Category: author interview

It’s the third and final of my December author interviews. This time it’s the turn of author, poet, and all round author helper, Lily Lawson. Her children’s picture book, Santa’s Early Christmas is no. 17 of my 24 recommended reads this month.

My interview with Lily

I know you as a poet, Lily, so what led you to write a children’s picture book?

I have written a few bits and pieces for children, accidentally you might say, from prompts. I tend to just go with wherever the prompt takes me. My children’s poems were well received so it made sense to explore the possibility of publishing them.

I used to write poems for my parents in their cards. Santa’s Early Christmas started out as a poem for my dad and one of the additional ones as a poem for my mam. The Santa poem has been edited to make it suitable for children. The original one will be a freebie in one of my December editions of Life with Lily.

What a lovely story. Do you think you’ll write more books for children?

There’s another one on the way. It’s at the editing stage. I expect to publish in early 2023. I would like to publish more at some point in the future.

Getting back to you as a poet, will you release any poetry collections in 2023?

I do intend to publish another collection in 2023. I am unsure of the details at the moment but once I have published my next book I will decide.

What have been your favourite reads in 2022?

I will be announcing my Lily award winners and there are some hard choices. Unforgettable by R E Loten, and And then she fell by Dreena Collins both definitely deserve a mention. I have read a lot of poetry this year and a fair few short stories so there is a lot of competition in those categories. I have been surprised at what I have found myself reading at times, I love that.

What does the festive season look like for you and yours?

Nowadays things are much quieter than they used to be. We have simplified things a lot since my childhood Christmas’ of squashing into my nana’s and everyone hosting some sort of celebration. My dad and I will eat Christmas food and catch some festive TV.

Sounds like a lovely Christmas to me. Thanks for talking to my readers, Lily. Here’s to a fabulous festive break for you and your dad.

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If you’d like to find out more about Lily and her writing, here are all the links:

• Lily’s website
• Her Amazon author page
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Goodreads

It’s time for the second of my festive author interviews and today it’s the turn of action and sci fi author, Suzanna Williams. Suzanna is also a good friend and fellow Wales resident.

What’s more her latest novel, Five percent Alien is out today. Five percent Alien is the follow-up to YA sci fi read Ninety Five percent Human which is a personal favourite of mine. Five percent Alien is also today’s book recommendation.

My interview with Suzanna

I read your novel Ninety-five percent Human a few years back now and loved it. I can’t wait to read the follow-up, Five Percent Alien. Without giving up too much information, tell me what I can expect when I get my hands on a copy.

Glad you liked Ninety-five percent Human. In Five percent Alien you can expect:

• More earth-plundering aliens and their spaceships
• More jealous ex’s
• More bad jokes from Jake the robot
• Nan wielding a gun
• A touch of romance
• And another fun party at Joe’s local

Did you enjoy revisiting the characters of Joe and Sarah?

Joe and Sarah have always been special to me. I loved the idea that the farmer from Wales rescues and falls in love with an alien.

Ninety-five percent Human was all about Joe figuring out Sarah’s alien-hybrid secret, and Five percent Alien sees them trying to keep that secret. I have thoroughly enjoyed being really mean to them, throwing them problem after problem and watching them squirm.

But the most fun is getting jokes from Jake the evolving robot. I’m a terrible comedian, so the one-liners in the book must be coming from Jake himself, right?

Ninety-five percent Human and the follow-up novel aren’t your only books. What else have you written?

I also have a YA trilogy called ShockWaves, which is an action thriller. I’m really excited right now because I’ve just had a new book trailer made. I’m not promoting it until the new year, but your readers can have a sneaky preview (click on the image below).

What have been your favourite reads in 2022?

My unexpected favourite book this year has been The Last Whale by Chris Vick. This is an upper middle grade/YA book, but it is sooooooo much more. I was blown away with the storytelling and the important message it holds. Told over three generations of a family in Norway, it’s simultaneously old-fashioned and futuristic, a gentle story yet exciting. Everyone of all ages should read this book. Yes, I’m totally fan-girling. Just read it.

