About the Book
Author Ellie Erikson is dying from a rare degenerative disease that even the experts don’t know much about. But that’s just the start of her problems.
When her boyfriend is beaten and left for dead, Ellie is the prime suspect. He names her as his attacker—but she has no recollection of hurting him. She’s told to expect changes to her personality—but the doctors never mentioned insanity.
As she looks to her childhood for answers, everything about her past and upbringing is brought into question. When psychosis comes for her from a damaged mind, a wasting illness is the least of Ellie’s troubles. And as the secrets unravel, it opens a nightmarish instability.
Ellie Erikson has nothing left to lose when even her time is forfeit. Can she combat the evils in her life before time runs out?
A novel of fear and suspense. A Question of Sanity is Katherine Black’s darkest, most perverse and chilling work.
About the Author
Katherine Black lives on the tip of the beautiful British Lake District. She lives with her partner, father-in-law and 4 dysfunctional but comingling pets. She is mother, grandmother and secret keeper of all. Katherine is a full-time care giver for her father-in-law with Alzheimer’s, which leaves her some time for writing between removing teabags from the washing machine and raw bacon from his sandwiches.
Her marketing assistant is her German shepherd, Teagan, who generally snoozes, and her opinion is, ‘Yeah, seen it all before, Mum.’ Echo is the loudest cat known to man. First thing in the morning, Katherine has Echo on one side yelling his head off, and Dad on the other mimicking the cat. She expects to be writing from a prison cell very soon. Trevalion, the four foot Iguana, has learned how to use the cat flap and, despite the advent of another bleak, British winter, he insists on escaping into the garden where he sits awaiting rescue. Ravnica, the python, doesn’t have a lot to say—but looks lovingly at the cat.
Qn 1: Can you tell us more about your book What is it about?
Thank you, A Question of Sanity kept me up at night—many nights. Adding to the blurb, it is an attempt at a pace racer. Each chapter escalates in pace and tension to a, hopefully, page turning sprint against time to the finish.
Ellie is in a locked cell in a burned out research facility, with no idea how she got there. We have the first major shock of the book, and things go from sinister to murderous.
Two-thirds of the way through, the reader will think they have it all sussed and sewn up—I bet they haven’t! Reviewers have said it’s the most shocking and unexpected ending they’ve read. They have also said that it is riveting, shocking, and compelling. I’ll take that.
Qn 2: Who do you think would be interested in this book, is it directed at any particular market?
Well, it is a dark, psychological thriller that pulls no punches, so, unless you want Child Protection calling for tea and cake, I would keep it away from children. Other than that, I would hope that most adults can enjoy it. I was horrified when my eighty-year-old auntie gave it to her entire church choir to read. I expected the mortality rate in Christian octogenarians to soar that week—but they loved it. That said, it’s not for the fainthearted, but I think there’s enough humour and well-rounded characters for most people to like it.
Qn 3: Out of all the books in the world, and all the authors, which are your favourite and why?
My favorite book is, The Time Travelers Wife, because it’s clever. Though I don’t normally read mush, I thought this was brilliant. My Favourite author is (early) Koontz, and I would gladly have his babies. However, he’s let me down in later titles as he’s become victim to the churn factory.
Qn 4: What guidance would you offer to someone new, or trying to enhance their writing?
Learn your craft.
In first draft, get any rubbish down so that you have a beginning, middle and end.
Set yourself a daily wordcount—and stick to it.
Edit, edit, edit.
Don’t let your ego decree that you are established enough to do your own penultimate edit. There will be errors and you will not see them.
And, don’t be disheartened when the best thing known to man doesn’t fly straight to the top of the Bestsellers list. Writing a book is easy, marketing it is the devil’s playground.
Qn 5: Where can our readers find out more about you, do you have a website, or a way to be contacted?
https://authorkatherineblack.wixsite.com/website
Find me on Facebook; Sooz Simpson/Katherine Black.
I can also be contacted by letter, telegram, carrier pigeon, smoke signals and messages from the other side.
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