The Freedom of the City of London

Author of The Devil’s Tea Party is awarded The Freedom of the City of London. In November 2022, Paul Michael Campbell was honoured to receive the Freedom of the City of London. The London born author who attended London’s Guildhall on 3rd November with his family, had considered the capital as the setting for his novel. But after visiting New York, he decided that the ‘City that Never Sleeps’ would be the perfect backdrop for his dark tale of deceit, lust and revenge. “I definitely wanted the story to be set in a major city. It needed to be somewhere which could capture the contrast between darkness and desperation, and lavish, opulent excess. London would definitely have enabled me to vividly juxtapose these two extremes. However, when I visited Manhattan for the first time, there was just something about the place that fit my story perfectly. The bright lights and fast pace of Time Square, the glitz of the Upper East Side, the ‘artsy’ TriBeCa, the peaceful retreat of Central Park, and iconic landmarks such as the Brooklyn Bridge, created the perfect setting. And of course, the nickname the ‘Big Apple’ leant itself to the title ‘New York, the Poisoned Apple’, which readers of the novel will know is more than just a play on the classic term for the city. When I combined these factors with the almost cult-like status serial killers are afforded in both Hollywood cinema, and popular American culture, it seemed like the obvious choice for the story to take place there. It also presented an opportunity to make a satirical statement on the disturbing generational trend of becoming increasingly desensitised to graphic violence.” Although the author passed over London in favour of New York, he is very fond of his birthplace, and is extremely proud of his appointment as a ‘Freeman’ of the city. When asked how if felt to receive the Freedom, he commented that it is not viewed as an award by those who receive it. “The Freedom is not a trophy. It is more of a reminder to the recipient that they have an obligation to continuously strive to be the best human being they can be, as well as a role model to others in everting they do. In receiving the Freedom, I sincerely hope that I have inspired others to set a positive example and be the best version of themselves.”

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