Blue Words
MC Edwards
Genre: Contemporary/Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Warpath Print
Date of Publication: 30/11/14
ISBN: Paperback - 978-0994172303
ISBN: e-book - 9780994172310
ASIN: B00PWIW1ZC
Number of pages: 334
Word Count: 110,000
Cover Artist: Geoff Craig
Book Description:
Common threads have always woven through the world's mythology and folklore, strings which seem to link cultures divided by the vastness of oceans and time.
Have you ever wondered why? What if I told you that they all stem from a single origin.....the Varth-lokkr. Within this ancient creature's blood, stirs the power to save or enslave the world as we know it, a power ignited by a simple word. But which does it truly desire?
This dark urban fantasy follows one of these creatures through its emergence into 21st century Australia. It chronicles the rise of those who oppose it, those who ally themselves with it and those who are unwillingly drawn into its wake.
Shed the blood. Speak the words. Change the world.
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/9Ez7jHeFp2U
Available for Purchase at Warpath Print
"Don't move or we'll fire," ordered one of the guards, his voice shook and his trigger finger twitched. Gudrik glared at him and swiftly shot towards George, who was now leaning over the stainless steel top rail, still scouring for an escape which didn't exist. The guards began to fire wildly at him. They may not have seemed overly competent, but they could shoot. Several projectiles tore through Gudrik's flesh as he moved, spattering blue onto the grass. Startled by the gunshots, George spun just in time to see the scruffy relic hurtling towards her. A bullet buried into Gudrik's knee. He stumbled. Before she had a chance to react, Gudrik crashed into George. His momentum forced her backwards, toppling them both indigently over the safety railing in a tangled mess of arms and legs.
The pair rocketed towards the ground. George screamed profanities so coarse that they blistered the very air around her. She scrambled and flailed as if trying to climb back up Gudrik's body. He wrapped himself tightly around her. "Earvictius groot," he bellowed.
His bullet wounds glowed, and the tender flesh surrounding them began to transform into cold, speckled granite. The stone rapidly spread along his limbs and across his abdomen, searing with pain as it went. He cringed and grated his teeth. As it spread across his chest and onto George she began to scream as though he were slashing chunks of flesh from her. Thankfully, the agony did not linger and in the blink of an eye, stone had completely swallowed both of them. No matter how hard she tried George could not move. It was both claustrophobic and frightening.
The living statues whistled closer and closer to the ground. Until......SMASH! They crashed unhindered onto the roof of a parked car. Glass and shrapnel exploded from the vehicle as they tore through the chassis and into the road beneath.
Just as painfully as it had spread, the rock retreated returning the flesh to its vulnerable state, leaving it sensitive and speckled with sweat. Both lay for a moment of recovery. Their chests heaved deeply as they came to terms with what had just happened. Gudrik crawled out of the mangled wreck and climbed to his feet. "Are you harmed?" he grunted, lifting George to her feet.
She was pale and disheveled with blank shock clouding her eyes. Time was of the essence. Gudrik slapped her across the cheek. Fire filled her blank eyes. She swung a punch, which he avoided. He grabbed her shoulders and repeated his question, "Are you harmed?"
"I-I'm confused as hell," she responded, panicked, but glad to be alive. "But fine. I think. Yes fine. Definitely ok," she stammered nervously, quickly checking her body over for injuries and pulling her dress down to cover the lacy black panties on show to the world. Her hand quickly went to her locket, checking it was still there. "Was I made of stone then?” Gudrik ignored her question. His attention was otherwise occupied. By that stage, a huge crowd of onlookers and good Samaritans had gathered around their impact point.
"We must keep moving."
He dragged his hand along a twisted shard of the car's metal shell and spoke, "Unjallius.”
Gudrik groaned as huge, white wings tore from the flesh of his back in a puff of loose feathers and a splatter of blue. They stretched to a massive, elegant span and quivered in the sun. The suit jacket and shirt were left torn and tattered, spattered, stained and hanging in shreds from Gudrik's muscled shoulders. The stunned onlookers stepped back in awe. He grasped the confused woman tightly and with a few powerful beats of his mighty wings launched the two of them into the sky.
George clung tightly as they whipped and glided through the city. They weaved between the highrise buildings, slowly gaining altitude and suddenly plunging toward the ground as Gudrik negotiated the unpredictable up-drafts above the busy city streets. George was not as terrified as her brain insisted she should be. She loved the speed, she loved the wind and she loved the gaping faces of the populous below. It all exhilarated her. Gudrik's grasp was gentle and caring, but still so firm and reliable that there was no fear of falling.
Finally, Gudrik surged up and breached the top of the sky scrapers. The onlookers below were now nothing more than ants. George released her grip on Gudrik and shielded her eyes. The sun was much fiercer up there without the buildings' protection. She swivelled and squirmed as she gathered bearings. "Land on those cliffs over there," George said pointing at a small lookout point above the river.
Gudrik dived and swooped in, gently putting the two of them down on the grass in a rapid flutter of tiny wing beats. "Gratitude," Gudrik grunted as the wings collapsed into a sprinkling of blood.
Did you always wanted to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
The first job I remember envisioning for myself was an astronaut (like 90% of all seven year old boys). I then progressed through a fairly standard string of visions for the future, from a soldier through to a guitarist in a rock band. I began writing in high school, but soon became distracted by......well, no point trying to sugar coat it, beer. It wasn’t until my late twenties I rediscovered my love for writing.
When did you first consider yourself a “writer”?
As far as I’m concerned anyone who puts their blood, sweat and tears into creating a written piece is a writer, of course levels of success vary from there. But, I remember thinking I was a writer during my high school years.
