Tag: thriller

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Meet the Author: Shadow Pursuit by Alistair Birch

Today we travel to Oxfordshire, England to chat with Alistair Birch about how a dramatic social circle change, cooking, happy dancing, puzzles, paying it forward, the Liverpool Rock and Roll marathon, Barney Rubble, the Forest of Dean, the river Wye, and a simple picnic come together as part of Alistair’s current and past life.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Hi, I’m Alistair, and I’m a British author from Oxfordshire in England where I live with my second wife and stepson. I like to write thrillers, though I have been known to write comedy and rhymes, the sillier the better. I try to take a relaxed approach to life where humour and kindness are prominent. We aren’t allowed pets where we live, though we are allowed regular visits from George dog who we adore. I enjoy cooking and running long distance, though all the food I consume means I don’t run too fast.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and what ignited your author’s flame?

I only got the writing bug in the last few years though I’ve always had a love of making up rhymes. At school, I didn’t really write, and I wouldn’t say that my skills with English language were all that good. This will probably have you scratching your head, thinking, why now? Simply, I am in a new and happier marriage and over the last 8 or so years I have changed my social circle dramatically. A few years ago, I felt frustrated and anxious that I didn’t know anyone in my local town despite having lived here for a few years. As though I’d flicked a switch, I decided to do something about the situation, which I did with surprising enthusiasm. Now I run marathons and I write books and I’m incredibly lucky to know some amazing people who are now life friends. I also have a desire to be better tomorrow than I am today.

What is your favorite time of day and why?

If it is a weekday and I have been out all day at my day job, then assuming she is home, my favourite time is 5:30pm when I walk in to see my wife. My head and heart always do a little happy dance when I see her at the end of a working day.

Have you ever had any Do It Yourself disasters?

Absolutely. I worked in a college and took advice from the on-site electrician ‘Rocket’ Ron. All I needed to do was drill a hole through a thick wall from a caretaker’s room through to a storeroom next door so I could wire up a phone socket. The sensible thing would be to drill low down at the skirting board height and feed the cable straight into the back of the box. Unfortunately, I took Ron’s advice. Picture if you will, me, aged around 20, standing on top of a ladder, drilling through a fifteen-inch wall. The heavy drill was above my head, and I could only grip it from one end as there wasn’t a second handle grip. I got more and more tired as the drill bit inched through the concrete. Suddenly my wrist knocked a button which put the drill onto an automatic always on setting. My grip slipped and the entire drill spun at high speed with me no longer holding it. Within a few seconds the lead wrapped itself around the tool which yanked it from the power socket, all the while I stood white as a sheet atop the ladder.

What is the most enjoyable aspect you’ve found through writing?

There are two things. I only loosely plot my books, so I have a start and an end, and a few characters figured out, but that is about it. I am what is known as a ‘Pantser’ as I write by the seat of my pants. My day job is in IT and I have a very logical brain. I am good at picturing things, and I enjoy puzzles. So, the first thing I enjoy is working things out as I go. Sometimes I may find myself a little stuck and that is when I  can form it as a challenge. The second thing I am proud of is I had help to improve when I started out and now, I have newbie authors approaching me for advice. I love paying kindness forward.

What is the most inspiring thing that has ever happened to you?

Another easy one for me to answer. I ran my first full marathon, by signing up just one week earlier, and with little training. It was the Liverpool Rock and Roll marathon and I had been chatting with a virtual friend called Rob. I’d never met him, though we knew each other from a Facebook group and on our messenger conversations I knew he was running this event and he was anxious about it.

He was running for charity, and he told me his medication was making him dizzy. I called him and after a conversation with my wife we booked me onto the race so I could run it with him. We had little money, and needed to pay for travel, the race, food, and accommodation, but it felt like the right thing to do. On race day we ran from Liverpool waterfront up around Everton and Liverpool football grounds, with Rob doing great but going too fast. I kept up but I kept telling him to slow down. After 8 miles Rob stopped with horrible shin pain. We slowed and managed to get to 12 miles when his race was done. At his request I carried on and completed the 26.2 miles. That wasn’t Rob’s day, but he did complete a full marathon the following year.

If you were trapped in a cartoon world from your childhood, which one would you choose and why?

I would answer with The Flintstones. As a kid in primary school and some of secondary, I was given the nickname ‘Barney.’ Simply I looked and acted a bit like Barney Rubble, including the silly voice.

Describe the perfect solo date you’d take yourself on … where, time of day, weather, place, etc.

I love the peace and tranquillity of nature. I love mountains, rivers, lakes, the sea. I grew up in Gloucestershire so a walk in the Forest of Dean, along the river Wye is hard to beat, or maybe climbing the Malvern Hills in the middle of the day. A gentle breeze to take the edge off a warm sun, with a few cumulus clouds across a bright blue sky. To eat, just a simple picnic, bread, cheese, chutney, a little fruit and a bottle of water.

What are you currently working on?

I am almost between projects. I have just finished a draft manuscript for a new standalone psychological thriller which I started in July. This is set in a school, mainly in the early 1980’s. I need to get some beta feedback and submit this one, but friends have read chapters all the way through the writing process, and I have done basic edits as I went along. I am already happy with it. While I think about a little polish on this one, I may write a 1940’s wartime thriller. I have a friend I’d like to collaborate with on this one, so I’ve started those conversations.

Tell us about your most recent book.

My debut thriller, ‘Shadow Pursuit,’ hit the shelves on 18th October 2021. I took a piece of artwork called ‘The Great Bear’ as inspiration. Google it, and you will see it is an unusual map. For me as a thriller writer that offered an opportunity to hide secret information in plain sight. There are good guys in the security services, bad guys plotting terrible stuff and innocents caught up in between. Within each chapter I took the point of view of a character and went with it. So sometimes the reader is in the head of a bad guy and sometimes good. I tried to cram loads of fast paced action in and I left some threads hanging which I pick up in the sequel. I submitted the sequel to Dark Edge Press in the summer.

It was wonderful having you on MTA, Alistair. Wishing you much success with your books, and all you pursue! – Camilla

Blurb:

Samir El-Mudarini is deep undercover investigating a human trafficking syndicate when he is murdered.

Eva Merriman, a Metropolitan Police detective, is reassigned to the manhunt for El-Mudarini’s killer.

Sam Keplar wakes to an emergency call, sending him on a quest to save his brother.

Eva and Sam are brought together by the actions of a shadowy organisation that has slipped through the cracks of British society. And it is up to them to prevent the worst act of terror London might ever see while fighting for their own survival.

Publication date: 18th October 2021
Title: Shadow Pursuit
Author: Alistair Birch
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 258

Where can we purchase the book?

The book can be bought from Amazon, but it is also available in UK bookshops like Waterstones Etc. as well as Kobo, Nook, Apple and Google Books.

Connect with Alistair:

Alistair Birch Author

https://www.facebook.com/alistairbirchauthor

 

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Meet the Author: The Light in the Trees by Jeff Van Valer

Today we travel to Fishers, Indiana in the United States to chat with Jeff Van Valer about how neurology, the U.S. Postmaster, Bill Clinton, Raiders of the Lost Ark, marathons, a flooded kitchen, American Pie, shame, mountain biking, and Mars come together as part of Jeff’s current and younger life.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Greetings. My name is Jeff Van Valer. I’m a novelist Camilla has so graciously allowed to participate in MeetingtheAuthors. I live in Fishers, Indiana, USA and work as a neurologist.

In which genre do you write?

