JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
D.A.Meyrick, author of Whisky From Small Glasses
(Ringwood)

“Whisky From Small Glasses” is a crime thriller, set on the western seaboard of Scotland. DI Jim Daley is sent to investigate the murder of a young woman, whose body is discovered washed up on the shore near the small rural town of Kinloch. Daley battles a tight-knit community as well as a baffling case, leading him to an unbearable conclusion where all he holds dear is in dire peril.

Love, betrayal, and terror descend on the town. This novel is thrilling, compelling and atmospheric, infused throughout with dark humour – a treat for lovers of crime, Scotland and brilliant writing.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write “Whisky From Small Glasses”?

D.A. Meyrick: I used to live in an area very similar to Kinloch, where the novel is set. I also spent a short time in the police in Glasgow.

I think “Whisky From Small Glasses” is predicated on a study of how the way life is so different in rural Scotland from that experienced in the more urban areas.

Though the best coast of Scotland is stunningly beautiful, it can also be darkly dangerous – I think the book reflects this duality.

JP: What sets “Whisky From Small Glasses” apart from other books in the same genre?

DAM: I am a huge fan of the wonderful television drama that has been produced in the USA over the last few years, particularly shows like ‘The Sopranos’.

I believe that the infusion of humour into a vexed situation adds realism to the plot. After all, don’t most of us employ humour in our daily lives in order to get over serious situations? I want the reader to be laughing one minute, then shaking with fear the next!

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to “Whisky From Small Glasses” getting out to the public?

DAM: I think being picked up by a publisher was very important. It is now so much easier now for potential writers to see their work in print, by way of self-publishing. In turn, this also means there are many more books ‘out there’.

I suppose a publisher offers a kind of legitimacy, an endorsement, if you like – helps you to be noticed in the crowd.

I also think the book’s setting and characters are vital, creating a compelling atmosphere. As an author, I think that good writing will always win friends and attention. I think “Whisky From Small Glasses” is a good example of that.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take you to start and finish “Whisky From Small Glasses“?

DAM: When I first started, I was pretty haphazard in terms of when I wrote and the structure of my writing day. Now, I find it much easier to sit down twice a day in order to get things done.

I aim to write between 2-3000 words per day, but like all best plans, this does not always happen.

“Whisky From Small Glasses” took me about two years to finish the book, this includes the proofing and editing process, which is laborious, but so vital.

JP: What’s next for D.A. Meyrick?

DAM: My aim is the the ‘Daley’ novels to be a series. I have plotted out the first four, and I am already a third of the way through the sequel to “Whisky From Small Glasses”, which is provisionally entitled, “Ghost in the Gloaming”.

http://whiskyfromsmallglasses.blogspot.co.uk/

http://ringwoodpublishing.com/catalogue/whisky-from-small-glasses/

http://www.facebook.com/D.A.Meyrick

http://twitter.com/Lochlomonden

http://www.facebook.com/pages/DAMeyrick/267565183352088?ref=hl

I have had some great feedback about my novel from other writers and publishers. There are now two film companies looking to adapt the work for the big screen! The novel is very popular in the USA, Canada, Europe and India.

[include file=current-advertisers.html]