We chat with debut author Patrick Tarr about The Guest Children, which follows the search for two missing children that goes terribly wrong in this haunting and insidiously creepy ghost story debut.
Hi, Patrick! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hello Nerd Daily! I’m a screenwriter and lifelong fan of spooky books. I live in Toronto, Canada with my family, and I’m beyond excited to have my first novel, The Guest Children, out into the world.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
At a very young age, I started reading adventure stories and knew that I wanted to do something like that myself someday – taking people places they’d never been, and showing them things they’d never imagined. Around twelve, I discovered the horror section of my local library and started borrowing everything I could. It was the 80s, and a wonderful time for horror paperbacks. I started writing dark little stories, most of which are lost to time, and the dream continued.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Look Out For Pirates!
- The one that made you want to become an author: The Call of the Wild
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: We Have Always Lived in the Castle
Your debut novel, The Guest Children, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
No one is safe here.
What can readers expect?
A post WWII supernatural mystery with an intriguing central character, lots of twists and turns, and a unique setting with loads of atmosphere.
Where did the inspiration for The Guest Children come from?
I came across a fact I didn’t know – that thousands of children were evacuated from London to Canada during the Blitz – and wondered what it must have been like to be shipped off from a huge, bustling city to the imposing landscapes of the Canadian wilderness.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I find writing in the first person is always a thrill. Because you’re really putting yourself in your main character’s shoes, and you’re also filtering the whole story through the lens of their persona and sense of self. I don’t always write in first person, but I think I feel most at home there. The point of view is highly subjective, and that limitation offers opportunities to create interesting blind spots and reveals for the reader.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
As a screenwriter by day, I was able to figure out the structure my story and write it fairly quickly. The bones were there, but that was it – the manuscript just felt too skeletal. I took many trips back through the manuscript, trying to put myself in that particular place and time in order to transport the reader there, but was wary not too linger too long at the expense of story. The same goes for research: I dug up a ton of interesting stuff, but I look at research as art on the walls of a corridor I’m trying to move my reader down at speed. I can’t let facts take over and bog things down.
What’s next for you?
I’m working on a new novel, as well as some exciting TV and feature film projects – either in the crime or horror genres. I’m a fairly sunny person in life, but the shadowy places are where I feel most at home as a writer.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?
I loved Tim McGregor’s Eynhallow, which I read quite recently. I’m excited for The End of the World as We Know It, the huge tome of short stories based in the world of Stephen King’s The Stand. I’m also looking forward to Catriona Ward’s Nowhere’s Burning and I’ve got Stephen Graham Jones recent The Buffalo Hunter Hunter on my list as well. I need to take a reading holiday soon!
