Author Chris and his unusual Jane Austen ‘experience’!

Coleraine-born Chris McDonald’s first novel ‘A Wash of Black’ is already attracting attention and has been compared to the works of Ian Rankin, Val McDermid and Cara Hunter.
Chris McDonaldChris McDonald
Chris McDonald

Formerly a teacher at Hezlett Primary School in Castlerock, Chris now lives in Manchester. ‘A Wash of Black’ is available in hardback, paperback and ebook, published by Red Dog Press. For further information, check out www.reddogpress.co.uk

What is your favourite song/album?

At the minute, my favourite song is ‘If you think this is real life’ by Blossoms. They are from Stockport, close to where I live. My three-year-old loves it too. My favourite album of all time is probably Shallow Bed by Dry The River. It’s folk-rock and it is beautiful.

What is your favourite film?

There are so many! I love anything Quentin Tarantino has ever done and I’m partial to a comedy, but my go-to movie would probably be In Bruges. It is dark and funny at the same time.

What is your favourite piece of classical music?

Canon in D by Pachelbel. It was the music my wife walked up the aisle to on our wedding day. Every time I hear it, it takes me back to that day!

Who is your favourite artist?

When I lived in London, I enjoyed going to the Portrait Museum. I think artists who can capture a likeness of others are amazing. I really enjoy watching ‘Portrait Artist of the Year’ - which is probably the lowest-brow answer you’ve had here!

What is your favourite play?

I went to Stratford-upon-Avon during my GCSE years to watch King Lear. To see work that was written hundreds of years ago is such an amazing thing! More recently, I saw The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time. I loved the book and to see it brought to life in such a creative way was fantastic.

What is your favourite musical?

I’ve seen Phantom of the Opera a few times and loved it. But when I saw Les Mis, it blew my mind. The staging, the songs, the emotion; it had everything!

What is your most special moment in the arts?

I’d have to say getting my book ‘A Wash of Black’ published. It was something I put my heart and soul into and to see that be recognised was a great feeling. On top of that, hearing from readers who’ve enjoyed it is a special feeling too.

What ‘classic’ just doesn’t do it for you?

Sense and Sensibility. When I was at university, it was one of the books we were supposed to read but I couldn’t get into it. The night before the discussion about it, I started to watch the film, but kept falling asleep. In the end, I opened the window and took my t-shirt off in an effort to stay awake! All in all, an unpleasant experience.

What do you plan to read/watch/listen to/revisit during the Coronavirus period?

Read - I’ve got a few books lined up. I was lucky enough to get early copies of Fifty Fifty by Steve Cavanagh (another Northern Irish writer) and The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. There’s also a book coming out from Red Dog Press called Death of a Painter by Matthew Ross that I’m looking forward to reading.

Watch/Revisit - My wife and I have started Parks and Recreation from the beginning again. We’re also working our way through Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Listen To - Myself and two other authors, Rob Parker and Sean Coleman, have started a weekly crime podcast - The Blood Brothers Podcast. We interview writers and discuss book news. It’s a lot of fun and designed to be a tonic for these dark times. It started as a bit of a laugh - and then suddenly we’d booked Ann Cleeves and I felt very much out of my depth! It can be found through Apple, Spotify and Podbean.

* Check out the novel by Chris.Fellow writers have commented: “A pacy murder mystery, full of deceit, suspicion and revenge, Chris McDonald’s debut is a highly entertaining tale with plenty of shocks along the way” and also “A Wash of Black announces Chris McDonald as a superb new voice, not just in the Northern literary scene but across the national crime landscape. Highly recommended.”

For further information, check out www.reddogpress.co.uk