"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies...The man who never reads lives only one." - George R.R Martin

26 November 2012

BLOG TOUR: Dark Tidings - Ken Magee; Interview!

Happy Tuesday everyone! Today I'm participating in the Dark Tidings Blog Tour and here is Part 1 of my blog tour posts where I'll be introducing you to the man behind the magic, author Ken Magee! :) Check out my review and giveaway over at Part 2!

Author Interview: Ken Magee

Hello! Can you tell us all a little bit about yourself? 

My name is Ken Magee and I’m an... author. I live in Bangor, Co Down. I worked for many years in the computer industry in a wide variety of roles including programming and sales. In the middle of it all, I served in the Navy Reserve for five years… which was hard work, but fun. In 2010, I decided it was time to finish the book I had started many years ago (writing not reading). I would have finished it sooner, but life got in the way. It’s finished now, but I don’t think any of the original book survived the process! I enjoyed writing so much that I’ve also completed the sequel and the third book is well underway.

What do you do when you are not busy writing?

I walk the dogs, play badminton and watch TV.

When did you begin writing? Has it always been a passion or goal of yours?

I began writing when I was in my late teens. That’s when I started Dark Tidings, but then there was a long gap while I got a job and earned a living. I got a recurring niggle all through that period and I knew that someday I’d have to finish the book, partly just to prove to myself that I could do it. So I guess it was always a goal… and hey, I scored!

Tell us a little about Dark Tidings.

It’s the first of a series which lives under the tagline ‘ancient magic meets the Internet’. The blurb probably gives the best description… A thousand years ago, a young thief, Tung, and a disgraced wizard, Madrick, are thrust together in an executioner’s dungeon. In the darkness, Madrick reveals an incredible secret about a legendary spell. The great spell helps them escape their prison cell... and eventually their century. Catapulted into the present day, their lives collide with Michael, a computer hacker who plans to destroy the world’s largest bank. But sinister people are tracking their every move and they will stop at nothing to steal their spell. The book is full of comedy as well, I sometimes say that it would appeal to anyone who wants to laugh while the world comes to an end.

Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in your writing?

Undoubtedly it’s Terry Pratchett and the early Discworld books, particularly The Colour of Magic and Mort.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Writer’s block in the form of my dog Rocky. He seems to sense when I’m on a writing roll and demands attention. It’s usually easier to give in and go out for a walk.

If you could meet any of the characters within the book who would you choose and why?
 
Tung. He’s the inept thief who time travelled to the 21st century and he’s struggling every day to come to terms with it. He’s a hoot. I really would love to meet him; I know I’d find him really frustrating to be around, but he’d be fun.

I loved the modern twist with the fantasy and sci-fi. How much fun was the book to write and how did you come up with such a great idea?!

As I mentioned earlier, I worked in the computer industry for many years so I was always interested in technology and the Internet. As far as leisure ready was concerned, funny fantasy was always my passion. It seemed natural to me to push the two things together… and I think it works really well (I would say that, wouldn’t I?). And it was a lot of fun to write, I literally laughed out loud time and time again because the characters kept coming up with funnies that I’d never heard before.

Time-travelling is a big thing in Dark Tidings. If you had to time-travel where would you travel to?

Yes, it’s a time-travel spell that brings Tung and ancient magic a thousand years forward to the 21st century. If I could time travel myself, I think I’d like to go back to those Medieval Times to see if Tung’s tell the truth about what is was like.

Quick-fire Round:

Favourite book? Mort by Terry Pratchett
Favourite childhood book? Winnie the Pooh stories
Favourite author? Easy, and I bet you’ll guess, Terry Pratchett
Favourite genre? Fantasy and humour
Favourite film/tv show? Pulp Fiction/Dexter
Favourite place to write? My home office, surrounded by the things I love (even Rocky!)
Favourite character from a book? Lister in Grant Naylor’s Better than Life
Favourite writing snack/drink? Hula Hoops
Favourite place? New Orleans if I’m travelling, otherwise Bangor’s coastal path
.

1 comment:

  1. Thank you so much for hosting part of my tour... your readers might also be interested in the 30 second trailer I've just made for the books. It's on YouTube:

    http://tinyurl.com/DT-TBC-trailer

    Thanks again.

    ReplyDelete

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