Author Appreciation, David McAfee, The Bachiyr Series (33 AD, After & 61AD)

This is by far, one of the best book series I have ever read! McAfee has a knack for putting his story right in the middle of a historical event but still making it his own.  Fantastic!!

33AD, Book 1, The Bachiyr Series

Jerusalem, 33 A.D. The vampires of the era have long sought to gain a foothold into Israel, but the faith of the local Jewish population has held them in check for centuries.

When one of their own betrays them to follow a strange young rabbi from Galilee, the elders of the vampire race dispatch Theron, a nine hundred year old assassin, to kill them both.

The rabbi's name is Jesus. Killing him should be easy. *amazon.com*

I was initially drawn to this book by the cover, it is truly frightening!  I was blown away by the content, McAfee’s style of writing grabs hold and pulls you in as he introduces you to his verision of Jerusalem in 33AD.  Imagine True Blood meets Passion of The Christ, that is this book in a nutshell.  These vampire’s do not sparkle and the sun will surely kill them.  Vampires, mystery, blood and gore with just a touch of romance to soften the blow.  The book is split into 4 main storylines but, I assure you, you will have no problems keeping up!  Extremely interesting and unpredictable, the twists and turns will keep you engaged and on your toes.

5/5 Quills.. MUST READ!!

After is a Novella that fills us in on some of the happenings between book 1 (33AD) and book 2 (61AD)

61AD, Book 2, The Bachiyr Series

Britannia, 61 A.D. For ten years, Taras has lived in the young city of Londinium, feeding off the city’s underbelly. But now Theron, his old enemy, has come looking for revenge, and Taras’ nights of living in relative peace are about to end.

Yet not even Theron can slip into town unnoticed, and the Council of Thirteen sends Ramah to deal with the two renegades once and for all. But unknown to the Council, a much older enemy is also in Londinium, and this time even the great Ramah might not be safe.

Set against the backdrop of the Iceni uprising in Roman-era Britannia, 61 A.D. continues the story of Taras, Theron, and Ramah, as they fight their way through history. *amazon.com*

Once again McAfee has taken a key point in history and made it his own, breathing new life into our old friends and adding a few new characters to the mix.  Back are Taras, Theron, Ramah and the infamous Council of 13.  The female characters introduced in this book take two steps forward; unlike in book one they definitely have more of a presence and a voice.  Once again McAfee pulls off the multiple storylines that are uniquely woven together adding just enough mystery and intrigue to keep you guessing until the end. 

These books are amazing, intriguing, engrossing and quite frankly; scary as hell!  NOT intended for young adults, Mature content included.  If you are looking for something original in the sea of regurgitated storylines that seem to overwhelm our books as of late, THIS is the series for you!  But that’s just my two cents.

5/5 Quills.. MUST READ!!

 

Of course, I had to request an Interview with this Amazing Author… here is a brief glimpse inside the mind behind The Bachiyr Series, Mr. David McAfee.

*contest details to follow*

*Tell me a bit about yourself. 

Well, I'm a former military brat. I was born in England and have moved all over the world. I love to read, and have been writing stories for almost as long as I've been reading. I enjoy horror fiction, motorcycling, radio control airplanes, and spending time with my wife and children. Other than writing, my biggest passion is for airplanes. The number one item on my Bucket List is to get a pilot's license.

*Where were you born and where do you call home?  

Ha. Should have read all the questions in advance. I was born in Lakenheath AFB, England. After my father retired from the USAF, we moved to Texas. I always consider Texas to be home, but the truth is that "home" is wherever my wife and kids are. I just couldn't be happy if they weren't there. Now, having said that, I'm pretty sure I'd be ridiculously happy if we were to one day settle in the Great Lone Star State.

*What was your inspiration for The Bachiyr Series?  
I read a book called VIOLENT SANDS, by Sean Young. It's the story of Barabbas. Even though I'm not usually a fan of Christian fiction, I have to admit that Young's book is masterful. While reading it, I could almost feel and smell ancient Jerusalem. He really put me into the scene. So much so that I started to wonder what the vampires of the era would have thought of all the hooplah surrounding Jesus. Viola! The idea for 33 AD was born. I switched gears a little with 61 AD because I didn't want people to think I was only good for Biblical fiction.

*For those who are unfamiliar with your novel; 33AD, how would you introduce it?  
I usually use the tagline. I tell people 33 AD is about vampires in Biblical Jerusalem who try to assassinate Jesus of Nazareth. As anyone who has read the book knows, there is more going on than just that part, but since it's the major plot point and the major hook, that's what I go with. 

