Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a writer of horror and supernatural thrillers. I live in Newcastle upon Tyne. To date I’ve had one book and one short story published. I have finished another manuscript entitled Point of Contact and I am in the middle of editing it to pieces! I hope to get it published early 2016.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Minstrel’s Bargain is on sale now on Amazon. It is a horror story based in my home town of Newcastle in the late 1980’s and follows the story of Phil Sturgess, a music reporter. He discovers that a new rock band taking the country by storm is a lot darker and more dangerous than he at first believes. The story follows Sturgess from his blind disbelief in what he is seeing until his acceptance of a situation where he will play a pivotal role. Nothing less than saving the souls of perhaps millions of people. The inspiration for the story comes from my own love of eighties horror books and my appreciation of classic rock music. I wanted a story that would encompass both of these passions. I also wanted to read a supernatural horror book where you can believe what the main protagonist is going through. I was getting tired of characters that just blindly accept the situations they find themselves in. Sturgess takes a long time to comes to terms with what he is dealing with as would anyone in his situation.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know. What is unusual? I tend to come up with an idea and then sketch around with ideas on how the story will pan out (in a very general way). I come up with characters and names fairly quickly, I can’t work with what Stephen King calls the ‘I guy’. I need to know about them and their background so their responses to any given situation will be real for me. After I’ve got the main thrust of what the story is about, I’ll plan about four chapters at a time and fill them in at the laptop. I don’t go too far ahead as often new ideas will come to me when I’ve written a scene so I then incorporate this into the medium plan. This leads to the plan and the finished manuscript being completed at roughly the same time!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
James Herbert is always the answer I give to this question. I picked up a copy of ‘Lair’ back in the early eighties and from then on I was hooked. I moved on to Stephen King, Shaun Hutson etc after reading Herbert but he will always be the king of horror to me. I am a History teacher so I also love great historical fiction, Bernard Cornwall’s Sharpe series and the Uhtred books are a favourite of mine. But I also love thrillers such as I used to read as a lad, Alastair Maclean and Desmond Bagley were two of my favourites and I always mention Derek Robinson as well. Books such as Piece of cake, Goshawk Squadron and War Story are brilliant books. Robinson has a talent for creating characters you really sympathise with and a writing style that I really admire.
What are you working on now?
I am editing a supernatural thriller called Point of Contact. I’m just about finished it now and I’m hoping to get it published soon. Its very different to Minstrel’s Bargain; much less blood and much more action thriller, but in my mind it is still, in essence, a horror story. I’ve also started work on the sequel to Minstrel’s Bargain, set ten years after the original story. I have my plan and have written the first couple of chapters. I like the way it is developing. I hope to complete the first draft by the middle of next year.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This is where I am useless. I try to promote my book as much as possible using the usual things such as Facebook and Twitter and various writers websites, but I am a real virgin when it comes down to the nitty gritty. I (like most writers I suspect) just want to write. I don’t enjoy the ‘chasing’ aspect but I understand completely that it has to be done. No one owes me anything. Readers, quite rightly, want to know that they are going to get a reasonable refund for the money they spend on a book and I as a writer would love them to take that chance on my work. But it is hard. Its is the hardest part of writing for me.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just keep trying. Believe in yourself and your work and keep plugging away. It is hard when agents or publishers keep rejecting your work but you just need to grow a rhino skin and keep doing it. Ask other writers for advice too. I have made some fantastic friends with some of the brilliant writers who have been published by Bloodhound Books and we often help each other out by reading work, offering advice etc. For me this has been one of the highlights of getting published. Meeting other, highly talented individuals who have the same hunger for success as I do.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never give up, Never surrender. (Galaxy Quest).
What are you reading now?
I’m going through a bit of a Gothic revival at the minute. I’ve just read Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and I’m halfway through a re read of Dracula. I’ve got Frankenstein lined up for after that. Even though I’ve read these books before I am enjoying them. There is a sort of purity to the speech that I find refreshing.
What’s next for you as a writer?
My plans are: To get Point of Contact published, to finish the sequel to Minstrel’s Bargain, and then to become rich and famous! But one thing at a time.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
1. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. This book introduced me to Dickens’ style and I absolutely love it.
2. Piece of cake by Derek Robinson. A book I’ve read so many times that I can quote huge chunks of it piecemeal.
3. Nobody True by James Herbert. I love this story and the way it is written. Against popular belief I believe its Herbert’s best book.
4. Minstrel’s Bargain by Richard Ayre. To remind me that I once had a book published!
Author Websites and Profiles
Richard Ayre Website
Richard Ayre Amazon Profile
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