Friday 29 August 2008

Fifty Grand by Adrian McKinty -- Sample Chapter!!!


I'm not sure how it slipped under my radar, but Adrian McKinty has posted the opening chapter of his soon-to-be released novel, FIFTY GRAND. Seems it's been there since the 14th of July, but I thought it newsworthy nonetheless. I've read it, and I'm hooked.

In a recent interview with Declan Burke, McKinty had this to say about FIFTY GRAND:

"FIFTY GRAND came about from an eye-opening visit to Cuba. I went there primarily to see some literary sights connected with Ernest Hemingway, Jose Marti and Garcia Lorca but I very quickly got sucked into the landscape and culture. The place really gets into your blood and I found that I couldn’t shake it, so I went back for a longer deeper visit. All island peoples are unique in their own way and coming from Ireland - which has a big neighbour right next door too - I think I appreciated Cuba’s problems without excusing the current regime who seemed to have screwed up the country in a spectacular way.

Once I had the context and the geography, the story just flowed from there. I live in the mountains of Colorado so I thought it might be fun to take a Cuban cop and throw him way out of [his element] ten thousand feet up in the snow."


Tell me that doesn't soud good. I dare you.

14 comments:

adrian mckinty said...

it doesnt sound good.

the way he uses "context" twice in one paragraph. lazy writing.

Gerard Brennan said...

We'll see about that...

There, fixed it!

As for contradcting me... now we're gonna have to step outside.

gb

adrian mckinty said...

You have out-generalled me this time Brennan, but your time will come.

And I still say he's a lazy bastard.

A...

Gerard Brennan said...

Oh, yeah? We'll see.

#@*%$@% punk.

gb

Anonymous said...

cool cover. is that the actual cover of the book?

Seandra

Gerard Brennan said...

Seandra - No, that's not the cover. I couldn't find a pic of the real one so I made one up. Microsoft Paint special.

But if Holt want to use it, it'll cost 'em thirty bucks and a bottle of Jack Daniels.

gb

adrian mckinty said...

Ger

It is actually a pretty damn good cover. Whats your "real" job BTW Ger? Its not graphic design is it?

A...

Gerard Brennan said...

Adrian - Hah! No, not graphic design. I'm in the exciting, dashing and dangerous world of finance. I'm a part-qualified accountant working for the Belfast Education and Library Board. Cool, eh?

Actually, it's helped me a lot with funding applications. There's always a silly amount of spreadsheets and the like required in those things.

gb

adrian mckinty said...

one of my sisters works for SEELB - the board whose accountants lost all that money.

small world eh? but i wouldnt like to paint it.

A...

Gerard Brennan said...

SEELB? It is a small world. Does she work in finance? I could have spoken to her at a meeting and not even known.

gb

adrian mckinty said...

Diane Creighton, SEELB primary music curriculum stuff.

A...

Ger, hey you want an exclusive? Not even posting this on my own blog. Fifty Grand has just been bought by Serpents Tail and will be out next summer.

have to finish the bastard first though.

Gerard Brennan said...

Adrian - Our paths haven't crossed thus far, but you never know. When they streamline us from 5 boards to 1, we could well be colleagues.

RE Serpent's Tail -- That's fantastic! I love those guys. Your PR lady, Rebecca, is a complete angel. I must email her and see if they've a wee statement I can post.

I wonder if they'll get around to reading my sample chapters any time soon? Hopefully they'll cut me some slack. I told them some ganch called McKinty's offered to blurb it.

gb

adrian mckinty said...

Becca's great.

I dunno about your pages. The big cheese Pete Ayrton is in charge of that.

My blurb has persuaded them? How is that possible? My books have sold dozens, literally dozens of copies in the UK. Why wouldnt they follow my lead in all things?

My advice - get a blurb from C. Ahern and then you'll be laughing.

A....

Gerard Brennan said...

Adrian - C. Ahern, eh...?

Nah, I'll not stoop to that just yet.

gb