“Venetia Welby first came to my attention in the year I was on the judging panel for the Republic of Consciousness Prize. Her debut novel, Mother of Darkness, is very much the sort of book this prize was set up to promote. It is an intense and sometimes startling journey into the mind of a memorable protagonist (you may read my review here). I am delighted to welcome the author to my blog today and hope you enjoy the answers she has provided to my questions as much as I did.”

An interview with audiobookradio.net on my favourite authors and influences.

“Upon reading MoD it is somewhat surprising that Welby’s debut novel had not burst out sooner, with her nimble prose and ambitious conceptual thrust reminding the reader of Will Self’s work (albeit in a more digestible form) and Soho legend Sebastian Horsley’s phenomenal Dandy in the Underworld.”

Enjoyed chatting to Hannah Murray about Mother of Darkness on The TRE Book Show - no recording of this one I’m afraid but putting it here anyway, in case I forget I did it.

I answered a few questions about Mother of Darkness for Jera’s Jamboree

How a Messiah is born in the last seedy streets of Soho - an interview with Donna Freed

Enjoyed being ‘Author in the Spotlight’ for Portobello Book Blog

10 Things I Want My Readers To Know About Me - Author interview for Female First

Fun to do my first ever Lockdown BookJam in April. In expectation of wi-fi failure, I prerecorded this reading as backup…

I really enjoyed preparing and delivering this talk on the characterisation of Matty Corani - the protagonist of Mother of Darkness - and to explore the underpinnings of Greek myth and Freudian psychology that drive his actions and beliefs.

Very much enjoyed this signing at the lovely Engine Yard in the Vale of Belvoir, not far from where I grew up.

A favourite writer of fabulous short stories, Anna Maconochie, in a favourite bookshop, Brick Lane Bookshop - it was a thrill to have the chance to unpick her writing and mine in conversation….

Had a brilliant time launching Mother of Darkness at the Groucho in Soho. The Dean Street club looks straight on to my protagonist Matty’s fictional Meard Street flat. The Evening Standard described the event as ‘sophisticated debauchery,’ which pleased me, and Tatler did a nice write-up.

“The narrative pull of Welby’s novel (…) is quite something.”

“The denouement is shocking, somehow suitably deranged.”

“I loved this book - I read it twice.”

“Upon reading MoD it is somewhat surprising that Welby’s debut novel had not burst out sooner, with her nimble prose and ambitious conceptual thrust reminding the reader of Will Self’s work (albeit in a more digestible form) and Soho legend Sebastian Horsley’s phenomenal Dandy in the Underworld.”

“A striking debut novel”

‘Venetia Welby is not your bog standard author. She’s a writer to watch. A writer who is gifted beyond description. The research that went into this book would have been extensive, the effortless way in which she flips between such different writing styles left me speechless.’

“Welby has created a memorable protagonist in the brilliant setting of Soho and I am intrigued to see where she goes next.”