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Drop Dead Gorgeous is the debut novel from Wayne Simmons, a young Belfast-born writer and journalist. It sees Northern Ireland, and possibly the world, fall foul of apocalypse, ravenous beauties and old prejudice given new context. But why? Reggie Chamberlain-King spoke with him to find out.

AU: Northern Ireland a great place to have an apocalypse, isn’t it? What with hard to resolve internal conflicts and plenty of armed jeeps and gun deposits.

Wayne Simmons: Absolutely! Plus, there’s the almost genetical ‘cynicism’ within people, here, that makes for some very dark comedy. I guess, with Drop Dead Gorgeous, I wanted to avoid the gun-toting Americanised horror story and explore more down-to-earth characters, instead. Sure, there’s a little ‘Wild West’ stuff going on in the novel, but the main thrust is always the mindset of a ragtag bunch of Northern Irish anti-heroes; how these real people deal with a surreal situation. I worked entirely from my own experience of Belfast and Northern Ireland. I’m a local lad, who remembers all too many nights stumbling around the city half-pished, so it was fairly easy to visualise the landscape for the novel.

With Drop Dead Gorgeous being released by an American publisher and picked up mainly by American outlets, did you feel that you had to write to an American audience or explain facets of Northern Irish life?

I was aware of the diverse audience I was playing to, but I wasn’t willing to compromise in favour of something set in ‘New Yawk’. I’ve only visited the states once, San Fran, so to base a novel there would be daft. I live in Belfast. It made the most common sense to set my debut novel in Belfast, therefore. I think, however, that we can often underestimate the US audience. Most of the US folks that have read the book and e-mailed me about it have enjoyed it because it was set in Belfast, as opposed to despite such.

And were you actively writing the narrative voice with a Belfast lilt?

I tried to write with the hint of a colloquial tongue, without going down the Irvine Welsh route of ‘tawkin about yon weemen, like’. Again, the international readers who’ve enjoyed Drop Dead Gorgeous have commented that they didn’t encounter any problems reading the book. Most didn’t seem to notice the ‘Norn Ironising’ – which was my intention, of course.

Did you feel the RIR and Provo characters were something that you had to write into the novel or did you have any reticence about it?

I think it would be dismissive not to include some reference to ‘the Troubles’ within a novel based in Northern Ireland. Recent events have reminded us that friction between NI’s two perceived communities is all too palpable. With Roy and Mairead, I was interested in exploring just how these two equally bitter and entrenched characters would deal with each other in a world where borders and governments and organised politics were irrelevant. Oddly, we see them fall back into their old habits. For me, the question is how much of the behaviour we associate with sectarianism could be habitual, as opposed to being based on any substance or personal experience?

Both the heroes and villains of the story are women, which isn’t usual in horror and apocalyptic literature. Was this a conscious decision on your part?

I’m not so sure. I suppose I enjoy a lot of Joss Whedon’s output (Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse) and he is known for writing strong, powerful women. I also enjoy a lot of Asian horror, and much of that, too, features the almost banshee-like horror diva – Sadako from Ringu, for example, or the nasty bi-atch in the wardrobe from Korea’s wonderful Tale of Two Sisters. I suppose I’m a bit of an awkward bugger, so it was probably mere crookedness that led me down the road of creating beautiful zombies, as opposed to your typical blue-skinned shamblers. As for the human characters in the book, to call them heroes would be a longshot. I prefer the term ‘anti-heroes’ (or should that be ‘anti-heroines’?).

Well, certainly, there is no real central character, but rather a whole cast with many different perspectives. It’s hard to guess who will die before the end is out. With the notable exception of the spides at Carlisle Circus, you didn’t seem to introduce characters as mere zombie fodder.

Again, I wanted to avoid the ‘zombie fodder’ – the ‘red shirted’ guy, to use the Star Trek cliché. It’s more enjoyable (and tense) for the reader to keep guessing all the way through the novel as to who’s going to make it. To be honest, as I was writing the novel, I kept myself guessing. A few characters, who I had planned to off, ended up creeping across the finish line at the end. But that’s character-driven storytelling for you. You just don’t know where those buggers are going to take you next.

The book is written with lots of quick cuts between characters and locations, which feels a lot more cinematic than it is literary. Was film much of an influence on you in writing it?

I write like that because it feels good to write like that, and I like how it reads back to me. It’s almost like directing the book, or scripting a story. I was not only listening to how the words read – I wanted to make sure they looked good on the page, too. I guess it’s about trying to engage all the senses of the reader. Or, maybe it’s more to do with wanting someone to pay me three million quid for the DDG movie! Hah!

It is fairly important that one of the main characters, the cover star in fact, is a tattoo artist. What is your interest in tattooing and do you think that alternative culture and specialist interests needed to be represented in horror?

I guess, as a writer, you tend to write about things that interest you. For me, tattoos have become a significant part of my life. Since getting my first (and realising that they don’t hurt that much!) I’ve been pretty much hooked. I’ve got work from a range of artists – from our very own highly skilled Snoopy and Eve in Glengormley, to the world-renowned Jo Harrison.

I wanted to do the industry justice, though, so part of my research for the book involved watching tattoo artists work, as well as requesting the direct input in the editing process from artist friends such as Dan Henk (Lone Wolf Tattoo, New York), Chris O and Jan Moat (Identity, Bridlington). So far, the tattoo industry has made the book very welcome – I’ve gained positive press from both top selling UK mags, Skin Deep and Total Tattoo. In fact, Ill be selling and signing copies of Drop Dead Gorgeous at the upcoming Liverpool Tattoo Convention in June.

The sequel, Doll Parts, is advertised already in the back pages of Drop Dead Gorgeous. You must be fairly confident. Or are do you just have more to say about the characters and the devastated Northern Ireland?

I have a lot more to say! I’m tied in with Permuted Press, contractually, for all sequels to DDG, so I guess I was fairly confident they would want at least another book out of me. Doll Parts is about two-thirds completed, as we speak. It’s more of the same, only with loads more appearances from our beautiful undead. The action takes place mostly at Belfast International Airport, with all the suriving DDG cast returning, meeting a few new faces along the way.

You have managed to tie in lots of merchandise and promotional aids with the book. And it has been reviewed by a wide range of specialist publications: from tattoo magazines to LGBT fora. Are you purposefully taking alternative promotional routes?

I guess I am – mostly because the alternative scene is one which I have always felt part of, myself. I guess you write about things you enjoy and to an audience you would like to have a beer with, so it’s a bit intentional, to pitch the book in that way, and a bit natural.

The book was published by Permuted Press, who seem to be very supportive and active in promoting all their authors. How was it working with such a small independent on your first novel?

Brilliant! I couldn’t have been in better hands. I would say that when DDG first got accepted by Permuted, they were seen as a small press. By the time the book was released, I would say they are more of a medium press. Their stock is for sale from the horror section of most Borders and Waldenbooks high street stores across the US, so I’m really pleased to be with them. Regardless of their success, the whole Permuted team have been very easy to work with, and highly supportive of my writing. Big thanks go out to Jacob Kier and Travis Adkins, in particular.

Also what is the deal with distribution in the UK?

I’m not sure about that. My understanding, from talking with the manager of Belfast Forbidden Planet (who have stocked several Permuted Press titles – including DDG) is that they order through their main distributor. Alas, we are yet to see DDG breaking into shops like Easons and Waterstone’s, this side of the ocean. However, it has been spotted in a London chain of the mainly US store Borders. Borders and Waldenbooks have copies of DDG within the horror section of most of their US high street stores.

For a debut novelist, you have received praise from some noteworthy names in the genre, like David Moody and Andre Duzza. Did you ever imagine that when you sat down to start the book?

It was writers like Dave and Andre who inspired me to write this novel, so I’m thrilled that they both enjoyed it. Dave and Andre are both excellent writers, in the horror field, but very different. I love the economic way Dave writes characters, and the stark, anti-sensational world he sets his stories in. Of course, Dave’s Hater novel (which, would you believe, I enjoy a cameo part within!) is due to be filmed by none other than Guillmero Del Toro. So, that’s exciting news! Andre is as mad as a blue-arsed fly. His stories are outrageous – and that’s a compliment! He’s a bizarro author with an uncompromising style all of his own, and I love his stuff to bits for that.

Drop Dead Gorgeous by Wayne Simmons is available now, published by Permuted Press

Posted on: May 7, 2009