Today’s guest is my good pal Rod Reynolds! Rod is the author of five novels, including the Charlie Yates series, the standalone Blood Red City and his latest release, Black Reed Bay. His 2015 debut, The Dark Inside, was longlisted for the CWA New Blood Dagger, and was followed by Black Night Falling (2016) and Cold Desert Sky (2018); the Guardian have called the books ‘Pitch-perfect American noir.’ A lifelong Londoner, in 2020 Orenda Books published his first novel set in his hometown, Blood Red City, which was longlisted for the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger. In 2021, he returned to the US, this time to present-day Long Island, with Black Reed Bay. Rod previously worked in advertising as a media buyer, and holds an MA in Novel Writing from City University London. Rod lives with his wife and children and spends most of his time trying to keep up with them.
So, Rod…
When did you last sleepwalk?
I’ve never sleepwalked to my knowledge. My kids, on the other hand, do it constantly and freak me out.
What’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened to you?
When I moved into halls at uni, in the first week, the window next to my bed smashed in the middle of the night, waking me up and showering me with glass. My roommate, who I barely knew, was standing over me, bleeding, and said someone had thrown a brick through it from outside. I didn’t sleep again that night. Of course, it turned out the next day he was pissed and had got up, disoriented, and tripped and fallen into it.
What’s the last book you read?
The Woman In The Woods by Lisa Hall. Extremely creepy.
Sum yourself up in one word
Hungry.
Who was the best Beatle?
Never been interested in the Beatles.
What are you having for lunch tomorrow?
Tacos, if I have anything to do with it.
Are you any good at potato sculptures?
Wtf? What kind of nutter actually does that?
Is there life on other planets?
If the universe is effectively infinite, then there almost has to be, right? Doubt we’ll ever encounter them though.
Would you rather give up washing, smiling or reading?
Smiling. Makes my cheeks hurt anyway.
What were you in a previous life?
A roguish speedboat captain with a heart of gold making drug runs in the Caribbean. It was bloody awesome and I’m hoping to go back to it in my next life. Got some unfinished business off the Turks & Caicos islands.
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If you want to know more about Rod, you can find him on twitter @Rod_WR. His books can be found HERE.
Susi (S.J.I) Holliday: Author 
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