Author Q&A with S. Reed
Today I’m happy to be bringing you a Q&A with S. Reed. I recently had the opportunity to read an ARC copy of his latest release, There Goes The Neighbourhood.
It’s a fabulous five star read, which will leave you unable to put it down!
*I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own*
I’ve never read anything that combines comedy, sci-fi and relationships. There Goes the Neighbourhood is different in every possible way and it makes it a spectacular read.
There Goes the Neighbourhood is a wonderfully quirky comedy centred around an alien and its unlikely friendship with a widower, Ignatius. Set in the 90s, Poppy Field Lane is stuck in the 50s. With its ‘Stepford Wives’ vibe, the neighbourhood dislikes Ignatius. Igantius’ dog, Alfie, finds Væson when they are on the run. The pair soon become friends and realise they have a lot to learn from each other. Væson is wowed by human concepts, meanwhile they show Ignatius the joy in living. Together, they’re a formidable team, which is just what is needed when they uncover one of Poppy Field Lane’s darkest secrets.
This story is quirky, with wonderful description and some witty crossovers with the author’s writing. Despite the comedy genre of the book, it addresses some real problems and shows the various constraints humanity has put on life. Væson quickly asserts their pronouns. It’s a rather thought-provoking aspect of the story and allows a prevalent topic to be (very well) addressed.
I’m a nineties child and so I loved the nostalgia within the story. The author has wonderfully captured it. I had a little ‘omg’ moment when they took a trip to Blockbusters.
A wonderfully written, refreshing story with a fabulous plot! The complete package of the book and its various little additions make it a true five star read. Looking forward to reading more from S. Reed in the future.
(Goodreads)
There Goes The Neighbourhood comes out TODAY! Grab your copy Here (
US) and (
UK).
Hello everyone!
I’m an author based in England and was raised on horror and scifi with the 90’s for a backdrop. I love to read and write in different genres and love nothing more than going on adventures and curling up on the sofa with a good book or tv show/movie. When I’m not doing any of that, I can be found gaming or watching sports (mostly football.)
Your latest release, There Goes the Neighbour is simply wonderful! What inspired you to write it?
Awwwww, Thank you! I’m relieved that you enjoyed it, and I’m thankful you was an arc reader. I actually had this idea back in 2016! I was sitting at work and my brain said ‘huh, wouldn’t it be funny if an alien landed in a really uptight suburb and befriended the only nice person there and went on an adventure?’ I stopped, and went ‘well, yeah!’ but it took me until 2021 to get serious about writing it.
It’s set in the 90s with a nostalgic element. What influenced this?
I’m a 90’s baby (the best decade btw) so that was the biggest influence. I just love the energy, the clothes, the shows – pretty much anything from that time really. To get as authentic as possible I immersed myself in all things 90’s while I was writing it. I got so (back) into the 90’s I started picking up random sayings and using them in my everyday life, and people would just look at me and roll their eyes.
If you could choose anyone to read There Goes the neighbourhood, who would it be?
Oh, wow! That’s a great question! I always wanted Robin William’s to be part of something I did, but sadly, that can’t happen now and it’s probably too light-hearted for Stephen King to read. John Lithgow was an inspiration for this novel too, so I’d love it if he read it.
Tell me about the first story you wrote
The very first story I wrote was a fanfic of Hocus Pocus. It was also my first ever ‘A’ in school. I’d like to go back to it one day, flesh it out and make it a real book.
How did you begin your journey as a writer?
I think, looking back now, it started in Media class at College. Most of my classmates wanted to be camera people and very few wanted to write the scripts. It was at that point I got very serious about becoming a writer. Before then, I would write little stories in my notebooks when I was younger; writing about different worlds and lands and inventing friends for myself.
Do you write in the same genre that you read?
I used to write in the opposite genre I was reading in at the time, but now it’s pretty much the same; so If I’m writing a romcom, I’m absorbing every single inch of romcom goodness in any form possible.
If you could write any character (regardless of genre, plot, etc…) what would they be like?
I would love to write a villain that everyone despises. I came close with Victoria from Kerwall Town (based on the many DM’s I got from readers) but I want to go one step further too. However, my dream would be to write an inclusive character. Someone who’s not afraid to be their authentic self, as I never had that when I was growing up. I’m so glad there’s so much more representation out there now and I’d love to contribute more very soon.
Do you have a writing schedule?
When I’m on form, yes! I tend to get up at 5am before work and write a few thousand words. Then when I get home and finish the housework, I’ll do another few thousand. More often than not, though… I’m not on form as I’m so easily distracted. When that happens, I’ll get most of my writing done on the weekends.
What’s your favourite childhood book?
I attribute The Fantastic Mr. Fox as my favorite, as it’s the one I remember the most. I was around six or seven when I read it in one sitting, completely mesmerised by the words and the illustrations. That is the moment, subconsciously, where I wanted to become a writer one day too.
Have you ever had to cut a scene or character from a book that you loved, but it just didn’t work?
I cut a fair few scenes from There Goes The Neighborhood, simply because they took away from the main focus and plot of the story – they may be repurposed in some way or another one day though. I also went full tilt horror in one particular scene, and it just didn’t fit with the vibe, so that got cut too (haha)
Do you ever get writer’s block? If so, how do you overcome it?
*touch wood* thankfully no. But I do have lots of breaks between projects, maybe that helps?
What are you writing at the moment?
I spoke about representation earlier, and the novel that I’m currently revising is my addition. It’s Heartstopper x Love, Simon x Bridget Jones. It’s all about inclusivity, found family, acceptance, and so much more. It’s a dual POV story about two guys, Ollie and Zack. Ollie is very unsure of his sexuality, is 22 and never had a relationship or been kissed. His friends keep pushing him to dating apps but he’s not sure as he has like, zero self worth – despite having golden retriever energy. On the other side is Zack, who’s in a crap relationship with his on-again-off-again boyfriend. (spawn of satan morelike) One day, he finally has enough (won’t go into too much here) and his paths cross with Ollie and thus begins a fairytale… almost.
It’s a romantic comedy and is exactly the kind of novel I wish I had when I was trying to figure things out.
What are you reading at the moment?
Because I’m a little bit wild, I’m reading two books – Devil’s Intern by Jayme Phelps and Love, Liana, Sincerely, Kade – by Allie Doherty. And listening to Needful Things by Stephen King on audible.
