How would you describe your books?
As
entertainment. I set out with the intention of writing the kind of
books that I’ve always loved – books that you don’t want to put down,
and which you pick up again and again. For me, the most entertaining
books are those that appeal on as many levels as possible. They have to
have a great story, of course, but I also want interesting characters,
memorable scenes, a sense of atmosphere and evocative language. It has
to be an experience: a whole world inside your head.
What do you read?
I barely have time to read. I work full time and writing a novel takes
about a year if I work on it for two hours a night, five nights a week.
That said, I admire James Ellroy’s prose and plotting; I’ve long been a
fan of Kurt Vonnegut’s skewed take on life; I revere Elmore Leonard’s
spare dialogue; I love Umberto Eco’s language and literary games; I’m
intrigued by the literary ego of Henry Miller; and I’m in awe of the
imaginations of Kafka and Poe… but I’m not sure the work of any of
these writers influences my writing discernably. What I wanted to
produce was something more akin to the Ian Fleming novels I read as a
teenager – books that took me to another place and kept me up all night
wishing I was a character in them.
How and where do you write?
I stopped writing by hand years ago (too laborious) and so the books
are done on a laptop in two drafts: the first just to get the story
down and the second to polish it. As a copywriter, I’ve learned not to
be too pernickety, constantly fussing over text. There’s usually no
time for such things at work. So I write it, then check it, then let it
go. It’s not going to get better.
It’s become a habit to drink either whisky or cognac while listening to rock music quite loudly on headphones as I write. Air drumming ensues when I’m on a roll. I appreciate that this approach isn’t for everyone, but I wrote most of The Incendiary’s Trail with my wife talking on the phone right beside me. Music was less distracting. I have no excuse for the spirits.
How would you describe your ‘style’?
I
have absolutely no idea. Like any writer, I hope that what I write
creates an atmosphere, that the prose has rhythm, that the words are
well chosen, that there is pace and a clear narrative flow. The writers
I admire make me trust them. When I hear their voice, I’m willing to
follow the story wherever they take it. It’s for other people to decide
style. I try my best to explain the scenes in my mind.
Have you always wanted to write?
It’s a cliché, of course: doesn’t every avid reader dream of being a
writer? As a teenager, I wrote letters to my favourite authors and many
of them replied. I framed those letters and studied them. Being a
writer is all I ever wanted to be – it just took me a couple of decades
to reach a point where I could do it.
Why Victorian London?
For
me, Victorian London is not just a place and a time; it’s a world. When
you get into the history of it and you find out just how different that
era was, you’re almost into science fiction. In some respects, it’s a
world we can recognise and compare with our own, but in other respects
it’s a place that can exist only in fiction. I find that very exciting.
What started you writing?
I
suppose I discovered at a young age that I could express myself better
and more naturally in writing than in personal interaction. For years,
I wrote letters and journals, but it wasn’t until 2005 that I attempted
to write books. Then I found there was a world inside me waiting to get
out.
How do you write? Typewriter, hand, or Laptop?
Laptop. It’s simply the fastest way to do it, and it helps that I spend my days as a copywriter tapping out text to order.
When and where do you write?
Between
8.00 and 10.00 p.m. five nights a week in an attic room. I’d do more if
my wife would let me and if I didn’t have a day job. I drink either
cognac or malt whiskey as I write, and listen to rock music on my iPod.
Do you read your reviews, good and bad, and do they make a difference to you?I think that a writer knows their own strengths and weaknesses. Everything else is opinion.
If you weren't a writer what would you do?
I’d
say ‘professional mountaineer’ if I wasn’t afraid of heights. So I’ll
go for the life of a carpenter. I like the idea of having something
solid to show for my work.
What advice would you, as you are now, give yourself as a 16-year-old?
Relax! You will get a girlfriend and your complexion will clear up. Keep reading – it’ll be of great benefit later.
What was the first book you remember falling in love with?
Henry Miller’s Tropic of Cancer.
It was the first book I read after finishing my degree and suddenly I’d
found a writer who, like me, was earnestly, desperately, wildly trying
to find himself as a writer. There’s no story in his book, but a
lifetime of passion.
What is your worst vice?
Over-eating.
My stomach drives my daily routine and I’ll eat until I’m almost in
pain. I’m ashamed of my lack of restraint, but it’s an animal pleasure
I can’t forego.
What book are you reading right now?
Moby Dick,
for the third time. Simply put, it’s the American Shakespeare. When I
lived in China, I owned two books: this one and Edgar Allan Poe’s
stories. I think they both had a lasting impact.
What did you study at University?
English
and American Literature. I preferred the American at the time – it had
a more distinctive voice because for so long it was seeking an identity.
How to you spend your time when you’re not writing?
Eating! I so seldom get the chance to read, but I enjoy that, too.
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