Blog Tour Q&A: The Feed by Nick Clark Windo

Today, I’m psyched to be on the next stop on the blog tour for The Feed by Nick Clark Windo, published by Headline. For my stop, I have a Q&A with the author, Nick, to find out a little more about his new novel, his writing process and his favourite thing since being published.

Blurb:

Tom and Kate’s daughter turns six tomorrow, and they have to tell her about sleep.
If you sleep unwatched, you could be Taken. If you are Taken, then watching won’t save you. Nothing saves you.  

Your knowledge. Your memories. Your dreams.
If all you are is on the Feed, what will you become when the Feed goes down?

For Tom and Kate, in the six years since the world collapsed, every day has been a fight for survival. And when their daughter, Bea, goes missing, they will question whether they can even trust each other anymore.

The threat is closer than they realise…

Now over to Nick to find out some more about The Feed…

Welcome to the CKT blog, Nick

Thank you, Rachel, it’s lovely to be here!

To start off with, could you tell us about your new novel, The Feed?

With pleasure. It’s a dystopian thriller with two parents, Tom and Kate, at its heart. The Feed is an implant in the brain, which allows infinite information and immediate communication all at the speed of thought. It’s an amazing tool – until it goes down. At this point when things start to collapse rapidly, and it’s in that post-Collapse world that Kate and Tom’s daughter is abducted. Think you’d be in trouble if you lost your phone? Try doing anything without the Feed, let alone trying to find your abducted child!

The Feed has such an interesting concept, how did you come up with the idea for this?

Thank you, I’m really glad it’s resonating with people. It’s an idea that built up over time. Writers tend to observe the world quite closely, I think, and then imagine potential dramatic consequences. For me our relationship with technology feels ubiquitous these days: we use it without thinking about it any more, and it’s actually changing the physical make-up of our brains. I thought that was an interesting world to explore and quite a terrifying one. But of course a concept isn’t a story. You need humans there, with things happening to them as a consequence of the concept. And quite a lot happens to Tom and Kate.

Did you find it a challenge creating the world in which The Feed exists in? Or did you find it liberating to write about a post-apocalyptic future?

I found it very liberating. If you write a historical novel there’s some obligation to be true to what actually happened. Here it was a world that existed purely in my brain, so I could make my own rules. Obviously you need to have those rules when creating a world, otherwise the whole thing becomes a mess, but I really enjoyed that logical exercise – I read widely and borrowed/stole ideas from articles and magazines about how the future might look and set about building what I hope feels like a credible world. It’s not a world that I hope happens, of course, but one that I think is unfortunately credible at the moment. I don’t want to tub-thumb about anything, but there’s a lot of stuff investigated in The Feed that scares me.

Can you tell us a little bit about your writing process, do you plot your story out first or dive right in and see where it takes you? Or a mixture of both?

It’s different for the novels I’m writing currently – I’m plotting those quite heavily. For The Feed it was a mixture. I knew certain plot points and what used to be the last line of the book early on. Those moments acted like magnets in a way: I knew where the characters had to end up, and how they’d feel about it…then it was a trial and error process of taking them on that physical and emotional journey. Trial and error meant that there were over twenty drafts, but the plot is quite complex so that was entirely necessary…but that’s why I’m plotting the next books quite heavily now!

What books would you recommend for the devoted crime reader?

The book I’ve returned to recently is The Jigsaw Man. It’s not fiction, it’s written by a criminal psychologist about real criminals he’s tried to get into the minds of. It’s chilling and absolutely fascinating.

As a debut author, what has been your favourite thing about being published, so far?

Being published! My gosh, it’s very exciting. But the book deal was just the beginning. I’ve recently been so thrilled to become part of this huge, interconnected blogging world. Now, I’m not just saying this because I’m here: it really is an absolute delight to be welcomed into this world. There is so much love for books and support for authors. And for me that’s especially welcome because…well, have you read The Feed? It doesn’t portray social media in the most positive of lights, so it’s wonderful to have that balanced out by reality!

And finally, are you working on anything at the moment, if so could you tell us a little bit about it without giving too much away?

I am and…not yet! Oh go on, then. I’m working on a few things. One is set in a world very different from The Feed – actually, it’s the real world. But there are a lot of flavours that readers will recognise. Then there’s an idea for another dystopian thriller (different type of apocalypse though). And there might be something else cooking Feed-wise…

Thank you so much, Nick for taking the time to answer my questions.

An absolute pleasure, Rachel, thank you for having me.

About the Author:

Nick Clark Windo studied English Literature at Cambridge University and acting at RADA. As well as writing, he works as a film producer and communications coach. He lives in London with his wife and daughter. The Feed is his first novel.

To find out more about Nick Clark Windo follow him on twitter @nickhdclark.

The Feed is out on 25th January and can be ordered from Amazon here or from Waterstones here.

As always don’t forget to check out all the other fab stops on this tour!

