What
genre do you write and why?
I’ve written in a variety of genres, but I’ve
always considered myself a crime writer. This has been my favourite genre ever
since I was a little boy. My first literary crush was Agatha Christie. When I
was nine, I read Death
on the Nile, and things were never the same again.
However, I don’t plan to stick to that genre in
every single book of my career. I have a masters in biography, and have a deep
passion for life writing. There are so many things that fascinate me in world
History, and sometimes I just want to write a bit about everything.
My two most recent books are The Convenient Cadaver, a cosy mystery
story about an old lady who solves crimes, and Know Thy Enemy, a sci-fi novel that I’ve co-written with an awesome
author named Dawn Chapman. Sequels for both books are on the works.
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How was this book
published? (traditional, small press, self pub, etc...) Why did you choose that particular publishing
route?
Killing Dr. Watson was released by an amazing
publishing house in the UK
called MX Publishing. They are a unique company, that only deals with Sherlock
Holmes related material. Most of their books feature Holmes and Watson as
characters, but they were very receptive to the plot of my novel. Killing Dr. Watson is about a guy named
Jerry, who has spent all his life watching re-runs of a TV show called The Baker Street Sleuth. His greatest
idol is Bartholomew Neville, the actor who played Sherlock Holmes in the show.
A strange series of incidents puts Jerry in the way of a killer who wants to
murder actors who played the role of Dr. Watson in the different seasons of the
show.
MX Publishing has a set of amazing writers who
know everything about the character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. They
live and breathe Sherlock Holmes, and have created some amazing books. I’m very
honoured to be featured amongst them.
Who are your favourite
authors?
If you told me to pick five, I’d say: Stephen
King, Agatha Christie, Liev Tolstoi, Dashiell Hammett and Conan Doyle, of
course. I love the classics, but try to stay tuned to new stuff as well. And
there are authors I don’t know that well but love the little I’ve read from
them.
What advice do you
have for other writers?
Get to know the publishing market. Spend money
with books and courses about how it works. Find out everything you can before
picking self or traditional publishing, and even then, never stop learning.
There’s no use in releasing a book no one will read, and it can be really
frustrating when only others are making money with your work.
Who
is you favourite character in your book and why?
Bartholomew Neville was a joy
to write. I wanted to make him as pompous as humanly possible, someone who’s
always trying to look dignifying while fighting for attention. Jerry was more
challenging. In my first draft, I tried to make him stoic and classy, but the
editor and I agreed that wasn’t working. So, I made him something in between:
not the smartest guy one Earth, but someone whose spirit is beaten to a pulp
and tries to do the right thing.
Do you believe
in writers block?
I believe in mental block, which is
when you can’t put your mind to anything. It happens to people in all areas,
writing included. As for writer’s block, I don’t think I’ve ever experienced
it. Things come and go in waves; there are days when I feel like reading for
hours, and others when I can’t read a page. The same goes for writing. When
that happens, the best thing is to try to relax and do something else. The muse
will eventually return.
If you could
tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
Nobody is going to read your work if
you don’t promote it. Also, you’ll not going to become instantly famous just
because you managed to finish your first book.
What is your
work in progress? Tell us about it.
My next book will be a romanticized account of
a real life silent film star who had a tragic death. This will be different
from what I’ve done before, for it will all be based in real events. It
requires a lot of research, but I’m loving the process.
Does your
family support you in your writing career? How?
I have an amazing family who’ve always
supported my writing. My mother has always believed in me, but also made sure
that I went to college so I had other career options. My grandmother always
puts my books in her prayers, which I find the most endearing thing in the
world.
What are you currently
reading?
Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl. I’m still at the first chapters, but I can tell it’s an
exceptional book.
What are some of
your all time favourite books?
My favourite book of all time is Liev
Tolstoi’s Anna Karenina. It’s so much
more than a just love story! My list of favourites also includes Stephen King’s
It, Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes,
Colm Tóibín’s Brooklyn ,
Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon, Robert
Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr.
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and many, many others.
What books or
authors have most influenced your life?
I have a lifelong relationship with King. I’ve
read him throughout my teenage years, and his books taught me so much about
writing and about being a good human being. It would be terrific to be compared
to him some day.
author interview
Interview
interview feature
Jo Linsdell
Killing Dr. Watson
Matt Ferraz
MX Publishing
Sherlock Holmes. books
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