Interview with Keagan Boodram

1.) Your novel My Funny Valentine features your character Jack Valentine. Can you tell me about the book and Jack Valentine?

My Funny Valentine is a crime/drama/spy thriller, but at its heart it's mainly a story about justice, good triumphing over evil, and it's a story also of revenge, redemption and resurrection. By that I mean personal resurrection of a person's personality, plus there are a few romantic twists in there. Jack Valentine is what I would like to call the fusion of Daniel Craig's James Bond and Bruce Wayne. On the surface, in public he's this suave, debonair, charming, sophisticated man, but in his private time he is a more brooding, sad, lonely, tortured soul seeking some kind of solace.

2.) You are a big 007 fan. Have you seen a lot of the movies (or maybe all of them)? And who was your favorite James Bond on the screen?

As a 007 fan I am ashamed to say I haven't seen all the films, but I've seen a good majority of them and without sounding like a plagiarist, Bond's world helped me to understand the world of espionage a little better. My favorite James Bond actor I would say is Daniel Craig, mostly because his performances are true to the novel version of James Bond whether he knows it or not. It gives you a sense that his Bond is in the realm of the attainable.

3.) Are you working on any other writing projects?

Yes, I am currently working on my second novel, the sequel to My Funny Valentine. If I may spoil something, I'd say I'm halfway done writing it after suffering from writer's block for a while, and I don't mean to praise myself, but I think this new one is radically better than My Funny Valentine.

4.) Are you reading anything exciting right now? If so, what is it?

Currently I'm reading Ian Fleming's The Spy Who Loved Me. I saw the film, thought it was rubbish, and now I have my hands on Fleming's own version of the story and am currently I'm enjoying it.

5.) You are also a poet. Do you prefer writing poetry or stories? Or do you enjoy both equally?

Actually, I prefer writing both. My poetry comes basically at the spur of the moment when I'm hit with sudden inspiration. I have a poetry diary I keep with poems I write when they just come to my mind. I have to admit, though, some of them are pre-mediated because they are love poems and they are for a certain girl in my life. Novels I enjoy more though, more room to tell a story in my opinion.

6.) You live in Trinidad and Tobago, which is known for its wide diversity in foods. So, what are some of your favorite dishes to eat?

Ah, well, you managed to catch the only islander who doesn't eat the local cuisine. I'm mostly allergic to all the oils and spices that come with the food, so I mostly stick to simple home-cooked meals like corned beef and rice or steamed vegetables.