Many thanks to Rachel for the opportunity to join in and for arranging the following interview with Liam Hurley 🙂

For those who don’t know already, could you tell us about yourself and your book(s) please?

Hi all, my name is Liam and I am a writer from Manchester, UK. I like annoying people, buying new white t-shirts and drinking coffee by the gallon. I have just released my first novel You, Me and Us. My book tells the story of Jimmy Rowland and Erin Poppet, a whirlwind romance which sends Jimmy’s life into a downward trajectory, leaving him with nothing but a broken heart, a demon inside him and a useless vacuum. When he reaches rock bottom he decides to rebuild his life from scratch.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

Life. Stories are all around us. If you look closely enough you’ll see mini stories playing out in front of your eyes every day. That woman running for the bus? Why is she running? Why does she need to catch that bus in particular? Just let your mind wander. You, Me and Us came from seeing a guy in Manchester City Centre marching down one of the main roads desperately searching for a cigarette. I just thought to myself, I wonder why he’s so stressed? Maybe he’s meeting his ex-girlfriend…

Are any of your characters based (however loosely) on anyone you know?

Jimmy’s two best-friends and bandmates Tom and Ryan are based on an amalgamation of four of my best mates. The pair of them take on traits which my real friends have. A slight lack of logic, getting themselves into ridiculous situations, constant mocking of each other and fervent unbreakable loyalty to one another.

How do you pick your characters names?

Jimmy Rowland and Erin Poppet just came to me as I was writing they didn’t require any thought at all, it just was their names. Like when a parent names a child and they say ‘he just was a Keith’. Some of the other names though either have hidden meanings (Jimmy’s father-figure is called Joe after the very first step-dad in western literature), whilst the rest I tend to have to think about. I’ll inevitably look to Facebook and find friends of friends with names that jump out to me.

Can you share your writing process with us, in a nutshell?

The first thing I need is the right environment. The essentials are for it to be quiet, coffee at hand and comfortable. Once I’ve got all of that whether it be in my own home or out in public, I just get on with it. You can sit and wait for inspiration all day long but it might never come, so I just get to typing. Once I’ve been writing for a solid ten to twenty minutes I just end up in a flow and three or four hours can go by in a blink.

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

This changes pretty frequently based on what I’m reading but if I had to pick right now I’d go for David Nicholls, Danny Wallace, Nick Hornby, Stephen King and George RR Martin.

If you could meet any author, who would it be and what would you ask them?

Stephen King, and selfishly I’d ask him to look at my work and give me pointers.

Were you a big reader as a child?

From about the age of eight I was a big reader. Started with the usual stuff, Harry Potter etc. and then graduated onto more mature stuff. I once visited a book shop so much at the age of twelve that one of the members of staff gave me a massive bundle of pre-publications copies of books for free.

When did you start to write?

I’m not 100% sure but I’d say when I was about twelve or thirteen I started writing short scenes and stories for my own
amusement. Obviously, this was kept very secret.

If you could re-write the ending to any book what would it be and what would you change?

If I could re-write the end to any book it would be Mario Puzo’s The Godfather. I know, I know. It’s sacrilege to even suggest that story is anything but perfect. But for me, it’s not. I would’ve liked to see Michael walk away from the family at the end. I know the ending shows that he is corrupted by it all and brought to the fold as the new head-honcho. But by the end a lot of the main players have died, he gets his revenge, then I’d like to see him leave. Walk with Kay into the sunset.

Is there a book you wish you had written?

Mike Gayle’s The Stag and Hen Weekend. It’s a fantastic book with a real unique way of telling a story. For anyone who has not read it, the book is in two section one a stag party and the other a hen do. You can read either part first and the other second, it is entirely up to the reader. It has an ambiguous ending which some did not like but for me I always enjoy when the reader has to decide for themselves how certain aspects of a story play out. We shouldn’t be spoon-fed but challenged.

If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title be?

Remember Who You Are.

If you could invite any fictional character for coffee who would it be and where would you take them?

It would be Hank Moody from Californication. I’d take him to Second Cup in Manchester which is one of my writing havens and pick his brain about his writing process and the books he wrote. I love the show but wish we could find out more about the actual books he writes, what’s the story, how does it read etc.

What are you working on right now?

At the minute I am in marketing over-drive for You, Me and Us. So, my actual writing time has been a bit thin on the ground at the minute, but I have written a short scene for my next book. I am still in two minds about the overall story but it is revolving around two themes; male infertility and a school reunion.

Do you have a new release due?

Not right now, I am still in the very embryotic stages of writing.

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?

Well You Me and Us is my first release so I don’t have a tradition yet! More than likely go a for a meal with friends and have a few glasses of overpriced red wine.

How can readers keep in touch with you?

Through my website http://www.liamhurley.co.uk or on Twitter @LjHurleyWriter

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

If anyone else is reading this who is in two minds about writing a book or chasing any dream, then do it. Don’t pay attention to naysayers or negativity, get on with it. Work hard, and believe in yourself. Thank you for your time and letting me be a part of this blog!

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, Liam 🙂

“F*** you for breaking my f***ing heart…”
This is the heart-breaking yet hilarious story of Jimmy Rowland and Erin Poppet.
Jimmy Rowland has the perfect life. He works in his favourite bar by day, and by night he lives his dream with his two best friends in his band.
Erin Poppet crashes into Jimmy’s life like a beautiful storm. He falls in love with her as quickly and as deeply as possible. The intensity of their relationship leaves Jimmy with a broken heart, a useless vacuum and a demon inside him.
Jimmy’s dream life quickly becomes a nightmare when he loses his dream job and destroys his musical career live on stage.
When he hits rock bottom, he decides he only has one choice, to rebuild his life from scratch. He has to get back the life he had before Erin.
This is her story.

This is his story.

This is their story.
Or as Jimmy would say… “… this is the story of You, Me and Us.”

Purchase from Amazon –

Author Bio –

My name is Liam; I am an author from Manchester, UK. I love three things in this world, writing, reading and the viral video of the Irish family trying to catch a bat. (My girlfriend, family, friends and cats may be unhappy with this). My hobbies include listening to podcasts, watching grown men fight and trying every possible type of ground coffee in the world.

Here are my Top Ten reasons to read my book or spend the night with me…

1. It won’t cost you much.

2. It will be over relatively quickly.

3. I will be very grateful.

4. You can tell other people about it if you enjoyed it.

5. If not, don’t bother.

6. It’s always fun to have something in your hands to flick through.

7. You can review it online.

8. It will leave a mark on you.

9. You won’t want to put it down.

10. It’ll make you laugh.