““Writing Is Second Nature To Me!” – Boyd Clack Discusses His First Novel: River Of Souls

• Boyd Clack Publishes His First Novel, River of Souls Via Lulu

• The book explores the classic theme of good versus evil

• River of Souls touches on the subject of Animal Welfare

A book on the classic theme of good versus evil and how ordinary lives get ensnared in it  may not be the usual style of writing you would expect from the writer of popular TV sitcoms Satellite City and High Hopes but that is precisely the subject for Boyd Clack’s first novel, River of Souls.

Boyd explains to Andy Howells:

“Writing is second nature to me.  Whether it’s good or bad writing is up to others to decide, but it’s just something I do.  A genre inevitably comes to mind as something progresses though if commissioned you have to do what the commissioner tells you too.  It’s no good sending a set of songs to a drama producer! (Though I think it would work!)

The Welsh writer, actor, and musician has recently released a new series of podcasts of which he writes and performs entitled Boyd Clack on Radio 666. This coincides with BBC IPlayer making the entire run of the classic comedy series High Hopes, of which he wrote and featured as an actor, available to view for the next year.

How does Boyd, (who has also counts roles in Keeping Faith and the 2014 adaptation of Under Milk Wood among his many acting credits) also get time to write?

Boyd continues:

“The truth is that I am an actor first and foremost.  An actor who can write a bit but acting is my great love and my beat talent.  It’s a precarious and unfair business though, so one has to do what one can.”

In the case of River of Souls, the book evolved over a period.

“It wasn’t intended as anything other than exploratory text, but I was caught up in it as the story unfolded.  Though trivial populism at a superficial reading I began to realise that it dealt with the great questions, particularly the fight between good and evil but it brought it down to a domestic, if somewhat unusual, level. “ 

“It also deals with animal welfare; I love ALL animals and am horrified at the way we so called human beings treat the innocent little beings.  Mental illness and the sexual mores of the street are also exposed, heroin addiction, cancer, dysfunctional societies and families in the microcosm of a Welsh Valleys Town and cartoonish but still horrifying violence.  Add a spoonful of divine intervention and Robert is your mother’s brother! “

Boyd has self-published River of Souls through Lulu, a choice he is more than happy with:

“It seemed more convenient. To be honest, I’ve never made any money from books anyway, so it doesn’t seem worth all the complications and time to try through a publisher!”

“I have been told it is obscene working-class trash.  The person who told me this thought it was an insult.  I could not have been happier!”

• To purchase River of Souls visit: https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/boyd-clack/river-of-souls/paperback/product-1mm5wkp2.html