Cheshire writer’s near-death inspires five-star book
Added: (Tue Jan 18 2022)
Pressbox (Press Release) -
Exciting new Cheshire author George Cutter has used his own brush with death to craft his five-star-rated debut novel.
The 26-year-old film critic was diagnosed with a rare stomach tumour five years ago.
And the experiences of battling cancer, trialling an experimental new drug and taking advice from his consultant has helped shape the narrative of his gripping new thriller.
Since the recent publication of The Ascension of the Seventh, it has been described by reviewers as being a ‘truly great story’, ‘book of the year’ and ‘a complete surprise’.
Reader Alex Smith stated: “A genuinely brilliant read, full of wonderful ideas and concepts.”
George’s debut novel follows the life of twenty-seven year old English teacher Toby Whitman, who has just been diagnosed with a brain tumour.
His life is thrown into further turmoil when he is greeted by the sixth incarnation of Death, who reveals that Toby will die in 30 days’ time and become the seventh, and last, incarnation.
The Ascension of the Seventh is both a fascinating character study and an edge-of-the-seat thriller as the protagonist attempts to escape his fate.
George admits his own experiences – as well as his consultant – helped provide the gritty realism which has made his novel such a hit.
He explained: “The idea dates back as far as 2014, when I was in university.
“The original idea of a man conversing with Death was inspired by Ingmar Bergman’s 1957 classic, The Seventh Seal, and I made my own short film that drew from Bergman’s gothic aesthetic but also modernised it.
“After my own diagnosis, I returned to the concept and decided to develop it into a full-length project, incorporating autobiographical elements with previous ideas showcased in the short film.
“Although there are a lot of gothic and other worldly elements in the book that have been bred entirely from my imagination, the medical details required a great amount of research.
“Fortunately, my own consultant was on hand to answer any questions I had about different types of cancer, how various treatments are exercised and how they are decided upon depending on the type of cancer or symptoms evident in an individual.”
As well as working as a film columnist, George is employed as part of the pre-press team at his local newspaper, The Congleton Chronicle.
But he admits writing takes up most of his time.
George, who is influenced by writers such as Koushun Takami, Chuck Palahnuik and Clive Barker, as well as filmmakers such as Guillermo del Toro, David Lynch and Wes Craven, added: “If I’m not writing, I’m always thinking of story and character arcs and pieces of dialogue.
“Typically, I write in the evenings, or sometimes late at night till 1am if I’m really engaged in a scene or a chapter.
“I try to write every day, if possible.”
George is currently working on two further novels.
For more information visit Amazon and search for George Cutter, where the Kindle and paperback versions of The Ascension of the Seventh are available.
Notes to the Editor
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For more details on PublishNation, visit their website at www.publishnation.co.uk