Why did you decide to set Drink With The Devil in the Sixties?
David Woods: The sixties were a time of upheaval and change for me, having to leave my Father’s farm to make a living with no qualifications or work experience other than farming.

Were you drawn to the era’s more notorious cases of gangland murder and criminality whilst developing this often brutal plot?
David Woods: The era’s more notorious cases of gangland murder, etc., did not pay any part in this plot. The story developed from my own imagination and not from any pre-planned plot.

Have other fictional works of thrilling crimes partly influenced this novel?
David Woods: No other fictional works influenced this novel.

Deceit and revenge are prevalent themes within the book. Was there a key, real-life inspiration for the more sinister plot developments?
David Woods: The deceit and revenge transpired from my knowledge of human nature rather than any real life inspiration.

Garry’s alcoholism and paranoid decline is quite disturbing. Do you feel the reader should have any sympathy for his tragic downfall?
David Woods: Garry’s alcoholism and paranoid decline was meant to be disturbing, and I don’t expect the reader to be very sympathetic comparing his privileged upbringing with the tough life Jim had to endure.

With the novel’s secret sibling rivalry in mind, does Drink With The Devil comment on the breakdown of the nuclear family, which began in the 1960s?
David Woods: Drink with the Devil does illustrate the problems that can result in the breakdown of the nuclear family.

To quote a tragic Shakespearean play, Jim clearly suffers the ‘slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.’ Does his resilient spirit embody hope in the face of adversity?
David Woods: Jim does suffer "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" and despite his despair at seemingly hopeless situations, he manages to maintain a glimmer of hope due to his resilient spirit and inner strength.

There’s a sense of rural tranquillity amidst all the madness. Does nature provide you with a sense of escape?
David Woods: The countryside and nature always provides me with a sense of peace and escape.