An Interview with Nick Quantrill, Local Crime Fiction Writer (2/2) By Michelle Dee

(1/2), (2/2),

Although naming Steinbeck as his favourite writer, he finds inspiration closer at home too, referencing two of Hull's spoken word artists in particular; 'If Joe (Hakim) and Mike (Watts), two guys from Hull, are going out there and doing it, I get to thinking why can't I get myself out there and get a book published?' Nick went on to applaud the support from organisations like thisisUll.com, A63 Revisited, Waterstones and The Humbermouth. He suggested it felt like a genuine writing community was emerging. 'I've been able to serialise work on thisisUll.com to get my stuff out there, to get it seen by many others.

Richard Sutherland (Waterstones Hull) has been really supportive and I will certainly be making use of the local writers section he has been developing in-store when it comes to publicising and selling Broken Dreams.

This will be the first time Nick has worked with a publisher. I asked him, how did it come about? Do they have editorial control? How does the relationship between writer and publisher work?

'I'd been hunting around looking for the right place to send some writing to when I came across Darren Laws on the internet. He was just setting up a business called Caffeine Nights Publishing. Darren has been writing for around four years in what is termed the Urban Gritty Genre and was fairly clued up on the writing industry. I sent him three chapters and a synopsis of Broken Dreams and he must have thought it had something because he came straight back to me with a publishing deal. As far as his input goes it's light editorial in nature coming from a business perspective rather than creative. It's actually quite interesting. I've not had that kind of input or guidance before.

Using the different elements that Caffeine Nights has to offer and Darren's knowledge of the market I will be able to get Broken Dreams made available through Amazon, ebooks and other new formats as they come online, as well as selling directly via the Caffeine Nights Website. I also expect to have hard copy versions in bookstores locally such as the aforementioned Waterstones in Hull.' Noting all these new technologies and applications open to writers these days I asked Nick whether he felt print was dead. 'Books will never die; variety of titles may be reduced and there may well be a narrower range offered but books as we know them won't disappear.

It's a challenge publishers will have to meet head on. There are questions surrounding sustainability for piles of books stocked up in warehouses waiting to go out to retailers. Whether it is a good thing supermarkets selling popular titles is also open to criticism.

However, I'd like to mention the library system. I think Hull has a pretty good library service. They stock new titles, operate a delivery service from library to library thus making your point of access nearer.' Nick is due to have a short story included in the third edition of Radgepacket (Bykerbook) on July 12th. 'My story, Party Politics is all about a corrupt politician; which by my calculation makes me almost topical.' He has started work on his next novel; this one is to be set within Hull's music scene. Nick's taste in music is fairly eclectic; Chris Mills, Wilko, Jason Isbell and The Eels . He mentioned that he liked Greenday's latest album, 21st Century Breakdown far more than American Idiot.

He also appreciates the work of Joe Solo and relatively new name Horse Guards Parade, citing Paul Thompson and James Waudby as the best local singer/songwriters of the last fifteen years. He reviewed Horse Guards latest EP for this site. The Late Great (title inspired by the Wilko song of the same name) see's Joe Geraghty searching for a missing singer after a Hull Britpop band decides to reform. This premise reflects well what is currently happening on the wider scene and may well just prove to have a touch of prophecy about it. In the meantime, Broken Dreams will be available in paperback and digital formats later in 2009.

Links: Hull Crime Fiction www.hullcrimefiction.co.uk Caffeine Nights Publishing www.cnpublishing.co.uk/A> a63revisited www.a63revisited.com Byker Books bykerbooks.co.uk

thisisUll.com Featured Writer Michelle Dee
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