“Declan Burke is his own genre. The Lammisters dazzles, beguiles and transcends. Virtuoso from start to finish.” – Eoin McNamee “This bourbon-smooth riot of jazz-age excess, high satire and Wodehouse flamboyance is a pitch-perfect bullseye of comic brilliance.” – Irish Independent Books of the Year 2019 “This rapid-fire novel deserves a place on any bookshelf that grants asylum to PG Wodehouse, Flann O’Brien or Kyril Bonfiglioli.” – Eoin Colfer, Guardian Best Books of the Year 2019 “The funniest book of the year.” – Sunday Independent “Declan Burke is one funny bastard. The Lammisters ... conducts a forensic analysis on the anatomy of a story.” – Liz Nugent “Burke’s exuberant prose takes centre stage … He plays with language like a jazz soloist stretching the boundaries of musical theory.” – Totally Dublin “A mega-meta smorgasbord of inventive language ... linguistic verve not just on every page but every line.Irish Times “Above all, The Lammisters gives the impression of a writer enjoying himself. And so, dear reader, should you.” – Sunday Times “A triumph of absurdity, which burlesques the literary canon from Shakespeare, Pope and Austen to Flann O’Brien … The Lammisters is very clever indeed.” – The Guardian

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

“Ya Wanna Do It Here Or Down The Station, Punk?” # 2,014: Tony Black

Yep, it’s rubber-hose time, folks: a rapid-fire Q&A for those shifty-looking usual suspects ...
What crime novel would you most like to have written?
FILTH by Irvine Welsh. Not even his genre really but he nails it. Edgy and twisted with laugh-yer-arse off cracks a’plenty. Lurved it!
Who do you read for guilty pleasures?
Viz ... I defy anyone not to laugh at Tony Slattery's Phoney Cattery.
Most satisfying writing moment?
Has to be my agent calling to say, “We got an offer!” Believe me, it was a long time coming and if it hadn’t arrived when it did I’m not sure I’d have hung about waiting much longer.
The best Irish crime novel is …?
THE GUARDS by Ken Bruen. I did some of my growing up in Galway and every time I pick it up I’m back there. Atmospheric. Dark. And a style that's slicker than Brylcreem.
What Irish crime novel would make a great movie?
Ken again – THE KILLING OF THE TINKERS. Such a great tale. Great characters. And a great setting. It’s all there ... Hollywood, get off yer arse!
Worst / best thing about being a writer?
Best: meeting the writers you admire. Worst: mostly, you’re on your own.
The pitch for your next novel is …?
Washed-up hack staggers into the underside of ‘genteel’ Edinburgh when he pokes into the grisly killing of his best friend’s son.
Who are you reading right now?
Nick Stone’s KING OF SWORDS ... the guy’s just too good for words. And Cathi Unsworth’s THE SINGER, which definitely rocks the casbah. I’m also itching to get my hands on Al Guthrie’s new one, SAVAGE NIGHT ... if I don’t get an advance proof soon, I might have to release more photographs of him.
The three best words to describe your own writing are …?
Bad shit happens.

Tony Black’s PAYING FOR IT will be published in July.

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