What does the festive season look like for you and yours?

After a few co-vid Christmases where my family have been kept apart, I’m looking forward to getting together with my children and grandchildren this year. We squeeze everyone round our table, eat too much, and invariably end up having a musical play-along on Christmas night.

Alongside the presents and hyped up craziness, Christmas can bring a lot of difficult emotions for many people, so I’d like to wish you and all your readers a healthy, peaceful and prosperous new year filled with many hours of reading wonderful books.

That’s very true, Suzanna. All the best to you and yours this festive season and thank you for talking to my readers today.

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If you’d like to find out more about Suzanna and all her books, here are the links:

• Suzanna’s website
• Amazon author page
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Suzanna’s picture books for children

It’s December and that can only mean one thing – author interviews and plenty of them. Well, actually three of them, starting today with fellow Burning Chair author Andrew Neil MacLeod. Andrew is a writer of dark, gothic, historical tales.

His first novel, The Fall of the House of Thomas Weir, is today’s book recommendation on my social media channels (window no. 7).

His second novel, The Stone of Destiny, was published on Halloween this year.

My interview with Andrew

I thoroughly enjoyed reading your first novel, The Fall of the House of Thomas Weir, with its paranormal slant on historical Edinburgh. Once I get my Christmas money, I’ll be treating myself to the follow up novel. Without giving too much away, what can I expect when I get my hands on a copy of The Stone of Destiny? 

Thank you! In the second novel the canvas broadens, and the two friends embark on their long-anticipated tour of the Scottish Highlands in search of the titular stone. Concocting a cover story that they’re touring around Scotland’s Neolithic sites, they head for Scone, the first stop in a perilous quest to uncover the truth. Of course, they are not the only ones looking, and soon find themselves shadowed by a mysterious religious sect known as the Culdee. It quickly becomes apparent to our heroes that they’ve left behind the cosy certainties of their old lives and entered a realm where dark magic, perverted science and sheer terror lurk around every corner. 

That sounds right up my alley – I can’t wait. How did it feel to revisit the characters of Johnson and Boswell?

In one sense it’s like slipping into an old, familiar pair of slippers. But I can’t get lazy. I wanted to avoid doing a straight homage or pastiche of Holmes and Watson. Ostensibly the parallels are all there: Johnson, like Holmes, is a polymath, and James Boswell is his best friend and biographer. But the real Johnson and Boswell were considerable figures in their own right, and I wanted to do that justice. I also wanted to give them each a character arc, rather than presenting a series of adventures to be read in any order. The biggest challenge was to make their dialogue convincing. Both men were highly erudite and considerable wits, but I didn’t want to make them sound stuffy or elitist.

That’s two books down. Can we expect more from Johnson and Boswell?

I’m already well into their third adventure, in which the cast of characters from books one and two converge in Johnson’s spiritual home of London for the denouement. We also meet Johnson’s deadliest nemesis yet, the mysterious Doctor Cagliostro and his Cabinet of Curiosities. I can even give you a bit of an exclusive, Fi. The third and final part of the trilogy will be called (drum roll…) The Casebook of Johnson and Boswell Vol. III: The Curse of Scotland.

What have been your favourite reads in 2022?

Honestly? Between the day job, doing edits for volume II, and the mentally corroding effects of the internet, I’ve hardly had any time for reading. I have a TBR list as long as my arm, including many fellow indy authors I look forward to reading as soon as I get a moment. When I get some free time this Christmas I also hope to tick some books off my bucket list, including Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea cycle, and Scottish writer George MacDonald, a pioneer of the fantasy genre who inspired writers such as J.R.R. Tolkien and CS Lewis. I’ve already read some of their shorter stories, and look forward to the main course.

What does the festive season look like for you and yours?

