Friday, 06 November, 2009
Author Interview: Mark Liam Piggott

Mark has been following Frank Mask for some time. He contributes and keeps in touch, which is rare from an author with so much on the go, from regular blogs and columns, to writing shorts and finishing his ongoing novels.

You’re a published author and we’re proud to have your stories on the site. Can you tell us a little bit about your first novel, Fire Horses?
"The book follows the adventures of a failed artist, Joe Noone, over 25 years from 1982-07. He’s a bit of a lunatic, a boozer and fighter, but also has a sensitive, poetic side. The book shows how England changed over those years through the eyes of somebody at the sharp end. It also has a few graphic sex scenes which is all anyone ever seems to mention..."

How would you describe your writing style to someone unfamiliar with your work?
"The world I portray tends to be grim – squats, loneliness, squalor – but I want to write in a poetic, elegiac style rather than the “phony-phonetic” style used by all the writers who try (and fail) to copy Irvine Welsh. I wanted to show you can write about anything and make it seem beautiful – “the beauty of the kebab-strewn street” as I rather poncily put it."

Do you try your hand at other forms, such as poetry?
"I started out writing poems, or rather, first I wrote punk lyrics that became gradually more angst-ridden and pretentious. In my twenties I wrote quite a few, influenced by everyone from Yeats to Bukowski, but it sort of tailed off and I now write maybe one a year. I’ve had a couple published but don’t really send them anywhere. I suppose I try and get my poetic images into prose."

What genre of books do you like to read?
"I don’t really do genres, unless “literary” counts as a genre – I’m not really into straight thrillers, sci-fi or horror, though I’ve read books in all these genres that I loved. If I tell you the last five books I’ve read were Tim Winton (Breath), Chris Cleave (Incendiary), Roberto Bolano (2666), GG Marquez (Living to Tell The Tale) and a book of Hemingway’s short stories, maybe that gives you an idea."

What is your favourite book?
"Impossible to say just one – Updike’s Rabbit series really stands out, but I also loved Love in the Time of Cholera, The Information, Ulysses of course, Cormac McCarthy... oh god, it’s too hard this one. Have a look at my list on MySpace if you’re really interested – you might find a gem you’ve never heard of (Who Dreams of Katz for instance)... Loved Cloud Atlas too."

Who is your favourite author?
"I think I’ll have to say Updike, though I haven’t read many apart from the Rabbit books. Martin Amis at his best, Philip Roth, ugh, too hard. I don’t think Marquez ever writes a bad line."

Do you have a favourite publisher, if so, what draws you to them?
"Apart from Legend Press, of course, not only for publishing me but for being so brave and trying to get so many new voices out there, I do like a lot of writers on Jonathan Cape. But I’d never read a book because of who published it."

With the rise of digital publishing, which do you prefer, paper or e-book?
"Paper."

Any advice for budding writers?
"Never take advice from writers, but if you choose to ignore that: Finish your book – don’t write two chapters and then send it off hoping for a six figure advance. It’s important for you to know you can do it, and once you get to the end you’ll feel much better. Write something every day – carry a notebook. Read as much as you can. Never give up. It took me almost 20 years to get a novel published. I spent too long ignoring good advice, thinking I was the greatest – you have to take criticism on board."

Are you writing anything at the moment you’d like to tell us about?
"My third novel, “Life’s too short (unless you’re a jellyfish)” is a departure from books one and two – it’s a comedy. Well, it makes me laugh. Hopefully I’ll have it with my agent by Christmas (if he’s reading this)."

You read more about Mark in his bio here, on his official website, the website of publishers Legend Press or on MySpace. Mark's second novel, Out of Office, is due out in March 2010 from Legend Press.

You can find his short stories here.

Alternatively, go back to the features page.