There Is a section where the tragic event happens and all its fall out that was very emotionally heavy to write.
Karl Newton – 30 January 2026
The Back Flap
He was the golden boy of pop, but solo success promised Bobby something real: a chance to honour his gritty Birmingham roots and build a life anchored by love and fatherhood. He finally had it all, right up until a single, brutal tragedy ripped his carefully constructed world to shreds.
Unprepared for the silence and the pain, Bobby seeks refuge in oblivion, free-falling into the depths of addiction, arrest, and the cold reality of a prison cell.
Released sober but shattered, Bobby is a raw nerve fighting to stay upright in a world that thrives on his failure. Every public appearance is a battle, every quiet moment a whisper of relapse. Then, an unidentified stranger steps out of the shadows. They don’t offer help; they offer an unimaginable escape, a total erasure of the man he’s become, promising peace at a price Bobby can’t yet comprehend.
Bobby is a heart-pounding suspense novel that peels back the celebrity curtain to reveal a man fighting for his soul. To escape his past, he might have to lose his future.
What secret does the stranger hold, and will Bobby risk everything for a clean slate?
How dark can it get?
About the book
When did you start writing the book?
Early 2025
How long did it take you to write it?
6 months
Where did you get the idea from?
The death of Liam Payne, and the idea of a famous music artist wanting to escape the fame game for good
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
Yes, there Is a section where the tragic event happens and all its fall out that was very emotionally heavy to write
What came easily?
Writing Bobby’s upbringing and Birmingham roots
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
Fictitious but slghtly based on people I know
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
Too many to list, mainly Stephen King, Mark Gattis, Steve Pemberton, Reece Shearsmith & Fredia McFadden
Do you have a target reader?
Lovers of thrillers, suspense, dark and gritty tales and love of plot twists
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
I guess writing daily with a book type vibe playlist on.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
To date just a very loose outline/plan ie start, end and plot points. However, for my next book I am trying a full plot plan with outlining.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
No, I get the draft done and then edit.
Did you hire a professional editor?
No, I self edit in first instance, then I work with beta reader to refine.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
I do, I create a playlist depending on what I’m writing, like a vibe to set the mood of what I’m writing.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
I did for first book but got sick of no thanks replys so decided to go down the indie author route.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
The fact that I have full creative control of my work.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
Always myself, alongside consulting a good friend who is a graphic designer.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
Kind of both, was winging it at first, but now putting effort into learning how to do it properly.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
Do it!
About You
Where did you grow up?
Birmingham
Where do you live now?
Birmingham
What would you like readers to know about you?
I write from the heart and real life experience and that writing has saved my life in terms of recovery from addiction and mental health issues.
What are you working on now?
Currently all in on pre launch admin for Bobby, then once it’s released I will be starting the next novel a modern dark gritty mystery whodunit.
End of Interview:
