Tag Archives: Influences

The Irresistible Summons: Influences and Inspirations

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Which books and films influenced The Irresistible Summons?

Irresistible Summons mock up 1

Here are five key texts that informed the telling of my latest ghostly mystery novel.

StephenKingPetSematary

Pet Sematary – Stephen King’s bleakest novel is also concerned with how far people are prepared to go to bring back their loved ones from the dead, regardless of the cost. His novel is very different to mine, but the themes – desperately grieving individuals who lose sight of reality in the pursuit of their macabre goals – definitely share DNA with my story.

indexFatherland – The Irresistible Summons isn’t just a modern gothic horror but also a conspiracy thriller. In fact, I’d argue the tone throughout is more conspiracy thriller than horror. For that reason, I’ve included this novel, by Robert Harris, in my list of influential stories. The plot – set in a parallel universe where the Nazis won the war – has no bearing whatsoever on my novel. However, the tone of investigation into a gradually uncovered conspiracy was certainly something I strove to emulate in my telling.

220px-Robin_Cook_-_ComaComa – Both Robin Cook’s novel and Michael Crichton’s film adaptation are key inspirations. The premise – a possible conspiracy in a Boston hospital whereby patients are being deliberately placed in irreplaceable comas – is a masterclass in escalating unease and paranoia, building to full blown suspense set pieces that are pure modern gothic. The film in particular is terrific, with Genevieve Bujold making a fantastic imperilled heroine. Michael Douglas is also good as her is-he-or-isn’t-he-in-on-it boyfriend. A real nail-biter, and a major tonal influence on my work (not just this novel either).

51PC4TRP1VL._SY445_Riget (The Kingdom) – This Danish TV miniseries, partly directed by Lars Von Trier, was edited together for an epic cinema release in the UK, which I caught sometime in the mid-1990s. I’ve never forgotten it. Think Casualty/ER meets Ghostbusters/The Exorcist, with a healthy dose of Twin Peaks thrown into the mix. Quirky, mysterious, funny and frightening, I cite this as an influence mainly for the notorious segment where a woman’s pregnancy is gradually revealed to have a disturbingly supernatural origin.

MV5BMjA5NzQ1NTgwNV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNjUxMzUzMw@@._V1_The Descent – This brilliant Neil Marshall directed horror film, about a bereaved woman and her friends discovering more than they bargained for on a pot-holing expedition, was considered so disturbing that the ending was actually censored in the US, ending a few minutes before the version we see in the UK, and thus blunting the true horror of what has occurred. Said censored ending was certainly a key influence on one moment during the finale of my story.

The Irresistible Summons is published by Dragon Soul Press, and is out now. Paperbacks or Kindle downloads are available here (in the UK) and here (in the US).

Inspiration: Uncle Flynn

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Continuing my series on inspiration and influences for my books, here’s a look at texts that informed my debut novel, Uncle Flynn.

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A thrilling treasure hunt inspired by local history and walks on Dartmoor with my oldest son, Uncle Flynn is a good old-fashioned adventure story for young and old alike, with a surprising twist in the tale. It delves into themes of overcoming fear and the dangers of mollycoddling, but the heart of the story concerns the restoration of a relationship between father and son. Here are five key influential texts:

Five on a Treasure Island (Enid Blyton) – Not my favourite Famous Five novel (that would be Five go to Smuggler’s Top) but certainly the biggest influence on Uncle Flynn in that it features a map, treasure and villainous rival treasure hunters. Like all good treasure hunt stories, the real prize is not the gold but something greater – in this case, lonely George gaining lifelong friends in her cousins. In the case of Uncle Flynn, the afore-mentioned restored relationship between Max and his father is the real prize.

Treasure Island (Robert Louis Stevenson) – I could hardly exclude this. As well as obvious treasure hunt iconography (maps, gold, etc), there are elements of Long John Silver in the darker side of Uncle Flynn. My book doesn’t have pirates though.

Swallows and Amazons (Arthur Ransome) – Another obvious touchstone, and a classic of children having adventures out of doors. The inspiration here is more tonal, though other Ransome novels contain elements that perhaps proved a more direct influence on the plot (for example Peter Duck and Pigeon Post, which are both treasure hunt stories).

The Goonies (Film) – Childhood nostalgia plays a big part in my affection for this film, a treasure hunt adventure packed with secret tunnels, maps, boobie traps, villainous treasure hunters and so forth. Obviously there are also treacherous secret tunnels and treasure chambers in Uncle Flynn, so the influence is obvious.

Mary Poppins (PL Travers) – To be fair, the film provided much of the inspiration here, since the character arc of Mr Banks isn’t really present in the novels. Uncle Flynn shares a certain amount in common with Mary Poppins, in that he enters the story at a point when Max really needs him. They go on great adventures, like Mary Poppins with the Banks children, so in that sense both the books and the film are an influence. But it is the film that features the restoration of the relationship between Jane and Michael and their parents. Just as Mary Poppins leaves “when the wind changes” so Flynn leaves once Max’s relationship with his father is restored.

You can download or buy print copies of Uncle Flynn from Amazon here.