A Melksham storyteller has self-published his first novel – a dark crime thriller inspired by an encounter with Liverpudlian gangsters in 1995.
Adam Loretz wrote a first draft of the novel in 1998. However, the story lay in a draw in Adam’s house until the Covid pandemic, at which point he seized the opportunity to dig it out and self-publish his first-ever novel, The Compromise, which is now available on Amazon and will soon be released as an audiobook on Audible.
“The story is about an innocent student who gets embroiled with an exiled gangster as they investigate a trail of blood that leads them in to a dark, criminal underworld,” explained Adam who works in video production.
“The idea emerged from a pretty alarming situation I had with a bunch of Liverpudlian drug dealers back in 1995 when I was a student in London on a weekend break with my Glaswegian pen friend.
“After leaving a club in Liverpool, I got into a packed car with my pen pal and her friend – two in the front and five in the back seat, which I wouldn’t recommend,” Adam recalled.
“They drove around for hours, passing through clubs and, I suspect, collecting drug money before eventually heading to Cheshire. I remember listening to their conversation and regretting getting in the car. We finally made it back to Liverpool by 7am. That long night gave me a glimpse into the lives of these gangsters. What struck me was that all four men – two brothers, Frank and Blair; a cousin, Sparkie; and Frank’s best friend Mal – were all trying to help raise Frank’s child. The danger I sensed in this larger situation stayed with me and sparked the idea for a bigger story.”
“The story draws influence from this ‘night out’ and the real-life Swedish Biker War.”
Adam sought professional advice on his first draft, running it by actor Christopher Malcolm, a neighbour of his parents in Bath. “He was in Highlander, Empire Strikes Back and the dad in AbFab,” explained Adam.
“He said it reads like radio. He thought it was a bit clichéd but he loved the characters. I also consulted a few mentors: Tony McHale who wrote EastEnders, The Bill and Holby City and Dr Alex Ross, a professional screenwriting guru in Los Angeles.
“However, rather than rewrite the story then, my life was busy and I spent 20 years in video production, got married and had kids. Every few years the first draft would reappear like a ghost.”
When the pandemic hit, Adam revisited The Compromise. “I forced myself to do the easy option of rewriting the first draft. Four years later, it was not such an easy option!”
Rather than pursuing traditional publishing routes, Adam chose to self-publish through Amazon to retain control over his intellectual property.
“I used AI to create the initial book cover design, and my best friend Terry Stokes, a graphic designer, really brought it to life. It feels fantastic to have published my first novel, and I’m feeling much more confident as a writer,” said Adam.
“I’m already 9,000 words into my second book. But writing will remain a sideline for me – I’m not ready to give up my day job just yet!”
The Compromise is currently rated five stars on Amazon. It is available in hardback, paperback, Kindle, and Kindle Unlimited formats, with a free sample available here: https://amzn.to/42ozxTE
Pictured: Adam Loretz with his debut novel, The Compromise
