The Road By Cormac McCarthy

 

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You can buy The Road.......Here

The blurb...

In the wake of an undefined apocalyptic event, a father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don’t know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other.

The Road is the profoundly moving story of a journey. It boldly imagines a future in which no hope remains, but in which the father and his son, “each the other’s world entire,” are sustained by love. Awesome in the totality of its vision, it is an unflinching meditation on the worst and the best that we are capable of: ultimate destructiveness, desperate tenacity, and the tenderness that keeps two people alive in the face of total devastation.

My Review...

This book was recommended to me by two friends on twitter, both authors themselves and I can see why. The writing is stripped back and accurate. A technical masterpiece in delivering two basic human emotions. Love and terror. I defy anyone who reads this book not to feel those emotions. The fact that someone can take their thoughts and, after committing them to paper, make you feel the same emotions as the author does while writing is truly amazing. This thought/emotion transfer is what good writing means to me.

I found the writing to be reminiscent of Hemmingway's "The Old Man and The Sea"

It uses staccato sentences, minimal and extremely basic dialogue, it all makes for a simple honest, supremely crafted tale. Also the books are similar in depicting what seems an unwinnable battle between the protagonist(s) and their environment and the dangers contained there in, be it shoals of sharks or bands of cannibals. With these simple tools the author creates a masterpiece. He is so good at what he does that you don't see the effort that goes into it. The only thing I can relate it to is like watching Steve Davis play snooker when he was in his pomp. Everything is executed so well it looks effortless, but you know it isn't.

While the father is world weary and fearful, the boy harbours optimism. The young lad  wants to meet and befriend others, while the father is reluctant. As they move through the landscape, the boy's approach to life becomes tempered by experience. Yet if humanity is to survive, then his sense of co-operation and kindness must survive too. After all, if that is lost, what is the point of survival. Their differences not withstanding, the love between them shines out partly because it is enveloped by the darkness of the misery that surrounds them. 

That said this book is grim and unyielding. The author is clever in that he does not use chapters so there is no respite from the terror, It is unrelenting. This is probably the closest to a real post apocalyptic world that I have ever read. No glamour of the hunger games here. (see selected quotes.)  I am a grizzly bear on the outside and a teddy bear on the inside. I can't watch The Walking Dead for fear of nightmares and have been known to cry at It's a Wonderful Life (and the occasional John Lewis Christmas advert.) That is why I have only given 4 stars. Great book but far too grim for me, this reflects on me rather than the superbly written book.

It honestly makes you think to yourself If there was an apocalypse I should shoot myself in head quickly to avoid the horror of survival. For that reason alone you will not forget this book.

Selected quotes...

" This is my child, he said. I wash a dead man's brains out of his hair. That is my job. Then he wrapped him in the blanket and carried him to the fire."

"Just remember that the things you put in your head are there forever, he said. You might want to think about that.

You forget some things don't you?

Yes. You forget what you want to remember and remember the things you want to forget."

"he saw for a brief moment the absolute truth of the world. The cold relentless circling of the intestate earth. Darkness implacable.... The crushing black vacuum of the universe. And somewhere two hunted animals trembling like ground foxes in their cover. Borrowed time and borrowed world and borrowed eyes with which to sorrow it."

"Can you do it? When the time comes? When the time comes there will be no time. Now is the time. Curse God and die. What if it doesn't fire. It has to fire. What if it doesn't fire? Could you crush that beloved skull with a rock? Is there such a being within you of which you know nothing? Can there be?

About the author...

Cormac McCarthy is an American author, playwright, and screenwriter, best known for his Western characters and historical settings in his novels. He served the U.S. Air Force briefly, while studying at the University of Tennessee. He wrote for the university magazine and won the Ingram-Merrill Award. After publishing his first novel, The Orchard Keeper in 1965, he set off for Ireland on a traveling scholarship. He was mostly poor throughout his early writing days but traveled a lot. He won the Rockefeller Foundation Grant, the Guggenheim Fellowship, and the MacArthur Fellowship. In 2007, he won the Pulitzer Prize for Literature for this post-apocalyptic novel The Road. Some of his other notable works are Blood Meridian and The Border Trilogy. He got married and divorced thrice and now lives in New Mexico. (from thefamouspeople.com)

Zen & The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

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You can buy the 40th anniversary edition of 

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance........Here

The blurb...

