BLOOD WORTH by D. B. McKenzie was released in March, and we’ve caught up with D. B. for an interview! Find out about what inspired the world of BLOOD WORTH and learn more about what is to come next for Devon and Tara.
You can pick up BLOOD WORTH direct from our site, or if you’d like a paperback, it’s available on Amazon in all localities, as well as Barnes & Noble, where you can find the hard cover.
BLOOD WORTH by D. B McKenzie was released in March of this year; it is a spooky urban mystery surrounding an unassuming little town that is dominated by the corporation known as The Centre. We’re interviewing the author, D. B McKenzie to find out a bit more about the book itself and the creative process that resulted in this awesome novel.
Hi there D. B, and congratulations on the publication of your novel! Your character, Devon, is very sweet and sensitive, but also has incredible strength to get through what he experiences before and during the story. Where did you find the inspiration for his character?
Thank you so much for giving me the chance to get my book out there. The inspiration for Devon actually came from both my grandmother and my mother, hence the name which is a direct reference to my nan. They’re both ladies with spines of steel and hearts of gold. I wanted to capture them in a character and I got Devon.
Do you think Devon will ever be reunited with his family and be accepted by them, or will he continue to be on the run from them?
At the moment, there is no resolution planned. I’m not saying it won’t happen because I’m still on Book Two, but Devon needs some time to decide if the relationship with his family is one worth fighting for.
At The Centre, Devon meets Tara, a girl with a somewhat mysterious background who quickly becomes his close friend. Tara is almost the polar opposite of Devon, but they clicked together so well and their friendship feels so genuine. Do you intend to write a book about Tara’s story?
I actually do. I adore Tara and I’d love for people to learn her story, so it’s very possible that there’s a Tara centric story coming in the future.
When you were writing BLOOD WORTH, what was your process like? Did you have everything planned from the start, or did the mystery reveal itself to you slowly as you completed the manuscript?
I had absolutely no clue where this story was going. I’m not a planner in any shape or form. I just went where the characters wanted me to go.
Are you a fan of mystery novels yourself? What sort of books do you read and do you have any favourite authors?
I will read just about anything, but if we’re talking all time favourite, I adore a good mythologically influenced book. I adored the Percy Jackson series and I’m actually hoping to read more like it in the future.
If the world of BLOOD WORTH was real life and there were Centres all over the world, do you think you would consider donating blood there yourself?
I think anyone could get pulled into the Centre, myself included. It’s the illusion of the freedom you could have with all the money that gets you and you won’t know you’re in too deep until you can’t back out.
Big corporations like The Centre have a lot of power in our reality, yet at the same time, there is something about them that inspires fear in a lot of people? Why do you think that is, and what is it that is so scary about them?
The unknown is terrifying. I think the knowledge that these corporations effectively control so much of our everyday life without us ever having a glimpse of the man behind the curtain is what’s scary.
I did a little googling and found that Sudbury, Massachusetts is a real place. It’s very small, green and rural, and has a kind of British countryside feel to it. What made you choose Sudbury as the setting for your novel?
I actually chose it because of the imagery. I saw a picture of it long before I wrote the novel and it just wrote itself in.
If BLOOD WORTH was made into a TV show or movie, who would you like to direct it? Which actors would you choose to play the main characters?
I’m not a big follower of directors but for actors, I’d have to say, Oscar Isaac as Gabriel, John Boyega as Devon and Lupita Nyong’o as Tara.
Lastly, do you have any upcoming projects that you’re working on? Will we meet Devon and Tara again in your future work?
I’m actually in the process of writing a few new things and this time I’m forcing myself to plot out the story of book two of Blood Worth, so you’ll definitely be seeing everyone again soon.
Thankyou D. B. for taking the time to answer my questions!
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