Christopher J. Yates's Blog, page 6

Book Pirate Love Letter

I recently received a google alert that directed me to a page where my novel was being made available as a free download. Instantly I fell in love with my pirate (a form of Stockholm syndrome) and here is my open love letter to analouisa, a VIP Member, no less.

_____

analouisa, light of my life, fire of my loins. Oh how I love everything about you, and not least the way you begin your name lower-case, so that my opening line looks comically illiterate, you hilarious Dutch minxette.

And look at y...

Sturm und Slang

Here are two recent pieces I wrote on Oxford. The first one’s a guide for Yahoo Travel telling you, among other things, where, allegedly, Clinton didn’t inhale. The second one is a brief trip through the peculiar slang/jargon of Oxford University: anyone for a bop with a bulldog? This was for Anglotopia and can be read, here.

Huffington Post Interview

I recently had a very enjoyable interview with Jaime Lubin for The Huffington Post. This is one of the things she says about Black Chalk.

“I mention that the story reminds me of a Hitchcock film: multiple twists and reveals, the suspenseful IV drip of information Yates doles out to the reader with a master hand, the shadowy yet intense secrets locked inside the characters while they struggle to maintain composure, the ominous atmospheres of Oxford and New York — so seemingly opposite but equal...

New York Post Fictionary

OK I swore I would never EVER again write another Fictionary.

So what in the name of all that is holy isthis?

It won’t happen again, promise.

Hardcover v. Paperback

I’ve just been shown the cover for the paperback version of Black Chalk (out September 2014 in the UK, January 2015 in the US). I’d be fascinated to find out which one you prefer. Hardcover on the left, paperback on the right. Please vote below.

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#yop-poll-question-2_yp536a6a79b5aeb...

Black Chalk US Launch

Here’s a little photo gallery of my book launch party at University Settlement (Lower East Side, New York), April 1. A massive thank you to everyone who provided photos: David Boyle, Larissa Beniaminova (the pro in the room, check her out here), Ted Conklin and Stefanie Cohen. And, of course, to all who came.

Here’s a story in the New York Post about Margi and her inspirational swimming coach Ellis Peters.

Check out Royal Young’s stunningly written memoir Fame Shark here.

Interview Photo

This is a photo shoot with Interview magazine which, for those of you who’ve finished Black Chalk, was taking place next to the exact tree that features in the climactic penultimate chapter. “Garlands of dried flowers hang from the trunk.” No flowers that day, curse you, you lazy Hare Krishnas. Thank you Royal Young for the photo and Amanda Segur for the surprisingly tranquil experience.

Black Chalk: the Launch Party Playlist

Here’s a playlist with the theme ‘Music From an Oxford College, 1990-91′, which will be the music at my US launch party, April 1 (click for details).

This is the music you would hear if, traveling back in timetwenty-something years ago,you were to wander around my fictional Pitt College, music that would be playing on the bar’s jukebox, at one of the college bops* or pouring out from a student’s room.

Click here to open in Spotify (although a few of the tracks aren’t on Spotify and therefore wo...

The US Launch Party

Blood Will Tell

For reasons that will become clear, I have no photos of the bia hoi of Hanoi, so a picture of Hanoi beer will have to do

Vacationing in Hanoi recently, I learned that one way to understand the true nature a nation’s people is to shed your blood in front of them.

The plan had been to enjoy the bia hoi of Vietnam in whichever bar was full of the most locals. Bia hoi is a unique brew, ‘Fresh Beer’, a drink made without preservatives and delivered daily to the Hanoi bars that serve it. Moderately w...