Monday, October 7, 2013

Welcome Steve McHugh to the Nook/Giveaway Time

Please welcome 'new to me' author Steve McHugh to my Reading Nook. His covers are quite intriguing and I can't wait to check out this author's books....

To get us started can you tell us a little about what you are working on or have coming out?

Well, last year I self-published 2 books, Crimes Against Magic and Born of Hatred, which in Feb this year were picked up by 47North to be re-published on 17th September. They’re the first two parts of the Hellequin Chronicles, an Urban Fantasy series about a 1600 year old sorcerer, Nate Garrett.

Currently, I’m doing the copy-edits for book 3, With Silent Screams, which is out next Feb and working on book 4, Prison of Hope.


Do you have any guilty pleasures?

Jason Statham films. I know they’re stupid, but damn it’s fun watching him kick bad-guys in the face.

Name one thing readers would be surprised to know about you.

I’m not sure if it’s surprising or not, but I have several tattoos. A Harley Quinn on my arm (we named our youngest daughter Harley) two wolf cubs on my bicep, a samurai on my right upper-arm and daredevil sat around a cross on my left. Oh and a huge half sleeve in a Japanese style with a snake and Kitsune (fox) mask. I kinda like tattoos.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I’ve always wanted to live in the northern states of America or Canada. Being from South-Yorkshire, England, I don’t really do hot weather very well. And the scenery around there looks amazing.

How do you get yourself in the mood to write?

I sit and start. I’ve got to be in a pretty awful mood to be unable to write at all. I might not want to write, I might want to watch TV or read a book, but then I feel guilty for not working. Self-imposed guilt is the short answer.

If someone hasn't read any of your work, what book would you recommend that they start with and why?

Crimes Against Magic would be a good starting point, as it’s book 1. It shows a lot about who Nate is and what he used to do. It also introduced a few important characters, but honestly anything you need to know about book 1, I tell you in book 2, so the choice is entirely yours.


Coffee, tea or other drink to get you moving in the morning? 

Tea. Coffee is horrible and I can’t understand people’s love for it, including my wife’s. Tea on the other hand is both incredibly British and lovely. Although to be fair only the second of those is important when selecting a drink.

Is it hard coming up with titles or characters names?

Book titles are easy. They just seem to pop to me and I think, “yeah, I like that.” Names are much harder. It takes me ages to find a name that I think suits a character. And it’s even more difficult when you’re trying to find a name for a 15th century lord.

What do you feel is the most important thing that a first-time author should know? 

Getting published, be it traditionally or self-published, is a rollercoaster of highs and lows and excruciating amounts of work. This is something you should accept and make your piece with.  Agents and Publishers will turn you down, people will leave bad reviews and they will sting. But when it works, when you get an e-mail saying how much they love your work, or you see sales increase, every little bit of effort you’ve put in is worth it.
If you think you can just write a book, slap a cover on and publish it and it’ll be a success, you’re going to have a very short, sharp shock. But if you treat it seriously, if you take time and effort to do it right, it’s the single best job I can think of. And I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Its summer in my part of the world and that means summer blockbuster movies are coming out. Do you have a list of movies like me that you are itching to see or have seen? What about ones coming up? Any that draw your eye to it?

Pacific Rim was the one I wanted to see and it did not disappoint. Giant robots and giant monsters beating the hell out of each other for 2 hours made my geeky self a very happy man. I’m interested in watching the new Keanu Reeves film, 47 Ronin and the horror, You’re Next, looks like great fun.


Born of Hatred
Book Two in the Hellequin Chronicles
Available at Amazon US / Amazon UK 

There are some things even a centuries-old sorcerer hesitates to challenge…

When Nathan Garret’s friend seeks his help investigating a bloody serial killer, the pattern of horrific crimes leads to a creature of pure malevolence, born of hatred and dark magic. Even with all his powers, Nate fears he may be overmatched. But when evil targets those he cares about and he is confronted by dire threats both old and new, Nate must reveal a secret from his recently remembered past to remind his enemies why they should fear him once more.

Born of Hatred, set in modern London with historical flashbacks to America’s Old West, continues the dark urban fantasy of Crimes Against Magic, the acclaimed first book in the gritty and action-packed Hellequin Chronicles.

Crimes Against Magic
Book One in the Hellequin Chronicles
Available at Amazon US / Amazon UK

How do you keep the people you care about safe from enemies you can’t remember?

Ten years ago, Nate Garrett awoke on a cold warehouse floor with no memory of his past—a gun, a sword, and a piece of paper with his name on it the only clues to his identity. Since then, he’s discovered he’s a powerful sorcerer and has used his magical abilities to become a successful thief for hire. 

But those who stole his memories aren’t done with him yet: when they cause a job to go bad and threaten a sixteen-year-old girl, Nate swears to protect her. With his enemies closing in and everyone he cares about now a target for their wrath, he must choose between the comfortable life he’s built for himself and his elusive past. 

As the barrier holding his memories captive begins to crumble, Nate moves between modern-day London and fifteenth-century France, forced to confront his forgotten life in the hope of stopping an enemy he can’t remember.

About the Author

Steve McHugh lives in Southampton on the south coast of England with his wife and three young daughters. When not writing or spending time with his kids, he enjoys watching movies, reading books and comics, and playing video games.

Website http://stevejmchugh.wordpress.com



Giveaway time- Two winners receive both  Crimes Against Magic and Born of Hatred. All you need to do is fill out the raffelcopter below to be entered.


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1 comment:

Unknown said...

Looks like a great read. Definitely love my paranormal reads

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