 A philosophical odyssey into life's fundamental questions during an unforgettable summer motorcycle trip, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance transformed a generation and continues to inspire millions

One of the most influential books written in the past half-century, Robert Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is a powerful examination of how we live and a breathtaking meditation on how to live better. Following a father and his young son on a summer motorcycle trip across America's Northwest, it is a story of love, fear, growth, discovery and acceptance. Both personal and philosophical, it is a compelling study of relationships, values, and eventually, enlightenment – resonant with the confusions and wonders of existence.
Acclaimed as one of the most exciting books in the history of American letters, this modern epic became an instant bestseller upon publication in 1974.

‘The book is inspired, original…the analogies with Moby-Dick are patent’ New Yorker
‘Mr Pirsig has written a work of great, perhaps urgent, importance... Read this book’ Observer

My Review..

Only 47 years late to the party but Wow! where to begin with this...

Firstly it is three threads in one book

1. It is a travelogue of a man and his 12-year old son travelling from Minnesota to San Francisco via motorbike in the 60s.
2. It is story of a schizophrenic (the father) who has been purged of his alter ego (Phadreus a PhD philosophy student, who went insane contemplating the concept of Quality) by electro-shock treatment in a mental institution. The man is now free but his alter ego  gradually begins to enter his conscience again as the motorcycle journey progresses.
3. Most importantly it is a philosophical paper on our place in the grand scheme of things, how we fit into the universe and how the universe fits into us. He calls it an investigation into Quality. However: the term quality can be misleading. I think if you substitute the word Quality for Tao (Or as Douglas Adams would call it in The Hitch-hikers guide to the Galaxy, Life, the Universe and Everything) you get a much better understanding of what he is driving at.

While the first two themes are interesting in and of themselves, their main role is to serve as a break from the heavy lifting of reading deeply abstract, philosophical tracts. These tracts are indeed heavy going. I often found myself re-reading them several times just to gain a basic understanding of them, but it is worth it.

While it is not the most entertaining book that I have ever read it is probably the most fascinating. Often the question is asked "has any book changed your life?" My head is buzzing with this book. I think in years to come, for me, this will be that book. The trouble is unless you have read (and mentally digested) it is hard to explain why. It melds Western thinking with Eastern thinking. The issue of "Quality" is to big to be approached head on, it has to be approached by allegories. The main allegory being that the system of motorcycle maintenance is an allegory for life itself and as such this book is not really about motor cycles, its about the human experience and how to live our best lives, which in turn will bring a pleasant aesthetic and calmness to the world around us. 

The book builds theory on theory showing us that the motor cycle (life) is not separate from us, we are not subject and object but are intrinsically linked in a sort of constant feedback loop with everything. If we carry the proper maintenance (develop a zen approach) on the motorbike (life) in a thoughtful and precise manner we will get a fulfilment that is often sadly lacking in today's world. The words sound very clumsy as I'm writing them, I'm afraid I'm not explaining concepts well. Read the book, Persig does it beautifully, often with a lovely, lyrical style.

This edition (40th Anniversary) contained some interesting extras

• A series of fascinating letters between the author and publisher over several years. The book was famously turned down 121 times. The publisher eventually published not for profit (he thought it probable that there would be none) but because he thought it was his duty to try bring these writings to the attention of the world, which begs the question would a book like this published today.
• An afterword by the author (now deceased) that is just heartbreaking.
• Questions for discussion.

The book dissects how we live our lives and how we can live better. Dont get me wrong, this is a Marmite book (For non Brits, that means that you will either love it or hate it. There is no middle ground.) And the book has to find you at the right time of your life. I have no doubt that if I read this at 20 years of age, I would have said that he is a bit pretentious and is going to disappear up his own backside, but as you get older you become more mellow and start to think about Life, the Universe and Everything and about Quality.

Bottom line.. An amazing revelatory book

Selected Quotes...

"We're in such a hurry most of the time, we never get much chance to talk.The result is a kind of endless day to day shallowness, a monotony that leaves a person wondering years later where all the time went and sorry it's all gone"

"What's wrong with technology is that its not connected in any real way with the matters of the spirit and the heart."

"Mental reflection is so much more interesting than TV it's a shame more people don't switch over to it. They probably think what they hear is unimportant but it never is"

"Or if he takes whatever dull job he is stuck with - and they are all, sooner or later, dull- and just to keep himself amused starts to look for options of Quality and secretly pursues the options, just for their own sake, thus making art out of what he is doing, he's likely to discover that he becomes a much more interesting person and much less of an object to the people around him because his Quality decisions change him too."

