Author Jonathan Squirrell presents intriguing black comedy set largely in Whitby

Offering a fresh and frequently hilarious take on immortality, Jonathan Squirrell’s Dead Man Talking is the story of one man’s many lives – from a hedonistic quest to determine whether pleasure alone can bring fulfilment, to a wayward journey of discovery with the self-styled King of the Goths.

At the point of giving up, he finally comes to understand the meaning of life.

But nothing is without cost, and his genetics will not allow him to escape his fate.

Jonathan, who works as a writing tutor, grew up in Whitby.

He has written scripts performed in village halls and song lyrics sung on BBC Radio 4.

He said: “Apparently, Bram Stoker wrote Dracula after a disturbing dream.

"I actually had a dream about having a vampire-like condition giving immortality.

"But it wasn’t a powerful, romantic immortality, just a vaguely depressing feeling.

"When I woke up, the basic ideas for the condition were all in my head, and I felt that it could be the basis for an interesting character.

"I’d always wanted to write a novel, I wasn’t quite sure how to start.

"Since I work at a University, I began an MA in Creative Writing, and that provided the impetus to produce the first few chapters.

"It also sent the project in a completely different direction to the one I was expecting.”

The Book Guild Publishing book is due to be released on February 28, price £9.99.