Thriller, mainly. My fiction catalog (two books, but we have to start somewhere, right?) is made up of a duet of books, soon to be a trio. I want them to fit into the Psychological Thriller genre, because they attempt to fool–but never lie to–the reader.

My first is The Light in the Trees and is a coming-of-age story. Many automatically substitute Young-Adult genre for coming-of-age, but I don’t. The Light in the Trees isn’t a first-person-present-tense story told by a twelve-year-old. The story is of a middle-aged man’s, decades-old secret of escalating summer-camp mischief that turned deadly. He grew up quickly that summer. Hence the coming of age designation.

How many published books do you have?

Three. Two novels: The Light in the Trees and White Birch Graffiti.

One nonfiction book, The Devil’s Tricycle (it’s because, in my real job as a neurologist and sleep-medicine specialist, I’ve grown tired of talking to every migraine patient about the tricks our minds play on us–and our migraines–as we choose too much caffeine and can’t get enough sleep).

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and what ignited your author’s flame?

For anyone still reading, you’ll notice a connection between The Light in the Trees and my own summer-camp experience. In the ’80s, at what is now known as the Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan, I wrote a hell of a lot of letters and my cabinmates didn’t.

In high school, I put to paper–while in class, of course–a lot of dreams I’d had. In college, my dad asked me about an $11 check I’d written to the “U.S. Postmaster.” That’s when he realized I’d been buying $0.22 stamps, fifty at a time.

In graduate school, a physical chemistry test looming overhead, I bought a copy of John Grisham’s The Pelican Brief instead of studying and began more prolific, regular reading. Ideas for “big-boy” stories came after that.

Where did the idea for your most recent book come from?

Bill Clinton. When he was the governor of Arkansas and running for president. Sometime in spring, 1992, when I saw this young, charming guy playing saxophone on Arsenio Hall, I knew he was going to win the election.

At the time, I was in graduate school and no-longer able to return to my staff position at camp. While almost physically ill with sadness, I had Interlochen on the brain as I watched Mr. Clinton play his sax. Soon, I thought, “Even this electable feller must have a skeleton in the closet.” Turns out he had two. Their names were Jennifer Flowers and Paula Jones. When the media got a hold of them, there was no burying the stories.

But what if the candidate had but one such skeleton, and just eight other, 42-year-old men knew the candidate’s secret? If they all lived in different states, their only connection being that they’d been cabinmates at a Michigan camp thirty years before, could the campaign machine take care of it before it reached the media? That’s what became White Birch Graffiti. The Light in the Trees takes place one summer thirty years previously, when those boys were summer at camp.

What movie can you watch over and over without ever getting tired of?

This list is lengthy. Ready to fall asleep? Here we go… Nah. Let me just list the first two that pop into my head. These are tied for first among my all-time-favorite movies: Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Shawshank Redemption. But there are at least dozens of movies which, when I’m running channels on T.V., will cause me to drop everything and watch.

Can you play a musical instrument?

Drums.

What songs hit you with a wave of nostalgia every time you hear them?

“American Pie,” by Don McLean. I wasn’t anywhere close to being alive when that plane crashed in 1959, so this song hits me for another reason. It was playing one spring day between innings at a college baseball game when my instincts told me I was losing my first love to another guy.

What is your favorite time of day and why?

Morning. It’s quiet, and the coffee tastes good. I’m mentally sharp, and no one invades my zone of creativity.

Have you ever had any Do It Yourself disasters?

Oh, sure. I once replaced my garbage disposal. As the dishwasher ran that night, it flooded my kitchen.

What is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about yourself through writing?

The depths of my own shame.

What is the most inspiring thing that has ever happened to you?

My kids. When my first was born, I discovered how profoundly important I needed to be. For my second, same thing.

You are about to speak publicly to a group and read from your latest book. What song do you listen to before speaking?

“Subdivisions” by Rush. If you’re a Rush fan, you’ll understand. If you’re not, the mere mention of the band has probably just caused you to click past this interview.

Badly explain your hobby.

I sit on an uncomfortable wedge that tries to separate my pelvis. My feet move in unending circles, I gravitate toward dirt, rocks, stumps, and roots, trying to go fast, then wonder what a breaking bone sounds like.

List 3 interesting facts about yourself.

I’ve run two marathons.
When I was 29, I spent three hours riding my road bike and talking to the guy who inspired the movie, Breaking Away.
I’m 5’10” tall, and I have friends the same height. People call them tall and they call me short. Irritating.

What’s the clumsiest thing you’ve done?

This past summer, I screwed up a drop on my mountain bike and went over the bars.

At this stage in your life, what advice would your young self give to your more mature self?

Identify what makes you happy and go for it. There is no greater legacy to leave your kids.

What’s the last movie you watched and why did you choose to watch it?

No Time to Die, the latest James Bond installment. Because Daniel Craig is my favorite James Bond.

If Mars or another planet was livable, would you accept a one way ticket there?

Sometimes I would, but most of the time, I think I need to try my best with what’s here on Earth.

Do you believe things happen for a reason?

I don’t. “Fate is just the weight of circumstances.” (Rush lyric from “Roll the Bones.”) We respond to opportunities (if we recognize them) and build our futures on them. We’re not passively living a pre-written script.

If you could ask your pet three questions, what would they be?

Why are you so loyal to me? What can I do to be that loyal to you? How do you remain so 100% present?

Describe the perfect solo date you’d take yourself on … where, time of day, weather, place, etc.

A warm, sunny day in Bentonville, Arkansas. Wake up, coffee, pancakes-eggs-and-bacon breakfast, ride my mountain bike all day on any number and skill-level of trails, return for dinner and a beer, then roll gently around town in a cooling breeze, and head back to the Airbnb when I’m tired.

Sincere thanks to you for reading, and thanks, Camilla, for the opportunity.

It was great learning more about you, and having you on MTA, Jeff! Wishing you all the best and much success with your books! – Camilla

Where to find Jeff’s books:

amazon.com/author/jeffvanvaler

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Meeting the Author: Freedom of the Creed by NJ Coleridge

Today we travel to Nottingham to chat with Nick Coleridge about how corporate life, being a stay-at-home dad, pots of coffee, baking, Dungeons and Dragons, living room raves, a do-it-yourself painting disaster, and The Doctor come together as part of Nick’s writing life.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

My name is Nick Coleridge (my nomme de plume is NJ Coleridge as there is already a Nicholas Coleridge writing. We are definitely not the same person though might be related, apparently….). I am a father of two and have always had aspirations (read daydreams) of becoming a fully fledged writer.

A few years ago, I made the best decision of my life to become a stay-at-home dad to my lovely daughter. As a hobby and after some encouragement from my long-suffering wife, who I think might have suggested it as a way of making me put my money where my mouth is, I decided to focus on and write in the small windows of opportunity that “nap time” allowed.

Over time what was at best a dabbling evolved into a story and eventually a proper book! And so, Freedom of the Creed was published on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited last summer. After good reviews, even from those unafraid of hurting my feelings, I started writing the sequel in autumn of 2020, titled Better to Die, and I’m hoping to release it later this year.

I am based in Nottingham, UK.

In which genre do you write?

Freedom of the Creed, and its sequel, is a western, though not in the traditional sense. I have written it more like a thriller which just happens to be set in the old west, if that makes sense, taking cues from writers like Elmore Leonard and Lee Child.

I am also planning a thriller set in the British boarding school system as well as a fantasy series.

How many published books do you have?

One and one short story. For now!

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and what ignited your author’s flame?

