About The Tin Man: For
Blog Tour: August 30 to September 30
Author: Nina Mason
Genre: Political Thriller
Publisher: Crushing Hearts &
Black Butterfly Publishing
Formats: Kindle and paperback
The
last thing Alex Buchanan, the editor-in-chief of a formidable news site,
expects as he looks around the newsroom at the bodies of his editors, is that
he’ll soon be teaming up with The Ball Buster to solve the crime and stay
alive. Well, maybe not the last thing. The last thing he expects is to fall for
her or any other woman. Because he’s The Tin Man–a suit of armor without a
heart.
Or
so he believes…
The
Ball Buster is his private nickname for Thea Hamilton, a smart, gutsy, and
insecure investigative reporter for The New York News, America’s newspaper of
record. They went out once years ago–an unmitigated disaster during which she
jumped all over his case about smoking.
When
events force them together, they embark on an emotion-charged, high-octane
quest for the truth, ending up in bed, but also in the clutches of a
sociopathic corporate raider. “Zeus” is obsessed with James Bond and owns a
hardcore S & M club in an old fallout shelter. Is he the killer? And, if
so, what’s his motive? What he hopes to gain by torturing the journalists is
clearer: the proof they’ve uncovered of a corporate takeover scheme that
threatens the future of democracy. And he’ll stop at nothing to get it.
Buchanan was smoking out among the trees when he heard the gunshots. Turning toward the barn, he saw flames leaping from the roof. Dropping his cigarette, he charged from the underbrush like a bull, thinking only of Thea. Another shot shattered the darkness. He drew his Glock as he trundled across the field. The fire was spreading fast. He reached the barn, choking as he raced inside. The whole place was filled with white smoke.
“Thea!” he screamed, coughing violently. “Thea!”
He raced toward the stairs, grabbed the rail, hoisting himself up two rungs at a time. He frantically searched the loft, but found only her purse. Taking it with him, he stumbled back down.
“Thea! Thea! Where are you?”
The smoke was so thick he couldn’t see a thing. He heard another crack. Outside. Shite, the assassins had found them. But where were they now. And where was she?
He groped his way through the cloud, gasping, choking, eyes stinging, until he found the car. Feeling his way around, he located the driver’s door, got in, and started the engine. He hit the gas. The Toyota lurched forward. He couldn’t see a fucking thing through the smoke. The car crashed through wood, jolting him. The air began to clear as he bounced across the field. The black sedan came into view, speeding toward the road. He eased off the gas, falling back to avoid being seen.
Fucking hell. He’d cocked up everything. Now, they had Thea, which was killing him. Anything he could do to save her would endanger her life. Assuming, of course, she was still alive. The possibility she might not be kicked him in the chest, but he reasoned it away. She had to be alive. It only made sense. If she was dead, why take her? He felt better, but not for long. If she was alive, there was a reason. And the only reason he could think of made his stomach turn.
Trailer:
Click to watch the trailer
Author info:
Social-media
links:
Author
Interview:
Q. Tell
us about your book.
A. The Tin
Man warns of the dangers posed by corporate media monopolies, something
most people don’t care about but really should, because they who control the
media control how we perceive the world. It’s a work of fiction, but steeped in
reality. The hero is Alex Buchanan, an embittered journalist who runs a
formidable online news site. When he becomes the target of hired assassins, he
hooks up with Thea Hamilton, a crack investigative reporter, to find out why.
They end up on a wild ride that takes them from New York City to Philadelphia
and finally, Washington D.C. It’s loaded
with high-octane action, deeply-etched characters, and hard-hitting truths. I
did an unbelievable amount of research while writing the book.
Q. After
this, what's your next project?
A. I’m currently working on a four-part
paranormal fantasy series titled the Knights of Avalon, which is under contract
with Lyrical Kensington.
Q. What
inspires you to write what you do?
A. All of my paranormal stories are inspired by
my interest in history, mythology, and the occult. Even my fantasies are
steeped in reality.
Q. When did you start writing?
A. About
as soon as I could write the alphabet. When I was a kid, I won an essay contest
sponsored by the local library (I was an avid reader and always did the summer
reading challenge). Back in the days of typewriters, I wrote a romance novel
about a couple of ballet dancers, but never did anything with it. Didn’t try my
hand at fiction again until five or six years ago, when I started what is now The Queen of Swords.
Q. What inspired you to write the book?
A. My
work, really. The Tin Man comes from
another part of me than my paranormal romances. My degree is in journalism and I’ve worked in media relations and
in “framing”—a way of spinning ideas, basically, which is discussed in the
book.
Q. Are
you a careful planner or do you let the story guide you?
A. I do a bit of both. I work out the
characters and their motivations, setting, and where I want the story to go. I
also tend to do index cards for each scene or major plot point from start to
finish. Once I begin to write, it can go completely off the rails, depending on
where the characters want to take it. As long as they’re reaching the
touchstones, I let them do what they want. If they go too far off track, I
either re-plot the novel or rein them in, depending on which direction seems
better at the time.
Q. Who
is your favorite among your characters?
A. I love them all, of course. Graham, the hero
in The Queen of Swords, is both noble and funny. Callum, the hero in The Knight
of Wands, is a good-hearted romantic. Leith, the hero of my WIP, is a bit on
the dark side, but still well-intentioned. If pressed to pick just one, I’d
have to go with Alex Buchanan, the journalist hero in The Tin Man. He’s very complex and has lots of demons to overcome,
but also is a really good guy.
No comments:
Post a Comment