We’re a pretty small family unit – just my wife Amber and myself, and a little dog called Alex. We’re big kids at heart, and had our tree up early in November. I’m just looking forward to some down time. We live in the UAE and the weather is perfect this time of year, so I doubt we’ll be traveling back to Scotland any time soon. I’m looking forward to long walks with the dog, some home-cooking, sipping mulled wine on our balcony, and listening to Rod Stewart’s Christmas album in our matching sweaters (okay the last part is a bit of an exaggeration, but not much).

Sounds like a perfect Christmas to me. Thanks, Andrew.

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If you’d like to find out more about Andrew and his novels, here are all the links:

• Andrew’s website
• Amazon author page
• Twitter
• Goodreads

This is the last of my December author interviews, but don’t be too sad because we’re going out with a good one. Pete Oxley is not only a fellow fantasy author but also one of the faces behind those lovely bookish people, Burning Chair Publishing.

Hi Pete. Lovely to see you today. Why don’t you introduce yourself to the readers before we get started?

Hi Fi. Thanks for having me! I’m Pete Oxley, author of the Infernal Aether series of steampunk-inspired dark fantasy novels. I’m also the better looking half of the team at Burning Chair Publishing…

Tell us about your latest book, Pete. What’s it called and what was the inspiration behind it?

My latest book is one I’ve been threatening my readers group with for far too long. It’s called The Great Big Demon Hunting Agency, and is an irreverent spin-off from my Infernal Aether books. It takes place a couple of years after the events of Beyond the Aether and focuses on a couple of characters who were bit-part players in the main series – lovable rogues Spencer and Bart. In terms of inspiration for the book, those two characters were initially just little plot devices, but they muscled their way in to the story time and again, insisting that I give them more air time. I had to cut most of their scenes from the main series – they were too much of a distraction from the main story arc and characters – so I promised myself I’d give them their own proper series when I could. My past few years have been focused on editing and publishing other authors’ books, including your good self, but for my own sanity I still need to write my own stuff now and again. I am in the thick of the final, final draft of this one, so my aim is to get this out in the first few months of 2022. As I say, it’s been much delayed, mainly thanks to us getting Burning Chair up and running, but I’m confident it’ll be worth the wait.

As soon as the book is ready I’ll be letting my readers group know – you can join that on my website, or join the Burning Chair readers group and we’ll again make sure you’re the first to know!

Exciting stuff! Speaking of inspiration, what inspires your writing?

Often it’s something I’ve read or seen which doesn’t quite go as far as my fevered imagination would like it to. My Infernal Aether books were inspired by Pat Mills and Kevin O’Neill’s outstanding comic book series Nemesis the Warlock, and in particular the story The Gothic Empire, which blew my tiny mind as a teenager – the idea of a totally amoral anti-hero got all sorts of things whirring in my brain, especially when  combined with a demonic steampunk world. A few years later, this got mixed with the character Angelis from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and lo and behold: N’yotsu was born!

Like most authors, I’ll usually find that inspiration hits me at the most inconvenient moments – the shower, walking the dogs, in a meeting at work. As a result my study is full of scraps of paper and scrawled notes with random ideas on, most of which are yet to see the light of day. Yet.

Here’s the festive question: If you could have Christmas Dinner with any fictional character, who would it be?

Oooh, good question. I’m a huge Doctor Who fan, so any of their incarnations would be a dream come true for the young kid in me (I’m still refusing to grow up…!). Then again, Harry Paget Flashman (from George MacDonald Fraser’s outrageously good novels) would be huge fun to spend the afternoon with. I suppose it would be cheating to say The Ghost of Christmas Present, simply because I can’t get enough of different Christmas traditions and would happily relive the day over and over? Do I have to choose just one? OK, I’ve got it. It could only be one person: Hartley Kegg, from Haven Wakes – enigmatic, boisterous fun; and if we run out of food, wine or entertainment, he could use his chalk to take us somewhere to replenish!

