If your book were made into a movie, who would you want to play your main characters?
Can I get Jennifer Lawrence, or is she too expensive? I knew her, even before Hunger Games came along, and think she would be a great Neve (if she can pull of British accent). For Egan, I’m not sure… Tony Curran maybe, but it’d be a shame not to use his natural Scottish accent. Or Mark Gatiss?
How do you come up with the titles of your books?
I’ve decided to have a two-word title for each book. They’re inspired by the cases my protagonists try to solve.
Russian Dolls, Ruby Heart and Blind Chess were easy to find. I struggled a bit more with book three, Danse Macabre. I think I changed my mind two or three times with that one. Ultimately the French title won, it’s got a sort of dark poetry to fits the story and it’s a nod to my native language.
What does your writing space look like?
Everything’s digital. All of my notes, plot ideas, reference pictures, whatever… it’s all stored on my computer and automatically backed-up in the cloud.
I use portable laptops so I can work from anywhere, but I mostly end up working in bed (I like being warm and cozy to write). A few chapters of Blind Chess were written on a Maldivian beach though, as I went there on Holidays last year.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing?
I listen to a lot of music, mostly on my way to work. Aside from that I watch a lot of TV series and a few movies.
What is your favourite color?
Blue. Unless you’re talking about clothes… then it’s black and red.
What is your favourite pleasure food?
I’m a chocolate addict. But it’s not my fault. I’m Swiss, the stuff runs in our veins.
What is your favourite season?
Summer! I had been cold, having to wear three layers of clothes or having my feet wet.
What is your favourite television show?
It’s impossible to pick one; get all the ingredients right, and you’ll get me hooked (interesting stories, well defined characters that are evolving and growing and the occasional bout of humour). Right now, I’m enjoying the hell out of Game of Thrones, Doctor Who, Agents of Shield.
There are some old series that I remember fondly: the old and a little less old Mission Impossible series, Highlander, Farscape, the Stargate franchise.
Breaking Bad was also devilishly good, and ten years later, Friends still makes me laugh like it’s the first time when I catch a re-run.
What is your favourite movie?
Again, hard to narrow it down to one. I loved the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Matrix films, the Star Wars saga. I like getting my mind blown up when I watch a movie, so anything with big guns, explosions, car chases and lots of sfx will do.
Who is your favourite actor?
Why do you keep wanting me to pick just one… It’s so hard!
I love Cillian Murphy; he’s perfect in nearly everything he does. Keanu Reeves had some great years; Matt Damon too. Benedict Cumberbatch is utter perfection in Sherlock.
What is your favourite song?
Mad World, by Tears For Fears. It’s my childhood in a song.
What is your favourite comfort clothing attire?
Pyjama.
What books might we find on your bedside table?
My iPhone, loaded with audiobooks. It’s got the complete Dresden Files series and whatever else I’m reading at the moment.
Describe yourself in three words.
Strong-minded, kind, funny
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Mystery; Detectives
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BLURB:
It is supposed to be Neve and Egan. Two partners, a team. What happens when a member of this team of Private Investigators is shot, prognosis unknown?
As Alexandra Neve lays comatose and defenceless, Ashford Egan must take on their enemy alone, and find the cagiest criminal Scotland Yard has seen in decades. Determined to succeed, Egan will stop at nothing. He’ll hit on married women, plant bugs, hire hitmen. And he’ll do it all blind, which makes things ten times as difficult.
Double-crossed by friends, convinced there is corruption in those sworn to uphold the law, Egan is forced to form unlikely alliances as he moves forward in a game that requires skills, nerves of steel, and a willingness to play against all odds.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt:
A gentle wind is blowing, but it is too cold for the leaves to carry any scent. Seconds tick away, as I wait.
A few minutes before the half hour, I hear the whining of the Lantesks’ garage door and soon after the rumble of a car engine coming to life. Mrs Lantesk is on time to go to work.
Ten feet long the old woman had said of the gravel lane. It isn’t much and I count the seconds after I first hear the crunching of gravel under the car’s tyres. On three, I take a large step forward, bracing myself for the impact I know is coming.
An instant later, the front of Mrs Lantesk’s car hits me on my right side and I fly to the ground, instantly losing all sense of direction. Up is down, down is left and I am only certain of one thing.
I hurt.
Turns out, no matter how ready you are for it, no matter how much planning is involved, or how carefully you give in to the motion and roll to the floor to absorb as much of the momentum as possible... getting hit by a moving vehicle hurts.
The car comes to an abrupt halt an instant later, tyres screeching against the gravel. The engine dies and I hear the car door open. It is followed by a steady stream of feminine and high-pitched, ‘Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.’
Monica Lantesk must be wearing heels for I hear her feet tapping the pavement as she hurries towards where I lie sprawled.
‘Are you all right?’ she asks in between another chortle of oh-my-Gods.
I am, for the most part. I’m not seeing stars or anything and I take quick stock of the situation. Nothing seems broken; my glasses are missing, but I still have my cane in hand. I push myself up on one elbow and make a show of moving the cane about in what I hope is a dazed and confused manner. There is another wave of oh-my-Gods, as the woman realises I am blind and she starts to pat me awkwardly on the shoulder.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Cristelle Comby was born and raised in the French-speaking area of Switzerland, in Greater Geneva, where she still resides.
Thanks to her insatiable thirst for American and British action films and television dramas, her English is fluent.
She attributes to her origins her ever-peaceful nature and her undying love for chocolate. She has a passion for art, which also includes an interest in drawing and acting.
Blind Chess is her fourth new-adult novel in the Neve & Egan series.
Links :
Website: http://cristelle-comby.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Cristelle
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/CristelleComby
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Cristelle Comby will be awarding all four books of the series, signed by the author (International Giveaway) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteWhat character in a book would you like to be best friends with?
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by!
DeleteMine would be Elizabeth Bennett.
Thanks for having me.
ReplyDeleteBest for 2016!
Cristelle
Thank you so much for being my guest!
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