Cochran said...

I try to face up to my fears and usually do
so. If something gets past me, I head stra-
ight for Honey! He's stronger than I at most
times & together we face whatever fears are confronting us.

Amethyst said...

I always try my best to confront my fears.

donnas said...

At first I try to run. But after the initial panic is over I realize I have to face them.

Jo's Daughter said...

I'm scared of bees, I have been stung as a child a few times and it was no laughing matter. If I hear one flying around I'm starting to sweat already :( So I try to avoid them at all cost.

Eli Yanti said...

i always run especially from mouses, really don't like them :(

Jyl22075 said...

I'm definitely more of the run and hide type... unless it's a spider then I just stand there paralyzed with fear yelling for someone to come squish it. You can't let them out of your sight after all.

Jyl22075 at gmail.com

Gigi said...

At first, of course I'm going to freak out but eventually confront them. Like Eleanor Roosevelt said: “Do one thing every day that scares you.”
ilepachequin(at)hotmail(dot)com

Bookish Fangirl said...

I'm most afraid of clowns because you never know what kind of person is hiding behind all the makeup.

rockchick@gmail.com

Carol L. said...

I have an unholy fear of mice, don't know why or where it comes from but on the very few occasions I did see one I froze and could hear my heart beating so fast. I can't move or talk. It's crazy. It's probably more of a phobia. My kids thought it was hysterical because I'm not a shrinking violet sort of person. I face everything head on and try to get it out of the way and done with. But, not the rodents.
I love your cover and the whole story idea. Kiss of Steel is definitely on my TRL.
Carol L
Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

Pam P said...

Things I fear, like rats or bats, I'd run quick the other way. I don't really have phobias and usually if I have to face something I'm afraid of, my heart may beat but I'll try and figure out what to do.

Your book definitely has me interested, especially with the setting.
pambook@optonline.net