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I am very happy today to have Guy Portman author of two great novels: Charles Middleworth and Necropolis visit Fiction Favorites.
Guy’s latest novel Necropolis, released on April 24th is a humorous work of dark Fiction about a sociopath, who works in the Burials and Cemeteries department in his local council. This is the Blurb:
Dyson Devereux works in the Burials and Cemeteries department in his local council. Dyson is intelligent, incisive and informed. He is also a sociopath. Dyson’s contempt for the bureaucracy and banality of his workplace provides ample refuge for his mordant wit. But the prevalence of Essex Cherubs adorning the headstones of Newton New Cemetery is starting to get on his nerves.
When an opportunity presents itself will Dyson seize his chance and find freedom, or is his destiny to be a life of toil in Burials and Cemeteries?
Brutal, bleak and darkly comical, Necropolis is a savage indictment of the politically correct, health and safety obsessed world in which we live.
Guy is also the author of, Charles Middleworth, the critically acclaimed fictional story about an actuary, who has his existence turned upside down by sinister forces that he can neither understand nor control.
John: Guy currently resides in London, where he was born. He studied for a B.A. in Theology at Kings College London, a subject he chose out of interest rather than any religious persuasion. He also has an M.A. in Sport and Leisure Management. His working life has included being employed in academic research and the sports industry, where he spent several years at a Premier League Football club. He has traveled extensively, living and working in both Sydney and Tokyo. Besides writing and promoting his work, Guy enjoys reading a wide variety of books, reviews of which can be found in the review section of his blog which you can visit HERE. His other interests include sport and social media.
So without further hesitation I want to welcome you, Guy Portman to Fiction Favorites. Please pull up a chair and make yourself comfortable. First of all, thank you for agreeing to an author interview on my blog.
Guy: Thank you John. I have been looking forward to our interview. I must say a virtual trip to the US is preferable to the long flight on British Airways, and infinitely better to a flight on Delta Air. I am enjoying the view of the sea from your studio.
John: Yes the sea is very relaxing. Thank you for referring to my dining room as my studio. Can I get you anything to eat or drink? A Margarita perhaps?
Guy: I would love to sample one of your famous Margaritas.
John: Here you are, I hope you enjoy. Well, now that we are comfortable, I have some questions that I’m sure readers would want to know about you and your books. The first is on the subject of your latest book Necropolis. What was the inspiration for such a tale about a worker in a Burials and Cemeteries department?
Guy: I had an overwhelming desire to write a satire/black comedy. Necropolis provided me the opportunity to do both. The fact Dyson is based in the public sector allowed me to satirise (Guy is English after all ) bureaucracy, political correctness and the interference of central government in local government affairs. The fact Necropolis is based in a Burials and Cemeteries department provided a perfect setting for a black comedy.
John: I would say that sounds like the perfect setting for a black comedy. In contrast, Charles Middleworth is a bit of what could be considered light humor. What caused you to try a little darker side in Necropolis?
Guy: I believe that I have a caustic wit, and that writing Necropolis would provide me ample refuge for it. In addition to this I have read a great deal of black comedy and Transgressive Fiction in recent years, which has no doubt influenced my writing.
John: How much of the character, Dyson Devereux in Necropolis is Guy Portman or the other way around?
Guy: Dyson Devereux is a sociopath. I am not. However there are some similarities between Dyson and I. Like Dyson, I am charming and good-looking. You’re not posting a photograph of me with this post are you John?
John: No guy I’m not posting a photograph.
Guy: You’re not – phew. What Dyson and I definitely share is a dry sense of humour and a degree of cynicism.
John: Thinking now of your two books: Charles Middleworth and Necropolis was one easier to write than the other. If not do you have a favorite between the two?
Guy: Charles Middleworth was much more difficult to write, as it was my first book.
John: I can certainly understand the first seems to be the roughest. About your writing process, could you give us an idea of what your average day looks like as it relates to writing?
Guy: It varies from day-to-day. When I started writing Necropolis, I only wrote for about an hour a day – five days a week, but my writing efforts soon escalated to four or five hours a day, as I was so enthusiastic to get the story down on paper, or rather on Microsoft Word.
John: Which is harder for you to write, the beginning, middle or conclusion?
Guy: A good question. Um let me think. The middle. I believe this is because it is difficult to judge how long it should be. The beginning is clear, as is the end, but it is easy to procrastinate and/or elaborate too much in the middle. For me this is the part of the initial draft that needs scaling down the most when I do my first edit.
John: I think elaboration is the curse of authors, so I can understand your choice. This is a question that all authors need to answer since other authors are always interested in the style of others. Are you a plotter (very planned approach to writing) or a pantser? (seat of pants)
Guy: I started off as something of a pantser, but have evolved into a plotter. Of course I want spontaneity in my writing, but as Necropolis is very plot based a pantser approach was never going to work for me.
John: I have been reading about your reviews namely Crime Fiction Lover (Britain’s largest and most prestigious crime Fiction review site) has awarded Necropolis 5 out of 5 stars. For our readers: Click here to read the review (warning: contains some spoilers). Do any others come to mind?
Guy: Necropolis has only been out a very short time, but the positive reviews are coming in fast. Another that springs to mind is this one on Mallory Heart Reviews.
John: So I don’t totally exhaust you I think this will be the last question. Do you have plans for the next book and if so will it be more like Charles Middleworth or more like Necropolis?
Guy: My third book will contain dry, sardonic humour, just like Charles Middleworth and Necropolis. It will be more in keeping with Necropolis, in that it will be a work of dark, disturbing Fiction, but it will not be a satirical black comedy.
John: I’m sure all of us stateside will look forward to the third. In the meantime, all should pick up and read Necropolis and Charles Middleworth if not already done. Thank you guy it was a real pleasure to chat today. Please come back again. Oh, and next time could you bring me some Lemon Curd. I can’t seem to get any here in the colonies
Guy: I can’t seem to get Margaritas like these back in the Mother Country. Perhaps we could form a business partnership. It has to be more profitable than this writing business. Hopefully it won’t end up like the Boston Tea Party. One more Margarita for the road?
John: Here you go Guy. I think almost any venture is more profitable than this writing business. Also the first Boston Tea Party was a once in a life time thing and we rebels got that out of our system. So everyone knows; Necropolis is now available from all regional Amazons in paperback and Kindle. Amazon.co.uk –Paperback: £6.99 Kindle: £2.22 Amazon.com – Paperback: $10.52 Kindle: $3.73 and of Course Charles Middleworth is available on Amazon. Click HERE to take a look.