(How many Brownie points do I earn for that answer? 😊 )

Hartley thanks you for the compliment. Finally, what bookish plans do you have for 2022?

As far as Burning Chair goes, we’ve got an extremely exciting launch schedule already planned, including the latest from someone called Fi Phillips – you might have heard of her? Added to that we have the next volume in Andrew Neil Macleod’s The Casebook of Johnson & Boswell, plus new books from a frankly ridiculous number of talented, hitherto undiscovered authors…!

As for me personally, there’s the first Spencer & Bart adventure, which will certainly spawn more books. I’m also working on a crime heist thriller set in the 18^th century, which I’m aiming to publish in the second half of 2022 and again will be the first of a long series starring a bunch of characters who’ve been clamouring at me to get them on the page for many years now. It’s going to be a challenge, but I’m a big believer in aiming for the stars – in the words of the great Ted Lasso: “Taking on a challenge is a lot like riding a horse… If you’re comfortable doing it, you’re probably doing it wrong.”

Finally, I just want to wish you and your readers a merry Christmas, and a happy and prosperous 2022!

And to you, Pete. Thanks for chatting to me today. I’ll keep an eye out for The Great Big Demon Hunting Agency in the new year.

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If you want to find out more about Pete and his fantastical imaginings, here are the links:

• Website
• Amazon author page
• Twitter
• Facebook

And finally, here’s what I thought of Pete’s novel The Infernal Aether (for 5*).

“If Wilkie Collins, Edgar Allan Poe and Dennis Wheatley wrote a book together, this would be it.

Demons. Victorian Britain. Mystery. Plenty of buckles being swashed. And a cast of likeable, if sometimes broken characters. What more could you ask for?”

The big day is almost here and I’ve still got presents to buy (and wrap). But there are more important things to spend my time on – like interviewing authors for your entertainment. Today, I’m talking to author Claire Wade about her novel, The Choice, and her future writing plans.

Hi Claire. Lovely to see you today. Why don’t you introduce yourself to the readers before we get started?

Hi, I’m Claire Wade, I won the Good Housekeeping Novel Competition in 2018 with my debut novel The Choice and I went on to win the East Anglian Book Award for Fiction. 

I have severe ME and as a result I co-founded the group Authors with Disabilities and Chronic Illnesses (ADCI). I wanted to bring disabled authors together to find support and share experiences. We are campaigning for better accessibility and inclusion within the publishing industry.

Wow, that sounds like an admirable and much-needed campaign.

Tell us about your latest book. What’s it called and what was the inspiration behind it?

The Choice is about a world where sugar is illegal and baking is a crime, it’s basically “The Great British Bake Off” meets “The Handmaid’s Tale”.

It’s set in the near future where Britain is ruled by a matriarchal society and led by the domineering Mother Mason; she wants health and happiness for all but achieves this by enforcing strict food rationing, supermarket weigh-ins and legally-required exercise classes. The Choice follows Olivia, who was forced to quit her successful baking business when the sugar ban came into place. She has two young children and is scared of the extremes the government is willing to go to ensure people remain healthy.

My inspiration came from hearing news stories about the potentially addictive qualities of sugar, I wondered what would happen if this was true and the government made it illegal, like other Class A drugs. I wanted to explore how the world would change and what people like me would do if we were no longer allowed to bake. Food is such an essential part of our celebrations and how we interact with each other, take that away and what is left?

Speaking of inspiration, what inspires your writing?

As a result of my ME, I was bedbound for six years, my only escape was through my imagination. I want to write stories to help other people escape too. I write about people trying to break free from the constraints of their lives, a subject I’m deeply familiar with.

Food plays an important part in all my stories, because it’s a universal language; sharing a meal brings people together in a way that few other things do and it helps us to connect.

Here’s the festive question: If you could have Christmas Dinner with any fictional character, who would it be?

