Tracey Sinclair's Blog, page 10
July 7, 2016
Guest post at Damp Pebbles
I did a guest Post at Damp Pebbles about when crime and fantasy books cross-fertilise, featuring some of my favourites (Connolly, Pratchett, Butcher and Huston):
https://damppebbles.wordpress.com/201...
https://damppebbles.wordpress.com/201...
July 4, 2016
Angel Falls and A Vampire in New York now in paperback
Great news if you like having physical copies of a book: both Angel Falls and A Vampire in New York are now available in paperback!
https://darkdates.org/2016/07/04/ange...
https://darkdates.org/2016/07/04/ange...
June 25, 2016
Dark Dates - scene from WIP
In honour of Pride in London today, & because we need a laugh after this week's political shenanigans, here’s a (possible) scene from my WIP – Laclos vs homophobes, round 2:
[Note: this is set in New York]
‘Hey! You know this ain’t a bar for your type, right?’
I looked up as the red-faced, baseball capped man approached us, beer in hand. He looked so much of a cliché he might as well be wearing a Vote Trump badge, but I couldn’t believe even he could be that stupid. Even though Laclos’ dramatic beauty often led people to make (not necessarily incorrect) assumptions about his sexuality – and tonight it was enhanced by a slick of gold liner around each eye and luminescent nail varnish – and Jonesy and Lee were clearly a couple, Lee’s arm thrown casually around his husband’s shoulder – I couldn’t imagine by what thought process anyone could look at these three strapping, clearly muscled men and think ‘gay = easy pickings’. Even if you didn’t know you were looking at a vampire and two hunters, not a thing about them suggested softness. But alas, as the world seemed intent on repeatedly proving, there’s no limit to some people’s stupidity.
Lee and Jonesy bristled visibly, and Laclos turned to the interloper, head tilted, amused, though his smile would have made a smarter man flee.
‘Type? By which you mean… devastatingly handsome? Exquisitely dressed?’ His voice was arch, and very English, which obviously didn’t help the man’s blood pressure any.
‘You know what I mean, you fa…’ the word died in a strangled croak, the man’s eyes bulging in shock and pain. Exactly the expression of someone, say, who has just been punched hard in the throat by a being who can move faster than the eye can follow. Then there was the merest rush of air, and the croak became an embarrassed squeak as the man looked down to see his jeans, mysteriously unfastened, were now around his ankles. I was grateful Laclos had shown some restraint – there are somethings I really don’t want to see, though I now understood the phrase ‘tighty whiteys’ because good lord, they really were distressingly tight – and wet, also, now, since he had somehow (ahem) managed to throw his own beer at his crotch. A ripple of surprised laughter ran through the bar, and now we had an audience. I was suddenly glad Laclos had reacted before the hunters: I didn’t need them getting arrested for lamping a homophobe, but no one could blame us if a crazy guy came over to our table and just started grunting and taking his clothes off. After all, we hadn’t laid a finger on him. The bigot let out a strangled squawk of distress and knelt hastily to pull up his jeans, but in doing so unbalanced himself – why, it was almost like an unseen hand had given him a very hard shove – and went toppling back into the lap of a biker-looking type behind him, upsetting a table full of drinks as he did so.
Jonesy and Lee were openly goggling, amazed at this bizarre turn of events. Even with my Sense telling me Laclos had darted in and out of his seat several times, I was staring: I hadn’t realised he could actually be that fast. Laclos, however, looked delighted, especially as the table full of Sons of Anarchy extras were reacting exactly how you’d expect them to when a half-naked man upended a table full of beers on them.
‘Entertaining as this looks to become, I believe this is our cue to leave,’ he smiled, nodding towards the exit as the first punch was thrown.
We decamped to a table in a back corner of the next bar, studiously ignoring the sounds of breaking glass and police sirens now coming from the street outside.
‘That was you, wasn’t it?’ Jonesy frowned, though he didn’t look particularly angry at this realisation. ‘Jesus, how fast are you?’
Laclos beamed at the two men.
‘Admit it, much as you both dislike me, you’re just a little bit turned on right now, aren’t you?’
Both men simply scowled at that, though a hint of colour flared in Lee’s cheeks, and Jonesy shifted slightly, uncomfortable. Blimey, so he wasn’t wrong. Then again, that had been a pretty impressive display – I was probably a little pink in the cheeks myself. I saw a server and flagged her down hastily.
‘I think we all could really do with a drink.’
[Note: this is set in New York]
‘Hey! You know this ain’t a bar for your type, right?’
I looked up as the red-faced, baseball capped man approached us, beer in hand. He looked so much of a cliché he might as well be wearing a Vote Trump badge, but I couldn’t believe even he could be that stupid. Even though Laclos’ dramatic beauty often led people to make (not necessarily incorrect) assumptions about his sexuality – and tonight it was enhanced by a slick of gold liner around each eye and luminescent nail varnish – and Jonesy and Lee were clearly a couple, Lee’s arm thrown casually around his husband’s shoulder – I couldn’t imagine by what thought process anyone could look at these three strapping, clearly muscled men and think ‘gay = easy pickings’. Even if you didn’t know you were looking at a vampire and two hunters, not a thing about them suggested softness. But alas, as the world seemed intent on repeatedly proving, there’s no limit to some people’s stupidity.
