Ruby Gets a Mention on Kobo Writing Life Blog

Thanks to Roz Morris for the mention in her guest post on the Kobo Writing Life blog: 
http://kobowritinglife.com/2013/05/24/music-for-telling-stories-the-undercover-soundtrack/

Roz's Undercover Soundtrack is a fascinating regular feature over on her site and I was a guest there a while back, talking about how the unlikely combination of Melody Gardot and Nick Cave inspired my serial killer characters in The Baptist - A Psychological Thriller.

The Baptist has had a couple of interesting new reviews recently on Amazon. It's a great feeling to get this sort of reception from readers:

True Noir by john1407
Dark and darker still at times. What surprised me was the humour - persistent and nimble - which gives the narrative a fresh-air lightness ( a great two line description of Crewe for instance). It ain't plain old grim. Intriguing throughout with new characters seamlessly worked in and a lack of predictability in the plot.
If you like first person (in the main) shorter chapters and revell in noir then this is a real gem.

Darkness and desire... by Tinka Dill
I have agonised over writing a review for this book, my words just don't seem to flow, I feel somehow inadequate for this task. The shadows of things unsaid and the impact of the things that are, memories and ghosts, fears and desires, darkness and light . . . This is quite a deep, and at times disturbing, tale with characters real enough to fall in love with. It is probably best for me to leave it there and let you dig deeper into it yourselves, you won't regret it. All that's left for me to say is - Thank you, Ruby Barnes, for writing the best book I have read in a long time!

What's your writing mood? Mine is a controlled frenzy.

Mrs Ruby says I'm an oxymoron. 

How do you create? 90% inspiration and 10% perspiration, or the other way around?

I like to write in a relaxed setting. I'm a Peacemaker – scented candle or incense, Buddha Bar on the music system. Pilates exercises performed with control and precision, establishing the inner core. Elsewhere in the house family rampage at a safe distance, out of earshot. Writing flows from the spirit. Characters talk aloud and their dialogue falls upon the keyboard. At least that's what I thought until I was invited onto The Undercover Soundtrack by Roz Morris. 

When I examined what had gone on during the writing of The Baptist I discovered Peacemaker isn't really my default mode. I'm a Moodmaker. John and Mary rampaged through the asylum and rural Ireland to the tune of controlled craziness. When Alice appeared on the scene things became frenzied and uncontrollable. Their lunatic love, however, took on soft romantic jazz and blues tones as they circled each other and moved in for the kill. 

Head on over to The Undercover Soundtrack, turn up the volume, read and listen to the full story of how Melody Gardot and Nick Cave guided me through the moral and murder maze of The Baptist. I ain't gonna lie to you, it gets weird ;-) P.S. There's an e-copy of The Baptist to be one for one lucky commenter.

Many thanks to Roz Morris for this eye-opening opportunity!

Note: no brothers, mental health patients, trainee doctors, obese tourists, degenerate aristocrats or car mechanics were actually harmed in the writing of The Baptist.

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