Local author, Christopher Bowden, has recently published his sixth novel, The Purple Shadow. He tells Dulwich OnView about his inspiration for the book and the writing process.
After the completion of the fourth book, The Green Door, what was your inspiration for writing a fifth book?
The title (The Purple Shadow) actually came first. It struck me as having a lot of possibilities and I had the idea of a painting in which there is a shadow but nothing there to cast it. Was the picture once larger? But, if so, why should it have been cut down and what happened to the rest of it?
For those who haven’t read your previous four books, how did they lead into the development of The Purple Shadow?
The books are free-standing but there are some common themes, characters and places. The new one again involves a search stimulated by something come upon unexpectedly (in this instance, the portrait of Sylvie Charlot that may or may not be by Vuillard). More specifically, my third novel, The Red House, began and ended in Paris but was set largely elsewhere. Some readers said they would have liked more about Paris so I hope they will enjoy The Purple Shadow. And, like The Red House, it features Colin Mallory, in Paris with his partner Bryony as actors at the Théâtre Marivaux. After the play folds and Bryony takes up a film role abroad, Colin spends time exploring the city on foot.
The book gives glimpses of the film and theatre worlds of the 1930s and the art world of today. Does the 1930s era fascinate you?
The portrait at the centre of the novel was painted in about 1935 when Sylvie Charlot’s star was on the rise in the Paris fashion world. Cultural and political events of the time form a backdrop to events in the book and researching them provided many entertaining diversions.
Did this novel prove to be the most challenging for you to write, or did you find the plot taking shape on its own?
My approach is an organic one; I do not plot in detail before I start. I need some ideas about what, who and where before putting pen to paper but, after that, the story develops in the writing. I don’t know what will happen and finding out is as enjoyable for me as I hope it is for the reader.
Your previous novels had links to south London/Dulwich. Does this novel have any links?
Less than some of the others, though we visit the house of Colin’s sister Clare (The Green Door) located somewhere that could well be Dulwich.
The Purple Shadow is set in London, Paris and Sussex. Did you visit Paris before?
I have been there many times but writing the book was a good excuse to go back. Everywhere Colin goes I have been too, apart from one or two made-up places inspired by real ones. We are both flâneurs. The focus of the story is on the Marais and Belleville and the cover has a striking image taken in the Place des Vosges, home of the fictitious gallery that features in the book.
The five colours in the books you have written are blue, yellow, red, green and purple. Do you have plans for a sixth novel? If so, what is the next colour?
The first three books had primary colours in the titles. I then moved on to the secondaries so, if I stick to the colour approach, it looks like being orange. Not the easiest of colours to handle but that will make it more fun to try.
What do you love about south London?
I’ve lived in various parts of south London for the last forty years, apart from a brief aberration in the late 1970s when I ventured north of the river. Despite changes, places like Peckham, East Dulwich and Crystal Palace have retained distinctive identities and a sense of community, with a strong creative element. Independent shops and cafés abound. We are spoiled for choice when it comes to independent bookshops and particularly fortunate to be able to visit Dulwich Picture Gallery at the drop of a hat!
The Purple Shadow is published on 22 September and will be available in local bookshops, libraries, Amazon and other on-line suppliers. There will be a launch event at Dulwich Books on 22 September.
