Featured Interview With Matthew W Harrill
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Bristol in May 1976, during what was referred to in the United Kingdom as ‘that long hot summer’. Growing up in the town of Yate, I lived with his parents, sister and numerous pets, including a blue-grey Persian called ‘Misty’, attending ‘The Ridge Junior School’.
At age 11, I was lucky enough to gain a place at Bristol Grammar School, a respected establishment in the city for over 450 years. Following the conclusion of my schooling, and picking up A-levels in Biology, Geography and Economics, I attended the University of Southampton where I received a 2:1 Honours Degree in Geology following three years study.
I have had various jobs over the years. Barkeep, labourer, cleaner, commercial motor insurer. The jobs that have become most important were the simple shop floor assistant at Tesco, since it is where I met my partner of 20 years (and wife of 11) Tricia, and the current job at Xerox where I have been implementing stock option and share plans for over a decade. The latter has allowed the bills to be paid so that I can write.
I currently live in the town of Chipping Sodbury, on the edge of the Cotswold Hills, with my wife and 4 children.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have always been interested in reading, from a young age, but it wasn’t until after university that I put the metaphorical pen to paper.
The writing began with a short story in 1999 that expanded continuously until it took on a life of its own and became ‘The Focus Stone’, book 1 of an Epic Fantasy series entitled ‘The Tome of Law’. A second book, ‘The Path of Dreams’ was completed and released, and then for various reasons, came a break in writing with the third instalment ‘The Pages of Consequence’ only half finished (and set to remain so unless my publisher REALLY pesters me).
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I read mainly epic fantasy. I love to delve into a world and get totally immersed in it. As such, any series that has a lot of books in it will draw my attention. Robert Jordan’s ‘Wheel of Time’, ‘The sword of truth’ series by Terry Goodkind, and the various series by David Eddings for example.
On the darker side, I love a bit of H P Lovecraft. I have all of his works. Strange fiction is awesome.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
About Hellbounce
In February 2012, a thought hit me: ‘What if Hell actually did freeze over?’. It was a nagging thought, more of an epiphany. I pursued this thought tenaciously, bouncing ideas off of my friend and mentor, the NY Times Bestselling author and Writers of the Future competition judge David Farland (The Runelords) until a 2 hour brainstorming session ended up with a seriously workable idea.
Ten months of research later, Hellbounce was ready to be written. A year of writing during lunch breaks and bus journeys resulted in a manuscript that was picked up by pure chance by Heart Powered Publishing, and the contract was signed in November 2013. Hellbounce was released to Amazon on May 30th 2014, with Hellborne, the second instalment, out in July.
Hellbounce deals with the threat of demon incursion to earth by means of the ‘Hellbounce’, where a demon returns to earth in the body of the mortal it came from, at the place the mortal died. The longer in Hell, the more demonic and twisted the character, and the greater the likelihood they will lose control, unleashing the demon within.
One woman stands between them and overrunning the mortal plane. Eva Ross, a psychologist at a prison facility in Worcester, Ma. But when those around her, those she trusted with her life start to exhibit the same characteristics, she is forced to turn to a stranger, a man whose name she is incapable of even remembering, for sanctuary.
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