"The place to improve the world is first in ones's own heart and head and hands, and the work outward from there. Other people can talk about how to expand the destiny of mankind. I just want to talk about how to fix a motorcycle. I think what I have to say has more lasting value."

“When one person suffers from a delusion, it is called insanity. When many people suffer from a delusion it is called a Religion.”

“The only Zen you find on tops of mountains is the Zen you bring there.”

About the author...

Robert M. Pirsig was the renowned author of the bestseller, ‘Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance,” a popular cult classic of the present century. As a child, he believed that there was a theory that could explain the different singularities of life and he hoped that science would be the solution to his queries and enlighten him. Contrary to his conviction, he arrived at a number of hypotheses for many given phenomenon while he was doing laboratory work at the University of Minnesota. This resulted in the deterioration of his academic performance and his subsequent dismissal from the university. He advocated the theory of ‘Metaphysics of Quality’ and through his works he explained the impact of “quality” and “good” over reality. His theory is the culmination of Western and Oriental philosophy through which he offered solutions to the crises of values in the western civilization. He also authored another famous book ‘Lila: An Inquiry into Morals’, which was nominated for the Pulitzer.

Q&A with Mark Lowes author of Feral Snow and Dandelion

Hi Mark 👋 Give us a brief outline of yourself...

Hi Grumpz! I live in Cardiff, Wales, with my fiancé and new-born son. I work for a charity that supports deaf children across the UK, which was one of the main reasons why my character in my first novel, Feral Snow, was unilaterally deaf. I’ve always wanted to be an author but I found books late. I wasn’t a quick reader and reading wasn’t a go-to pastime in my house. Sounds strange, doesn’t it? That I knew I wanted to be a writer before I was a reader. But I love creating things. When I played video games, I always enjoyed the beginning—the creation of a new character. I loved movies and TV shows. And I love words so, it was inevitable.

Give us a brief outline of your latest book...

Dandelion is the story of a psychopath’s journey to feel something, anything, be it empathy, love, hate, passion. He is undergoing Cognitive Behaviour Therapy in Broadmoor Prison for the Criminally Insane.During these therapy sessions, he takes us through his story of meeting Violet Driscoll, a fun, life-loving woman, and George Harrison, a sociopathic serial killer.As he narrates to us, we experience what he experiences. We think how he thinks. We feel what he feels. And, by the end journey of change, you’ll be questioning whether everything he’s told us is real or whether you're just another pawn in his games.

 Where can readers buy your book

You can buy Feral Snow.....Here

You can buy Dandelion......Here

Where can readers find out more about you?

I am extremely active on Twitter (much to my detriment). You can find at @StrugglingMJ

My DMs are always open and I love to hear what readers think about my books. Alternatively, as I know many aren’t on Twitter, I have an email: mjlauthor@gmail.com for a similar purpose. I also have a monthly newsletter anyone can sign up to.

What was the hardest scene to write?

Oh wow. If you read Dandelion, you’ll see there are several difficult scenes to write. Technically, the hardest scene to write was the first meeting between George and THE PATIENT. I don’t want to give away too much of the final pages here but there needed to be similarities in dialect and language between the two characters, but enough difference to make them separate entities and interesting. But that’s the case throughout the entire book.

 

Do you find it difficult to write from a different mindset eg psychopath in Dandelion?

No. That sounds awful but it was incredibly easy to be distant and cold. When I first started writing Dandelion, I wasn’t in a great place mentally. So, that detachment came easily to me. 

Surrounding that mindset though was a lot of research. I watched a lot of interviews concerning psychopaths and what drove them. I listened to The Ice Man by Philip Carlo based on Richard Kuklinski. I read about Albert Fish, Dahmer, the Wests, John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy, etc. It was hard to read what they did but what was harder was to understand why they committed their crimes.

 Another difficult aspect of this book was, as it’s told through a narrator who is untrustworthy but has a certain outlook of life, there’s a stream of consciousness you’re constantly trying to wrestle with. But that's from a technical point of view. I love him as a character. He is a dark corner of everyone’s mind, I think. 

I actuality find it really easy to inhabit the mind of my characters. What's difficult is doing them justice. My next book, for example, has a teenage girl as my main character. I need to do her justice and for her to experience and feel all the things a teenage girl would (during an apocalypse).

