Is it possible to keep secrets in the age of social media? When someone lives their entire life in the spotlight, what could they possibly hide from you? Ideal Angels explores just that. It s the story of one man, one woman, one week. They meet, fall in love, and never look back. Eloise s phone is never far away, furiously cataloguing their ups and downs. But there are always shadows, lurking just out of reach. The moments after the camera flashes, unseen, uncaptured. The threat of an inescapable doom. How much can one person change you? How much can one person be your downfall?
Ideal Angels by Robert Welbourn was published by Unbound on 16 August 2018. As part of the #RandomThingsTours Blog Tour, I'm delighted to welcome the author here today.
He's talking about the books that are special to him in My Life In Books.
My Life in Books - Robert Welbourn
My all time favourite book. Ellis’ ability to place humour into the most harrowing of situations is unmatched. It does to the 90s what American Psycho did to the 80s, and Victor Ward is a treasure of a character.
Less Than Zero – Bret Easton Ellis
A story of disaffected youth. What speaks to me most about this book is the disconnect the characters feel with their peers, their surroundings, the events that happen around them. A big inspiration for Ideal Angels.
Bright Lights, Big City – Jay McInerney
What made me really want to write in the second person. This story happens at 100mph, and there’s no time to stop. It feels so raw, so personal, so wonderfully awful to watch someone fall apart.
Story of My Life – Jay McInerney
The introduction of Alison Poole, probably my favourite all time female literary character. She balances coolness with capability, and eats New York like no one else I’ve ever read about. A book that definitely couldn’t be written today – imagine trying to get “can’t rape the willing” into popular culture in 2019.
The Catcher in the Rye – JD Salinger
What can I say about this that hasn’t already been said? Holden Caulfield is a terribly sad character wonderfully written – I just want to give him a hand and try and help. I’m such a phony.
The Bell Jar – Sylvia Plath
Another all-time classic – Plath writes mental health struggles like no author I’ve ever read. Such a tragically short life, we can only dream what other incredible books she might have written had she not taken her own life. If I could write my own mental health struggles 1% as well as she wrote hers, I’d die happy.
Neon in Daylight – Hermione Hoby
A newer book, the debut novel by Hoby. She’s the next author in a long line of fabulous authors to write New York not as a city but as a character, as something that is as involved in the plot as any of the actual people in the story. Definitely the top book of 2018.
The Lottery – Shirley Jackson
Only a short story, but one everyone must read. What I’d give to have been alive when it was first published, to read it when nothing like it had ever been written before. Jackson is the master of horror.
11.22.63 – Stephen King
The greatest love story ever written. Say what you want about King and his ability to write horror, it’s people that he’s the real master of writing. I’ve never been so involved in a relationship as I am with Jake and Sadie every time I read this book. (Also, check out Sadie’s last name – seem familiar?)
Slaughterhouse 5 – Kurt Vonnegut
The master of funny books, Vonnegut was a treasure. As with Ellis, Vonnegut found humour in the most terrible of situations. He made the serious into the absurd, but in a way that was completely right and appropriate. I could have selected any of his novels, for they’re all brilliant.
Robert Welbourn - January 2019
Robert Welbourn is Yorkshire born and bred - he's lived there
almost all his life, and now written a book set there. He’s had a passion for
books as long as he can remember, and has been writing his whole life. His
favourite authors are Bret Easton Ellis and Stephen King, and he cites Ellis as
his number one influence.
He studied English Literature at Salford University, and this
confirmed that he wanted to spend his life working with books. He currently
works in marketing, but is hoping to spend his life telling stories.
Twitter
@r_welbourn
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