I’ve said before that I see quite a bit of lovely Ross Greenwood, both in person and virtually, and Ross is becoming a regular part of Linda’s Book Bag. You can read my Lazy Blood interview with Ross here, a guest post and my review of The Boy Inside here and my review of Fifty Years of Fear here.

Today, thanks to fellow blogger and tour organiser Caroline Vincent, I’m delighted that Ross is explaining how his latest protagonist in Abel’s Revenge has emerged in a super guest post that you can read below.

Abel’s Revenge is available for purchase here.

Abel’s Revenge

This is a story about a city. As with all others, it’s a place of violence. There are murderers, and they live among us.

This is also a tale about a couple — sometimes friends, occasionally lovers, but always partners. Dan and Olivia are fighting modern battles; the ones parents have over a lack of money, time or peace.

An escalating serial killer terrifies the streets and homes. The body count rises as their relationship crumbles. Society reveals its dark side, and no one is safe. Dan and Olivia experience this first-hand as danger closes in.

Will Abel’s reign of terror ever end?

Who will live and who will die?

Introducing Abel

A Guest Post by Ross Greenwood

Abel was started a long while ago. I’d written some serious books and wanted to write one with more humour. The idea was to write a book about modern relationships. My partner and I had children and found a new set of pressures came with them. Time became a valuable commodity. We found that men and women view the world differently, and they also parent in dissimilar ways.

At times, these differences were comical, at others, infuriating. Possibly funny later, when your blood was back to body temperature. Certainly amusing for those looking in. The balance and the partnership are the keys to success. Mistakes are inevitable and having the same goals is crucial. If you forget what’s important, the things that matter slip away.

So, over the years, I wrote down the little ‘discussions’ that happened, some hilarious phrases that the kids said, and lots of the arguments. Modern life in a busy city can be a battle. Dan and Olivia struggle, like many of us.

When I typed chapter 1, the serial killer element almost came in of its own accord. I suppose I wanted to make the book exciting. To begin with, Abel’s deeds weren’t particularly dark. A lot of friends, colleagues and authors have beta read this book, and as they fed back, the common message was more Abel. There was a universal urge to be gripped and shocked.

I based the character Abel on many of the murderers and rapists I met when I worked as a prison officer. They would commit evil crimes and, over the years, persuade themselves that they were the hard-done party, and they’d only done what was necessary. Either that, or they would learn to forget and simply not think about what terrible crimes they had committed. Even to the point of denying it altogether when there must have been a remnant of themselves that knew the truth.

In conclusion, I often hear people say they want to read a novel that is different. Well, this will be. As well as entertain you, I wanted the reader to recognise parts of their own lives in the couple’s interactions. And I hoped to make you laugh. There are sombre, terrible, evil acts in this book, but there are also thoughtful sections, and, I hope, some funny moments. Perhaps this isn’t a book to be taken too seriously, it’s just one to be enjoyed.

Thank you.

(Oh, thank you Ross. I loved this insight into how Abel came into being.)

About Ross Greenwood

Ross Greenwood was born in 1973 in Peterborough and lived there until he was 20, attending The King’s School in the city. He then began a rather nomadic existence, living and working all over the country and various parts of the world.

Ross found himself returning to Peterborough many times over the years, usually, so he says “when things had gone wrong.” It was on one of these occasions that he met his partner about 100 metres from his back door whilst walking a dog. Two children swiftly followed. And, according to Ross, he is “still a little stunned by the pace of it now.”

Lazy Blood book was started a long time ago but parenthood and then four years as a prison officer got in the way. Ironically it was the four a.m. feed which gave the author the opportunity to finish the book as unable to get back to sleep he completed it in the early morning hours.

Ross Greenwood’s second book, The Boy Inside, was picked up by Bloodhound Books, and now, Fifty Years of Fear, is out. All his books are thought provoking, and told with a sense of humour.

Ross Greenwood hopes you enjoy reading them.

You can find Ross on Facebook page and visit his web site. You can also follow Ross on Twitter @greenwoodross.

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