Hi readers. I’ve done quite a lot of character posts in the past when I was releasing The Luke Bright Series. That series as a whole had plenty of key characters that Luke met along the way but The Signs Are Coming has actually got very few. In fact, the book focuses mainly on the two protagonists, and today, I’m going to give you a bit more of an insight into the two of them because they certainly make an impact!

DARK:

The edgy name says it all really, and I’ve spoken about Dark before in a previous blog. Dark has to be one of the most fun characters I’ve ever had the pleasure to write and get to know, and actually be in some senses as The Signs Are Coming is told by him in first person. And I think that really sets the book apart because (if you’ve seen any of the quotes I’ve been posting on my socials) he’s got a very unique take on the world, in the sense that he just doesn’t give a f*ck about anything. I love writing from his perspective, it’s so freeing and I think as you read through the book, you’ll see that come through. He’s one of those marmite characters, you’re either going to love him or hate him, hopefully a bit of both.

So, Dark is 20 years old. He’s orphaned and had a really tough upbringing – his parents were drug addicts and he went through plenty of neglect and abuse in his childhood which made him grow up to be the damaged, uncaring, apathetic adult that he is now. He’s spent the last couple of years learning how to switch off his painful memories and feelings to become this strong, silent tough guy. He’s outspoken, he’s brash and he’s extremely witty. But yet, he has got one weakness…

PAUL BARLEY

Yep. Dark’s weakness comes in the form of the sweet, talkative, funny Irish lad – Paul Barley. Paul is a completely different kind of character to Dark – he’s overly emotional, can talk for England (and Ireland), he’s full of enthusiasm, quite innocent and naive at times and loves a good prank. He’s strong on morals and he’s got a very sweet, virtuous side to him, which helps when their quest begins, because Dark’s not exactly that interested in helping other people. Also, he’s quite a moaner – he doesn’t really like over exerting himself, and within this fast-paced book, there’s certainly a lot of that!

But Paul’s also got another, sadder side to him. He’s low on self-esteem and dealing with the hurt from the loss of his parents. Abandoned by his mum and losing his dad to suicide, 18 year old Paul’s still quite young and hasn’t been in London for that long. He’s constantly worried about being a burden and never quite feeling good enough. He wishes he had Dark’s confidence and attitude, and that he could switch off his pain and feelings like Dark can, but unfortunately it’s harder than it looks, so he settles for adopting bad habits like drinking and smoking to cover it up instead.

Now…put them together

Because alone, they’re very different characters, but together, they’re something else. Dark and Paul have absolutely electric chemistry and banter which carries the story, possibly just as much as or even more than the plot itself. They’re so different and the dynamic between them makes for some amazingly hilarious scenes. But more than that, the strongest part of Dark and Paul’s friendship their bond. After having spent a year living on the streets together, when Dark took Paul under his wing after rescuing him from being mugged, the two of them have become extremely close – after all, they don’t have anyone else in their lives except each other.

They do however have set roles in their friendship – Dark’s the protector, Paul’s the protected, and it’s always been that way – until now. Because the events of The Signs Are Coming disrupt that friendship in ways you may never expect and changes everything between these two homeless boys who definitely never thought that they’d be the ones having to save London from destruction. And I think that’s why I’ve loved writing this book so much, because it’s not skilled detectives taking on the mystery, it’s two, damaged homeless boys having to solve a mystery far bigger than them. It changes everything they knew about London, but also about themselves.

It’s not long now to wait until The Signs Are Coming is released, and if you want an advanced reader copy, just get in touch and I’ll let you know how you can get your hands on one. Believe me, you’re going to want to read this book sooner rather than later, because once you know the story, you’re never going to see London in the same way again.

The Signs Are Coming will be released in September 2021. Please follow me on my blog and social media links below. Thank you once again for taking the time to read this blog post.

N.A.K.