What would you do if you saw your husband killed right in front of you …identified his body …had him cremated six months previously…and then received a letter written by him two days ago?
Amy Barrowman grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. So when she falls in love with millionaire Riley Hart and he asks her to marry him she can’t believe her luck. She has found true love and her happy ever after.
Author: Nigel May
Title: Deadly Obsession
Publishers: Bookouture
Publication Date: 19th Feb 2016
Link: UK: Amazon US: Amazon
We are delighted to welcome Nigel May on the blog today to talk about his new book, Deadly Obsessions, which will be published on 19th Feb.
Hi Nigel welcome to Sincerely
Book Angels blog.
Thank you very much - great to be
here!
What was the inspiration behind this
novel?
Deadly Obsession is a little bit
grittier than my previous novels and is a real psychological thriller. It tells
the story of Amy Barrowman, a girl from the poorer side of Manchester who meets
and falls in love with the charismatic Riley Hart. He is suave, debonair,
brutally handsome, very rich and also someone who constantly lies to Amy during
their time together. Not that she knows that when she is married to him. This
only comes to light after he is gunned down in front of her at the neon-lit
nightclub they open together. Amy has lost the love of her life but six months
after his death receives a letter written by Riley telling her that he is, in
fact, still alive. The story then sets off an a whirlwind adventure to many
glamorous locations and includes a set of characters who may or may not have
had something to do with Riley's 'death'. The book is a gripping one but still
dipped in beauty, travel, friendship and some very naughty goings on.
Did you always want to be a writer?
I worked as a journalist for 20
years before moving into TV which is where I currently work when I am not
writing novels. I missed writing when I started the TV so I decided that I
wanted to create some stories. That is how Trinity, my first novel, was born. I
read glam fiction like Jackie Collins and Victoria Fox so for me it was the
perfect kind of story for me to write. Something that I would read myself. Pure
escapism.
What other jobs have you had?
I worked for more! Magazine for many
years, I was the Editor of the official East 17 magazine as well and I
have interviewed nearly every pop star out there. I also used to be a
television bingo caller on a quiz channel which was fabulous. I was also one of
the first people in the UK to interview a group called Take That when they
first started. I wonder what happened to them!
How did it feel when your first novel was published?
I self-published the first two, Trinity and Addicted, but then I was offered a
book deal by Bookouture which was amazing. They repackaged the books and guided
me through the writing and editing process for the subsequent books. When I
actually saw one of my paperbacks for the first time I was immensely proud and
yep, I did have a tear in my eye as I was so happy! I still am!
Have you ever had writer's block? If so how did you overcome it?
Sometimes I do, especially when I am
first starting a new novel. But if that happens I put the kettle on, sit down
with my list of characters and then start working out links between them all.
That normally fires my brain back into action. There are definitely certain
days when writing comes more naturally than on others.
What motivates you to keep writing?
People telling me that they enjoy what
I write. I know the pleasure that I gain from reading so if somebody else says
that they enjoy my books then that really makes me incredibly grateful. Writing
is a very personal thing and sometimes when you're writing a novel you can find
it hard to imagine the finished book, but knowing that people like what you do
makes all of those moments when you doubt where the story is going totally
worthwhile.
Do your characters moods ever affect your mood and vice versa?
You do become very close to your
characters. I love them all, even the baddies, and I can picture them all in my
head. They become like family. I like to cross-pollinate characters from one
novel to another. Their world is imaginary but it's a world in which they can
all exist alongside each other. I feel like I know them all really well.
What three pieces of advice would you give to an aspiring writer?
Never give up. Always believe in
yourself. Write about what excites you and what you enjoy and then it will be
much more authentic.
Which authors inspire you?
Agatha Christie, Shirley Conran,
Jackie Collins, Victoria Fox, Angie Marsons, Belinda Jones, Armistead Maupin,
Paul Burston....the list goes on. So much talent out there!
What are you reading at the moment?
I'll Never Write My Memoirs by Grace
Jones. I adore Grace Jones and her book is fabulous as she has lived such a
rich, varied life. Singing, acting, modelling. She is totally inspirational and
somebody who has that ethic of believing you can achieve whatever you want in
life which I believe we should all try and have. It's a brilliant read.
If your book was made into a film what song would you choose for
the opening credits?
What a great question. Deadly
Obsession has a lot of action set in a nightclub so I think it would need to be
something upbeat and really anthemic. Maybe Bad Romance by Lady Gaga as that is
certainly what Amy seems to have picked in the book.
Who would you choose to play your favourite character in the film
of your book?
I think Amy should be played by a
gritty UK actress. Michelle Keegan springs to mind straight away as she is a
phenomenal actress and would work the Manchester vibe really well. Or maybe
Natalie Dormer from Game Of Thrones and The Hunger Games. I would love to see
my books on TV or on the big screen.
What is your next book about?
The next one is a lot more tropical
and sees a lot of action based in Barbados as I went there last year and fell
in love with the place. It's about a family who own a huge hotel chain, but
underneath the glossy, rich exterior there is a lot of intrigue, death,
betrayal and high jinx going on. It should be released later this year.
Thank you so much for joining us on
our blog today and good luck with the book.
Thank you so much, I hope you enjoy it
- Love Nigel xx
Sincerely
Book Angel x
About the Author
Nigel May has been described as "the UK's male Jackie Collins" and is an author, TV host and journalist. His three fiction novels have all been published by Bookouture.
His first glam fiction novel was TRINITY, an action-packed blockbuster (or bonkbuster) about the lives of the rich and famous. Glamour, beauty, fame and celebrity mix with murder, intrigue and danger to create an explosive novel which gained incredible reviews and fans across the globe. His follow-up was the glitz-meets-grit whodunit ADDICTED which was also a huge success and once again dived into the diamond-dipped world of the mega-rich but showed that all of the money and fame in the world do not always make for a happy ending. His third novel SCANDALOUS LIES is steeped in secrets, sin, sex and scandal and takes readers around the world as a mysterious celebrity disappearance is investigated. His books have been Amazon best sellers, read by celebrities and fellow authors alike, and have proved that a man can successfully write in a 'bonkbuster world' that has always been a strongly female domain.
Nigel was the only male writer amongst 44 authors featured in the chart-topping, beach-read anthology of short-stories SUNLOUNGER. He also contributed a short story to SUNLOUNGER 2.
On television he regularly presents on UK shopping channels where he has built up a substantial following. He has also featured on Channel 4, C5, ITV and broadcast live from America. He is also one of the UK's most popular craft personalities, having launched his own successful range, A-May-Zing.
As a writer he has written for many of the UK's most successful magazines and newspapers, specialising in showbiz and celebrity, as well as writing on subjects ranging from relationships through to exotic travel.
Follow him on Twitter @Nigel_May
