YA Yeah Yeah: Friday Feature: Nicky Peacock, Inside The Mind of a YA Horror Writer

Friday 19 July 2013

Friday Feature: Nicky Peacock, Inside The Mind of a YA Horror Writer

Inside the dark depths of horror author, Nicky Peacock’s mind…

No one can truly know another, but I can give you a glimpse into my minds’ activities, challenges, and how I write.

So, the first thing you need to know about me is that I write horror and paranormal romance for both adult and YA. As you can imagine my mind is pretty dark, the kind of dark where you stumble about for a light switch that doesn’t exist. It’s always buzzing with ideas and with my favorite question, ‘What if?’ This is what drives my horror stories. What if the cat crying outside your window is trying to warn you that a stranger is breaking in? What if the bus that just picked you up isn’t public transport but belongs to a secret human traffic operative? What if the sandwich you ate at lunch contained a mutated parasite, who right now is burying into the soft folds of your brain? And of course, what if your only chance to survive a zombie apocalypse was to become a blood donor to a vampire? Which is the very premise of my book Bad Blood.

Yeah, it’s not just dark here in my mind, it’s kind of sticky too and more than a little dangerous. As much fun as the ‘what if’ game is, it can drive you mad eventually. My friends and family know how I think; they know that no matter what the mundane activity is I’m doing, my little shadowy brain is doing overtime.

Writing to me is an outlet. If it happens on the page it’s been purged from my mind. I can then carry on with living my life. Of course the major drawback to this morbid talent is that I worry about everything! But, hey that’s okay right? Worrying is healthy, keeps you alert and bothered about your life. The only problem is when it starts to take over. This is something I’ve had to face and conquer – it just wasn’t as easy as battling a horde of undead flesh-munchers. The trick is to have someone to talk to; a friend or family member who knows your dark little brain well and can help ease those worries.

As a teen there’s plenty of worries to go round – it wasn’t that long ago that I was there myself. Just don’t bottle them up – use them. If you’re worried about a test – turn that worry into study energy. If you worry that the world is changing too fast around you (this was definitely one of my teen worries) take a breath and accept that there are some things in life that you cannot change – just make the world a better place as much as you can. Worried your crush doesn’t even know you exist? Well, that’s their loss.

So, do you want a bit of distraction? Do you want to be taken away to the blood-soaked, burnt streets of London where the zombies have come out to play? If you want to get to know Britannia, the centuries old vampire sworn to protect her country and, more importantly, you - Then download the eBook or buy the paperback of Bad Blood today and delve a little deeper into my dark mind and indulge in a little YA horror.

Author Bio:

Nicky is an English author living in the UK. She writes both YA and adult horror and paranormal Romance. In her spare time she runs a local writers’ group and can be found online through the links below:

Blog, Twitter, Amazon, Facebook, GoodReads, Pinterest

Blurb:

“I am Britannia. I am your protector. I will fend off the hungry hordes of undead hands that reach toward you. I am your steadfast defender. I will stand between you and the zombie masses as they try to taste your flesh. I am strong, unyielding, and dedicated to your survival. All I ask from you… is your blood.”

A five-hundred-year-old bloody game of vengeance will need to be put on hold if vampires are to survive the zombie uprising. Britannia and Nicholas, bitter enemies and the only two surviving vampires left in London, have to work together to save un-infected humans and deliver them safely to a vampire stronghold in the Scottish Highlands. Unable to drink the zombie "bad blood," the remaining vampires need the humans to stay alive. But will the vampires tell the survivors who they are and what they want from them? Will Britannia be able to hold back her vengeance for the greater good? Is survivor Josh the reincarnation of Britannia's murdered true love? And can she bring herself to deliver him to the "safe" hold?

Survival instincts run deep, but bad blood can run deeper.