I would love to have Christmas dinner with Molly from “The Secrets Of Hawthorn Place” by Jenni Keer, mainly because I want to go to Hawthorn Place, a quirky Victorian house on the Dorset coast. It’s a truly magical place and would make the perfect setting for Christmas. I’d have to insist on doing the cooking though, because Molly is a nightmare in the kitchen, but that’s okay with me.

Finally, what bookish plans do you have for 2022?

I’m currently working on my next novel. My disability means that writing is a slow process but even a few words a day is progress and a page a day is a novel by the end of the year.

I am also doing a virtual Guest Reading Session for Arvon on Wednesday 26th January at 19:15 GMT via Zoom. 

I will be reading from The Choice, talking about my inspiration, my creative process and how I manage my disability with my writing. I’m really looking forward to it.

That sounds like a brilliant way to begin the new year. Thanks for joining me today, Claire. Wishing you a wonderful festive holiday.

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For all the information you might wish for, here are the links to find out more about Claire and her writing:

• Website
• Amazon author page and book link
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Instagram

Today’s interview is with poet and author Lily Lawson. Lily is very active in the Twitter writing community and a great advocate for fellow authors and poets.

Hi Lily. Lovely to see you today. Why don’t you introduce yourself to the readers before we get started?

Thank you Fi. Lovely to be here. I’m Lily Lawson; a poet, writer, and eternal student. I’m currently taking a year out from my open degree with the Open University. I get my study fix by taking short courses, reading non-fiction, watching webinars, and listening to talks online; social science or anything writing related is my go-to. I fit as much as possible around my degree when I’m at Uni. The only magazine I buy is Psychologies, learning is a serious addiction!

I have self-published two poetry collections My Father’s Daughter and A Taste of What’s to Come. My poetry, short stories and creative non-fiction have been published in anthologies and online most recently with Makarelle.

I love reading. My writing friends have got me back reading poetry books and expanding my fiction horizons. My TBR is the height of a house but I will get through it.

I love chocolate, mugs, American TV and listening to music. I can often be found hanging out on social media or on Zoom. You could say I have communication addiction too!

Tell us about your latest book. What’s it called and what was the inspiration behind it?

My latest poetry book is called A Taste of What’s to Come. The original idea was to bring it out first as eBook only. It is composed of poems that I intended to publish in future books so people got a taste of my poetry. I decided that first books should be memorable and I should be more invested because you can never publish your first book again. I felt My Father’s Daughter would do better and the numbers bear that out. I love both books but I made the right choice. I am glad I did do a paperback as well eventually; it sort of nagged at me that I didn’t in the first place, that won’t happen again.

Speaking of inspiration, what inspires your writing?

Everything! Music, tv, films, a conversation, a book, a blog post, poetry …. the list is endless. Some of my poetry is inspired by my own experiences. Prompts can be very helpful. I do clustering in my mind sometimes. I can’t freewrite; it comes out as a piece of writing or poetry. One of the stories in my upcoming book was a freewrite that I didn’t submit to Uni because it was too much like a story when it came out. My tutor said the one I did submit was too structured; it’s just how it happens for me.

Here’s the festive question: If you could have Christmas Dinner with any fictional character, who would it be?

I am a little torn on this one. I think Hartley would be fascinating but I love the idea of meeting The Darkling (both from Haven Wakes in case anyone doesn’t know). I am not even sure The Darkling can eat but Hartley certainly can. If I have to choose then it has to be Hartley, I bet he has a lot of stories to tell. Being a social scientist and a writer, I would love to talk to him. When I get stuck for conversation, I tend to default to interview mode, he would make a great subject.

Finally, what bookish plans do you have for 2022?

I am currently working on a book of short stories which I will publish next. I have plans for a set of 7 Rainbow Poetry books (one for each colour of the Rainbow) at least one of which should come out in 2022. The kids’ poetry is on the back burner for now. I am a little more realistic about 2022 than I was about 2021. I have learned a lot this year. I think publishing 1 or 2 books a year is a reasonable goal and I would be happy if I can do that.

