Every Tuesday, get to know a bit about the stories behind the books you love, and discover your next favourite novel.

Zilla: Peter Darbyshire is back to tell us about the latest installment of Cross’ attempts to stop angels from using classic literature to destroy the universe. It’s a hard life out there for an immortal trying to save the world … so Peter, tell us about it!

Peter: The Wonder Lands War is the fourth book in the Cross series of supernatural thrillers. Cross is in a race against time to find Alice, the character who escaped from the Wonderland tales, before a band of renegade angels can imprison her and use her to find God’s missing bible to end the world. It’s  a quest that takes Cross and his faerie companions across Europe, to famous libraries, forgotten ruins, secret areas within the Vatican — and into the strange and deadly realm that inspired the Wonderland tales.

Zilla: Who is your favourite character you’ve written?

Peter: Definitely Cross! What’s not to love about an immortal, angel-hunting rogue who hangs around with the likes of Christopher Marlowe, literary characters, spirits, gorgons and more, and who keeps saving the world against his better judgement?

But Alice is another favourite. She is a very odd and quirky being who has escaped the Wonderland tales and has various magical abilities such as being able to travel from any one library to another. I have a great deal of fun writing her scenes!

Zilla: If you could meet your characters, what would you say to them?

Peter: For God’s sake, why won’t you listen to me? I had a great plan that would have wrapped up everything smoothly. But no, you had your own ideas….

Zilla: And what would they say back?

Peter: They’d say I haven’t written enough books about them and insist I drop everything to write more. Which is basically what they say in my imagination every day.

Zilla: That is very relatable. Would you say that your work is more plot-driven or character-driven?

Peter: There’s enough books in the series now that the plot comes from the characters, who all have intriguing back stories and entanglements. Each book probably has a dozen other storylines that I could have followed. I like to write collaborative tales with the readers, where I offer an intriguing story within the story and let the readers imagine it for themselves. It’s been interesting to hear what some have come up with — probably better ideas than I would have managed!

Zilla: Who are the Cross readers?

Peter: Anyone who loves a serious mix of the literary and fantastic, who wants to see their favourite characters from other books and plays and myths in one place, and who loves seeing literary tradition torn apart and reassembled into new forms. So basically I’m writing for people like me.

I’ve been amazed and gratified by the audience that is out there for these books, which is much larger and diverse than I expected. The Cross series started out being a love letter to literature but I feel it’s grown into a love letter to an entire community.

Zilla: Thanks for sharing your story and your process. We’re looking forward to reading! Where can the Night Beats community find you and your book?

Peter: You can find me and links to my books at peterdarbyshire.com. I can also be found at the usual social haunts with the handle @peterdarbyshire.