I have had many careers but the only thing I ever really wanted to do is write. Stepping off the treadmill of corporate life to look after my daughter seemed like a perfect opportunity to scratch that itch.

What does your ideal writing space look like?

Our dining table with a pot of coffee close to hand, facing a window looking out onto any greenery I can find. Either that or a secluded corner of a coffee shop, don’t mind where as long as the coffee is good! Upon reflection it looks like an abundance of coffee is key as opposed to venue.

What are you currently reading?

The Name of the Wind. Book One of the Kingkiller Chronicles. By Patrick Dothfuss. It is amazing.

Where did the idea for your most recent book come from?

I have always loved westerns, having grown up on a steady diet of John Ford and Sergio Leone, but I was inspired to write about Saoirse and Wolfe after watching Godless. It’s a fantastic limited series on Netflix produced by Stephen Soderbergh and I highly recommend it.

What do you do when not writing or marketing your books?

I am a full-time/stay at home dad so when not writing you will find me tidying up my children’s toys, baking, singing songs, make things out of playdoh, and organising living room raves (we dance round the living room to disco or club classics……anything to exhaust a small child!) At the end of the day, I curl up on the sofa and collapse before remembering that I have words to write.

Have you ever had any Do It Yourself disasters?

Far too many to count, there is a reason I have been forbidden to ever pick up a paintbrush by my wife. For example –

When we were first married, it seems like an age ago, in our first ever flat. Ever the practical romantic I thought how lovely it would be for my wife to come home to find the decorating (that she had planned meticulously) to be finished, allowing her a well-deserved night off! It was a relatively simple job, essentially paint a part of the wall with very special iron filing paint to make a black board.

However, in spite of its simplicity, I essentially painted the entire kitchen wall black as the paint ran, and ran, and ran. My furious wife had to completely redecorate the wall and the skirting board of the kitchen. Needless to say I was not popular.

What is the most enjoyable thing you’ve found through writing?

Two things –

a. Being able to lose yourself completely in a world of your own creation.

b. The problem-solving element of it. Particularly when you write your characters into a corner and then have to write them out of it.

You are about to speak publicly to a group and read from your latest book. What song do you listen to before speaking?

Knights of Cydonia by Muse. A piece of pure prog-rock genius.

What actor or actress would you want to play you in the movie about your life, and why?

Probably Seth Rogen as I look a little like him and have always got the impression that he and I are quite similar in our general outlook on life. If my life was an action movie, Gerard Butler; because he’s awesome.

If you were trapped in a cartoon world from your childhood, which one would you choose and why?

As a child of the 80s it would have to be Dungeons and Dragons. It was based on the classic role-playing game and is about a group of teenagers who find themselves in a fantasy world of magic, demons, and wizards. I have often fantasised about having magical powers, particularly those that meant I could bewitch brooms to do the cleaning for me; even if it only lasted a few minutes before I was barbecued by an irritable dragon.

What’s the last movie you watched and why did you choose to watch it?

Frozen 2 with my daughter, her choice not mine. Though I would be lying if I said I didn’t know all the words….

You can have anyone fictional as your imaginary friend, who do you choose and why?

The Doctor (from Doctor Who). Because he has a TARDIS, and there are days that I could really do with a time machine. Also, I think he/she would be very good company, just think of the adventures!

What are you currently working on?

I should be proofreading the sequel to Freedom of the Creed, but instead I am working on creating the world and rules for an as yet untitled fantasy project. That and staying sane during lockdown whilst trying to home school a four-and-a-half-year-old and sleep train a nine month old!

It was great learning more about you, and having you be a part of MTA, Nick! Wishing you all the best with the living room raves, and your writing! – Camilla

Where to find the book:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B0876SXTL8

Connect with Nick:

Twitter – https://twitter.com/npichol
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/npichol/?ref=page_internal

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Meet the Author: The Widow – A British Police Thriller by Will Patching

Today we travel to Koh Samui, in southern Thailand, to chat with Will Patching about how being a workaholic, playing the guitar, a tropical island, sewage treatment filter beds, a Hawk training jet, a sunken charter yacht, corporate life, sunsets, photography, and audio books come together as part of Will’s current and past life.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

​Although I’m a Brit, originally from ‘sarf Lunnon’ (south London!), my current location is on the tropical island I now consider home. Koh Samui, in southern Thailand, is a dream destination for many holidaymakers, and I am blessed to be able to spend most of time here.

Having semi-retired some years ago after baling out of my former workaholic corporate life, I decided to live somewhere most people only visit for a couple of weeks a year for some well-deserved downtime.

Writing from a tropical island sounds wonderful!

It is.

Having said that, compared to a ‘proper job’, writing thrillers anywhere is pure joy. I know this is true because I’ve had many roles in my time—from working as a teenage ‘gardener’ weeding sewage treatment filter beds (where I learned to hold my breath for minutes at a time), through flying a Hawk training jet very fast, very low and very dangerously before the RAF realised and booted me out, followed by years of hauling my reluctant body up the greasy management pole, eventually blagging my way onto a Harvard course for CEOs, largely thanks to the Peter Principle of promotion, to more recently building my dream, a charter yacht that sank in SE Asian waters.

These varied life experiences help me write my twisted tales.

In which genre do you write?

​I love reading thrillers so that’s what I write. More specifically: crime thrillers, conspiracy thrillers, serial killer thrillers, and police procedurals.

My novels reflect my keen interest in psychopathic behaviour and how such antisocial personality traits affect individuals and society as a whole.

Where did the idea for your most recent book come from?

The warped plots and complex characters in each story are the result of a whole host of ideas coming together, so I cannot point to a single idea for any of them. However, I always have an overarching concept and a theme for each tale as these help me maintain the direction of the novel and they create boundaries that keep my characters from wandering too far off the reservation.

For ‘The Widow’, my latest crime thriller, the overarching concept is:

Traumatic events come back to haunt us all.

The theme was originally just:

Trust.

Although the Deadly Sin of ‘Greed’ gets a look in too!

Lots of research goes on in the background and, to build a believable narrative, I always incorporate some aspects of real-life criminal misdeeds. ‘The Widow’ is no exception to that rule.

Can you play​ a musical instrument?

I play guitar, badly. I’d like to play much better than I do but a trapped nerve in my shoulder restricts the time I can spend practising so I will never be the aging rock god of my imagination!

What is your favorite time of day and why?

Sunset.

I love how the light changes and, especially here in the tropics. With such vivid colours painted on the horizon, offering a visual feast on so many days a year, I’ve amassed numerous photographs featuring sunsets. So many that I think I’m obsessed!

Is photography a hobby of yours?

I can’t claim to be a photographer, but living where I do offers incredible opportunities to create stunning images – even using a basic smartphone rather than a camera, as I do.

Being an ancient fellow, I remember the days when expensive rolls of film had to be sent away to be developed. Processing took weeks and was expensive, and my excited anticipation was usually followed by deflated disappointment. The prints often turned out to be a waste of money and, frankly, photography was a hobby I could not afford.

Back then, you could not see what you’d photographed until you received the prints from Kodak or similar outfit. Now, you can instantly view the result, framing shots perfectly before tweaking them yourself using sophisticated software. And so, I can’t help taking thousands of ‘snaps’ a year, mostly of the beautiful views in my locale, photographed at my favourite time of day.

There are more images in the Gallery on my website but you might like the one I took in early February as it gives an idea of what I mean.

What is the most enjoyable thing you’ve found through writing?

​Being ‘god-like’ in the pages of my own novels.

