Peace Hotel: the title of the book might be quite explanatory, but in reading the book, it gets more a contradiction and a paradox. How did you pick it up?
Marquis: The title is indeed a paradox. Peace Hotel does actually exist in Albert. Innumerable names could have been given to a hotel at the heart of a vast tragedy, yet they chose to call it Peace. To my mind that inspires hope.

The concept of the hotel is in itself a great container of diverse humanity, is that the basic image that you wanted to give to your story?
Marquis: This leads to characters in the tale who are all very different, often outrageous, yet share a truth. People are not always what they seem, everyone deserves a chance to be recognised.

What is your favourite character in the story, and why?
Marquis: This question is like asking me to choose from my own family. I invented them all and love them equally.

What, if any, have you taken from your life in writing this book? Is there any particular personal experience that has been "re-written" to be included in Peace Hotel?
Marquis: I never aimed to write personal experience, but an element of that was inevitable I suppose. Peace Hotel exists, as does the landlady Isabelle, but her former husband Frederic is sadly no longer with us. They both gave me their blessing to use the hotel and their names in a tale of chaos, knowing I would never betray their trust, and I have not. My only regret in Peace Hotel is that Frederic will never see it.

Is this your first experience as a writer? If so, how did you start writing?
Marquis: Not a first experience as a writer. Hopefully this will not be a repeat of an episode ten years ago, and which still has a lingering, unsavoury taste.ISBN 1858451671, is a reminder of how terribly wrong an aspiring author can be. I will not fall into that trap again. Traumatised is really the only way to describe my reluctance to seek recognition for a period of years, and of course my efforts might be a complete load of old tosh. One thing for sure though, ...inspired or complete rubbish, ... I can’t stop writing.

What in your opinion is more important to you as a writer: being able to describe characters, creating an entertaining story, keeping a consistent plot developing through the book, simply entertain readers or what else?
Marquis: Being a writer, ...obviously. If a reader can see what I write, if he or she can be moved to tears or laughter by any word I’ve written, then I must have done a good job. That’s the ultimate accolade. But if any reader is ever going to appreciate anything I’ve written, someone will have to publish it.