Is Dandelion part of a series. Is there another in the pipeline?

Currently, there aren’t any plans to turn Dandelion into a series. Although, there’s definitely an opportunity to do so. So, who knows, maybe in the future…

How did you first get into writing?

For English in secondary school, I was asked to write an urban myth (short story) for an assignment. I wrote about this babysitter and her boyfriend who were on the job when news broke that a lunatic had escaped. The story ended bloody. It was the first A that I got in English. My teacher (who may have been an inspiring figure for a character in Dandelion) told me I had a knack for creating images in people’s heads. And from then on, I was hooked. First, I wrote magical realism and fantasy. In fact, I wrote an awful fantasy novella (I say novella, it was intended to be a novel but I had no idea of word counts and so, a novella it was) about an assassin who grew up in the slums of some great city until he became the go-to hitman for the emperor. I posted in the discussions of Amazon, asking for advice to get it published (yes, I sent it to agents and yes, I am ashamed of that—I was 19). Then someone responded who I am immensely grateful to and still friends with. Anna has gone on to read all of my writing and is both brutally honest and amazingly encouraging at the same time. From there, I was spurred into wanting to write more and more.

Why did you choose self publishing?

Several reasons. The main one though is that I was receiving some attention from literary agents but not enough to be taken on. And that was difficult. I’m hugely grateful to them for their responses but I found this was a gate I wasn’t getting through as quickly as I would like. Plus, they wanted the focus to be more on the plot, which is cool, but I'm a character, setting and description guy. Then, I found out my fiancé was pregnant (he was planned). And everything changed. I suddenly became very aware of money and so, thought, why not? My plan is to still try traditional publishing, purely because I don't have the time to dedicate to self-publishing every novel and I like the thought of being a part of a team rather than me doing it all on my own.

 What are your top 3 self publishing tips?

Research what it means to be a self-published author. There are many people who will throw up a novel and think, that’ll do, and not put the effort into cultivating relationships, marketing, or even the craft of storytelling itself. All of that gives us a bad name. There are many successful indie authors out there who have worked extremely hard to break that label of ‘not good enough to be traditionally published’. Don’t let the side down.

Budget. Know what you can spend on marketing and promotion. For example, I ran a giveaway where I offered five books which inspire me to a random person who pre-ordered Feral Snow. I got about ten people who sent me their proof of pre-order. I earned about £10 from royalties but spent close to £40 on the books. A mistake, yes. So, now I’m very careful with what I offer.

Build relationships, be loyal, kind, appreciative and maintain those contacts. I cannot stress this one enough. If you can build a loyal fanbase, you’re set. Each book you release will garner more interest and more fans. But do not forget the old ones. They are the hardy bunch that have stuck with you throughout. So, appreciate that. Respond to them. RT them if you’re using Twitter. Respect them because they took a chance on you.

Is there a particular person or organisation you want to work with in publishing?'

Since I picked up Six Stories, I've always wanted Orenda Books to publish my novels. Karen has done an amazing job there. I genuinely don't think there's a book of hers I didn't enjoy. They seem to get it over there, ya know? Quite fluid in their approach, engaging, and know the market. Hopefully, someday, my books can sit in their catalogue alongside Matt Wesolowski, Will Carver, and Ragnor Jonasson.

What have been your favourite books to read throughout your life and why?

The Shining is my all-time favourite book and Stephen King is an idol of mine (him endorsing a book of mine is on my bucket list). His book, On Writing, is also a must read for fledgling authors out there. Another is My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent, a book that features in Feral Snow. It’s a brutal story of Turtle who’s brought up to survive in an apocalypse just in case one happens while also being abused by her father. The writing is exquisite. More recently, We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker is superb. If you want to learn about suspense, The Shining is for you. If you want to learn about beautifully brutal prose, My Absolute Darling. If you want to learn about masterful characterisation, We Begin at the End is perfect. Duchess Day Radley is one of the most complete characters I have ever read.

You can buy "The Shining".....Here

You can buy "My Absolute Darling"......Here

You can buy "We begin at the End".....Here

Who is your favourite author and why?

Stephen King. I would sell my house to live in that man’s mind. Often, when thinking of a novel idea, I try to ask myself ‘what if this happened?’ Or place my character into a situation and see how they deal with it. His ability to turn a ‘what if’ into a novel is unmatched, as far as I’m concerned. His early books of Carrie, Salem’s Lot, The Shining, Misery, Pet Semetary, and so on are just incredible. More recently, he’s turned to crime a little more but I’d love to see him tackle ghosts again.