The characters generally come to me out of thin air, fully formed, but develop a life of their own as I write, often refusing to do as their creator demands! I’ve had many plot ideas tossed out by such obstinate characters, determined to go off in their own direction, reluctant to be involved in my crazy plans for them. Off they trot, taking me with them – and that’s truly exciting for me as I never really know how things will turn out. I can always kill them if they get out of hand though…

Are you a ‘plotter’ or do you start writing without much prior preparation?

I’m not a detailed plotter, generally only having a vague outline when I first start typing the manuscript, and this ‘unknown’ aspect means I’m regularly surprised by the twists and turns that I hope will entertain my readers.

The only time I spent months preparing a detailed synopsis was for my first attempt at writing a novel. I created a detailed chapter-by-chapter outline, lengthy character bios, and reams of scribbled notes on plot points etc, with the whole story planned out to the ‘nth’ degree.

What happened?

It never saw the light of day. I soon became bored with writing the story, decided readers would feel the same, and abandoned the project. Live and learn, as they say. Spontaneity and that god’s eye view are the elements of writing that I need as much as enjoy.

What’s the strangest thing you’ve done or experienced to help create a scene or plot?

​Thanks to my short-lived career in the RAF, I had quite a lot of experience flying in helicopters. I have used that knowledge in a few of my novels and received a wonderful response from a reader to a scene featuring a flight over London. Private pilot, Tony Jason, wrote to me, explained that he had access to a helicopter, and offered to take me on a trip following the route I had created in the novel.

Of course, I was delighted and we flew together the next time I was back in the UK. What a fantastic experience that was. Tony’s reward? A character named after him in my international thriller, ‘The Hunter’.

Many readers have contacted me over the years to tell me how much they’ve enjoyed my stories and I’ve met some keen fans on occasions too, but this is the only time I’ve been invited to ‘relive’ a fictional scene. Mind you, most of my writing is so dark and deadly, I really wouldn’t want to!

What are you currently working on?

​Too many things…

In addition to a few new writing projects at various stages of development, I’m working with a top-notch, award-winning narrator to convert my novels and short stories into audiobook format. In October last year, I published the audiobook editions of ‘The Hack Trilogy’, individually and as a compilation, and these are available from most online audiobook retailers. They can also be ordered from libraries too, so for anyone who can’t afford to buy, that is often a viable option.

Do you prefer to read or listen to novels?

I thoroughly enjoy audiobooks as well as reading in the traditional sense, so I have no preference. I believe more and more people are beginning to appreciate the flexibility the audio format delivers.

Unlike reading a book or ebook, an audio edition allows the listener to do other things simultaneously. Driving long distances is the most obvious one, but there are many people who enjoy pottering in the garden, for instance, while listening to gruesome murders and silently rooting for the fictional detectives or other protagonists.

I think this is an exciting time for authors, especially independents like myself, as a whole new world of opportunity is just opening up. Audiobooks represent a hefty investment but one for the long term and I believe it will prove well worthwhile. Hence, I’m aiming to publish my remaining four novels and three short stories in audio editions before May this year.

Tell us about your most recent book.

‘The Widow’ is a British police procedural with three strong female characters at its heart. There’s no romance in this one(!) but plenty of thrills, and many readers have described it as my ‘best yet’ and a proper ‘page-turner’.

The lead character, a female detective, played a relatively minor role in ‘Mutilated’, the second novel in ‘The Remorseless Trilogy’, but I felt she had unfinished business in that story, so this novel was born.

I mentioned above the concept and theme of this thriller, but for the opening, I had a simple idea, one that underpins the plot. The very first line of the novel is the dialogue from a phone call, spoken by a psychopath, informing the newly widowed character of the book’s title:

‘Your husband is dead.’

​To make the plot more intriguing, I asked myself:

What if the newly widowed listener wanted her husband dead?
How would the police react if they discovered that simple fact?
And what if the widow was not as innocent as she might first appear?’

From that starting point—via some 90,000 twisted words in between—our feisty female police detective eventually reaches a conclusion…

I can say no more without spoilers. Sorry! The opening pages can be read online as ‘The Widow’ is available from all the major retailers. The audiobook will be published in May.

What other publications do you have?

‘The Hack Trilogy’—three international crime thrillers. The first novel, ‘The Hack’, is free with most online retailers and has around over 500 reviews with Amazon for a rating of c4.4 stars. These dark conspiracy thrillers have plenty of action and—I am told—believable characters, with a gentle ongoing romance threaded through the three stories. Like all of my writing: ‘Not for the fainthearted!’

‘The Remorseless Trilogy’—three gritty British crime thrillers that take the reader deep into the disturbing minds of some vicious psychopaths. The characters are different in this miniseries, offering plenty of excitement and twists, but once again, there’s a touch of romance along the way.

All of these thriller novels can be read as standalones, including ‘The Widow’, but frankly, most readers will enjoy them more if they are read in order.

My two other publications are quirkier as both include some insights into the workings of my own demented brain:

‘Short Shots—Blood on their Hands’ consists of three short-form thrillers that relate to ‘The Remorseless Trilogy’ in some way. I’ve added author’s notes to explain how they fit together, and I encourage new readers who are unsure about my dark tales to read this publication to sample my writing before buying the full-length novels. A free copy can be downloaded at my author website.

‘Killer Inspiration’ is another alternative publication. Many people ask me where I get my ideas and what has inspired me to write the stories I have. This compendium offers some answers to those questions while exploring the misdeeds of real-life psychopaths, and puts into context how those individuals relate to my characters and plots.

Both publications include a little biographical information about yours truly too, once again offering additional context to my writing.

It was great fun learning more about you Will. Sounds like you’ve had some pretty wild adventures! Wishing you all the best! – Camilla

The Widow blurb:

A brutally murdered husband. An abused wife who wanted him gone for good… Did the wealthy widow arrange his death—and can a disgraced detective discover the truth?

‘Your husband is dead.’
​
Lorraine Rowe receives the news from an anonymous killer threatening her too—unless she pays an inflated fee for her estranged partner’s murder. Overwhelmed by fear and indecision, Lorraine struggles to survive as her carefully constructed life of lies begins to unravel.

Detective Sergeant Fiona ‘Fifi’ Fielding is fighting for her future after allowing her violent temper to jeopardise her career. Is it karma that dumps a man’s badly tortured corpse on her doorstep—or something more sinister? And will the ensuing investigation enable Fiona to redeem herself?

Both women have lived through traumatic events and have much in common, but when the truth-seeker meets the accomplished dissembler, events spiral inexorably towards a deadly climax.

This hard-hitting, twisted thriller weaves deception, misdirection and psychological torment into a page-turning tale of murder and mayhem that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Not for the faint of heart…

Where to find The Widow:

https://books2read.com/u/3npYvP

Connect with Will:

Website: https://www.willpatchingauthor.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WillsNovels
Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/willpatchingauthor/

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Meet the Author: Bright Lies by AA Abbott

Today we travel to Bristol, a port in south-west England, to chat with Helen Blenkinsop (also known as AA Abbott) about how listening to music, apple cider bars, club scenes, Spotify, Foo Fighters, dreams, a hotel overlooking the Thames, a suffragette, coffee and walnut cake, and the city of Birmingham come together a part of Helen’s past and current life.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Hi! I’m AA Abbott, a British thriller writer. You’re sure to guess it isn’t my real name. That’s Helen Blenkinsop, which is not quite so gender-neutral. I live in Bristol, a port in south-west England. It’s noted for its apple cider bars and club scene: the kind of place where you can lose a lot of time. It features in my latest book, BRIGHT LIES. So does the sparky Midlands city of Birmingham, where I used to live.

