Sunday, December 15, 2013

Book Tour: Intelligenz by Lloyd Blake with author interview


Title: Intelligenz (The Dark Atlanta Series)
Author: Lloyd Blake
Genre: Science Fiction
Atlanta, Georgia. Something disturbing is happening at one of America's most successful tech companies. A girl is found dead in her home shower cubicle. A home linked to the Intelligenz corporation network of technologically advanced gated communities. This suspicious death, in a world where everything is scrutinised by the media, sets off unprecedented interest.

A young rookie journalist, Clara Flockhart, is assigned by her chief editor, Eric Nash, to investigate the strange happenings at the Intelligenz compound. An assignment that will plunge her into the unknown and lead her straight to the man whose company is being rocked by events outside of his control, Brandon Bloomfield.

At the same time, a young college dropout, Karl Jones, has his own suspicions about the recent death and the gated community that has overtaken his neighbourhood. Suspicions that will see him undertake his own exploration of the Intelligenz compound, he calls the fortress.

As the body count climbs and the nanotechnology, Intelligenz has secretly guarded, comes under scrutiny, the mysterious riddle as to what is actually happening deepens.

Is there a saboteur lurking within the corridors of the fastest growing company in America's corporate history?
Or does the darkness come from an unlikely source.

Excerpt #2
Clara and Karl meet and it is here where Clara shockingly discovers all is not as it seems within the Intelligenz gated community

Examining the guy’s every move, Clara found it hard to believe he was being serious. He had come armed with a gun and the rucksack on his back, she knew, could only be used to carry the small handheld devices that breathed life into the revolutionary Intelligenz product experience. “So you came here to ask me if you could borrow some sugar - why are you here!”

The young man shot an angry glare at her. “I was chased here!”

Clara’s body went rigid as the man’s loud voice echoed down the hallway.

He drew in a huge breath, raising worried watery eyes skyward. “I was running.” He paused. “Trying to escape from those machines. They were trying to kill us you know.” His eyes were like saucers, whizzing around the entire hallway. “This whole damn place is trying to kill us.”

Perplexed by his words, Clara wondered whether the young man in front of her was delusional or mad. She eyed him closely. The more she looked beyond his athletic physique, she saw a frightened young boy. However, the journalist in her wanted to know why he felt this way. “What do you mean this whole place is trying to kill us?”

The young man leant forward, a fearful glint in his eyes. “Open your eyes lady. Can’t you see what’s going on here.” He raised both hands in the air. “This whole place - in fact this whole company is fucked up!”

Clara looked away, breaking eye contact. It had somewhat thrown her to meet another person who had doubts about Intelligenz.

The man dropped his hands down on his knees, rolling his eyes. “I guess you can’t see it. You’re too wrapped in your own shit, that you can’t see what’s going on around you. The only thing that concerns you on a day to day basis, are what colour shoes is going to go with your nails.”

Shaking her head, Clara laughed, inwardly offended. “You’re wrong. I’m not some airhead who doesn’t pay attention to my surroundings. In fact, I completely understand where you’re coming from.”
Well understand this.” The young man pointed a forefinger at her. “I witnessed murders tonight. Murders, right here in this fucking fortress.”

The serious look on the young man’s face sent a shiver down her entire body. Clara couldn’t quite believe what he had said. “What?”

I saw a family of four killed in their house. A house not far from here.”

Clara quickly moved a hand toward the com-band on her left wrist, discreetly engaging the record button. She now realised the severity of the situation. “You say you saw a family killed in their house? When? When did these murders happen?”

The man glanced at his com-band. “Like three, four hours ago.”

Clara shook her head, still unconvinced the man was telling the truth. “How did you witness this? Did you see who did it?” Before the young man could even explain, Clara had put two and two together and was glaring at the gun she held in her hand. Dropping it to the floor, she gasped, shifting her body away from the silver semi-automatic. “It was you!”

Furious, Karl swallowed hard, shaking his head, throwing his arms out. “No Lady! No! It wasn’t me!”
The young woman looked fraught with fear as she locked eyes with the gun and Karl sensed she didn’t trust him at all.

She glared at him now, blue eyes flittering as if soaking up a disturbing realisation. Her head was now shaking, covering her face in thinly twisted braids.

I did nothing! You must believe me!”

She quickly moved the stylish braids over her left ear, a stern look highlighting her defined cheekbones. “If you didn’t, then who did!”

This place did!” Karl declared, slamming a fist into the ground. “This piece of crap you call home killed them!”

The woman gasped and her face went rigid, mouth agape. Karl sensed his words had cut her like a knife through flesh. He hoped she no longer viewed him as a potential murderer.

Her frozen expression suddenly changed. She looked perplexed. “How?”

Karl glared into her deep blue eyes. Those eyes that craved answers. He breathed in and then exhaled. “They were killed in their game simulation room. They were playing some game in there, like they were in an African jungle or something, and then out of nowhere, the game turned on them.” Karl found his heart rate accelerating with every passing second. “I couldn’t quite believe it myself, but all of a sudden chimps were attacking the young kids, and before I knew it they were being eaten by lions - and the parents too.” Reliving the terrible events, made the shocking reality of what had happened that much harder to deny. “It was horrible. The worst thing I’ve ever seen.”

Author Interview: 

Can you tell us about your book, Intelligenz, in 10 words or less?

A high concept character driven sci/fi thriller. Action packed extravaganza.

How long did it take you to write Intelligenz?

It took me around 18 months to write.

What was your favorite scene?

There were many scenes I enjoyed writing, but my favorite scene is when all the main characters come together in the science lab inside the state prison. The events that follow in that scene are climactic, tense and extremely revealing. I liked having all those characters in one place and shifting from one to the next having to take on all their character traits in one scene.

If you could cast anyone to play the main characters who would you choose?

I’ve always had certain actors in my head and this is also all on my website. I’d like Justin Timberlake to play Hector McBride, the misunderstood yet deadly scientist. I could see Jennifer Lawrence in the role of the young journalist Clara Flockhart. T.I the rapper could play Brandon Bloomfield as they are both from Georgia State and have that southern charm. Kerry Washington would play clinical psychologist Velma Brown. Karl Jones, the assertive teen could be played by Michael B Jordan.

What is currently in your to be read pile?

I haven’t got round to reading Doctor Sleep by Stephen King. Dark places by Gillian Flynn is also on that list.

Chocolate or Vanilla?

It has got to be chocolate.

The hunger games or mortal instruments?

The hunger games for me.

Coffee of tea?

A nice cup of tea. I’m from England.

Celebrity crush?

When I was growing up it was Brandy the singer. I grew up with her music. She has such a great voice and is very beautiful.

Chinese or Italian?

I really like Italian food.

Ebooks or hardcopies?

Ebooks are starting to make sense to me now.




Author Bio

Lloyd hails from London, UK, and has always been fascinated by the power of words and books. As a child he engrossed himself in books, his favourite author being Roald Dahl. Years later, he was reading his brothers X-men, Spiderman, and all other super hero comics. Soon after, he would try his hand at writing short stories, mostly grizzly stories dripping with horror elements.

It wasn’t until he was at university studying business and marketing, he decided to fulfil his lifelong ambition of writing a full length novel. ‘The fight for Naturah’ was born, a science fiction fantasy epic set in a parallel universe. The idea for his second novel sprung from the technological revolution that has immersed our world – what with social media, the internet, and the proliferation of gadgets and gizmos to aid our lives. The dark Atlanta series: Intelligenz, is the first book of an intended series and is a science fiction psychological thriller that examines the perils of our fascination with technology. The first book is published through shiftingpaperpublishing.

Lloyd will soon start work on the next instalment, so watch this space…


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