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As a book bloggin’ and book luvin’ Princess, I’m always
curious to find out how authors got the ideas for their books. Can you tell us how you got the idea to write
your book?
There were two main sources of inspiration for Phantom
Audition. Firstly, the idea of an actor taking advice on roles from a
medium comes from the late, great Peter Sellers, who did exactly that in real
life. In the novel, protagonist Mia Yardley’s late husband Steven, a famous
actor, took a film role playing famous abstract artist Edward Bingley, who like
Steven committed suicide in mysterious circumstances. When Mia discovers Steven
took this role on the advice of a medium, she comes to suspect her husband may
have buried himself in the role a little too much, to the point where
supernatural forces were involved.
The second source of inspiration for Phantom Audition
is A Fantastic Woman. This Chilean film, which won Best Foreign Film at
the 2018 Oscars, might at first appear an odd choice as an influence on Phantom
Audition. Nonetheless, it actually provided the initial spark that
launched the idea for the novel. The story concerns a transgender woman dealing
with the death of her partner, finding herself isolated and ostracised by his
family. The film has a dreamlike, magical realist quality to it, and even at times
becomes a bit like a thriller (there’s a mysterious key which her partner left,
for example). Moreover, there is something of a descent into the
underworld/death and rebirth metaphor in the film, a story arc which is very
much echoed in my novel. One image particularly leapt out at me – that of a
ghostly vision of the dead partner staring out at her from a crowded nightclub
dance floor amid strobe lights. It’s an image I actually nicked, sorry, “paid
homage” to.
Can you tell us a little about the main
characters of your book?
Mia is a woman isolated by grief, surrounded by hostile
staff and relatives (including Steven’s sister Jemima). They look down their
nose at her, thinking her unworthy of inheriting the Yardley ancestral Jacobean
mansion. The house intimidates and unnerves Mia, and she is desperately trying
to rediscover who she is, to escape her late husband’s shadow.
In flashbacks, Steven is introduced. He appears charming at first, but did his later behaviour (mirroring that of Edward Bingley) reveal his true character, or was something more sinister responsible for his descent into drug addicted hedonism?
In flashbacks, Steven is introduced. He appears charming at first, but did his later behaviour (mirroring that of Edward Bingley) reveal his true character, or was something more sinister responsible for his descent into drug addicted hedonism?
Other key characters include Mia’s loyal best friend
Bronwyn, who helps investigate Steven’s suicide, the enigmatic Etta Amble, the
medium Steven consulted, and Verity, a member of Mia’s staff who may just have
a few dark secrets of her own. Lurking behind the main story is the past
relationship between Edward Bingley and his fellow artist Horace Bailey. Were
they the best of friends, as everyone thought? Or was Bailey secretly jealous
of Bingley’s immense success?
If you could tell your younger writing self anything,
what would that be?
Stop wasting time going out to night clubs because you’re
worried about being thought of as unsociable. Instead, save your money, read
more books, watch more films, and learn not to give an airborne fornication
about what anyone else thinks.
What would you say is one of your interesting writing
quirks?
I suppose despite being promiscuous with genres,
thematically there are certain ideas I explore again and again - abuse of power
and religious oppression being two prime examples.
Do you hear from your readers? What do they say?
Most of the feedback I get from readers is very enthusiastic
and encouraging. I’ve had a few bad reviews, but most of these are actually
good reviews in disguise - ie people who found my books too disturbing or
upsetting. At least they weren’t bored!
What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author?
When I wrote my second novel, a person who beta-read it
advised me to “put it through the shredder”. My first three novels will rightly
never see the light of day.
What has been your best accomplishment?
In literary terms? Probably getting published by a traditional
publisher. Dragon Soul Press have released three of my gothic mysteries - Spectre
of Springwell Forest, The Irresistible Summons, and Phantom
Audition.
Do you Google yourself?
Of course. Anyone who says they don’t is lying.
How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
Not counting the afore-mentioned first three novels, I have
ten unpublished novels sitting in various states of disrepair. Nothing is half-finished,
but some are only at first draft stage. I’ve got one dystopian future shock
satire, five fantasy tales, one very dark children’s fairy tale, one
detective/horror hybrid, one thriller, and one contemporary satire. I’ve also
got three other short stories (sci-fi romance, horror, and noir satire), and
one novella (horror/sci-fi) lurking in my unreleased archives. Some of these
might never be released, but who knows?
Next year I’m writing another gothic mystery, which I’m very
excited about. I’ve got a killer ending which I am bursting to tell you, but
obviously I’ll restrain myself.
I’d make using phones in cinemas a criminal offence.
Seriously, all those pesky light-polluting screens drive me insane and completely
break the spell of the film. Show some proper consideration and turn it off!
Do you have anything specific that you would like to say
to your readers?
Thank you very much for reading my novels. I hope you enjoy Phantom
Audition as much as the other gothic mysteries I’ve written. Also please
leave reviews! This isn’t because I’m terribly insecure and require constant
affirmation. It’s because reviews make those algorithms on Amazon show my work
to more people. Reviews are bread and butter to relative unknowns like yours
truly, and they really help. They don’t have to be long or eloquent; a simple
“I enjoyed it” is fine. Thank you to everyone who has left reviews. I really
appreciate every single one.
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