Thriller Review: Yesterday by Felicia Yap

When I received a shiny package a couple of weeks ago which contained this novel I couldn’t wait to get started. It’s a novel I’ve heard a lot about and it didn’t disappoint!

Blurb:

There are two types of people in the world. Those who can only remember yesterday, and those who can also recall the day before.

You have just one lifeline to the past: your diary. Each night, you write down the things that matter. Each morning, your diary tells you where you were, who you loved and what you did.

Today, the police are at your door. They say that the body of your husband’s mistress has been found in the River Cam. They think your husband killed her two days ago.

Can you trust the police? Can you trust your husband? Can you trust yourself?

 

Humans are divided into two categories, they are either a mono or a duo.

Monos: Can only remember the day before

Duos: Can not only remember yesterday but the day before as well

When a women turns up dead in the River Cam the police suspect foul play. How can you solve a murder when everyone can only remember what happened yesterday?

I can’t actually describe anymore of this book without giving anything else away. I thought this novel was just CAPTIVATING and I actually read this in two sittings! It is a high-concept dystopian thriller which plays on the memories of the characters and sweeps the reader along on a complex and exciting narrative.

The story is told from the point of view of Hans, the police officer who is investigating  the murder, Mark who is a duo and had been having an affair with the dead woman, his wife Claire who is a mono and Sophia. It is also features many of the characters’ diary entries which I found fascinating.

The author Felicia, does a brilliant job of creating a realistic world where humans have to rely on technology to capture their memories otherwise they will be lost forever. I found the world of the novel refreshing and was so different from other books I’ve read recently it just sucked me in and I can tell you I loved every second of it!

Weirdly, one of my favourite characters was Sophia – a character with a very strange world view and whose thoughts and actions were very catatonic, I just couldn’t wait to read the chapters where I was in her head.

This is a book full of pace, has a number of clever twists and turns and is fraught with emotions. I found this such a refreshing and different read it kept me glued to the page. I also felt the themes of memory loss were explicit and very realistic and made me question how I would cope if this ever happened to me.

I’m not sure which one I would want to be – a mono or a duo, I think they both have their problems. Is it better to know more than others in your society or live in blissful ignorance? What one would you be?

This is one of those novel I would recommend looking out for and would rate this as one of my tops reads so far this year!

I would like to say a massive thank you to Millie Seaward, WildFire Books and Headline Publishers for sending me an advanced review copy.

This novel isn’t out until 10th August but the good news is you can preorder this book from Amazon just click here

Or to preorder this book from Waterstones click here.

To find out more about Felicia Yap follow her on Twitter at @FeliciaMYap.

Thriller Review: Deep Down Dead by Steph Broadribb

Blurb: ‘Lori Anderson is as tough as they come, managing to keep her career as a fearless Florida bounty hunter separate from her role as single mother to nine-year-old Dakota, who suffers from leukaemia. But when the hospital bills start to rack up, she has no choice but to take her daughter along on a job that will make her a fast buck. And that’s when things start to go wrong. The fugitive she’s assigned to haul back to court is none other than JT, Lori’s former mentor – the man who taught her everything she knows … the man who also knows the secrets of her murky past.

Not only is JT fighting a child exploitation racket operating out of one of Florida’s biggest theme parks, Winter Wonderland, a place where ‘bad things never happen’, but he’s also mixed up with the powerful Miami Mob. With two fearsome foes on their tails, just three days to get JT back to Florida, and her daughter to protect, Lori has her work cut out for her. When they’re ambushed at a gas station, the stakes go from high to stratospheric, and things become personal.’

OMG I have no words to express how amazing this book is. I literally read this in a day because I just couldn’t put it down – it was that good!

Lori is a bounty hunter struggling to make ends meet and cover her daughter’s hospital bills so when she is handed a seemingly straight forward assignment she thinks her luck has changed. That is until Lori comes face to face with the bounty – JT; her ex-mentor who she has a history with.

I love love love the character of bad-ass Lori; a single mum who has had to toughen up just to survive, and charismatic JT who have to work together once again as they face a number of different enemies hell-bent on destroying both their lives.

Lori is such a stand-out character who is like a female lioness, unrelenting in her quest to protect her daughter and will stop at nothing to make sure she does. It is so refreshing to have such a strong and fierce female action hero, I just fell in love with her character.

Reading this book you can’t forget JT, he is literally oozing sex appeal and one who I’n dying to read about again. I also enjoyed Dakota’s story which the author, Steph, does a wonderful job of capturing the innocence of a doe-eyed nine-year old girl who is forced along on her mum’s bounty hunter journey.

As I read this novel I discovered more about Lori’s past and her history with JT which the author does a stand out job of weaving it into the present day action without it spoiling the main narrative.

One other thing I adored was Steph’s descriptions of the theme park Winter Wonderland in Florida with the intricate details really made me feel like I was right there running along with the characters.

I won’t say much more as I think the novel does that for itself. What I will say is this: It is a fast-paced, nail-biting, hard hitting novel which not only takes you on an all guns blazing action adventure but will also take you through the emotional ringer. Yet another stand out novel published by Orenda Books which every crime fan must read. I just can’t wait to get my mitts on the next instalment in the series!