In which genre do you write?

Thrillers crossing over into mystery, family drama and domestic noir.

How many published books do you have?

Eight, all fiction. My last book and first two novels are all standalones. In between, there’s a series of five thrillers about families at war in the vodka business. Think Dynasty with cocktails.

What is an interesting writing quirk you have, that we wouldn’t know by reading your biography?

I love listening to music when I write. BRIGHT LIES is about English teenagers involved in the club scene, so I had a Spotify playlist of tracks they would play, like Alan Walker and Ariana Grande. I also listened to the soundtrack of my teens, to recapture those edgy teenage years, all hormones, uncertainty and anticipation. Finally, I got through some of the darker chapters with doom-laden rock from the Sister of the Mercy and the Foo Fighters.

What does your ideal writing space look like?

Anywhere I can put a laptop down. I can write in trains, planes and buses, and often have. Some writers need a beautiful space with peace and quiet, but once I’m absorbed in a story, I shut out everything else.

Where did the idea for your most recent book come from?

BRIGHT LIES has its roots in a dream I had in my twenties. I could put an excellent short story together at that time, but a novel was beyond me. Decades later, I described the plot to my now grown-up son, and he encouraged me to write it. By the time I did, I’d managed seven full-length thrillers, so I guess I wrote BRIGHT LIES when I was ready to do it.

What’s the strangest thing you’ve done or experienced to help create a scene or plot?

There’s a dramatic shoot-out at a wedding in THE REVENGE TRAIL. I knew it had to happen at a swish venue in London. To my brother’s consternation, I asked his girlfriend (a committed Londoner), “If you could get married anywhere you liked in London, money no object, where would it be?” She named a swish hotel overlooking the Thames. I persuaded the hotel’s wedding planner to show me round. She knew why I wanted to see the function rooms, and was very helpful.

What do you miss about being a kid?

I miss the people who have passed on from my life. My great-aunt was a suffragette and her little sister, my grandmother, travelled throughout Europe as a young woman. I’d love to have a cup of tea with them now. And cake. My grandmother’s coffee and walnut cake was the best in the world.

At this stage in your life, what advice would your young self give to your more mature self?

I’d have to be nuts to listen to my younger self – I had no sense whatsoever in my youth. I did meet the love of my life and stick with him, though, so I got something right!

What’s your favorite place to visit in your country and why?

There are so many – the mystical village of Avebury, beautiful Bath and the bustle of London. However, actions speak louder than words, and it’s the city of Birmingham to which I return again and again. Friendly and buzzy, there’s no better place to be.

Tell us about your most recent book.

BRIGHT LIES is a dark psychological thriller. Imagine ‘Big Little Lies’ meets ‘My Dark Vanessa’… Emily is only 13 when David becomes her stepfather, and she’s thrilled that the handsome artist wants to mentor her. She doesn’t know she’ll end up running for her life.

Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to be a guest on your blog! I hope you had a lovely Christmas.

It was great learning more about you and your writing style, Helen! Wishing you all the best! – Camilla

Readers’ Favorite gave BRIGHT LIES 5 stars and said: “Compelling drama that will keep you turning page after page. Overall, I would highly recommend Bright Lies to fans of well-penned and deep psychological drama.”

Where to find the book:

BRIGHT LIES is available online in ebook, paperback, large print, dyslexia-friendly print and Kindle Unlimited. https://books2read.com/u/3n88GB

The Bride’s Trail – first in a series about warring vodka makers and villains: http://mybook.to/TheBridesTrail

Connect with Helen (AA Abbott):

AA Abbott website: https://aaabbott.co.uk/

AA Abbott Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AAAbbottStories/

AA Abbott on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AAAbbottStories/

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Meet the Author: The Runaway by Linda Huber

Today we travel to Lake Constance in N.E. Switzerland to chat with Linda Huber about how being a physiotherapist, the Brownie Guide Book, a 1940’s drowning, the magic of childhood, cutting her own hair, and Agatha Christie play roles in Linda’s past and current life.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I grew up in Scotland, but came to Switzerland over half a lifetime ago intending to stay for a year – and here I still am. After working as a physiotherapist and then retraining as an English teacher after a back injury, I was lucky enough to be able to transform my hobby of the past thirty-odd years – writing – into my ‘job’. I’m hybrid published, with both traditionally and self-published books – nine psychological suspense novels as Linda Huber, all set in the UK, and five feel-good novellas set right here in Switzerland under my pen name Melinda Huber. Nowadays, I live on the banks of beautiful Lake Constance in N.E. Switzerland, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and what ignited your author’s flame?

I can tell you that exactly: I was seven years old and in the Brownies, looking through the Brownie Guide Handbook for a first badge to do. I decided on the Writer’s Badge, wrote the required little story and thought, ‘Wow. This is cool. This is what I want to do.’ Long story short, I’ve never stopped.

Where did the idea for your most recent book come from?

If I tell you that I’ll be giving away the entire plot, so I’ll tell you about an older book, The Cold Cold Sea.

One day back in the late nineties, I started to research my family tree. This was before the internet was helpful with things like that, so first of all I wrote to various relatives asking for info. One of them, an elderly distant cousin, sent diagrams of several families on her branch of the tree. One showed a mother and father with three children. The first two children had names and dates, but the third name, Agnes, had one word beside it: drowned. I was dumbstruck. In the 1940s, a little girl in my family had died, and I’d never known she’d existed. Then I started to wonder… how do parents cope with a loss like that? How do they react, what do they tell the other children, how can their world carry on? Then I thought: what if they don’t cope? And that was the beginning of the idea for The Cold Cold Sea. (I found out later that Agnes had drowned at a swimming pool, aged eleven. Isn’t that tragic?)

What are you currently reading?

Ninety-nine per cent of the books I read are some form of crime fiction. However, at the moment I’m reading Helen Pryke’s Innocenti Saga, a trilogy about the fictional Innocenti family, all the way from the Great Plague to the modern day. It’s set in Italy and the UK, and it’s mesmerising.

What do you miss about being a kid?

The magic. The feeling that the world’s in front of you and anything is possible. The endless summer days with freedom to play. Knowing my parents would always take care of me. Santa Claus. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to go back, just for a day?

List three interesting facts about yourself.

1. I cut my own hair. (I bought a Flow-Bee decades ago to cut my kids’ hair. Neither would let me anywhere near them with it, but I started doing my own, and I haven’t been to a hairdresser for over twenty years now.)
2. I write my shopping list in a mixture of English and German, depending on what I’m thinking and who I’m with at the time.
3. I collect pottery sheep.

If you could have a fantasy tea or coffee date with an author from the past, who would it be and what would you ask them?

I would choose Agatha Christie, and I’d ask her how she came up with plots for the dozens of books she wrote. She must have been a phenomenally imaginitive woman; I’d love to be able to think like that!

What’s the last movie you watched and why did you choose to watch it?

Yesterday I watched an Agatha Christie film on TV, which is probably why I immediately thought about her for the last question. It was Evil Under The Sun, with Peter Ustinov. I’ve seen it already and think I watched it again for the distraction; at the time of writing we’re in week 3 of Corona lockdown here in Switzerland, and the world isn’t a happy place.

If you could ask your pet three questions, what would they be?

Our Shiva is sadly no longer here, but I would have LOVED to ask:
1. How come you’re always hungry?
2. Why is rolling in something totally disgusting the best idea ever?
3. What do we have to do to make you sleep an hour or so longer in the morning?

