DROP DEAD GORGEOUS by Wayne Simmons aka HOO-HAA (author of FLU)

HOO-HAA · 13 February, 2011, 01:02:54 PM

Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 13 February, 2011, 11:56:35 AM
They had them in Sheffield's Waterstones the other week when I was in. You've gone mainstream man!

Excellent! Good to see DDG getting out there. I think Flu was in over 170 branches of Waterstone's at its peak (I can follow its stocking via the Waterstone's website - but it's nothing compared to seeing the book in the flesh, so to speak).

SmallBlueThing · 15 February, 2011, 02:06:21 PM

Today I finally saw a copy of FLU in my local Waterstones... in the teenage fiction section. I moved it back up to the horror section on the upper floor.

SBT

dangermouse3597 · 15 February, 2011, 08:18:27 PM

Well I really enjoyed the book Sir! I stayed up until 1AM to finish it which means I'm a bit tired as I get up at 6:30...

HOO-HAA · 16 February, 2011, 07:12:50 AM

Quote from: SmallBlueThing on 15 February, 2011, 02:06:21 PM
Today I finally saw a copy of FLU in my local Waterstones... in the teenage fiction section. I moved it back up to the horror section on the upper floor.

SBT

Steev, the kids are alright! Why deny them?!

Seriously, though... what the hell?! Crime, Young Adult...

Quote from: dangermouse3597 on 15 February, 2011, 08:18:27 PM
Well I really enjoyed the book Sir! I stayed up until 1AM to finish it which means I'm a bit tired as I get up at 6:30...

Wow, man! That's the best compliment a writer can ever receive! Thank-you for taking a chance on DDG and delighted you enjoyed it so much!

Colin YNWA · 25 February, 2011, 02:29:10 PM

Well literally just finished this a few minutes ago and so thought I'd put down some initial feelings.

Well firstly it chuffing great. Better than 'Flu' which I enjoyed too and like its predecessor a real page turner . The writing is more confident, cleaner and less fussy, because of this is more expressive. It really feels like the writer of Flu having a second go. The structure is the same. The characters are front and center. Initially seemingly unconnected as the story progresses they slowly become drawn together as their stories cross. Again the apocalyptic events, at least for the first two thirds mere back drop to very human tales.

Unlike Flu however the third and final part makes the 'events' very much part of the story. At first as this stage of the story started I really resented it. It felt like an unnecessary intrusion onto a tale that was doing quite nicely thank you and was frankly even more horrific in its own way. Even though you knew it was coming foreshadowed throughout the first two thirds, it felt out of place and jarring. Then when trapped in its thrilling gore it clicks and makes perfect sense as a way to conclude the story. Heck there's even a further neat explanation which you can chose to take or leave as you please.

The story for me (and I have a long history of getting this type of thing wrong) casts Northern Ireland (and the rest of the world but it around Belfast that we are witnesses) into a kind of purgatory. People taken from the world and having to process their guilt and sins, however much they try to avoid it, before they can move on. The end is therefore an almighty judgement from the dead, or even the still living and not always fair at that.

As I've said with Flu though its fantastically drawn and complex characters that make the book the success it is. I'm really looking forward to whatever Wayne does next.

Oh and it was a truly fantastic opening as well.

More than a guilty pleasure.

Richmond Clements · 25 February, 2011, 02:37:24 PM

Can't argue with that- I've written a review that'll go up on the blog this weekend.

HOO-HAA · 25 February, 2011, 07:09:13 PM

Colin, I caught your review on Amazon this morning and was really bowled over by it. Thanks for taking the time to write it!

You've hit the nail on the head with your comments on the writing style - DDG was first released in 2008 (and written around 2006). Since then, I've written its sequel at draft stage, as well as flu (and its sequel at draft) and a further novel, Plastic Jesus, that's currently with my agent to sell. Long and short is that somewhere in-between all that, I got a chance to do several revisions of DDG for its Snowbooks release and I think that's really helped shape this release.

Again, dude, my heartfelt thanks for such a considered review

Colin YNWA · 25 February, 2011, 07:49:12 PM

Don't thank me just keep up the great work. I'm really learning a lot from reading a genre (in novels) that I thought long behind me. Its exposed a prejudice towards genre novels that given how many genre comics I read is rank hypocrisy that only available time will stop me putting properly right! So Wayne my opinion of genre novels rests in you're hands for the time being... so far so good!

HOO-HAA · 25 February, 2011, 09:27:03 PM

Well, I've plenty more up my sleeve for you, Colin!

HOO-HAA · 27 February, 2011, 02:34:38 PM

The board's very own Richmond Clements reviews DROP DEAD GORGEOUS at the Hi-EX blog! Thanks to Rich for taking the time to both read and review the book, and his very kind words:

'All in all, this is a fast paced and bloody horror novel. I'm genuinely interested in reading what Simmons does next- I suspect he could be a major new talent....'

READ MORE:

http://hiexcomics.blogspot.com/2011/02/drop-dead-gorgeous-review.html?spref=fb

HOO-HAA · 04 April, 2011, 09:24:30 PM

Another review of DDG, this one from Theresa at TERROR TREE:

The gist: '...So DDG, which delivers with the horror, the fear and the characterisation, persuades the reader to ask; 'Who are the monsters?'

READ MORE: http://terror-tree.co.uk/reviews/

HOO-HAA · 20 April, 2011, 10:42:16 PM

Check out my interview in (rather ironically for an anarchist!) the 'Royal Wedding Special' of Men's Mag, ELITE. It's a super glossy read, featuring loads of foxy girls... and then me on page 62! Thanks to Richard Ronald for the grilling!

https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Feliteonlinemagazine.com%2FIssue12%2FIssue12.html&h=2d196ze_gAkoVN-vvqO5-wkVWIw.

HOO-HAA · 13 May, 2011, 07:16:37 PM

I'm going to be scribbling on books at this weekend's LIVERPOOL TATTOO CONVENTION. Come on over to my stall, say hallo and get yourself a book that's been described by Chris Frickin Jones (Physical Graffiti) as 'the grotesque lovechild of George A. Romero and Charles Dickens...'

http://www.tattooconvention.co.uk/

HOO-HAA · 29 May, 2011, 10:59:05 AM

Check out my interview on horror blog, THE GINGER NUTS OF HORROR (cool name, dontcha think?!)

http://thegingernutcase.blogspot.com/2011/05/hello-folks-for-your-reading-pleasure.html

HOO-HAA · 21 June, 2011, 05:08:11 PM

I'm Spam-Spam-Spamming my own thread!

Heartwarming review of my apoc-shocker, DROP DEAD GORGEOUS. 'It's dark, unrestrained, vicious, broken-hearted, dangerously beautiful, and it's got a foul mouth' says the lovely Sarah Elliot of Bewitched, Bothered & Bespectacled. Thanks, Sarah!

http://sarahxxlouise.wordpress.com/2011/06/21/book-review-drop-dead-gorgeous-wayne-simmons/