Heather’s Bookshelf: Author Interview with Phil Williams
Book Title: Dyer Street Punk Witches
Released: 09/12/22
Genre: Urban Fantasy Thriller
Interview by Heather L. Barksdale
What inspired you to write “Dyer Street Punk Witches”?
Williams: When I started the Ordshaw series, I always intended to create a universe that could accommodate different storylines and themes. I wanted to build in some tropey arcs alongside the central arc, such as witches, haunted house stories and the like – so I’d been planning this for a while. By the time I completed my first two big stories, I’d established enough of the city that it demanded a particular style of witch story – gritty and urban. Pair that with where we’re at as a world right now and the punk element demanded attention; I wanted to write a crime thriller in witch form, but the emotions of the time and a general disillusionment give it that extra flavour.
How did you come up with the names of your main characters?
Williams: Names often come with a bit of trial and error for me, going through combinations until something has the right feel for it. That was the case for the secondary protagonist, Aaron Wise, and most of the minor characters here. Kit “Fadulous” came more fully formed, though; it popped into my head with a punk/fem rock feel to it when I was researching for the book and I got that feeling where I had no choice in the matter. That was her name, no question.
Is there anything that you want readers to know about you, your writing process or your book?
Williams: There’s a wealth of background that made this book possible; I took a lot of inspiration from tenets of third wave feminism and the ‘90s Riot Grrrl movement, as well as from punk rock in general. As with writing any story, though, a great deal of what goes into planning a book doesn’t make it to the page. It informs the characters and the atmosphere and the little details, and it’s evident in throwaway references and dialogue quirks, but there’s so much more I could say about the topics the novel briefly touches upon. Such is the nature of fiction, though; we’re here for the story, not lectures! But I hope in part it might inspire a little more interest in some of the many references the story touches upon.
If "Dyer Street Punk Witches" was adapted into a movie, who would you like to see cast to play your lead characters?
Williams: Tough call – I’m never very good at casting my characters! Kit goes rather against type, so the choices aren’t obvious, though thinking of alternative character actors here in the UK, Vicky McClure could do a good Kit. Aaron’s a bit of a young everyman who could be wide open for casting an ambitious newcomer, likewise Ellie. Drew might be a good one for Michael Fassbender to return to his grittier lowkey roots, don’t know why that jumps out to me! Charlie Creed-Miles could do an excellent Tallice, I’m sure, but then I think I could find a place for him in any Ordshaw story.
When you encounter writer’s block, what do you do to break yourself out of it?
Williams: It’s not a problem I face often; I normally find it harder to find time for the many things I want to write. But if I do feel uninspired on a particular day, it’s usually either because I’m overtired or the story isn’t working, and either way I take a bit of time off to do something completely different. Through rest or refocusing, a solution tends to find its way through. I also tend to find that writing towards a particular end is the best way to build momentum, whether for a chapter
or scene or whatever. If I’m excited about the destination, the writing takes care of itself.
Are there any tips that you would like to share with other aspiring authors?
Williams: That bit about writing towards an end might be useful! I’d also say that something that makes a huge difference in creating a successful story is understanding your readership and the market. Get involved with other writers, mingle with readers, study other books. “Write what you know” and “write what you want to read” are good starting points for building motivation, but understanding what people what to read, and how they interpret what you write (especially compared to what they’re used to reading), is a great way to make sure other people enjoy your writing as much as you do.
What is your favorite genre, book, and/or author?
Williams: I read all sorts, though my main genres tend to be fantasy and horror with spruces of crime and sci-fi at the edges. Rather than pick one for all time, can I name a few I’ve found especially enjoyable in the past year? The Hawkline Monster by Richard Brautigan and We Who Are About To by Joanna Russ were both great examples of slightly genre-bending, extremely efficient but powerful books, with just the right balance of light and dark. Both are authors who did an awful lot in a short space. To give the more general answer, some authors I’ve found particularly influential over the many, many years, are Terry Pratchett, Shirley Jackson and Sue Grafton.
What are you working on next?
Williams: Down the line I might get another punk witches book in, but the next in store for Ordshaw (in theory) is a sequel to The City Screams, finding Tova Noakes returning to Ordshaw to investigate what makes the city special. It’s planned as a crossover book that’ll bring various threads of the series together, and should see the return of Pax and Letty, the main characters from the Sunken City Trilogy. That aside, I’m steering a little away from Ordshaw at the same time, with a couple of things in the pipeline. I’m planning a contemporary crime thriller and have a couple of dark epic fantasies on the way, one of which really just needs to be published...
Learn More About the Author and Dyer Street Punk Witches here:
https://www.phil-williams.co.uk
Interested in checking out the book for yourself?
Find it for purchase here
Interested in submitting your book for review? Visit my review page for guidelines and submission requirements.
review