A Slice of Cake With... Phil Price

Today I am delighted to have a slice of cake with author Phil Price.

Phil was born in Sutton Coldfield in 1974. He lived in various places in the UK until his family settled in Rednal, a suburb on the outskirts of Birmingham in 1979. Growing up with an older brother and sister, he always flirted with reading, his home always littered with books. Then in 1997, Phil embarked on a travel expedition that took him from Greece to Thailand, via East and Southern Africa. Sitting in dusty bus stations in Kenya, Tanzania and Malawi with Wilbur Smith and James Herbert accompanying him, his imagination was sparked into life. Since those far-off days, he has never been without a book to read.

Phil started toying with the idea of writing a book in 2009. After writing a few short stories, he caught a whiff of an idea in his head. It started to evolve in 2010 until he had enough to begin his writing journey. Marriage and two children came along, with the story being moved to the back burner for periods of time. However, during those periods of writing inactivity, the story continued to manifest until it just needed one thing. To be written down.

The story was littered with places that had influenced Phil's life. From the Lickey Hills in Birmingham to the Amatola Mountains in South Africa, with other many other locations, in-between and far beyond. The book was finished sometime in 2014, left on his computer until a chance conversation with an author friend made Phil take the bold step to publish his story, Unknown.

From there, Phil’s love for the first book spurred him on, creating The Forsaken Series. A vampire/paranormal/horror trilogy, set in our world, and others too. His love of horror and all things supernatural, inspired by authors such as King, Herbert and others, helped create the epic series. After writing a science fiction novel, titled Zoo, Phil released his first psychological thriller, Ashes of Innocence, a story that he'd kept bubbling away for many years.

Aside from his writing, Phil lives on the edge of a small town in Worcestershire, UK. A wife and two sons keep Phil happily occupied as he steers his way through life, playing the husband, dad and world creator in equal measure.

What kind of books do you write?

Well, I used to write about vampires from other realms, who kidnap unsuspecting humans. Now prefer to drag my characters to the depths of hell, throwing all kinds of nasty stuff at them. 

Can you describe your writing why?

I do love a ‘why’ question. Ultimately, for enjoyment and the enjoyment a reader might get from reading one of my books. The ‘what’ and the ‘how’ are just slices of the cake. If we don’t know why we do something, there’s no point starting the journey.

Share with us your favourite passage from the book you enjoyed writing the most

He wiped the blade on the man’s T-shirt and walked back around the cab to finish off the younger half-brother. There was no one there, just a trail of blood, sporadically coating the single-track road. 

“He went that way,” a male voice said from behind Sean.

He spun around to see an older man standing at the side of the road. “Who the fuck are you?” Sean challenged, a sense of unease washing over him.

“You finished Jerome off. Now, you just need to chase down Deano to complete your mission, Sean.” 

The bigger man baulked at hearing his name. Not only his name, but the names of his targets, too. “You a copper?”

“No. I’m not a copper,” the older man replied, taking a step forward.

“Then who the fuck are ya?”

“Funny thing about revenge,” the man started. “You think it will give you closure, but it doesn’t, because you’re already dead inside. The thought of it has eroded your soul, leaving very little of the person you once were. But then again, you were a murderer before your mum was killed. Isn’t that right, Sean?”

“Look, mate,” the younger man replied, feeling a tsunami of panic building inside him. “I’m here for them. I don’t have any quarrel with you.”

“But you did with my wife,” John stated flatly, “when you murdered her in cold blood.”

Tell us about your latest project

I’ve just started a family thriller saga, set in Cornwall. The story revolves around a family, divided by past secrets and betrayal. The older sibling hosts private parties for influential men, until someone winds up dead. It’s down to the man’s wife and younger brother to uncover the truth. The Retreat will be out in 2022. Watch this space…

What is your favourite cake?

Carrot cake. All day long. With a nice cup of tea. I’m easily pleased 😊

You can connect with Phil here:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/949097912297893
Twitter - https://twitter.com/PhilPrice19
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/phil_price_author/?hl=en
Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Phil-Price/e/B019LK4QFY/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk

Join me next week when I will be having a slice of cake with Ksenija Nikolova. 

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Claire Buss is a multi-genre author and poet, completely addicted to cake. Find out more about her books on her website clairebuss.co.uk. Join the discussion in her Facebook group Buss's Book Stop. Never miss out on future posts by following me.