Black Humour

My Works In Progress

Aug 03 2018

This week’s post is about my works in progress. Presently, I am working on two projects, both of which are of the satirical, dark humour variety.

Tomorrow’s World will be my fifth book. It is a satirical book of vignettes about the future. It consists of concise, sardonic scenes that take the reader year by year into a future characterised by manic capitalism, extreme celebrity worship, virtual reality, a grotesquely ageing population and an ever increasing mandatory retirement age. Tomorrow’s World will be released in November. This quick read will appeal to those who like humour and satire.

I am also currently writing the third instalment in the Necropolis Trilogy. Golgotha will be published next year.

What is a sociopath to do?

Necropolis is the first instalment in a trilogy featuring Dyson Devereux, the sociopathic head of Burials and Cemeteries at his local council.

I am offering a free copy of my black comedy Necropolis to everyone who signs up to my humorous, monthly book-related newsletter. If you like dark humour you’ll love Necropolis.

‘The book is full of razor-sharp satire’ – Crime Fiction Lover

‘… a mix between The Office and American Psycho’ – Amazon Reviewer

Click here to see the 85 ratings & reviews for Necropolis on Goodreads.

The second instalment, Sepultura, was released earlier this year.

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

‘A satirical gem’

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 …

Sepultura is available from all major retailers as a paperback and eBook.

Sepultura Goodreads link.

Mar 21 2014

My second book, Necropolis ~~(Release date: April 24th)~~ is a humorous work of dark fiction about a sociopath named Dyson, who works for the Burials and Cemeteries department in his local council. This week’s blog post is dedicated to the black humour genre.

The Encyclopaedia Britannica defines black humour (black comedy) – As writing that juxtaposes morbid or ghastly elements with comical ones that underscore the senselessness or futility of life.

(Note: Click on links to read my review of the given book)

Prior to the 1960’s the term black comedy was not commonly used. Early exponents include Joseph Heller, Nathanael West and Vladimir Nabokov (Lolita), Thomas Pynchon and Kurt Vonnegut.

It could be argued that the antecedents of the genre include the 5th Century BC Greek comedian Aristophanes and Voltaire’s seminal work, Candide.

Contemporary authors who utilise black humour in their writing include Irvine Welsh, Bret Easton Ellis (American Psycho, Less Than Zero & Glamorama), Andrey Kurkov (Death And The Penguin) and Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club, Haunted, Damned, Doomed & Choke).

The following is a short extract from my ~~forthcoming~~ book, Necropolis.

Why, when I work in Burials and Cemeteries, is everyone always so alive? Take this morning for instance. Council workers mingle incessantly in the passageways, talking animatedly about the usual banalities; Christmas shopping, weekend plans and family updates – anything other than work. The telephone rings remorselessly, the in-tray creaks under its heavy burden and there are requests too. Frank asking me to proof-read a sheltered housing proposal document, the education department with a question about Sage, and Grace, appearing at my desk, crucifix dangling from her neck, requesting that I speak to a Guyanese council leisure facility user on the telephone in French. On such a sunny day I only wish I were alone in Newton Old, perched on a grave, reading a newspaper and drinking a cafe latte extra hot with soy milk from Starbucks.

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My Works In Progress

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