Blog Tour Interview and Giveaway: The Radleys by Matt Haig
Matt Haig is the author of The Last Family in England, a UK bestseller narrated by a Labrador; The Dead Fathers Club, a widely acclaimed update of Hamlet featuring an eleven-year-old boy; and The Possession of Mr. Cave, a horror story about an overprotective father. The newest book penned by Haig is 2011′s The Radleys. His work has been translated into twenty-four languages. He lives in York, England, with the writer Andrea Semple and their two children.
Where did the idea for The Radleys stem from?
Becoming a father. Asking myself what it meant to be a father – how much of yourself must you box away in a cupboard in order to live the perfect family life. I pushed that idea to the extreme, and came up with the worst past a parent could have, and the most unbelievable secret.
Are any of the characters based on anyone you know or do you have mental images for the characters?
Every character an author writes comes from themselves so I suppose they are all different aspects of my personality to an extent.
Do you have a favorite character?
Will was the most fun to write, because he was so amoral and wild yet there was still a conflict inside him. He is a monster, but he can love and knows he has made mistakes. Rowan was basically me as a teenager, if you take away his fangs.
What made you decide to make the Radleys Vampires over other paranormal creatures?
Because vampires symbolise so many things – addiction, desire, selfishness, the desire to go on living. Plus they are aspirational. It had to be something attractive they were denying themselves from being. After all, no-one wants to be a zombie or a werewolf.
Do you have any favorite fictional Vampires from other stories?
Dracula, obviously. All Anne Rice’s creations are classics, too, though very different to the type of vamp I went for in The Radleys. Bret Easton Ellis had some cool vampires in The Informers.
What is next for you?
Well at some point I want to return to The Radleys but first I’ve got some big ideas I really have to get out of my system. Plus, I’ve written a kids book called To Be A Cat about a boy who turns into a cat which is going to be published in the US at some point.
Want to win your own copy (or 2;))? The be sure to check out the other stops on The Radleys Blog Tour where each Friday during the tour one person who commented on all participating blogs for that week will win a prize! The winner will be announced each Monday on Helen and Rowan’s twitter accounts and and in the next Monday’s blogger’s post.
The prize will be a copy of THE RADLEYS in both hardcover and paperback signed by author Matt Haig and some blood-red hot chocolate.
I have heard great things about The Radleys and find the premise very appealing. I would love the opportunity to win a signed edition.
Shelleyrae @ book’d Out
Another lovely review – would love to win a copy to be able to delve into this world!
This is a new author for me and would love to win and read this book. I am always looking for new books and authors to read and this one looks good. Thanks for the giveaway and the chance to win.
Please enter me in contest.
I love reading “New” authors and discovering new books! This is a really fun and interesting book!
I’ve been wanting to check this out since the Hardback came out. I just haven’t gotten a chance yet. It sounds amazing. Plus, the covers are both great!
Vivien
deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com
It never occurred to me that vampires are aspirational in a broader societal sense. I thought only Bella Swan aspired to be a vampire. Now that I consider human aspirations for the paranormal, I respectfully disagree that humans can’t desire to be other creatures. In The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater, some folks want to become werewolves to forget their human selves. Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion is a surprisingly touching novel narrated by a zombie. And I think mermaids and faeries will always hold sway.
Ohhh, sounds good. I’ve been looking forward to reading this. thanks for the giveaway! Artesia at comcast dot net
I agree, vampires have made most other supernatural beings pale in comparison. I certainly wouldn’t want to be a zombie if I could be a vamp! Great interview, I can’t wait to read this one.
thegirlonfire27 at gmail dot com
Great interview! I can not wait to read The Radley’s! Thanks for the chance to win!
Thanks for the interview, I can’t wait to read this one. I actually read Dracula for the first time not to long again and I really loved it, but I still haven’t read Anne Rice.
thegirlonfire27 at gmail dot com
I think vampires have become so much a part of our culture that it is the reason authors create such fascinating stories. The Radleys looks just so good and thanks Paperbackdolls for hosting.
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I would love to win this.
In The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater, some folks want to become werewolves to forget their human selves. Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion is a surprisingly touching novel narrated by a zombie. And I think mermaids and faeries will always hold sway.
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