It sounds like you’ve a lot on next year, Lily. I’ll keep an eye out for your short story collection. Thanks for joining me today.

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If you’d like to find out more about Lily’s writing, here are the links:

• Website
• Amazon author page
• My Father’s Daughter
• A Taste of What’s To Come
• Twitter
• Instagram

And finally, here’s my 5* review of the first of Lily’s poetry collections.

My Father’s Daughter

Memories and moments.

This well-crafted collection of poems features memories and moments that anyone can connect with. From love, to family, to captured moments of just-being.

Beautiful.

I’m back again with another author interview for you in the run up to Christmas. Today it’s the turn of climate fiction author Niki Baker – pen name N R Baker.

Hi Niki. Lovely to see you today. Why don’t you introduce yourself to the readers before we get started?

Thanks so much, Fi. Hi everyone! I’m Niki, an English introvert who found her wings and followed her heart (on an extremely tight budget) to a little forested river valley in rural France. If that sounds like something out of a fairytale, well, it is. Magic is real, if you know where to look for it… but I don’t need to tell that to the author of Haven Wakes!

You definitely don’t, Niki. Tell us about your latest book. What’s it called and what was the inspiration behind it?

My book, 10:59, has been described as an eco-thriller. The central character is an eighteen-year-old called Louis (‘with a wiss, not a wee’) who finds himself working for an organisation that wants to save the world. But when he’s entrusted with the monstrous secret of how they plan to achieve that goal, he – and the reader – must decide whether they’re heroes or villains.

The inspiration for writing 10:59 was what we’re doing to the Earth. Most of us are born into societies based around economic growth at any cost. We might have a sneaking suspicion that we’re trashing the planet, but that’s someone else’s problem, right? When you step away from the rat race and really open your eyes, the fresh perspective is incredible: liberating, enlightening, and scary as hell. That – plus a ton of research and a penchant for sarcastic humour – is behind my novel.

Speaking of inspiration, what inspires your writing?

All sorts of things. Experiences, images, news stories, random thoughts… Okay, mostly random thoughts. I plant all of my ideas in a document on my computer, and some of them grow.

Here’s the festive question: If you could have Christmas Dinner with any fictional character, who would it be?

Excellent question, Fi. There are plenty of fictional characters I’d like to spend time with, but at Christmas it would have to be someone who doesn’t take themselves too seriously, is game for a laugh, and isn’t averse to an alcoholic beverage or three. I think I’d choose Allan Karlsson, the protagonist in Jonas Jonasson’s book The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared. He’s had all kinds of adventures so he’d be a fascinating dinner guest, he defies stereotypes, and he’s open-minded and good fun.

Finally, what bookish plans do you have for 2022?

I absolutely cannot wait to get back to writing, and the amazing reviews from readers of 10:59 are a huge motivation. My partner and I have spent the past two years slaving away in a mill (if we were eighteenth century peasants we’d definitely be revolting by now). Our home is a very dilapidated old paper mill that was in desperate need of some serious TLC, so we’ve had to devote every available moment to restoring windows, laying floorboards and plastering walls. We’ve still got a lot to do, but next year we’ll be able to slacken the pace a bit and I’ve got two half-finished manuscripts that I’m just itching to work on…

Wow, you’ve been busy. I can’t wait to find out what you write next.

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If you’d like to find out more about Niki and her writing, here are all the links you might need:

• Website
• Amazon
• Goodreads
• Twitter
• Facebook

And finally, here’s my 5* review of Niki’s debut novel.

10:59

So ‘now’ it’s astounding. 10:59 makes you think, and that’s putting it lightly. Without wanting to give too much away, it’s a storyline that connects deeply with our ‘now’ in 2020 and the choices that future governments may have to face.

