Couldn't wait until I finally post this interview. It's a fan interview with one of her favorite authors, "Guy Portman". Before dive in, you can get a free copy of Guy's book "Golgotha" by subscribing to his website by clicking here. It's one of my favorites of all time.
As a reader of your books, first I want to say it’s an honor to have you for this interview. We’re living in some crazy times—how are you doing through all of this?
Thank you for hosting me, Neda. Well, I’ll be frank. I didn’t have a life before the pandemic, and I won’t have one after. Of course, we’ve all been affected by lockdown’s etc. in different ways. As an introvert, it’s been easier for me than many others. That’s not to say that I’ve escaped totally unscathed. One way I coped was writing. That shouldn’t come as a big surprise, as I’m an author. Living in the countryside has helped too.
Now about Narcopolis Trilogy as one of my favorite Transgressive works of fiction. May I know where do you see yourself in the world you’ve created?
Thank you Neda, I’m flattered. It’s actually called the Necropolis Trilogy. Now, you’ve got me wondering why I didn’t call it the Narcopolis Trilogy. Is it too late to change? On second thoughts, it might make readers think the books are about narco police, which they’re not by the way for anyone reading this.
As for where I fit in with my creation, I believe I share protagonist Dyson Devereux’s caustic sense of humor and cynical worldview. However, I stress that unlike my anti-hero I am not a sociopath. Life might be easier if I were. Really, I just see myself as an observer of the world I’ve created. Good question, I’ve never really thought about it until now.
Oh, sorry. It's typical me. Always with the wrong spelling in my head. Transgressive fiction was a term I learned about two years ago, but I have read books in this genre since I was a teenager. How about you? When did you find yourself attracted to transgressive literature? Why?
That’s interesting, Neda. Same with me. I didn’t know what Transgressive Fiction was until I stumbled across the term some years back. I read two works of transgressive lit back in the day. American Psycho and Irvine’s Welsh’s Porno. It was about seven years ago that I started reading the genre in earnest. Why? It appeals to my nature like no other genre out there.
I’m curious which character in your writings most represent you? And which one is your favorite and why?
I’m definitely not going to say the dude in the first story in The Gazebo, considering his sexual predilections. I’d like to say Ken in the story Grower in Mangetout, but no he’s not me. It’s got to be Dyson Devereux. I’m not as sophisticated, or anywhere near as successful with the opposite sex, but as mentioned previously we share characteristics. As for your second question, Dyson is my favourite character too. After all I’ve devoted three books to him.
Who is your biggest inspiration when it comes to writing?
You, my readers. Of course authors I am fans of have inspired me, but it’s getting positive feedback and love from readers that inspires me the most. Sounds a bit soppy that for a Transgressive Fiction author doesn’t it?
Haha, indeed. Do you think Transgressive Fiction is outdated?
Hell no. I just don’t think Transgressive Fiction is being labelled as such. It’s more a term us authors use I believe. Take the bestseller My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite. On Goodreads it is labelled as crime, mystery, African etc., but not Transgressive Fiction as a primary genre. So, to surmise I would say the term might be outdated, but the genre isn’t, it’s just masquerading or being labelled as another genre/s. Further evidence of this is the fact very few would-be readers type ‘Transgressive Fiction’ into the Amazon search bar every month. I was shocked when I saw the numbers a few months ago. It was under a hundred searches for the month I saw on Amazon UK.
Interesting. I actually was thinking what other genres we can categorize our writings under. What advice would you offer to writers, many of whom are struggling to be creative right now, on how to keep momentum on the work when the world around feels somewhat stranger than fiction?
If they’re anything like me, it’s about routine and consistency. If you fall out of the habit, it’s difficult to get back into it regardless of what’s happening in the world. Once it is a habit writing is easy, well some of the time anyway. I appreciate not everyone is the same as me.
If they don’t feel like writing don’t, unless they have to to put food on the table from their writing that is. Do something else. Read, learn a language etc. Come back to the writing later. Even if the world feels stranger than fiction, it shouldn’t affect your fiction. If it does, maybe you’re looking for excuses.
Great advice. Thank you. Last question. Are you able to share anything about what you’re working on next?
Yes, I sure can Neda. Currently, I am working on expanding the Necropolis Series (no longer trilogy). A fourth instalment, Emergence, is being written presently. I am also rewriting part one, Necropolis. It will be relaunced as a new book. I wrote it when I was an inexperienced writer, and while it garnered some great reviews, it just wasn’t up to the standard of the next two books, soon-to-be three, in the series.
I am also in the process of penning a novel about the blight upon society that is cuckooing (drug gangs taking over vulnerable people’s homes). The Cuckoo will be released next year.
Thank you once more
Thank you Guy. It was a pleasure knowing more about you. Looking forward to future collaboration.
If you're interested to know more about Guy Portman, you can check the following links: