Hi Ben welcome to TeenLibrarian and thank you for giving up your time to answer some questions about Bury Your Friends!
Thank you for having me!
Can you introduce yourself to those in the audience who may not know who you are?
Of course! My name’s Ben and I’m a bestselling author of (mostly) thriller books that centre queer characters of colour. I have a background in celebrity interviewing and journalism, so I love scandal and gossip, which is often a core theme in my books. What can I say – I love the drama! So, if you’re picking up a Benjamin Dean book, buckle up for a ride with plenty of twists and turns.
What is the elevator pitch for Bury Your Friends?
Bury Your Friends is a nepo baby slasher where the fractured friendships of a privileged group of teens is put to the test by a deranged serial killer who locks them inside a country manor and demands that they evict one person from the house every hour starting from midnight…
When writing, in general what usually inspires you (and what inspired BYF)?
I’m usually inspired by some kind of scandal and mess, and I flesh the story out from there. For this book, I had been away for a weekend with friends in the countryside and I’m unfortunately just reeeeeally not a countryside kind of person – I think it’s beautiful in the day, but the moment the sun sets, I think the vibes are terrifying! So, there we were in this huge house mostly made of glass, and in the dark, all you could see was your own reflection. I just couldn’t stop imagining someone hiding in the dark and watching us – it really creeped me out! So that was the first seed, which was quickly followed by the idea of two boys going missing and only one of them coming back to crash their own vigil. I thought that posed a lot of interesting questions and gave me the chance to try my hand at an unreliable narrator, which was really exciting for me as a writer.
For readers new to your work, where would you recommend they begin?
Ooooh, I’ve never actually thought about that before! I think you can start with any of my books and whichever one interests you the most, but if you wanted one book that really gives you an introduction to me as an author…I’d maybe say How to Die Famous. It brings together so many of my favourite things – fame, pop culture, scandal and secrets – and it gives readers a good insight into what to expect from me in my other YA books.
What are you currently reading?
I’m currently in the middle of reading Silvercloak by L. K. Steven, which is an adult fantasy book with a magic system fuelled by pleasure and plain. I really love reading books set in fantasy worlds and this one has me hooked!
I know this one is a bit unfair to ask as you have just had a book published, but can you drop any hints about what you are currently working on?
Haha! You know what, I hate to disappoint but I’ve actually been taking a small writing break to refill the well and enjoy various hobbies without an impending deadline to worry about. But my brain is ticking, and I have some ideas that I’m excited to explore which might be a twist on what readers are used to from me.
For fans who enjoy following writers do you have any publicly available socials?
I do! You can find me procrastinating on either TikTok or Instagram @NotAgainBen. If you see me on either too often, feel free to shout at me to do some work!
Do you ever do school or library visits? If you do, what is the best way for library folk to get hold of you to organize these?
I do them here and there throughout the year! The best way to get in touch about them is to reach out to my agency at Madaleine Milburn to check my availability.
Thanks again for answering the questions!
You’re welcome, thanks so much for having me!