This is a pacy, exciting, thought-provoking cli-fi novel that will stop you in your tracks.

I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Another week (closer to Christmas) and another author interview – this time with my good friend Suzanna Williams.

Hi Suzanna. Lovely to see you today. Why don’t you introduce yourself to the readers before we get started?

Hello Fi, and all your awesome readers.

In preparing this interview, I realised my author photo was taken in 2010! Sending you a picture over ten years out of date seemed like putting a dodgy image on a dating site, so I went in search of a new one. (Note to self: need new author pic)

There are plenty of selfies with the dog on my phone, but even though she’s cute and likes to sit on my writing chair next to me, you probably don’t want to see that.

I also have lots of photos with my family, but readers will want to know that I write YA action adventure with a touch of sci-fi and a twist of romance, not how gorgeous my grandchildren are.

And then I remembered I had a photo with Fi at a reading of Haven Wakes in Chester. It was a great day. Look at our smiling faces. How could we have known that we would all be in lockdown in the middle of a global pandemic just weeks after this was taken?

It was an excellent day and that photo brings it all back.

Tell us about your latest book. What’s it called and what was the inspiration behind it?

I am completing the editing/re-editing stages on the last book in my Shock Waves series, which is called Shock Tactics.

Things have been going steadily worse for my poor hero and heroine throughout the first two books and I wanted them to finally embrace their talents and take down the bad guys once and for all. And I needed to tie up all the loose ends.

There are a couple of new characters in this book that I’ve really enjoyed getting to know, like Lee’s dad who swears all the time in Spanish, and Paige’s uncle who explains the real reason why he abandoned her to the foster care system.

So, Shock Tactics is an end to the series, but also the beginning of a new, hopefully better life for them. After all I’ve put them through, I think they deserve it.  

Here’s a sneak peek at the cover.

Speaking of inspiration, what inspires your writing?

Reading is a great source of inspiration. There is always something in every book you pick up that will spark a series of ‘what-if-they-didn’t-do-that-but-did-this-instead’ thoughts which will often morph into new plot twists for my own writing.

I also have a collection of photographs of fantastical places. Who doesn’t love a hidden space behind a waterfall? Or a house built high in a forest of redwood trees?

Here’s the festive question: If you could have Christmas Dinner with any fictional character, who would it be?

Imagine Christmas in Molly Weasley’s house; pine scented Christmas tree, homely decorations, open fire roaring in the grate.

Molly was a perfect mother figure, not only to her own children but to Harry Potter too, so she’s bound to have cooked up a great spread.

And I might even talk her into using a little after dinner magic.

Love you, Molly. See you on Christmas Day.

Finally, what bookish plans do you have for 2022?

I intend to relaunch/launch the complete ShockWaves trilogy early in 2022.  Watch this space.

A big thank you to Fi for having me on her blog and thank you to everyone reading this.

And just in case you feel cheated you didn’t get a dog pic, here’s my writing buddy.

Thanks for the chat, Suzanna. It’s always good to catch up with you. I’ll keep an eye out for the Shock Waves trilogy in the new year.

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If you’d like to find out more about Suzanna, here are all the useful links:

• Website
• Amazon author page and book links
• Facebook
• Twitter

And here’s my 5* review of Suzanna’s novel.

Ninety-Five Percent Human

This novel very quickly grounds the reader in the reality of Joe’s world – the Welsh landscape, his family farm, the local people – and draws us into his feelings about that world. There is a gentle humour to the book, the kind of banter you get between people that have known each other for a long time.

The book is written in present tense from Joe’s point of view which allows the reader to react and learn along with the character. I liked Joe from the outset. He’s hard working (unlike his medical student brother), responsible (he stays on at the family farm even though he doesn’t want to) and willing to sacrifice himself for not only those he cares about but also the occasional stranger. He’s an all round good guy who doesn’t realise his own self worth at the beginning of the novel. The interactions between Joe and the other teenagers and young people took me back to when I was that age. By the end of the novel, Joe has grown in courage and self assurance.