With thanks to Karen Sullivan at Orenda Books for my advanced review copy.

This novel isn’t out until January but the good news is you can preorder this book from Amazon just click here

Or to preorder this book from Waterstones click here.
To find out more about Steph Broadribb aka Crime Thriller Girl follow her on Twitter at @crimethrillgirl or check out her website here.

Thriller Review: See How They Run by Tom Bale

First Line: ‘Any noise in the night could wake him now.’

Blurb:  How far would you go to save your family?

In the dead of night, new parents Alice and Harry French are plunged into their worst nightmare when they wake to find masked men in their bedroom. Men ruthless enough to threaten their baby daughter, Evie.

This is no burglary gone wrong.
The intruders know who they’re looking for – a man called Edward Renshaw.
And they are prepared to kill to get to him.

When the men leave empty handed, little do Alice and Harry realise that their nightmare is just beginning. Is it a case of mistaken identity? Who is Renshaw? And what is he hiding?  One thing is clear – they already know too much.

As Alice and Harry are separated in the run for their lives, there is no time to breathe in their fight to be reunited. And with their attackers closing in, there is only one choice:  STAY ALIVE. OR DON’T.

Meet Harry and Alice French – they are ordinary people who are new parents to an eight-week old baby daughter Evie. One evening  masked men break into their house looking for a man called Renshaw and threatening Evie, their lives are turned upside down. But as they think their ordeal is over, the very next day Harry and Alice find two police officers knocking on their door asking about a mysterious package to Renshaw, they begin to realise they have become targets along with Renshaw. Now Harry and Alice must separate to save their daughter Evie and fight for their lives.

The only way I can begin is by saying one word: WOW!

I absolutely loved this novel which is full of so many surprising twists and turns; everytime I thought I had it figured out the author pulled out yet another shocker keeping me on my toes – I even gasped out loud at many points in the novel.

The characterisation in this novel is spot on with two seemingly unimportant but very likeable characters of Harry and Alice as their ordinary lives are thrown into disarray while they are caught up in a number of life and death situations. The action is completely full on with guns, car chases and lots of running on foot but still manages to evoke a lot of empathy for Harry and Alice. The author really captures the desperate plight of both of these characters while still maintaining the suspense and tension right until the very last moment of the book.

I found this such a believable plot as Harry and Alice are forced to make split second decisions to not only find eachother again but to ultimately save their family. It is very easy as a reader to see how one rash decision can lead to such devastation and as the novel progresses, the author introduces more characters as a way to build even more tension which left me wondering whose side each character is on and who can I really trust?

I cannot praise this book enough! This is a breath-taking, edge of the seat thriller which held nothing back with a tightly weaved plot which will keep you guessing right until the very end.

With thanks to Net Galley and Bookouture for my copy of See How They Run.

To buy this book on Amazon Kindle click here

To find out more about Tom Bale follow him on Twitter @t0mbale.

Thriller Review: Wicked Game by Matt Johnson

First Line: ‘Jed Garrett and Mac Blackwood stepped out of the artificially cool aircraft cabin into a wall of heat.’

What the blurb says: 2001. Age is catching up with Robert Finlay, a police officer on the Royalty Protection team based in London. He’s looking forward to returning to uniform policing and a less stressful life with his new family. But fate has other plans.

Finlay’s deeply traumatic, carefully concealed past is about to return to haunt him. A policeman is killed by a bomb blast, and a second is gunned down in his own driveway. Both of the murdered men were former Army colleagues from Finlay’s own SAS regiment, and in a series of explosive events, it becomes clear that he is not the ordinary man that his colleagues, friends and new family think he is. And so begins a game of cat and mouse a wicked game in which Finlay is the target, forced to test his long-buried skills in a fight against a determined and unidentified enemy.

Meet Robert Finlay, a soldier turned policeman with a wife and new baby girl who has long since buried his murky military past. When a series of murdered policemen turn out to be former Army colleagues from Finlay’s own former SAS regiment, he realises that his past is coming back to haunt him and that he is the next on the target list.

Faced with the terrifying prospect of losing his wife and child, Finlay must face his demons and dig deep into his past to use his long-buried fighting skills to protect his family. But can he find the enemy before it is too late?

This gripping debut novel is set in 2001 and contains a lot of dramatic action which refuses to let up. I loved the main character Robert Finlay, a strong, determined yet resourceful policemen who would do anything to protect his family. The novel also uses many flashbacks of Finlay’s military past which I found as a reader gave me a better understanding of his character and evoked a lot of empathy.

I found the vivid descriptions and settings really brought the novel to life for me, making it feel like I was right in the action.

This is a breath-taking, debut novel which will have you on the edge of your seat.

To buy this book on Amazon click here

To buy this book on Waterstones click here

To find out more about Matt Johnson follow him on Twitter @Matt_Johnson_UK or check out his website here