Mark Kirkbride's Blog, page 14
January 23, 2013
Amazon review by Graeme of The Devil’s Fan Club…
Two teenage twins chastised by their mother and father’s religious beliefs, look to find an escape route. The effects of the story are devastating. It’s definitely a story where ‘all that is seen should not be believed’. Great plot, however, the strongest part of this book is the way it so excellently written, developing relationships and eye opening accounts of what could really happen in a house near you! Over descriptive at times, but still a very vivid view of a murky London in what should be a privileged family life. I found myself thinking about the book when I wasn’t with it, a good sign for me. Highly recommended.
December 12, 2012
My next big thing
Many thanks to the lovely Vanessa Wu for suggesting I continue the chain of this interview. I managed to book an appointment with myself and give myself a good grilling:
1) What is the working title of your current/next book?
The working title’s GII but that’s just private code, really. (It’s actually short for Genesis II – which, I know, has already been used, so it won’t stay as that.)
2) Where did you get the idea for that book?
I first had the idea at university and have been mulling it over ever since.
3) What’s the genre of the book?
I guess the genre would be apocalyptic or post-apocalytpic fiction.
4) If you could pick actors to play the lead characters in your story, who would you pick?
Justine Waddell and Matthew Macfadyen.
5) How would you describe your book in one sentence (10 words or less)?
It’s a love story set at the end of the world.
6) (a) How will your book be published, submitted through the traditional route to a traditional publisher or will you be handling it yourself through Indie Publishing methods?
I’ll try the tradition route, then go all-out indie if there’s nothing doing.
(b) If you’re an Indie Author, will you be publishing through your own Indie Publishing company or in a collective with other Indie Authors?
If I take the indie route, I’ll publish it myself.
7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of this book?
A couple of months at most. It’s the rewrites that run into years.
8) What other books within your genre are similar to yours?
Not my genre exactly but I Am Legend.
9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?
A niggling idea in the middle of the night that still hasn’t left me all these years later.
10) What about your book will pique the reader’s interest?
As well as being an end-of-the-world love story, the book’s also a literary mystery because what is going on appears to be part of a larger plan. The question is, whose?
11) Do you know any other fab authors who might like to tell the world about their next big thing?
Yes. Very glad to pass the interview baton on to Graeme Cooper.
November 18, 2012
Star’s review of The Devil’s Fan Club:
‘The Devil’s Fan Club’ ensnares your soul from the first word and will keep you pinned in place until the last. The twins’ family is terrifically twisted and the twins are no different, but when it comes time for them to step up to what needs to be done to joining the exclusive society, The Devil’s Fan Club, they may not be as twisted as they outwardly appear. Fraught with psychological terror and haunting descriptions, Mr. Kirkbride has written a novel which will stay with you for quite a while. The characters fit together seamlessly because of, rather than in spite of, their jagged edges. ‘The Devil’s Fan Club’ is not a book to read late at night or with the light off! Creepily dark and dangerous, Mr. Kirkbride has brought to life a disturbingly delicious world and its inhabitants who are more than they seem.
http://www.bibliophilicbookblog.com/2012/11/book-review-devils-fan-club-by-mark.html
November 17, 2012
November 8, 2012
October 9, 2012
Another review of The Devil’s Fan Club
The Devil’s Fan Club is the perfect book to read around the Halloween season. It’s seriously creepy. Not a scary horror book but a supremely devious book that makes your skin crawl.
This story centers around an extremely disturbed family. You’ve got the perfect storm living under one roof. There are the dysfunctional parents, a younger daughter that talks to an imaginary friend, a pretty and young nanny and the above mentioned twisted twins.
The story that follows weaves the characters in and around each other in the most diabolical ways with an ending that fits the story to a tee. Bravo Kirkbride!
Monie
http://www.readingwithmonie.com/2012/10/review-devils-fan-club-by-mark-kirkbride.html
September 15, 2012
A review of The Devil’s Fan Club
Wow! My first thought about this book.
James and Louise are twins. Their parents are evangelical Christians who belong to the Doomsday Church.
There is a murderer loose on the streets of London, and the twins think they have met him. He invites them to join “The Devil’s Fan Club”, but they must commit a crime first.
This is a psychological thriller and I cannot reveal much about the story. It just needs to be read. It grabbed me from the start and kept me ensnared. It is well written with good character development. The author managed to create contradictory feelings toward the characters. The twins’ actions were repulsive, but I liked them anyway. I did not like the parents, but I sympathized with their horror and wanted to smack some sense into the twins myself.
I have only two criticisms of the book, but neither were enough for me to give this less than 5 stars. The author is very descriptive, of the lights, the shadows, etc., and I am not a big fan of a lot of description: I get tired of trying to picture these descriptions and tend to skip over them. But for anyone who likes descriptions, this is exceptional. The other problem I had was I wanted more at the ending. I wanted an epilogue.
Warning: This has adult content and morals fly out the window. For those who have high morals that cannot be compromised by a fantastic read, this may not be the book for you. But for anyone else, this is a great book and worth more than the $2.99 Kindle price.
Kay McCafferty, http://kaysbookreviews.com/
September 8, 2012
Author Marketing Club
Check out this great site for writers at the marketing stage, full of handy promotional tools. It’s also very friendly.
http://authormarketingclub.com/members/
August 29, 2012
I Love To Write Day
Advance notice: November 15th 2012 marks the 10th year of I Love To Write Day. Find out more at http://www.ilovetowriteday.org/writing-events/