Lee and Jonesy bristled visibly, and Laclos turned to the interloper, head tilted, amused, though his smile would have made a smarter man flee.
‘Type? By which you mean… devastatingly handsome? Exquisitely dressed?’ His voice was arch, and very English, which obviously didn’t help the man’s blood pressure any.
‘You know what I mean, you fa…’ the word died in a strangled croak, the man’s eyes bulging in shock and pain. Exactly the expression of someone, say, who has just been punched hard in the throat by a being who can move faster than the eye can follow. Then there was the merest rush of air, and the croak became an embarrassed squeak as the man looked down to see his jeans, mysteriously unfastened, were now around his ankles. I was grateful Laclos had shown some restraint – there are somethings I really don’t want to see, though I now understood the phrase ‘tighty whiteys’ because good lord, they really were distressingly tight – and wet, also, now, since he had somehow (ahem) managed to throw his own beer at his crotch. A ripple of surprised laughter ran through the bar, and now we had an audience. I was suddenly glad Laclos had reacted before the hunters: I didn’t need them getting arrested for lamping a homophobe, but no one could blame us if a crazy guy came over to our table and just started grunting and taking his clothes off. After all, we hadn’t laid a finger on him. The bigot let out a strangled squawk of distress and knelt hastily to pull up his jeans, but in doing so unbalanced himself – why, it was almost like an unseen hand had given him a very hard shove – and went toppling back into the lap of a biker-looking type behind him, upsetting a table full of drinks as he did so.
Jonesy and Lee were openly goggling, amazed at this bizarre turn of events. Even with my Sense telling me Laclos had darted in and out of his seat several times, I was staring: I hadn’t realised he could actually be that fast. Laclos, however, looked delighted, especially as the table full of Sons of Anarchy extras were reacting exactly how you’d expect them to when a half-naked man upended a table full of beers on them.
‘Entertaining as this looks to become, I believe this is our cue to leave,’ he smiled, nodding towards the exit as the first punch was thrown.
We decamped to a table in a back corner of the next bar, studiously ignoring the sounds of breaking glass and police sirens now coming from the street outside.
‘That was you, wasn’t it?’ Jonesy frowned, though he didn’t look particularly angry at this realisation. ‘Jesus, how fast are you?’
Laclos beamed at the two men.
‘Admit it, much as you both dislike me, you’re just a little bit turned on right now, aren’t you?’
Both men simply scowled at that, though a hint of colour flared in Lee’s cheeks, and Jonesy shifted slightly, uncomfortable. Blimey, so he wasn’t wrong. Then again, that had been a pretty impressive display – I was probably a little pink in the cheeks myself. I saw a server and flagged her down hastily.
‘I think we all could really do with a drink.’
June 14, 2016
Guest post at Bibliophile Book Club
I did a guest post on why I love the John Connolly Charlie Parker books (and then I got all excited because John Connolly thanked me on Twitter...!)
https://bibliophilebookclub.com/2016/...
https://bibliophilebookclub.com/2016/...
June 1, 2016
Bookshop around the corner
I suspect if you're on this site you're like me: you can't walk past a bookshop. Nothing pleases me more than finding a great bookshop wherever I am, so I love the blog The Bookshop Around the Corner, as it's full of wee gems.
I'm also lucky enough to (literally) live round the corner from a bookshop, so I did a guest post on it. It's Kemptown Bookshop in Brighton, and you should visit if you get a chance!
http://www.thebookshoparoundthecorner...
I'm also lucky enough to (literally) live round the corner from a bookshop, so I did a guest post on it. It's Kemptown Bookshop in Brighton, and you should visit if you get a chance!
http://www.thebookshoparoundthecorner...
May 31, 2016
Art of Asking
So I wrote a blog inspired by Amanda Palmer's Art of Asking:
https://darkdates.org/2016/05/31/on-k...
https://darkdates.org/2016/05/31/on-k...
May 17, 2016
May 13, 2016
Guest post at Shaz's Book Blog
Sharon at Shaz's Book Blog was kind enough to host an author Q&A so pop across...
http://shazsbookblog.blogspot.co.uk/2...
http://shazsbookblog.blogspot.co.uk/2...
May 10, 2016
Guest post at Patricia's Corner
I do a Q&A at Patricia's Corner: https://pasedegbega.wordpress.com/201...
May 3, 2016
Anne Hamilton stops by Dark Dates
Author Anne Hamilton stops by Dark Dates to talk about her book, A Blonde Bengali Wife, and give her writing advice:
https://darkdates.org/2016/05/03/auth...
https://darkdates.org/2016/05/03/auth...
