Archive - January 2018

1
If Authors Were Desserts
2
A Personal Update
3
Sepultura Publication Day
4
Sepultura Countdown

If Authors Were Desserts

Here are twelve authors and the desserts that in my opinion they/their writing corresponds to.

Norman Mailer

Mailer

Cultural criticism, controversy and obscenity were hallmarks of this volatile and violent author.

Corresponding dessert: Fruitcake

Fruit Cake

Rationale: Self-explanatory

Stephanie Meyer

Meyer

Meyer is a young-adult fiction writer responsible for the vampire romance series Twilight.

Corresponding dessert: Sponge Cake

sponge cake

Rationale: It might look like a cake, feel like a cake and smell like a cake, but on taking a bite one realises it’s mostly just air.

Vladimir Nabokov

Nabokov

The intellectual Russian born Nabokov utilised an ornate prose style.

Corresponding dessert: Deconstructed S’more

Deconstructed Smores

Rationale: This sophisticated, deconstructed extravagance contains chocolate-coated cereal garnishes, caramelised vanilla marshmallow and more besides.

L. Ron Hubbard

Hubbard

The Scientology founder wrote numerous Sci-Fi and psychotherapy books.

Corresponding dessert: Waffle

IMG_0677

Rationale: The content of Scientology’s doctrine.

Ambrose Bierce

Corresponding dessert: Lemon sorbet

Rationale: Few desserts are more acerbic.

Anne Rice

Rice

The Vampire Chronicles creator is one of the best-selling writers in recent American history.

Corresponding dessert: Jelly

Jelly

Rationale: Right-minded adults steer clear of this puerile dessert.

Bret Easton Ellis

Easton-Ellis

Easton Ellis is a master of social commentary. Much of his writing features vapid, soulless characters.

Corresponding dessert: Lemon Sorbet

lemon

Rationale: This cold, astringent dessert isn’t for everyone. I rather like it.

Dan Brown

Brown

Brown has sold more than 200 million of his mystery/conspiracy novels.

Corresponding dessert: Ring-Shaped Donut

Doughnut

Rationale: These deep-fried snacks have a gaping hole in the middle.

Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie

English crime novelist Agatha Christie is the best-selling author of all time.

Corresponding dessert: Tunnock’s Teacake

Tea Cake

Rationale: One has to first unwrap the packaging and then bite through the outer layer to reveal what lies beneath.

E. L. James

ELJAmes

Erotica novelist E. L. James is one of the World’s best-selling authors.

Corresponding dessert: Cheesecake

cheese

Rationale: Many, including yours truly, are of the opinion that cheese and cake should not be mixed.

Leo Tolstoy

Tolstoy

Iconic Russian writer Tolstoy is best-remembered for his opuses Anna Karenina and War And Peace.

Corresponding dessert: Heavy Cake

Heavy Cake

Rationale: Heavy Cake is dense and requires a lot of chewing, but it tastes good.

Sidney Sheldon

Sidney Sheldon

Chick lit/Thriller author Sheldon is the one of the best-selling authors of all time.

Corresponding dessert: Wafer

Wafer

Rationale: With their primary ingredient being air, wafers won’t satisfy one’s hunger.

A Personal Update

It has been over a week since I released my fourth novel, the black comedy Sepultura. The early reviews have been very positive, and there are now a fair few up on Goodreads. I particularly like these comments, all of which are taken from Goodreads reviews.

A superb addition to Portman’s eclectic, wonderful corpus — Sean

… I already need the sequel! — lexlooksatbooks

I couldn’t help but observe with relish Dyson’s latest interactions with the philistines who haunt his waking hours — Wendy

Click here to see the reviews.

On another subject a couple of days ago I started reading my first book of 2018. Skagboys is a work of Transgressive Fiction by Irvine Welsh. Its length (500 pages), Scottish vernacular, and the utilisation of some passages presented in a handwritten font will no doubt result in it taking a while to read. But I am thoroughly enjoying it so far.

This a bit random – I have a cheese recommendation for you, and it is an exceptional one at that. Perhaps you have tried it already. If not might I suggest you get hold of a Black Bomber at your earliest convenience. Black Bomber hails from Wales. This cheddar like cheese is a delight on the palate. I only recently discovered Black Bomber. It is now my favourite cheese.

Here is some I prepared earlier posing alongside Tuscan salami.

Sun is in something of a rarity in England at this time of year (some would say at any time of year). Here is a picture of my dog basking in the morning sun shining through the window. Trigga is a Hungarian Vizsla.

Have a good weekend.

 

 

Sepultura Publication Day

My black comedy Sepultura was released yesterday. Click on the links to see the first reviews of Sepultura on Amazon UK and Goodreads. Sepultura is available as a paperback (£6.99/$10.99) and eBook (£2.39/$3.22) from all major retailers.

A sociopath can only keep up a façade for so long.

Dyson Devereux is a busy man, with a challenging new job at Paleham Council and a young son. He would be coping just fine were it not for crass colleagues, banal bureaucracy and contemptible clothes. He is not going to take it lying down.

Because beneath Dyson’s charming, Italian delicacy-consuming veneer lurks something sinister. As his personal and professional lives threaten to spiral out of control, will Dyson’s true nature be revealed?

Compulsive and brimming with satirical wit, Sepultura is a caustic black comedy featuring an unforgettable sociopath.

“My kind of black comedy. You’ll either love Dyson, or love to hate him” Sandra Seymour, Author of Breed: Slayer

“A satirical gem” — Reader

“Sociopathic comedy at its best” — Adam Riley, Comedian

Sepultura is available as a paperback and eBook ($3.22/£2.39) – Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Kobo USA, Kobo UKBarnes & Noble & others.

Sepultura Countdown

Sepultura will be unleashed on the world this Thursday (January 11th).

A sociopath can only keep up a façade for so long.

Dyson Devereux is a busy man, with a challenging new job at Paleham Council and a young son. He would be coping just fine were it not for crass colleagues, banal bureaucracy and contemptible clothes. He is not going to take it lying down.

Because beneath Dyson’s charming, Italian delicacy-consuming veneer lurks something sinister. As his personal and professional lives threaten to spiral out of control, will Dyson’s true nature be revealed?

Compulsive and brimming with satirical wit, Sepultura is a caustic black comedy featuring an unforgettable sociopath.

“My kind of black comedy. You’ll either love Dyson, or love to hate him” Sandra Seymour, Author of Breed: Slayer

“A satirical gem” — Reader

“Sociopathic comedy at its best” — Adam Riley, Comedian

Click here to see the first reviews for Sepultura on Goodreads.

Here is a short extract:

After discarding two pamphlets advertising tacky funeral programme cards, I peruse a brochure from a local gravestone manufacturer. Having decided that the company’s creations are fit for public consumption, I hand the brochure to Sullen Goth with instructions to add their details to the database.

The next item needing my attention is a draft letter to the Scully family, one of whose number resides in Cressingham Park Cemetery. His gravestone was torn down on the orders of Health and Safety, for no other reason than it was tilting seven degrees to one side more than their irksome requirements permit. The living Scullys are less than impressed … My office telephone is ringing. I pick it up.

‘Good morning Burials and Cemeteries.’

‘Hi Burials and Cemeteries.’

‘Who is this?’

‘Come on blood, you telling me you don’t recognise my voice?’

Sepultura (release date: Thursday, January 11th) is now available for pre-order from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Kobo USA, Kobo UK & Barnes & Noble.

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