I have two favourite scenes from the novel that are very different to each other. The first is the party that Joe and Sarah attend. It’s probably one of the first times that Sarah has really relaxed and just been a ‘normal’ teenager.

My second favourite scene is the UFO sighting at the local pub. I love the characters’ reactions, cementing the personalities that have already been built up in previous chapters, but also it’s good to see Joe and Sarah’s plan come together, for once.

Ninety-Five Percent Human is a well written, insightful novel that mixes up the reality of our world (and Joe’s) with the concept of alien life forms and advanced technology into a believable and enjoyable read.

Today’s author interview is with author and poet, Richard Wall. He’s also a creator of short stories and has turned his hand to writing songs, sleeve notes, and album reviews for indie musicians. His literary creations reflect his life-long fascination with the dark underbelly of American culture.

Hi Richard. Lovely to see you today. Why don’t you introduce yourself to the readers before we get started?

Thanks for inviting me to take part. I’m Richard Wall, author of the novels Fat Man Blues, Near Death, a bunch of short stories and poems, and a very occasional blog page.

Tell us about your latest book. What’s it called and what was the inspiration behind it?

My latest book is the one that is being written as we speak. Its working title is Born Again and it’s the sequel to my second novel Near Death (see what I did there?). Born Again is set in South Carolina in 1969 and begins with the arrest of John Henry Beauregard following the grisly discovery of a dead body near his cabin in the mountains. The story follows John Henry as he tries to find a killer who seems to be controlled from beyond the grave. 

The story features the return of some characters from Near Death, as well as introducing new ones, including a voodoo priestess from Louisiana. Oh, and it has fast cars and blues music, too.

Speaking of inspiration, what inspires your writing?

It could be anything; a conversation in a bar in Clarksdale Mississippi sparked the first chapter of Fat Man Blues. A simple ‘what if’ question triggered Near Death. Driving to work one day a few years ago I was thinking about nonsense poetry when the line ’Thomas Green The Submarine’ popped in my head. That became a dark monologue which has since been narrated by Hull musician Half Deaf Clatch. 

Also, reading (the verb, not the city).  

Here’s the festive question: If you could have Christmas Dinner with any fictional character, who would it be?

I’m such a voracious reader that I have a wealth of fictional characters I would love to meet. 

I would love to sit down for a meal with Burke, the anti-hero of the dark crime novels written by Andrew Vachss. The meal would be at Mama’s Chinese resturant in New York, sitting at the booth which doubles as Burke’s ‘office’.

Equally I think Tom Joad, hero of The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, would make an interesting companion.

  Finally, what bookish plans do you have for 2022?

I’m hoping that Born Again will be finished and in a fit state to be pitched to a certain independent publisher. I also have an idea to compile all of my short stories and poetry into paperback form – working title: ’Nicotine, Liquor & Blasphemy’.

Thanks for talking to me today, Richard. I’ll definitely keep an eye out for Born Again.

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If you’d like to find out more about Richard and his books, here are all the useful links you might need:

• Website
• Amazon Author Page
• Twitter

And finally, here’s my 5* review of Richard’s novel.

Near Death

“I do love a horror novel with teeth, and Near Death is certainly that. I expected complex, flawed characters and I wasn’t disappointed in John Henry Beauregard, a prison chaplain still haunted by his experience of the Korean war.

Near Death is a novel of parts – our first introduction to the murderous Joseph Hickey, John Henry’s attempt to leave his years as a prison chaplain behind, what happens in New York, tragedy, and the final showdown. Each part serves what is to come and adds depth to the world of the novel.

What stood out most for me was the character of Joseph Hickey. Vile. Dangerous beyond reckoning. Seemingly unstoppable. If anything is going to get a reaction out of the reader, it’s him.

I enjoyed reading this novel immensely and want more books please from Richard Wall.”