Heather’s Bookshelf: Author Interview with Peter Jay Black
Book Title: Death in London (A Nightshade Crime Thriller)
Released: 07/11/21
Genre: Crime Thriller/Mystery
Interview by Heather L. Barksdale
What inspired you to write “Death in London”?
Black: I started my writing career as a playwright. They were psychological thrillers. Then I went on to create something completely different: A series of Middle Grade action & adventure novels for Bloomsbury. I enjoy sci-fi too, so I also brought out a couple of those, before returning to the Adult Crime genre. So, it’s always been a part of my journey.
How did you come up with the names of your main characters?
Black: For protagonists, like ‘Emma’, I choose names that are easy to remember and short because I must type them thousands of times. Obviously, I didn’t think it through with ‘Nightshade’, but that name popped into my head: deadly Nightshade.
Is there anything that you want readers to know about you, your writing process or your book?
Black: My writing process unfortunately involves a lot of sweat, blood, and oodles of procrastination. In regards to my book(s), my hope is that they’re not taken too seriously and people are entertained for a few hours.
If "Death in London” were adapted into a movie, who would you like to see cast to play your lead characters?
Black: There are many great actors. However, I did have Helena Bonham Carter as a very loose foundation/mental image for Nightshade. A posh flamboyance.
Are there any tips that you would like to share with other aspiring authors?
Black: It’s a long-haul job. Takes a lot of dedication and hours. Overnight successes are the exception, not the rule. In fact, I was once called an overnight success, even though I’d written three books by that point. Keep moving forward, keep striving to improve your craft.
When you encounter writer’s block, what do you do to break yourself out of it?
Black: I’ve learned not to fight it. For me, creativity doesn’t come as one, long flow of consciousness. I count myself blessed if it decides to show up at all. So, I tend to do other things, anything, until the muse returns. Everyone is different.
What is your favorite genre, book, and/or author?
Black: This changes a lot, but one that’s stuck with me for a long time, and I’ve had a lot of enjoyment from, is Andy Weir’s The Martian. The level of research he did for the book is incredible, and shows in the writing.
What are you working on next?
Black: I’m going through the editorial process of book two in the Emma & Nightshade series: Death in Manhattan. Then I’ll continue work on Death in Hollywood. I’m also writing a short story set in the same world, with Emma & Nightshade, and will give it away for free on my updated website when that launches (should be April).
Learn More About the Author and Death in London here:
Twitter: @peterjayblack
Interested in checking out the book for yourself?
Find it for purchase here or on Kindle Unlimited
Interested in submitting your book for review? Visit my review page for guidelines and submission requirements.
review