My new novel, The Wretched Bones: A Ben Shivers Mystery, has just been released on Midnight Machinations, an imprint of Grinning Skull Press. Though written as a standalone, it’s the first in a planned series following PI (Paranormal Investigator) Ben Shivers as he drives around the country in a vintage camper van solving mysteries with his cat, Mr. Trimble, for company. Just to clarify, in the book Mr. Trimble doesn’t do much other than prance around with his tail sticking in the air lording it over his human and yelling for food. Sorry to disappoint. He can’t talk or do tricks or anything. I thought about giving him the power of speech, but that would’ve just been too weird. Even for me. Besides, the only ‘voice’ I think would fit this particular cat would be a spoiled little bastard with an emperor complex. Because, let’s face it, most cats are. I’m not sure where the name Mr. Trimble came from. I just thought it suited him. The only ‘Trimble’ I’ve ever known in real-life was a jovial Irish barman I once worked a bar with when I was a student.

Ben Shivers is a complex individual. People say we paint our characters as a reflection of ourselves and the people we know, which always makes me think of God creating man ‘in his own image.’ The analogy works because writers are the gods of the worlds they create. They have complete control over every thought, action, and reaction. In a world that’s slipping away from us, that’s reassuring. Ben used to be a journalist on a rock magazine in London, before relocating to the Hampshire countryside with his wife Louise and daughter Amy. Without giving too much away, the idyllic existence doesn’t last, and Ben soon finds himself divorced and living in a camper van. He spends his time looking for meaning in a world he increasingly feels ostracized from.

I started writing the book in 2019, when I lived in Guangzhou, China. That spring was a weird time for me. One of my friends from home committed suicide, and at the time I was dating a girl who had manic depression. She talked about ending it a lot, and was on all kinds of medication. I was haunted by what had happened with my friend. He talked about suicide a lot, too. Nobody thought he would ever go through with it. Until he did.  I always think I could have done more. To try to make amends I tried my utmost to help this girl I was dating any way I could, but you can’t help someone who doesn’t want to be helped. Our relationship was toxic, and destructive in a lot of ways. Predictably enough we broke up after a few months. The only saving grace was that she didn’t care enough about me for a little thing like that to push her over the edge. Four years on, she’s still here.

A few days after our relationship imploded, I was walking through the city centre contemplating how fucked my life was when I heard a noise in the bushes next to the road. I investigated, and found a tiny kitten which had been abandoned. It was so weak it could barely walk. Not knowing what else to do, I took it to the nearest vet. After an examination, they said the kitten was dangerously dehydrated and malnourished. Not only that, but had contracted pneumonia, a nasty eye infection, and a bad case of fleas. All things considered, the prognosis wasn’t good and the vet gave it a mere 30% chance of survival. I paid for a week’s treatment thinking that if it was going to die, at least it could spend its last days in relative comfort. However, defying all the odds, the kitten got better and a week later, I was able to take it home. I wasn’t expecting that. I named it Dian Dian, Mandarin for ‘Little Little.’

In the years since I have come to appreciate the role cats play in the lives of many, many writers. On a daily basis, my social media feed is full of people talking about either their books, horror movies, or their cats. Occasionally I get an ad for a dating app or something, but generally speaking that’s it. They often say cats choose their humans rather than vice versa, and I firmly believe the universe sent Dian Dian to me for a reason. He brought balance to my life, gave me something to care about apart from myself, and taught me how to be more responsible. I wasn’t able to help my friend, or my ex, but I could help this little ball of fur, and I did. For his part, he provided the inspiration for Mr. Trimble, and I transplanted his origin story into The Wretched Bones.

The Wretched Bones: A Ben Shivers Mystery is out now on Midnight Machinations, an imprint of Grinning Skull Press.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CH78YRKK