Quick witted, left-handed, pink hat wearing guitarist and author Andy Peters joins us today for Ten Questions. The near-pension drawing author of
The Barry Island Murders and
The Saundersfoot Suicides has been causing a whirlwind in the world of Welsh crime fiction recently (or Cyrmgrit as no one calls it) with his mixture of wit, seventies Welsh holiday resorts and more wit. He's also written books about
Otis King, a welsh Blues Detective who solves cases in Memphis, one of which is featured in a short
Youtube film.
Ronnie Barker or Ronnie Corbett?
Well, what with the big lad being fully occupied daisy-pushing, these days the
only option is the diminutive Scotch myopist golfer and his unfeasibly large
chair.
I was never much of a fan of any of their individual sitcoms, no, not even
“Porridge”, but in my youth I enjoyed their work together...some top sketches.
Also gave work to a bunch of dreadful forgotten women singers like Lynsey
DePaul, Clodagh Rogers, Dana, Elton Bastard John and Barbara Dickson who would otherwise have been unemployable
What's your latest book about?
An ex-Maths professor in 60s Las Vegas poking his nose into other peoples’
business for money, and trying to avoid getting it shot off. It’s called
“Subtraction”, it’s dead good and has a fine cover by ace crayonist Joe Lumley.
I believe Amazon may have a copy or two still available.
Newport Gwent or Newport Pembrokeshire?
I’ll go for the Pembrokeshire version, since my mum lives in Pembrokeshire and
my masterpiece of Welsh crime fiction, “The Saundersfoot Suicides” is set
there.
Apologies to my old mate Lloyd Llewellyn who comes from the Gwent (or
Monmouthshire as I prefer) version....but he won’t be reading this as he’s a
drunken old fart, who can rarely focus his eyes
Where do you write?
On my rather decadent white leather chaise longue, at home, generally
with at least one cat trying to stop me. I have no internet at home, so no
distractions to churning out many thousands of top words a day. When I could be
arsed.
Gypsies, tramps or thieves?
Tramps, every time, unless it’s those two Gypsy women out of “From Russia With
Love”. Chances are it won’t be.
Is your writing inspired by real events?
No, I make it all up, apart from all the messy sex with endless
well-upholstered blondes, which is all literally true. And murdering
ex-girlfriends.
e2e4 or Nf3?
I mean, really, is this the best you gritty crime boys can do? As ever you go
straight for the flashy and trendy stuff, despite its having no lasting value.
And you can’t even spell the stuff properly, all done in bloody text-speak.
King’s Pawn or Queen’s Indian my firmly chiseled arse! I’m a Ruy Lopez man and
always will be. That’s P-K4 for the illiterates out there. Stick with the
classics.
Some people!
Physical book or e-book?
Well, if you’re buying, I have both varieties available. Take your choice.
If I’m reading, which I rarely do, it has to be an e-book. You don’t need
reading glasses, bookshelves, the pages don’t fall out and they weigh nothing.
I am not one to bleat on about missing the smell of them or all that claptrap.
Which of the following swimming pool rules have you not kindly refrained from?
No Bombing
No Running
No Heavy Petting
No Acrobatics
I suspect the word “heavy” there is entirely your own invention. That “bombing”
thing is no joke in some places either, I imagine.
I will confess to having had a whistle blown at me by some fat tosser of a
lifeguard in Sale baths in 1973 and again in Durham Baths in 1979, but in view
of the various high-profile court cases currently pending about such things, my
ignorance of the exact birth date of the other party involved and on the off
chance I ever become rich and famous enough to warrant suing, I decline to go
into further details.
Incidentally, why are all people who work in Sports Centres
always massively overweight?
Where can we find you on the internet?
