Back in February we told you that we’d be hosting a special event in March for author Clinton Harding, as part of the blog tour for his latest book Bad Monsters. Well, today is the first day of the tour (click the banner to go to Clinton’s own website and find out more about the book) and we’re kicking off our week of features with one of our ‘This or That’ interviews with the author himself…

Hero or Villain?

My first impulse is to shout hero. Who doesn’t want to save the day, kick some evil ass, and get the girl and the key to the kingdom/city? Then again, the villain gets to be angsty and brooding and is excused for being angry at everything. Plus, there is always a chance a villain can be redeemed and that is a good story, usually. So… Yeah, villain it is.

Pirates or Zombies?

I’ve always been partial to the dashing, swashbuckling rogue. Then there’s the booty… get your mind out the gutter! Let’s go with the pirate. Arrrgh!

Cruiser or Racer?

I’m always going fast. Racer.

Minimalist or Hoarder?

Depends. I need order in my chaotic life. It’s how I write, with detailed notes, charts, and a plan. Yet I hoard novels, comic books, and other cool things. As long as the things are cool, hoarding is acceptable. Plus! Having a huge e-book collection is completely acceptable because that obsession of mine no longer takes up valuable house-space… so says my wife.

Sprint or Marathon?

Life is about the journey, not the destination. Although I’m always rushing to fit everything into my day, sometime it’s nice to relax and the let the day just be. Plus, movie marathons are awesome!  

Popcorn or Chocolate?

Mmmm… popcorn. I’m not much for sweets. Plus, the smell of soy-butter and freshly popped kerns takes me back to my last years in high school when I worked at the local movie theater. Good times.

Half-Empty or Half-Full?

Life is better when the glass is half-full. Then there are those half-empty days.

London or New York?

Never been to either city but I want to visit both. London is higher on my to-do list since it seems much more magical and filled with a richer history.

Cats or Dogs?

Dogs are man’s best friend.

Apples or Oranges?

Apples. Less messy and thus more portable.

Classical or Pop?

Classical. A short piece of classical composition is able to capture more emotion than most flavor-of-the-month pop music. Feelings are good.

Hogwarts or Mallory Towers?

Not sure what or where Mallory Towers is, before my time I guess. Put Hogwarts up against any place and I’ll always choose to head to magical boarding school.

Hermione or Ron?

Hermione. She was always the person Harry could count on. Seems like Ron was always in a mood and running off to sort his own insecurities, you can count on Ron to return but what if one day he comes running back a minute too late?

Cause or Effect?

By nature I’m a worrier. I’m always concerned with the effects of my actions or the reactions to what I write.

Heads or Tails?

Can I flip a coin?

Facebook or Twitter?

Twitter keeps my ramblings to a minimum.

Elf or Dwarf?

Dwarf. These characters tend to possess more ingenuity and they have great beards too.

Text or Talk?

I’m an introvert at heart. Texting allows me to socialize in comfort. It’s quick and I can think about exactly what I want to say.

Reading or Writing?

I should be writing more than I am reading. Writing is more productive for my goals. I write so others may read.

Good Book or Good Film?

Good books always last longer for me and are more fulfilling.  

Vampire or Angel?

There’s something about angels. Perhaps it’s that they’re tragic creatures. Not human. No souls (in most iterations and mythology). Cast aside by their creator in favor of fault-prone (sometimes atheist) monkeys. Monkeys who only ask “save me” or “I need” or “I want” from guardian angels. We’re sitting on a powder keg ready to blow and release razor-sharp wings and heavenly maces of death. Forgot the zombie apocalypse, I’m waiting for pissed-off angelic beings to snap and come down from on high to kick my ass!

James Bond or Jason Bourne?

Bond will always be the superspy. He’s the original suave man-of-action. I’ll have to go with Daniel Craig as my favorite Bond as he’s how I always pictured the character after reading a couple of the Fleming novels.

Drive or Be Driven?

I usually need someone to drive me, especially on long trips. I tend to fall asleep when driving long distances, the cadence of the road always relaxes me. Plus! When I’m not sleeping I can read. I have no problem reading while in the car.

Summer or Winter?

Winter. There are only so many pieces of clothing you can take off when it’s hot before you start offending the Puritans. When it’s cold, you can bundle up with as many blankets as needed. The winter is more romantic too.

Early Bird or Night Owl?

I’m forced to be both. My day job has me up before the rooster at 5:00AM so I can race the sun to the office. Then at night, when everyone is in bed, I get my chance to write. My true nature is as a night owl, those hours of quiet when everyone is in bed.

Quiet Night In or Out On The Town?

Always a night in. Good books. Movie marathons. Board games and video games. Throw in some good friends and you have a good time or enjoy the quiet of solitude. There’s so much to enjoy.

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About Bad Monsters

In Clinton D. Harding’s debut novel “Our Monsters”, Jon Graves and his friends escaped their parents and the military, leaving behind the only home they’d ever known, the small town of Carpenter. But their freedom is short lived as they find themselves in more danger than before they left Carpenter.

“Bad Monsters”—the second book The Our Monsters Chronicles, released March 2014—picked up where its prequel ended. Jon and his friends are on the run and hunted and by General Mauser and his military dogs. Jon can practically feel them breathing down his neck, as the jaws of the military dogs snapping at his heels.

Synopsis Blood is spilled, friendly and not, and now Jon must answer his friends’ questions sooner than later, or risk one of those friends dying. He’s just not sure he’s the person to be deciding their fates or if he, Alice, and George are fully prepared to walk away from their normal lives. 

A farm in northern California may serve as salvation to this scared, but brave, group of teenagers. However, can they trust the inhabitants they find there, who themselves have a history with Carpenter? If Jon can talk his way past the shotgun in his face, he might just discover what he and his friends need; answers about the history of Carpenter, the hybrids, the powers the teens borrow from their hybrids and who are the true monsters. In all this confusion and danger, Jon may also find a young woman who can help heal the wounds left by Mikaila when she left him and the group.

 Pick up “Bad Monsters”, the second installment in The Our Monsters Chronicles, is now available and can be found in e-book and paperback form at major online retailers: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords.

About the Author When Clinton D. Harding is not busy wrestling and taming wild Scottish Terriers in wilderness of Oxnard California, he’s using a magic pen he pulled from a stone to craft new worlds filled with fantastic beasts and evils that need fighting. He is also the author-publisher of The Our Monsters Chronicles, a YA series of novels that combines fantasy/sci-fi elements with horror chills. For more information about Harding and his creations visit his website, like him on Facebook, follow him on Twitter, or become a fan at Goodreads.