Tell us about your most recent book.

It’s The Runaway (psychological suspense). Nicola, her husband Ed and their fifteen-year-old daughter Kelly move from London to the seaside town of St Ives. It’s supposed to be a fresh start for the family, but things don’t go as Nicola had hoped…

It was lovely to have you on MTA, Linda. I also miss the magic of childhood. What a lovely thought. Wishing you all the best, and take care during these strange times! – Camilla

Blurb for The Runaway:

Keep your secrets close to home…

Bad things happen in threes – or so it seems to Nicola. The death of her mother-in-law coincides with husband Ed losing his job and daughter Kelly getting into trouble with the police. Time to abandon their London lifestyle and start again by the sea in far-away Cornwall.

It should be the answer to everything – a new home, a new job for Ed and a smaller, more personal school for fifteen-year-old Kelly. But the teenager hates her new life, and it doesn’t take long before events spiral out of control and the second set of bad things starts for Nicola.

Some secrets can’t be buried.

Or… can they?

Where to find the book:

At the moment it’s an ebook on Amazon, with the paperback coming later in the year. (NB – my books are all written in British English)

Connect with Linda:

Amazon Author page: viewAuthor.at/LindaHuber
Website: https://lindahuber.net/
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/authorlindahuber/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LindaHuber19
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/linda.huberch/

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Meet the Author: Flashpoint by Derek Thompson

Today we travel to the UK’s West Country to chat with British writer, Derek Thompson. We’ll talk about how writing in two distinct voices, badgers, Film Noir, Verity Lambert, journal writing, The Beatles, and Top Cat come together as part of Derek’s writing and his life.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m a British writer and I’m fortunate to live in the UK’s West Country, not far from the sea. I write novels, short fiction and some comedy material. I think humour is a dance between content and context, and I try to include it in both my creative writing and freelance work.

I believe passionately in the power of the written (and spoken word) to conjure up inner and outer worlds that enchant us with possibilities. Good fiction takes us on a journey that engages the senses and makes us invested in the ride!

In which genre do you write?

Mostly thrillers, but I’ve also penned a magical fantasy and a mid-grade tale about bullying and transformation. In addition, I penned a standalone transatlantic dark comedy that’s currently doing the rounds with agents and publishers.

How many published books do you have?

Eight altogether: five British spy thrillers (the Spy Chaser series) plus books 1 to 3 as a single volume, a magical fantasy (Covenant) and my mid-grade book (superhero club).

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and what ignited your author’s flame?

I learned to read before I started school and books were doorways to other worlds, other times, other lives. Story time in class fired up my imagination – that power to hold a room’s attention and transport eager minds somewhere else. I became serious about writing in my teens (although I had to go through the terrible poetry stage first!).

What is an interesting writing quirk you have, that we wouldn’t know by reading your biography?

I write in two distinct voices – one British and one from the US. When I finally get around to putting a collection of short fiction together. some stories will be distinctly American. The book will be called Into the Void and I already have the cover design ready,

What would you choose as your mascot, spirit animal, or avatar and why?

I’m fond of badgers (but not honey badgers!), hares, crows, rooks, and ravens.

What does your ideal writing space look like?

A cabin in the woods, overlooking a lake. But I’m pretty happy writing in my attic or on long train journeys.

What are you currently reading?

A collection of Raymond Chandler stories, some of which are embryonic Philip Marlowe tales. Also a brilliant subscription magazine called The Idler.

What do you do when not writing or marketing your books?

I attempt yoga, or find woods and beaches to explore. I love Film Noir and other black & white movies (check out Rafifi!), and I enjoy listen to a wide range of music. I’m an average backgammon player!

If you could have a fantasy tea or coffee date with an author or famous person from the past or present, who would it be and what would you ask them?

The late and wonderful British TV producer, Verity Lambert, would be my perfect tea date. I’d ask her how I could improve the chances of my spy series making it to the small screen.

What is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about yourself through writing?

How much ‘stuff’ I’ve squirreled in the recesses of my mind – past situations, dialogue, ideas from childhood, dreams, etc. Allied to that would be the uses I can put that material to, including the feelings that went along with it all.

What’s the strangest thing you’ve done or experienced to help create a scene or plot?

I don’t know if this counts but I still have an audio letter home to my family from my early 20s – on a cassette tape! Playing that helped me reconnect with scenes and situations for one of my novels.

Do you journal write or keep a personal diary? Has this helped with your published writings? If so, how?

I’ve written a journal, fairly regularly, for a long time. Sometimes I’ll jot down short story ideas or plot elements of novels while I’m working on them. Journals are great ways to ‘go deeper’ but only if you’re prepared to tell yourself the truth! I have burned old journals for breaking that cardinal rule.

What is the most amusing, crazy or inspiring thing that has ever happened to you?

This is probably one for a niche audience. When I attended my brother’s funeral the officiant turned to his coffin and used my name instead. Despite the tragic circumstances, genuinely one of the funniest things I’ve ever witnessed and my brother would have loved it.

You are about to speak publicly to a group and read from your latest book. What song do you listen to before speaking? Or, what do you do to prepare yourself?

If I wanted to feel mellow I’d listen to Chet Baker, but my uplifting song of choice would probably be Rain by The Beatles or My World by Secret Affair. My best preparation would probably be to sit with the audience first.

What do you miss about being a kid?

In a word: innocence and wonder. The feeling that, given the right opportunity, you’re only a few steps away from adventure. I still have the wonder now, of course, but it’s tempered by experience.

If you were trapped in a cartoon world from your childhood, which one would you choose and why?

Top Cat, assuming I’d be part of the gang! They were funny and always getting in and out of scrapes.

If you could turn into one of your characters for a day, which one would it be and why, what would you do? If you write non-fiction or memories, what fictional character would you invite into your story and why?

I’d enjoy being Thomas Bladen, my working-class spy. He has a complicated life but a straightforward way of looking at the world. Plus, I could learn more about his secrets for further books in the series!

What’s the last movie you watched and why did you choose to watch it?

A Woman at War, which is an Icelandic comedy drama about a woman who takes environmentalism to another level! It was recommended by a friend and has the same ‘heart’ as Amelie with humour and a focus on characters and their quirks. But it also has a message about the difference one person can make and in ways they never expected.

A penguin knocks on your door and is wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he there?

He asks me if I have any suntan lotion to spare because he’s lost his wallet.

Do you believe things happen for a reason? 

Yes, but not always for the reason we think when they’re happening. Time can shift our perspective and change our understanding. I think that something momentous can even happen in an instant that then affects us long afterwards, down the years. We tend to think that of experiences in terms of success or failure – we get fired or relationships end, or promises are broken, or opportunities evaporate – but sometimes there’s a seed of ‘something’ in that loss that bears fruit elsewhere and in another form. Writing is a way of making sense out of what has happened to us and giving new life to that seed.

Which of your personality traits has been most useful and why?

The ability to live in my own head!

Tell us about your most recent book.

My most recent book was Flashpoint, the fifth book in the Thomas Bladen Spy Chaser series. It takes place at the time of the 2005 London Bombing, when the capital suffered a series of coordinated terror attacks. It was a tough book to write because what happened in London that day affected so many people. My story follows on from those terrible events and develops plot lines from the previous four novels (they can be read as standalone books but there are overarching plot lines).