Has any book that you have read changed you?

Several. And they’re listed above. My Absolute Darling changed the way I wrote but also how I viewed the world. It was the first book I read that heavily featured child abuse and it made me really question why that was a topic I was reluctant to write about. I also listened to a podcast Tallent was on and he spoke about how it was a story he had to do justice. And I understood what he meant by that. It’s a responsibility.

If you could be any character from literary fiction who would it be?

Harry Potter, probably, because magic. Not even Harry himself but a side character or something. Would be great fun. Or Jon Snow from A Song of Fire and Ice. I actually have a replica Longclaw on my shed wall.

What is your favourite quote?

“Description begins in the writer’s imagination, but ends in the reader’s” Starting to feel like a King lovefest but it’s 100% true and I stick by it. My books are heavy on the description side and while many will say it takes away from the plot, I say it immerses you in the story. You can’t feel a character’s terror unless you’re standing next to them.

what comes first plot or characters?

Characters. Always characters. I listened to a podcast recently, in which the presenter (an author) said, ‘A good plot will make the reader turn the page. A good character will make them want a series.’ And it’s absolutely true. I read to discover new characters, not to get to the end of a book.

Plan or Pantser?

A bit of both. I plan on Excel with lots of columns and rows. My planning sheet looks like a patchwork of colours and words. But when I sit down to write, I’ll never stop my character reacting or behaving in a certain way. They are, to me, organic and organic creations have a mind of their own. In Feral Snow, there a moment in the ice cavern when Paul sticks his finger in his hearing ear so he doesn't hear Nanny telling him to eat. That was Paul reacting to the situation, I didn't plan that.

How to you create characters in your books, are they cast in your mind or composites of real people?

Again, a bit of both. Characters seem to walk into my mind before the story starts. Every novel comes to me the same way: a mental image of a character (usually my MC) in a scene or setting doing something. For Feral Snow, it was actually Nanny sitting in front of the TV watching Arctic wolves on a documentary. For Dandelion, it was THE PATIENT in the lift looking at the dead flies in the light casing. For my next one, it's Dena (the main character) watching flower petals and seeds flying over a lake and into the sky as she tugs a scarf over her mouth, sunrise as the backdrop. Once I have these images, I ask myself why are they there? What are they thinking? What will they do next? And they just grow.

 What is the most difficult part of writing for you?

Time. I work full time and now have a baby so, time is limited. I'm a night owl so, I don't mind staying up late to write but I can't do this 5am writing nonsense. I was on furlough last summer and wrote a 90k word novel in less than 2 months. I just kept thinking, how prolific could I be if I did this full time? Maybe one day.

 How do you research your books?

Completely depends on what I'm researching. For Feral Snow, I used Google Maps and Streetview to place myself in the Arctic. I watched YouTube videos to research what it's like there. I read loads of facts and articles on the history of the place. Best of all though was the author, Kate Hamer, put me in touch with a wildlife documentary cameraman called Mei. I was able to email back and forth with him to ask all the technical questions I needed such as, 'What's one thing that can happen you don't really think of or expect to happen, but when it does, it's a disaster?' (Losing a glove) but that's all because the setting was essential to that book. For Dandelion, the mind of a psychopath was essential so, I watched lots of interviews and read a lot. For my next one, place is important but, biology is essential, so, non-fiction sites are my go-to.

  What is the best and worst thing about being a writer?

The crippling self-doubt. I'm absolutely terrified every single time I share my writing with someone or someone buys my book. As far as I'm aware, the majority of writers are. But we're compelled to create. It holds me back, at times, I think, when it comes to seeking beta readers or being ready to find an agent, etc. I worry about my books' perception. Are they too brutal? Are they too soft for their genre? Do they make sense? Are my characters relatable? The whole thing is excruciating.

Best parts are the other side of the worst parts. Reviews. Talking with readers. Knowing they're absorbing your writing, thoughts, ideas and themes. Recently, I had an email at 2 am telling me they loved Feral Snow. Next day, their Amazon said they can see it being turned into an Oscar winning film BUT the film will never be as good as the book....blew my mind!

Share something that your readers will not know.

