Interview and Giveaway with Kady Cross

Kady Cross

Maidens, we'd like you to meet Kady Cross.  She writes the wonderful YA/Steampunk series "The Steampunk Chronicles".  The second book THE GIRL IN THE CLOCKWORK COLLAR is out today, and these are not just awesome covers, but awesome books.  Please help us welcome her to UTC.

If you could describe your Steampunk Chronicles series in five words, what would they be?

Historical teen X-Men with gadgets.

What can you tell us about your upcoming release The Girl in the Clockwork Collar?
It picks up two weeks after The Girl in the Steel Corset. Griffin, Finley, Sam and Emily go to New York to rescue Jasper, who now finds himself a prisoner of a former outlaw acquaintance named Reno Dalton. Dalton blackmails Jasper into assembling a machine that could give Dalton access to any place he wants by threatening the life of the one girl Jasper hasever loved.

Have you started on your third book in the Steampunk Chronicles series, and what can you tell us about it...will Jack Dandy make an appearance?

I am writing the 3rd book, tentatively titled The Girl with the Iron Touch now. It's going to be Emily and Sam's book, but there will be plenty of Griffin, Finley and Jasper, as well as Jack Dandy, yes. I can't say too much as it's not finished, but it involves automatons, phantom-foes and some romance. ;-)

I love the love triangle that has developed betwee Griffin, Finley and Jack...do you know who will win her heart in the end? *fingers crossed for Griff*

Yes! lol. I think it will become very clear to readers in the second book who is going to be the guy for Finley. Besides, I have plans to give Jack his own book. I think he and Finley are destined to be more like best friends than romantic partners.

You also write under the name Kathryn Smith and write adult romances, what drew to write a YA steampunk series?
I wrote 2 YA romances for Avon years ago as Kathryn Smith, and have wanted to write more teen books ever since. When a former editor of mine contacted me about writing a new series for Harlequin Teen I jumped at the chance. I immediately knew I wanted to combine my love of scifi and fantasy with my love of the Victorian era.

Is a lot of research into the Victorian era needed to be able to write this series? And how easy is it to know what parts of history to do a steam punk make over on?
A lot of research is necessary, yes. You need to know about the world and the Victorians as a people before you can determine what to play with. Fortunately, the Victorians were really into science and technology -- they were excited about scientific advancement. Plus, they came up with some really crazy inventions, so that makes the steampunk part so much easier. I just go with whatever feels right for the book.

Finley and Emily are hosting a dinner party. If given the chance to invite characters from other series, who would they invite?

Oh dear! That's a difficult question. They would invite Dorian Gray from The Picture of Dorian Gray because Emily would like to study him. Finley would invite Dr. Jekyll so she could learn more about her father. I think they might invite Jane Eyre because she was a strong-willed girl who would be friends with them both. Probably Lizzie Bennett from Pride and Prejudice as well.

If you had only $20 left in your purse, what would you buy?
Knowing me, a lipstick! lol. And probably some ice cream or pretzel bites. Totally unhealthy and delicious.

If you could spend the day with one of your characters, who would you pick and why? 

Hmmm. That's so hard to choose! I think I'd want to hang out with Jack, just to see what sort of trouble we could get into -- and out of! Plus, he adores me. lol

Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy writing schedule to spend time with us and answer our questions!

Author Bio:

Kady Cross is a pseudonum for USA Today bestselling author Kathryn Smith. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and a pride of cats.  She likes singing with Rock Band on the 360, British guys, Vietnamese food, and makeup (she's hopelessly addicted to YouTube makeup tutorials!). When she's not writing Kady likes to catchup on her favorite TV shows, read a good book or make her own cosmetics.

Check out the THE GIRL IN THE CLOCKWORK COLLAR Playlist: here

You know you want this!!!  We have a signed copy of The Girl in the Clockwork Collar up for grabs!

In New York City, 1897, life has never been more thrilling - or dangerous.

Sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne and her "straynge band of mysfits" have journeyed from London to America to rescue their friend Jasper, hauled off by bounty hunters. But Jasper is in the clutches of a devious former friend demanding a trade-the dangerous device Jasper stole from him...for the life of the girl Jasper loves.

One false move from Jasper and the strange clockwork collar around Mei's neck tightens. And tightens.

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ARC Review: The Girl in the Clockwork Collar by Kady Cross

The Girl in the Clockwork Collar

by Kady Cross

(Steampunk Chronicles # 2)

Jasper Renn's past has finally caught up with him. Leaving his friends in England he returns to America to face charges of murder. Instead he finds himself being taken to an old friend turned ruthless enemy, who is threatening the girl he loves unless he returns a device he stole from him. A device that could be very dangerous in criminal hands. But Finley, Griffin and the gang are close behind determined to get to the bottom of the murder charges and help their friend. But when Finley infilitrates the criminal's gang Griff can't help but worry if her dark side will stop her from returning...

This was such a fun read. It had adventure, dastardly criminals and some fabulous dresses! I know the cover for this book isn't as striking as The Girl in the Steel Corset, but don't let that put you off, if anything I would say this book was slightly better.

I enjoyed this one a little more then the first one as I found the plot line a little more interesting, it was not only exciting but also gave us insight in to one of the characters, Jasper's, past. And, although I had guessed some of the revealations fairly early on in the book, I was still eager to turn the page and see what happened.

