Author Interview With Robert Bryndza

Today I am delighted to welcome author Robert Bryndza to my blog. Robert has more recently written a fantastic new crime series following Detective Erika Foster but he has also written some stand alone rom coms as well as a fabulous series with the brilliant Coco Pinchard. Two very different genres I’m sure you would agree, so today I thought I would quiz Robert about the first genre that he wrote and luckily for me he happily agreed.

Hi Robert, many thanks for joining me on my blog today. Having read some of the books in the Coco Pinchard series as well as Miss Wrong and Mr Right, I would love to know what attracted you to writing books in this genre?

 

Thank you, Sarah it’s great to be here. Growing up I was obsessed with Victoria Wood. I would watch her comedy shows, and I had them on cassette tape too. I loved her ability to tell a story and mix in humour and sharp social observation. Another hero of mine is Sue Townsend. I re-read at least one of the Adrian Mole books every year. I was drawn to this style, and I love writing my contemporary comedy novels.

 

Obviously there is a lot of humour in these books. Are any of the funny scenarios based on any real life events?

 

So much is taken from my own life, and stories I have heard. From the Coco Pinchard books, much of Rosencrantz’s experiences of working as an actor are based on my own (I went to drama school and was an actor in my twenties) And a great deal of the family dynamics in the Coco books are based on my own experiences.

There are some great characters through out the books. I’ve noticed in particular you always have some eccentric old lady featuring who tends to usually steal the limelight some what as they are such great characters. In the Coco Pinchard series it was Coco’s mother in law and in Miss Wrong and Mr Right it’s the gran, please tell me they are based on someone in real life and not just in your imagination?
Yes, I’ve taken elements from my own Nan, who is now 98, and my step-nan who is very flamboyant and fun. My Nan is Scottish and can be witheringly funny. Also, I seem to be a bit of a magnet for tough and funny old ladies with strong personalities, and I love that! I also use the older characters in my books to shine a light on the modern world. Old ladies can be very blunt and funny, cutting through some of the crazy politically correct rubbish that we all suffer on a daily basis – and they can get away with it too.

More recently you have started writing a new crime series, which is fab by the way, is this the end of Coco Pinchard and your stand alone rom coms or is there still more to come?

 

Thank you. I feel lucky that I’ve been able to re-invent myself as a crime writer, but I will carry on writing contemporary comedies. I love writing them!

 

Would you consider writing any other genre? i.e horror, fantasy etc?

 

I don’t think so, although, I never say never. I do love sci-fi. I think I’ve been lucky enough to write in two genres. Although, I want to write in other areas. I want to develop a play and I would love to write for TV and Film too.

 

What I love in particular about your books is that even though romance does feature in them, it’s not over powering or unrealistic. Was this intentional?

 

Thank you, yes. I want to write realistic characters that readers can fall in love with. I also love using my contemporary comedy novels to say the things I wouldn’t dare say in real life!

 

Who is the big romantic between you and your husband?
I think my husband Ján wins. He took me to Venice for my 30th birthday and proposed. It was the ultimate romantic gesture!

Is there a particular song that reminds you of when you and Ján first got together? (Me and my husband used to duet in the car together to Back Street Boys ‘I Want It That Way’. Good job no one could hear us.)
We don’t have a song, as such. When we got together we bought a MacBook, which at the time cost a fortune. I was playing around learning how Garage Band worked, and I got Ján to record a message, and I recorded one and I mixed it together into a silly rap. It turned out quite well (although I would never let anyone else hear it!) We still have it on the iPod, so I suppose that is our song.

What do you think is easier to write, contemporary comedy or crime?

 

I find them both just as hard. Although it does drive me crazy how comedy is often seen as inferior to drama. Making people laugh is just as hard as making them cry.

 

Do you have a favourite book or film that makes you cry every time reading or watching it?

 

Marley and Me always gets me, every time.

 

Thanks again for joining me today Robert. I thought for the final question instead of the usual what are you currently working on? We would end on most embarrassing crushes? I personally don’t think there’s anything wrong with mine as I like Justin Bieber but no one seems to agree, whose yours?
Thanks again Sarah, I’ve really enjoyed talking to you. Right, well, I was a huge fan of Sonia, I used to buy all her records… and when she did the duet with Big Fun I thought all my Christmases had come at once!

Robert Bryndza is the author of the international #1 bestseller The Girl In The Ice.

The Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestseller is the first in the new Detective Erika Foster series. The second book, The Night Stalker is available to pre-order now and will be released on June 2nd.

In addition to writing Crime Fiction, Rob has published a bestselling series of romantic comedy novels. He is British and lives in Slovakia with his Slovak husband Ján. You can find out more about the author at http://www.robertbryndza.com and on Twitter @RobertBryndza