Well, I could share a couple of things here. The first is that KDP have selected me to run a beta of something. Watch this space. The second is that I was once in a One Direction tribute band in America. I worked on a summer camp and, as part of a skit, me and four others pretended we were One Direction. We performed in front of thousands and, for the rest of the time there, we were treated like royalty.

 Favourite place, favourite film, favourite song, favourite food?

Place: a bookshop with time on my hands (I love the smell of a bookshop… if that's not too weird).

Film: The Martian

Song: Run by Snow Patrol

Food: Pulled pork

Dandelion by Mark Lowes

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

You can buy Dandelion.....Here

You can follow Mark Lowes...Here

The Blurb...

He is on a journey of change, pushing himself to feel... something.

When he meets Violet, an innocent, life-affirming young woman, he's tempted into being something tame. Something he's not.

Then he discovers George, a sociopathic serial killer.

Both are now in a tug-of-war for his loyalty.

Who will he choose?

Can a criminal psychopath really change?
Dr Raveed Makesh is delving deep into the mind of one of Cardiff's most deadly killers, revolutionising therapy for criminal psychopaths.

Is Makesh successful? Or just another victim of his games?

If you love American Psycho or Hannibal, Dandelion is the book for you. A dark, literary thriller that will have you second-guessing yourself and, in the end, agreeing with a criminal psychopath.

My Review...

If you want rainbows and lollipops this is not the book for you.

It tells the tale of Cardiff's worst serial killer and his fractured mind.

It is dark. How dark is it? It's darker than a pint of Guinness in a cupboard under the stairs, in the basement, at midnight, in a power cut.

From the absolute sledgehammer of an opening line it is relentless.

This is a scary book. It is scary precisely because it does not deal in the gothic monsters of literature. No werewolves or vampires or even zombies. No, it deals the most terrifying thing known to man, the dark corners of the human mind. These monsters are real and they can lead a man to kill. It is a complex book, in that you will spend your time trying to decipher who is real and who is in the patient's head. The book is given added gravitas because it is written in epistolary form, using Doctor's notes, diary entries, screen grabs of text messages and even a DNA report.

This is a very good book. The only caveat I can find is that the author does leave a few questions unanswered. What was the patient's job and how did he get fired/resign among them. 

The author does however have a gift for making the reader uncomfortable through the book. He does this in two distinct ways. 

One is a small  twist on general language for example, instead of "day turned to night" we get "Outside, the night had crawled over the day."  Subtle yet dark. He is very clever in that they are sparingly used and if you are not looking for them you wont see them (but you will feel them.)

The second method of keeping the reader uncomfortable is used more often. This method is dropping what I have called "cynical society truth bombs." Ideas and tropes that occur in our culture, of which you have probably given little thought to, are deconstructed in a scornful and sceptical manner and you end up thinking Yes, I can see the sinister, prophetic truth in that line. e .g. "Nothing excites me anymore. Nothing. When I was young I felt some excitement in discovery and enthusiasm in the unknown. as I grew up things became more and more mundane. That's the nature of growing up, we are worn down."

So he makes us uncomfortable, but he makes us come back for more, time and time again. It is like an addiction. It is like having a guilty pleasure. 

This is the second Mark Lowes book I have read and although you can see the influence of Stephen King, Robert Louis Stephenson and others in his writing he has a style all his own. His forte is describing and manipulating the conflicting thoughts and emotions in a person's mind and soul.

 His prose is simultaneously disturbing and, when called for, mouth-wateringly rich.

This is a very gifted writer. He deserves to be more well know and he deserves to be snapped up by a publisher ASAP.

I have been lucky enough to interview Mark. The interview will be on this website within the next two weeks

Selected Quotes...

"We sat for a while without talking, the silence mulled between us, waiting, brewing ageing."

"They say we're a democracy but we're democratic to a choice. A choice that is limited. A choice that is wrong. I don't want to choose from a bad lot. It's like choosing between having cancer or being cremated alive."

"Parents were what I considered to be comforters, enablers, disciplinarians. They were a trust fund. They gave birth to you then provided. Perhaps it was a strong sense of responsibility brought about by law, misinterpreted as love."

About the Author...

Mark is a former teacher, current early childhood educator and a dad. He lives in Cardiff, Wales. while he is not working with deaf children and their families he's writing dark and twisty fiction. His books tend to be quite genre fluid but he's dedicated to scaring the shit out of you. Mark is an associate member of Crime Cymru He is also the winner of Litopia's Pop-Up Submissions  and of a pitch contest at the Cardiff Book Festival.