Dancing With Myself: RICHARD JAY PARKER interviews RICHARD JAY PARKER

Those who've been here since the beginning will know that before 'Dancing With Myself' I posted a number of reviews/opinions on the blog.

Just now my spare time is taken up by the interviews (no complaints at all, I'm loving it), but I have had a couple postedon other sites.

If you pop over to http://tinyurl.com/37me7nl at the ever excellent Spinetingler you'll find me writing as part of a most excellent collection 'Requiems For The Departed'. It's not only an excellent collection, but the reviews are superb too, as each story has been reviewed by different people, each and every one of them knowing what they're talking about. I'd say it's a must visit.

I also wrote a piece for the delightful Patricia Abbott over at Pattinase http://tinyurl.com/35u7v6f as part of her Friday's Forgotten books legend. I chose 'Murder On The Yellow Brick Road' as my contribution to the series; if you want to know why, why not go along and find out.

And now today's main attraction, Richard Jay Parker. When you've read it you can visit his site and find out more about 'Stop Me' as well as being creeped out by some excellent music.



Here he is, Dancing With Himself.


RICHARD THE INTERVIEWER

Thanks for the coffee. That’s exactly how I like it.

RICHARD THE AUTHOR

You’re welcome. Shall we get started?

RICHARD THE INTERVIEWER

Sure. Mind telling me why we’re in a café and why you didn’t want to conduct this interview at your place?

RICHARD THE AUTHOR

I don’t really like inviting strangers into my home. Hope you’ll understand.

RICHARD THE INTERVIEWER

I completely understand. I’m much the same. Can you at least tell me what’s occupying your time there at the moment?

RICHARD THE AUTHOR

I’m working on stand alone thriller two. It’s been a process–

RICHARD THE INTERVIEWER

(Interrupts) Does it have a title?

RICHARD THE AUTHOR

Yes but it may change so I’ll sit on it for the moment. It’s been a process of trial and error with the second novel. I want to deliver something that will get the same sort of response as STOP ME.

RICHARD THE INTERVIEWER

Was it a surprise that STOP ME was short listed for the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger Award?

RICHARD THE AUTHOR

Thanks for mentioning that – and for remembering the name of the award so specifically. I was genuinely surprised to be short listed.

RICHARD THE INTERVIEWER

I suppose being short listed is reward enough.

RICHARD THE AUTHOR

That’s what I keep telling myself.

RICHARD THE INTERVIEWER

You’ve got some bagel crumbs on your shirt.

RICHARD THE AUTHOR

So have you

(They dust them away)

RICHARD THE INTERVIEWER

So what has surprised you most since having your debut novel published?

RICHARD THE AUTHOR

Aside from the TV interest?

RICHARD THE INTERVIEWER

Which surely you’ve taken with a colossal pinch of salt…

RICHARD THE AUTHOR

A pillar. I think the thing that has genuinely surprised me is the amount of readers who have never heard of me before who have been willing to give the book a go.

RICHARD THE INTERVIEWER

Why would they do that?

RICHARD THE AUTHOR

It’s a question I keep asking myself. There’s been a great response though and with Twitter and Shelfari I’ve had some pretty instant and creative responses.

RICHARD THE INTERVIEWER

Do you like interacting with readers…even if they didn’t a hundred percent like STOP ME?


RICHARD THE AUTHOR

It’s great when people say they were gripped by the story or blindsided by the twist but even readers who have issues with elements of the book – language, violence and the online aspects of the story for instance – it’s great to get so many different perspectives on it.

RICHARD THE INTERVIEWER

Do you think it’s now vital for writers to be so accessible?

RICHARD THE AUTHOR

I personally enjoy it and I think it’s the very least you can do if somebody has splashed out their hard earned cash on your work – whether you’re an unknown like me or an established author.

RICHARD THE INTERVIEWER

How else do you do this?

RICHARD THE AUTHOR

As well as Twitter (@Bookwalter) I write a blog every Friday (http://www.thecurzongroup.blogspot.com/ )


RICHARD THE INTERVIEWER

So that’s what you’re doing when I want to go down the pub.

RICHARD THE AUTHOR

Sorry?

RICHARD THE INTERVIEWER

Nothing. So is your new novel going to be as dark and twisty as STOP ME?

RICHARD THE AUTHOR

It’s a bigger story and it’s a little more macabre. Like the SPAM email from the serial killer in STOP ME it starts with an outwardly innocuous piece of technology that’s perverted for an evil purpose. This one is even more of a race against time though. I hope it has readers slamming the pages faster then before.

RICHARD THE INTERVIEWER

OK – I’m sick of talking about you. Can we talk about me now?

RICHARD THE AUTHOR

Sure. (Mobile rings) Sorry – got to take this.

(Gets up and walks over to corner of café. When he finishes he returns to find only two half full coffee cups)

RICHARD THE AUTHOR

Where did he go?

CAFÉ WAITRESS

(Warily) Who?

RICHARD THE AUTHOR

Doesn’t matter.

(Empties one coffee cup into the other and sips self-consciously)



More info about Richard Jay Parker and STOP ME at http://www.richardjayparker.com/

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stop-Me-Richard-Jay-Parker/dp/0749007079