Do you do another job except for writing and can you tell us more about it?
I’m a primary school teacher J Keeps me busy, but gives me school holidays to write. It's a really rewarding job when it's at its best and it's the mental equivalent to slamming your hand in a car door when it's not. I get to run a writing club with the kids and teach them how to publish their own books, so it's really rewarding when we open the box of freshly printed books at the end of the year.
What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarize it in less than 20 words what would you say?
Well my latest book is called Blue Words and if I was to describe it in twenty words I would say…..
Blue Words is a dark reimagining of magic thrust into the modern world. One ancient being will change everything we believe.
(a doesn’t count as a word right???)
How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?
That depends on so many factors, what’s happening with my family, how busy I am at work, how solid my writer’s block is and many, many more. Blue Words has taken just over two years to bring from concept to published product.
What can we expect from you in the future? ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?
Well I am currently working on a follow up to Blue Words, which I am enjoying. I get really excited when I am starting something new. I also have a few side projects which I tinker with when I run into a block on my main work, they are mostly sci fi.
What genre would you place your books into?
I write sci-fi and fantasy with a tendency towards the low and urban fantasy. Blue Words is definitely urban fantasy, but with a just a tinge of darkness to it.
What made you decide to write that genre of book?
I didn't exactly set out to write it as an urban fantasy, I just had an idea and as the story progressed it was pretty clear that’s what it was going to become.
Do you have a favorite character from your books? And why are they your favorite?
I have a soft spot for Brood. He is a bit of a deviate, but I like his personality and sense of humour.
How long have you been writing?, and who or what inspired you to write?
I have always enjoyed writing, but it was in high school that I really got into it. I can't really say who or what exactly inspired me originally, but Tolkien was a big influence on me as a teenager.
Do you have a certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair?
I don't really have a set routine; it tends to change based on where I am at, both mentally as well as in the book. If I know exactly what I want to write and how I want it to happen, then I like silence and solitude to get it down. If I am stuck I add music, or even pack up and write in busy, noisy places to see what sparks an idea. I really enjoy writing setting descriptions immersed in in the type of environment I am describing too; helps bring all the senses into the piece.
Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?
Definitely. Weather a review is positive or negative, you can usually take something constructive away from it, though sometimes it can be hard to read negative reviews.
Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?
The book definitely comes first, the title changed a lot through the creation of the story, from Bleed for Me, to Blood of the Twelve, to The Twelve, to Blue Bloods, Blood Magic and Blood Words until it finally settled on Blue Words. I think I kind of just got to that point and decided it fit.
How do you come up with characters names and place names in your books?
Anyway that works. I grab names from people I know, some from personality traits, some from mythology and anywhere else that may inspire me. Settings are usually inspired by somewhere I have been and enjoyed. Sometimes I use the real setting name, other times it is a combination of real places with a fictional name.
Are character names and place names decided after their creation? Or do you pick a character/place name and then invent them?
When I start writing I generally just give the characters random names which spring to mind, to speed the initial process. Sometimes I keep them, but usually they change as I become more familiar with the character. Gudrik was named Roger for the first few months.
Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?
A bit of both actually. I always have a basic character profile when I start writing, but characters definitely develop other traits as the story grows.
Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in your books? (Morals as in like Aesops Fables type of "The moral of this story is..")
Not really, different people take different things from books, that is something I love about them. I just try to push that there is always more than one side to events. It’s never as simple as just good and evil and I hope people grasp that from my story.
Which format of book do you prefer, eBook, hardback, or paperback?
I read a lot of ebooks, but there is no denying that I still prefer the smell and feel of print. I was just opening a box of freshly printed paperbacks the other day and I had this awkward moment where I just hovered over the open box sniffing. The weight of a big, old hardback is pretty cool too.
What is your favorite book and Why? Have you read it more than once?
I have lots of favourite books, it’s like being asked to choose your favourite child, but The Hobbit would be the one which I have read the most.
Do you think books transfer to movies well? Which is you favorite/worst book to movie transfer?
I think they generally do. The problem is that they are developed for a different audience. We as book lovers have had the pleasure of enjoying the story in its original format which is in-depth and requires a lot of time to be invested. When they are converted to film it is suddenly aimed at an audience which predominantly wants something two hours long and running at a quick pace. A story inevitably loses some of its depth under the truncated duration, and we book lovers notice.
Your favorite food is?
That's another question like choosing my favourite child, I love food. Pizza, sushi and curry are stable favourites, but the full list is really endless. If I am at at a restaurant looking over a menu, I am most likely to order a meal I have never heard of before.
Your favorite Author is?
That is not an easy question to answer. I like lots of different authors and I like different things about each of them. The author which has had the greatest impact on my life would be Tolkien; he got me reading in the first place. But, I also love the work of people like George RR Martin, Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson and Anne Rice.
M.C. Edwards, or Eddie as he is known to his mates, grew up in a coastal town on the picturesque Central Queensland coast of Australia. He has travelled to many corners of the world and has a love of all things bizarre. He enjoys motorcycles, beards, comics, videogames and the taste of a fine single malt scotch. In his writing he crafts immersive worlds which mix reality and fantasy to create a strangely believable mix.
Facebook – www.facebook.com/mcedwardsworld
Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/MCEdwards
Twitter – https://twitter.com/_Matt_Edwards_
Wattpad – http://www.wattpad.com/user/MCEdwards
Instagram – http://instagram.com/bluebloodedwarlock
Website – www.warpathprint.com
Thank you for hosting the interview!
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