One of the other reasons I was eagerly turning pages was the relationship between Finley and Griffin. Watching them work out their feelings about each other and watching Finley struggle with her choices as both sides of her personality are starting to entwine was as interesting as seeing what would happen next with Jasper. However, this book does have a little love triangle and I can't wait to read the next book to see what the absent Jack has in store for them when they reach England again.

This was a great book, the characters are interesting and the plot was fast paced and I will definately be grabbing the next book when it comes out.   

Purchase Links: Amazon

Review: The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

The Girl in the Steel Corset (The Steampunk Chronicles #1)

By Kady Cross

Steampunk/Young Adult

Find it on Goodreads!

I wasn't expecting to like this book as much as I did, I am not a fan of Young Adult books. At all. They usually consist of teenage girls whinging about how they are different and don't fit in and blah blah blah, if I wanted to listen about that, I wold just speak to my little sister! But what creeps me out most about YA? The 200 year old vampire getting together with a 16 year old girl, it is like a dirty old man's wet dream! Annnnnnyway moving on to The Girl in the Steel Corset I did like it, it had none of the usual elements (as listed above!) that inspire me to throw the book across the room, jump up and down on it and then toast marshmallows over it.

If you have read The Strange Case of Finley Jayne then you will be familiar with Finley Jayne, and recognise Griffin King, Duke of Greythorn, the main characters in this book. Griffin taks Finley in when she is fleeing (quite literally) from another job and almost runs her over. She soon discovers that Griff leads a band of Misfits each with their own extraordinairy powers, Sam with his amazing strength and healling abilities, Emily a genuis with machines, Jasper the quickest man in the West, and then Grfiin himself who has power over the Aether. Is this a place where Finley can fit in, she also has strange and frightening powers and bad case of split personality disorder! But they have bigger threats to face when the discover that a mad man named The Machinist is plotting against the Queen and they may be the only people able to stop him.

I really liked the world the Kady Cross has created, steampunk is such a fascinating genre and can incorporate many strange and wonderful things, and this book was full of strange and wonderful things. Like the steel corset in the title, although it wasn't in it that often it was a great invention, a bullet proof corset, and of course it made a very eye catching title.

Although this book was mostly staged around Griff and Finley, what was great about this book was that the other characters in the grop weren't just ignored or just given token appearences, Sam, Emily and Jasper, were all given time and had their own insecurities and strengths; you got to know them well. I think the whole group had a great dynamic which I hope she improves on in the next book. There was also a little romance in this book, or atleast some potential romance, but in the form of not one but two emerging love triangles! Sam-Emily-Jasper and Griff-Finley-Jack Dandy, I am not a massive fan of love triangles so I am hoping that it won't be dragged out too long, although it probably will!

The only thing that I thought was weak was that The Machinist plot, I knew exactly who he was and what he was plannning early on in the book and couldn't understand why they didn't catch on as well. It was still fun to read along as there were soem good action scenes but it was frustrating when it was so damn obvious!

This was a good fun read, it was entertaining and I enjoyed the steampunk aspects of the book as well as the characters, I will definately be reading the next one when it comes out!

Favourite Quotes

...Griffin King could hurt her, as well, and he hadn't. Instead of using force or violence against her, he used patience and understanding. She had no defense against that.

~

For a moment she thought to remind him that showing off his naked skin to a young woman was highly improper, but then another part of her told her to keep her mouth shut and enjoy the view, so that was what she did.

Review: The Stange Case of Finley Jayne by Kady Cross

The Strange Case of Finley Jayne (The Steampunk Chronicles #0.5)

By Kady Cross

Steampunk & Young Adult

Find it on Goodreads!

I haven't read that many steampunk books but I have read a few, and this is definately my favourite one of the (rather small) pile. Steampunk isn't a widely known genre, so to help along here is the wikipedia, oh great holder of all knowledge's, definition:

"...steampunk involves an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century and often Victorian era Britain—that incorporates prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy. Works of steampunk often feature anachronistic technology or futuristic innovations as Victorians may have envisioned them; in other words, based on a Victorian perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, art, etc. This technology may include such fictional machines as those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne or real technologies like the computer but developed earlier in an alternate history."

So basically it is corsets meets cogs, with has some surprisingly good fashion results! After finishing it I immdiatley went on the net and started looking for corsets, shitkickers and stripy stockings!

Anyways, I think I am going off on a slight tangent there! So lets talk about the book. It is about the 16 year old Finley Jayne, she isn't quite like other girls, it is like she has two people inside her, the good Finley and the bad Finley. The bad Finley has almost superhuman strength, senses and reflexes and often takes over when Finley is threatened or afraid, which unfortunately for her has led to her being sacked twice. But she has just had a very strange and too good to be true job offer, which she takes as she has little choice, and like all thinsg that are too good to be true...it is.

This was a great short story that paves the way for the next book The Girl in the Steel Corset, it introduces us to the steampun London that Kady Cross has created and to the main character of Finley Jayne. I really liked Finley, both halfs of her, she was smart and I imagine plenty of teenagers would identify with her and her struggle with her own body and mind.

The mystery was also good, gruesome and gothic exactly like something I imagine you would find in a Victorian gothic novel!

This was a great short read and has left me really wanting to get started on The Girl in the Steel Corset!