We love black and white movies too Derek! It was great to learn more about you and your writing style. Thank you for being a part of MTA! – Camilla

Where to find the book:

UK Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Derek-Thompson/e/B0034ORY08

US Amazon: https://amzn.to/35Jlk3R

Connect with Derek:

Twitter @DerekWriteLines

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Meet the Author: Fear in the Lakes by Graham Smith

Today we’re traveling to the outskirts of Gretna Green, Scotland to chat with Graham Smith. We’ll talk about how weddings, dialogue tags, Alistair MacLean, getting thrown out of a church, and the Simpsons come together as part of Graham’s life.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am a hotel and wedding venue manager on the outskirts of Gretna Green. I’ve been writing for eight years and am a time-served joiner.

In which genre do you write?

I write at the gritty end of crime fiction.

How many published books do you have?

At the time of writing I have twelve books published.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and what ignited your author’s flame?

I tossed so many books across the room muttering that I could do better myself that it became time to put my money where my mouth was. Once I started writing, I found that I loved it.

What is an interesting writing quirk you have, that we wouldn’t know by reading your biography?

I am not a fan of dialogue tags such as “said”, “asked” or “replied” and to date I have written over a million words without using one.

What would you choose as your mascot, spirit animal, or avatar and why?

I’d chose a faithful old lab. Man’s best friend has earned that title for a reason.

What does your ideal writing space look like?

It would look like the library in a country house. There’d be a big desk, an internet connection, a radio and a kettle.

What are you currently reading?

Deadland by William Shaw. I’ve only just started it so haven’t yet formed an opinion, but what I have read so far has been excellent.

What do you do when not writing or marketing your books?

I enjoy watching football and spending time with my son.

If you could have a fantasy tea or coffee date with an author or famous person from the past or present, who would it be and what would you ask them?

I’m lucky enough to have met most of my writing heroes, but I think I would have to choose Alistair MacLean and ask him about the Russian convoys.

What is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about yourself through writing?

I think the answer to this would have to be how wrapped up in the story I get. If I’m writing an argument, my jaw clenches to the point where it physically aches and I can get emotive when I’m putting my characters through emotional distress.

What’s the strangest thing you’ve done or experienced to help create a scene or plot?

I once managed to get myself thrown out of a church while conducting research. I got talking to one of the priest’s helpers and they showed me the back rooms of the church and there was a safe that was six foot high by three foot deep and wide. I stupidly asked what they kept in there and the helpers stopped answering my questions and started crowding me out of the door. I realised my faux pas, apologised and left without pressing the matter further.

Do you journal write or keep a personal diary? 

I have never kept a journal or diary.

What is the most inspiring thing that has ever happened to you?

Becoming an international best-seller despite twice failing my English exams. I have also been quoted on the websites of New York Times best-sellers when reviewing their books which is fantastically cool.

You are about to speak publicly to a group and read from your latest book. What do you do to prepare yourself?

I would focus on practising reading the passage aloud and making sure I didn’t come across as a terrible public speaker.

What do you miss about being a kid?

The family members who’re sadly no longer still around.

If you were trapped in a cartoon world from your childhood, which one would you choose and why?

The Simpsons so I could join Homer for a beer or two at Moes.

If you could turn into one of your characters for a day, which one would it be and why, what would you do? 

I’d be Jake Boulder, as he’s all the things I’m not. I’d probably do what he does best which is fight for justice.

What’s the last movie you watched and why did you choose to watch it?

It was called Breakers and it was on late at night when my family had gone to bed and I watched it because there wasn’t anything else on and I couldn’t be bothered to go upstairs and get my book. (I really really wish I had made the effort to get the book.)

A penguin knocks on your door and is wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he there?

“I bet you’re wondering how I knocked on your door, why I am wearing a sombrero and how I can speak aren’t you? Well, if you tell me who the killer is in Fear in the Lakes, I’ll answer your questions.”

Do you believe things happen for a reason? 

Life is very much about what you make of it. If you have a positive attitude, good things are more likely to happen to you than if you have a negative one.

If you could ask your pet three questions, what would they be?

These but only if said in a mushy and patronising way.

Who’s a good boy?

Are you a good boy?

You’re a good boy, aren’t you?

Which of your personality traits has been most useful and why?

I am a workaholic and this really helps me balance writing with my day job and family life.

What’s your favorite place to visit in your country and why?

Home, because there’s nowhere better.

Describe the perfect solo date you’d take yourself on … where, time of day, weather, place, etc

It’d be a sunny day, I’d be at a quiet country pub which served great but simple food. I’d be sitting in the beer garden with a good book and the sun on my back.

It was great to learn more about you Graham. Thanks much for being a part of MTA. –Camilla

Book blurb

Detective Beth Young traced the body in her mind… His skull wasn’t harmed and neither was his spine… as if someone wanted him to survive only to experience the utmost suffering.

When Laura Sinclair arrives home, she is horrified to discover her sweet, kind, husband James close to death. But this is no robbery gone wrong. There are over 200 breaks to his bones, each apparently applied carefully, symmetrically, methodically…

Laura insists that James is a man with no enemies. But how much does she know about her husband? And what secrets are hidden in the email account she discovers, filled with cryptic messages?

When two bodies are then pulled from Lake Windermere exhibiting similar injuries – it becomes clear that the killer they are calling the Sculptor is on a mission.

But Detective Beth Young is too. She knows that if she can work out the secrets of James’s past, she has a chance of locating The Sculptor’s next victim… and maybe the killer too.

More about Graham:

Graham Smith is a time served joiner who has built bridges, houses, dug drains and slated roofs to make ends meet. Since Christmas 2000, he has been manager of a busy hotel and wedding venue near Gretna Green, Scotland.

He is an internationally best-selling Kindle author and has six books featuring DI Harry Evans and the Cumbrian Major Crimes Team, and three novels, featuring Utah doorman, Jake Boulder. His latest series features DC Beth Young and after the first in the series, Death in the Lakes, was released to critical acclaim, Fear in the Lakes was highly anticipated before its July release.

An avid fan of crime fiction since being given one of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five books at the age of eight, he has also been a regular reviewer and interviewer for the well-respected website Crimesquad.com since 2009.

Graham is the founder of Crime and Publishment, a weekend of crime-writing classes which includes the chance for attendees to pitch their novels to agents and publishers. Since the first weekend in 2013, ten attendees have gone on to sign publishing contracts.

Where to find the book:

Fear in the Lakes – https://geni.us/B07RFRDCT7Cover

Connect with Graham:

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/grahamnsmithauthor

Twitter
https://twitter.com/GrahamSmith1972

Website
www.grahamsmithauthor.com

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Meet the Authors: Blood List by Ali Carter

Today we welcome Ali Carter to Meeting the Authors as we travel to King’s Lynn and uncover how owls, poetry, crime, and two handfuls of dogs and cats add to the list that make up Ali’s crime thriller writer’s life. Let’s hope you’re not on the list …

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I was born in Surrey (UK) in 1958, and moved to East Anglia in 2003 spending a few years in Cambridgeshire, but am now settled just outside King’s Lynn with my husband Bruce, 5 dogs and 6 cats. (Yes I know the dog/cat thing is a bit mad!)

I originally found some success in writing poetry in the 80’s and 90’s, but inspiration for my debut thriller came after the Shipman case hit the headlines in 1999/2000, and after a few years pondering, 2006 saw the beginnings of ‘Blood List’ when the dark and deeply psychotic G.P. ‘Charlotte’ was born.

The full story took its time to complete though, as three quarters of the way through there was a very long period of writer’s block between 2008 and 2018. It was an author friend who finally persuaded me to pull it out of the laptop and finish it, for which I’ll be eternally grateful. At the time of writing, the sequel is about a third of the way through, and I sincerely hope it won’t take another twelve years for this one to come to fruition!

