fuonlyknew

• Where did you get the idea for Dead Letters?

Dead Letters resulted from two ideas coming together. The first was my desire to write a gothic ghost story – not scary but depicting ghosts in unusual situations and considering them as memories of people and events. The second was the idea of puzzling apart the truth behind a novel. After reading my previous novels, some people told me they could guess the real-life inspiration behind certain characters and events. I thought, ‘There’s a novel in that!’ Put the two together, and you have Dead Letters.

• What other writers do you admire?

I try to read wide and avoid limiting myself to particular genres. Saying that, the author I have read the most is probably Terry Pratchett. The wisdom and humour that’s packed into his books is really quite staggering. The Vimes ones have some pretty good mystery plots, too. I also enjoy the work of Jeffrey Eugenides. His style of writing is very evocative and, at times, jaw-droppingly beautiful.

• Which format do you prefer reading in: paperback or ebook?

Hmm, that’s a tricky one! I never thought I would get into ebooks until I received an e-reader as a gift ten years ago. I was hooked! They are so easy to carry around, and you don’t need to find shelf space for all your books at home. On the other hand, there is something special about having a physical copy of a book, particularly if it’s one of your favourites. I guess that’s why there’s such a market for special editions these days.

• Have you had any of your books made into audiobooks? If so, what are the challenges of producing an audiobook?

I have recently ventured into the wonderful world of audiobooks. An audiobook version of Dead Letters should go live around when this interview is published. The main challenge for me was finding a reader with the right voice. Most of Dead Letters is narrated in the first person, so the narrator’s voice had to match our protagonist’s. I was lucky enough to receive many excellent auditions, making choosing difficult. Ultimately, I went with a narrator who hit the beats as I had written them, and I’m very excited to hear the final version.

If you’re interested in reading more, I have blogged about my experiences commissioning an audiobook on my website www.pjmurphywriter.com

• What is your next project?

I have a few ideas on the go, including a road trip and an unusual take on a spy novel. The one closest to finishing, though, is the sequel to my satirical novel, Troubleshot. This will be set in Geneva, where I now live, and should be amusing to anyone who’s lived or worked internationally. I’m also releasing one of my older novels, Yesterday’s Shadow, in February. It’s a coming-of-age tale about homelessness and the dark side of faith. Believe it or not, it also contains plenty of humour!

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Meet the Author:

P.J. Murphy writes novels that introduce unusual and humorous twists to classic genres. If you pick up one of his books, you’re in for an interesting read that never loses its sense of fun. As a writer, P.J. tries to stick to the adage ‘write what you know’, although with the addition, ‘just make sure you exaggerate and distort it beyond all recognition’. He is planning to write a novel about taking a road trip with a parrot. He has never owned a parrot.

connect with author: website ~ facebook ~ goodreads

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