I also make it a point to tell people they aren't going to find any mopey, angsty, Ed Cullen types in my books. I like my vampires brutal and inhumane, so that's how I write them. My books have been called graphic on occasion, and there is certainly blood and even some gore to go around. But you will not find some centuries old guy trying to woo a teenage girl with all his feelings of guilt and self loathing. Bachiyr are monsters, and they like it that way. They kill for food, fun, and sometimes for no reason at all.

*What are the Pro's and Con's to being an Indie Author?  
The biggest pro is that you are not at the mercy of a publisher who may or may not have the same vision for your work as you do. When you read one of my books, every word you read is mine. It's a word I put in there because I liked it. You aren't reading the collaborative effort of me and a dozen editors who are all trying to fit the story into some "lowest common denominator" mold. I love having that freedom, that authority over my own work.

The biggest con is, unless you are insanely good at writing AND marketing, or just very fortunate, few people will know about your book. A publisher has the ability to generate buzz for you and your work. That doesn't mean they will, just that they can. From an exposure standpoint, it's much better to try and get published the traditional way.  

*Whom in your life would you say has influenced you the most?  
As a writer or as a person? As a writer, I'd have to say Stephen King helped warp..uh...I mean SHAPE my young writerly mind as a child. His stories spoke to me. They were the first things I read that didn't have anything to do with Happy Elves or lost puppies or anything like that. Until King, I didn't realize a story could end without a happily ever after. 

As a person, I give my wife most of the credit for who I am today. Over the last 12 years, and at the cost of a great deal of frustration, she has helped to make me a better person. In fact, she is the reason I am here today. Without her nudging and support, I never would have kept writing, and I certainly never would have published my first book.

*What has been the most interesting comment (or review) about your book?  
Oh, geez. There have been so many. I guess if I have to pick one I liked the most, it would be the review of Saying Goodbye to the Sun where the reviewer really nailed what the book was about. He talked about the changes in the main character, and how you almost didn't notice them until you got to the end of the book and realized how different the guy was from the beginning. And that's what the book is about. It's about one man's spiral into vampiredom. When the reviewer posted that, I literally got misty. It's the first and only time someone has read one of my books (that I know of) and got out of it exactly what I put into it. That was a nice feeling.

*Who is YOUR favorite Author?  
Depends on my mood. When I want a good thriller it's hard to beat Dan Brown or Michael Crichton. When I want to be scared, Stephen King is tops. A new favorite is Chelsea Cain. Her mystery/thrillers are fantastic. If I'm jonesing for some YA fiction (which does happen from time to time) give me Amanda Hocking, Aprilynne Pike, or Suzanne Collins. If I want fantasy, it's gotta be Daniel Arenson, David Dalglish, or the team of Weis and Hickman.

*What are you reading right now?  
The Trench, by Steve Alten. It's the sequel to his first novel, MEG, which is about a prehistoric 65 foot great white shark. Good stuff. Lots of people getting eaten.

*Tell us your latest news.  
The most current news is that I am working on the next Bachiyr novel. It is called 79 AD and will be released sometime this summer. I will also release The Gallows Tree, which is about a small town in Tennessee that is haunted by the spirit of a young black child who was lynched there in 1959. Also in the works is another short story collection. All three of those projects will be out this year.

*Can you give us a sneak peek into the next installment in the series?  
Well, I like to set my stories around historical events: The Crucifixion, the Iceni rebellion, and the like. In 79 AD, we find Theron hard at work in the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius, trying to figure out a way to make himself immune to fire. (And also to heal the black burn on his hand) By using captured Bachiyr as test subjects, he hopes to cure his hand and eventually solve the problem of his peoples' greatest weakness: the sun. Of course, he doesn't want to help his people. No way. Theron wants the power to walk in the daylight for his own reasons. I may post the prologue on my blog next week, just for the heck of it. (mcafeeland.wordpress.com)

*In addition to The Bachiyr Series (33AD, After, 61AD) and Saying Goodbye to the Sun; you wrote a Zombie book, Nasty Little F!#*ers!  Let's end with a juicy little tidbit about this book...

This is one of my favorite books in my stable. I love NLF because there is nothing complicated or cerebral about it. I was asked by my former publisher to write a gory, B-movie type of monster novel, and that's exactly what NASTY LITTLE F!#*ERS is. It's fast paced, humorous, and very, very icky. I love it. All anyone needs to know about the book is this: Humans vs. Ravenous Insect Larvae. If that weren't bad enough, add some grub-covered zombies to your mental image. Sound good? I hope so. Definitely NOT for everyone, and don't let your kids read it or you are going to have some questions to answer. ;)

The usual rules apply guys, complete all Mandentory tasks and the winner has 24 hours to claim or forfeit!  Goodluck everybody!!

*Teaser* look for Tammy & David to review Nasty Little F!#*ers next week!

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