When Gomez Porter becomes a test subject in an experimental drug trial, he is asked to keep track of any strange experiences through a blog. What Gomez isn’t ready for, is so many of his experiences suddenly seeming strange; the antiques dealer trying to buy his old tax papers, his neighbor boiling salamanders on his balcony at midnight, the super sexy lab assistant who falls for him but is unable to express herself in terms outside the realm of science.
But when one of the trial participants turns up dead and another goes missing, Gomez begins to fear for his life. No longer sure who he can trust and which of his experiences are real and which merely drug induced illusions, he decides it’s time to go underground and work out a devious plan.
Now, years later, his blogs have been recovered from a defunct server. For the first time we can find out firsthand what happened to Gomez as he takes us on a wild ride of discovery.
This is the exciting premise of Graham Parke's debut novel, No Hope for Gomez! (Outskirts Press).
We interviewed Graham about his new book. Enjoy!
Thank you for this interview, Graham. Can you tell us briefly what your book is about?
It's the age-old tale:
Boy meets girl.
Boy stalks girl.
Girl already has a stalker.
Boy becomes her stalker-stalker.
We've seen it all before, many times, but this time it's different. If only slightly.
Who is your intended audience? Have you been able to crossover into other audiences as well?
So far I’ve received positive reactions from both men and women, young and old. Some of them read mostly contemporary literature, others only vampire stories or SF. No Hope for Gomez! is a weird little book, I’ll be the first to admit. I’m happy to see that people apparently like weird little books.
Why did you choose your particular genre?
I had a monkey pick it out of a hat. Then I did the exact opposite. You can’t trust monkeys. Not at the prices I’m willing to pay.
Also, I had some notes on a few life-philosophies lying around that I hadn’t been able to use yet. When I was creating Gomez, it all clicked into place. It was a real joy to see the story develop from there.
Do you ever experience self-doubts with your work?
I do. Often, in fact. I worry that it might be too good. That it could do actual damage to readers’ brains. Then I edit some more and feel better. I try out early versions on readers who have no families, though. Just to be on the safe side.
Where do you write? Do you have a favorite place?
I’m pretty versatile. As long as I have a computer or a laptop, I’m good to go. I especially enjoy writing on holidays. Perhaps because I believe that quality sunlight is conducive to the creative process. We don’t get much quality sunlight in the Netherlands. I think the Germans are stealing it.
What kind of research did you have to do during the writing process?
I did a little research on antiques, but not much. The main character, Gomez, inherits an antiques store but doesn't know much about antiques. He isn't very interested in learning either:
“Slow morning. Sold some small wood pieces to a young couple for their collection. Think maybe the pieces were part of the counter, as they were attached to it with nails. Couple seemed pleased, so I decided not to worry about it.
Quiet. No more customers. Only sounds were Hicks’ sweeping, my breathing, and a strange squeaking coming from the counter.”
I only needed to learn enough about antiques to know what kind of things Gomez' customers might say. From that point, Gomez would take over.
How are you promoting your book thus far?
I do interviews and guest posts in which I complain about brain damage and lack of sunlight. I also send out copies of my novel to reviewers to get the word out. On my forum I hold regular give-aways of a spin-off novelette set in the Gomez Universe. Reactions have been good so far.
If you could give one book promotion tip to new authors, what would that be?
I think a give-away is a powerful promotional tool. It will tell you how interesting your pitch is. If no-one wants your book even when it’s free, well, it’s probably time to change something.
Thank you for this interview, Graham. Can you tell us where we can find you on the web?
My main website and forum can be found on www.grahamparke.com. On the forum you can also enter the give-away. It’s for a signed, limited edition novella that’s not on sale.
Further contact points are GoodReads and facebook.
Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble.com are the best way to obtain your copies, although you can order it in most Virginia Beach bookstores.
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