Aside from my writing I am a proud mum to two grown up sons, and also a mega proud nanny to an adorable granddaughter – although at only 5 she won’t be reading ‘Blood List’ anytime soon!

My favourite places are Norfolk, Cornwall and Cumbria, I have a major aversion to flying and a bit of an addiction to cake – oh and plotting murder!

In which genre do you write?

Definitely psychological crime thriller. I’ve always had a deep fascination for this area so it felt natural to write in the same genre as the books I love to read. The only problem with this is I tend to constantly compare my work to other more experienced writers, especially my favourite authors, and then the doubting gremlins start rabbiting away inside my head!!

How many published books do you have?

Just the one at the moment – ‘Blood List‘ is my debut thriller which was published by Matador in October 2018.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and what ignited your author’s flame?

I’ve always loved writing, even as a child at school I enjoyed writing stories. As a teenager I dabbled a bit with poetry, and in the late 80’s and 90’s had some success with this. Some were published, I won a few competitions and even came runner up in an ITV breakfast show competition back then.

However the book came about after the serial murderer Harold Shipman came to light in 1999/2000 – it shocked me to the core and fascinated me at the same time. I couldn’t get my head around the fact he was a regular G.P., (M.D. for overseas readers), someone you should be able to trust. He murdered over two hundred of his elderly patients. I then wondered ‘What if?’ What if a female G.P. was to be a serial killer, why would she be one and who would her victims be…?

I wanted to flip the gender. The bookshelves are full of aggressive male antagonists, I wanted to write about a mad, bad and dangerous to know anti-heroine, one that was of the coldest and hardest variety. My inspiration was further ignited when I spent a few days in Cumbria’s Lake District in 2003, it’s one of the most beautiful, peaceful places on earth, and I knew it was the perfect setting for my character to wreak havoc!

What is an interesting writing quirk you have, that we wouldn’t know by reading your biography?

Judging by what I read of other authors on social media, I honestly think I’m the only writer who edits as she goes along, I simply can’t do it any other way and wouldn’t even try. I still do edits at the end of course and proof read like crazy, (I also have a professional editor), but I still have to do it as the story unfolds or I’d lose all my plots, timelines and continuity. (All the authors I know think I’m crazy to work like this by the way!)

What would you choose as your mascot, spirit animal, or avatar and why?

Oh definitely the owl, the Tawny owl especially – I absolutely adore them. I’m also a night person so they really fit my personality. You’ll often find me tapping away at ridiculous hours because that’s when the house is at it’s most quiet. With five dogs and six cats it can be quite noisy and hectic during the day!

What does your ideal writing space look like?

Well in theory a lovely old fashioned study full of books, a big old oak desk and huge chair, with owls statues everywhere and one or two (sleeping) dogs at my feet. (I do actually have an abundance of varying sized owl statues all over the house!) In reality I tend to sit on the sofa with legs up and my laptop on a cushion across my thighs, although I have treated myself to a new laptop holder thingy which I’m waiting to be delivered.

What are you currently reading?

At the time of writing this I’m just about to start ‘The Killer You Know‘ by S.R. Masters. Looks excellent and has jumped to the top of my TBR list after reading a very exciting blog review.

What do you do when not writing or marketing your books?

Well there’s a lot of grooming going on in our house with all the dogs and cats to keep tidy, plus reading of course. I also like to get together with local author friends. We meet for coffee, cake and booky chat, talk over our current W.I.P., events, marketing and promotion, and of course what we’re reading. I love to see my granddaughter as often as I can as well, and of course her mum and dad!

If you could have a fantasy tea or coffee date with an author or famous person from the past or present, who would it be and what would you ask them?

​Hermione Norris (actress) – she’s amazing! If in my wildest dreams ‘Blood List‘ could ever be dramatised on T.V., my question would be;- “Hermione will you please play Charlotte?!”

What is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about yourself through writing?

​I’ve learnt to let go of the plot reins, or maybe just not hold them so tightly. No matter how diligent I am about planning out the story, my characters will always take control and change it! Usually at 3.00 a.m.

What’s the strangest thing you’ve done or experienced to help create a scene or plot or to help you remember something if writing a memoir?

I laid on the floor with my shoulders up against the shower glass in our en suite. I needed to see where my eye line fell in order to create a realistic scene description in the sequel to ‘Blood List.’

Do you journal write or keep a personal diary?

No not now. I used to as a teenager.

What is the most amusing, crazy or inspiring thing that has ever happened to you?

​About thirty five years ago when I was writing poetry I was standing at the sink washing up and looking out of the window at the back garden. My mind was empty, (let’s face it I was bored rigid washing up), and suddenly I saw typewritten words appearing in my head sentence after sentence typed on a traditional typewriter.

These weren’t ‘thoughts’ and the words were nothing like the poetry I was writing at the time, it was much more old fashioned. Virtually a whole poem appeared and I had to dry my hands really quickly to get down on paper what I’d ‘seen,’ and then finish it off in the same period style. It was the quickest poem I’d ‘written’ . . . and it never happened again.

You are about to speak publicly to a group and read from your latest book. What do you do to prepare yourself?

A lot of deep breathing and walking about.

What do you miss about being a kid?

No responsibilities and lots of free time.

If you were trapped in a cartoon world from your childhood, which one would you choose and why?

Not a cartoon but if I can change the question slightly . . . I would absolutely love to be trapped in the ‘Lion The Witch & The Wardrobe‘ book by C.S. Lewis. I actually did climb into my mother’s wardrobe and push her fur coats out of the way after watching the T.V. series in 1967. Sadly there was a back to that wardrobe and not one snowflake.

If you could turn into one of your characters for a day, which one would it be and why, what would you do?

D.I. Fran Taylor from the sequel I’m working on right now. She gets to work with D.C.I. Harry Longbridge again, (from ‘Blood List‘), when she arrives in Kirikdale two years after Harry retires. Their working partnership at Canon Row, (London police station), ended suddenly seven years previously when Harry was transferred to Kirkdale for his last five years of service.

Fran and Harry ‘have history,’ and she calls him back in because the original case was his – but she also wants to see him again. I wanted to be a police officer in my teens, but in the 70’s being 5′ ft 1″ wasn’t acceptable. It would be like a second chance to do some detective work, just a small snapshot – (plus I love Harry!!)

What’s the last movie you watched and why did you choose to watch it?

​I honestly can’t remember the last movie I saw, but recently binge watched all five series of ‘Line of Duty‘ and am now a hopeless addict like millions of other LODites!!

A penguin knocks on your door and is wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he there?

“Time for some fun lady you’ve been working too hard – let’s party!”

Do you believe things happen for a reason? Do you have an example from your own life to share why you believe this?

Yes I definitely do but can’t think of an example right now, maybe invite me back another time?!

If you could ask your pet three questions, what would they be?

Well as you know I have 11 so I’ll choose one question each for three of them!

Keelan (Golden Retriever) “Why do you howl all through any T.V. programme’s theme music?”

Lissa (Persian cat) “Why do you insist on sitting on top of the water filter jug?”

Shumi (Shih Tzu) “Why do you ask to go out but when I open the door, run away from it into the lounge and sit in front of the treat tin?”

Which of your personality traits has been most useful and why?

Being very detail orientated. I’m a bit of a perfectionist which is probably why I have to edit as I go along. If I’m going to do something it’s got to be to the best of my ability or I won’t do it, and I need to see that all the time in my writing. I think it’s useful because it means my characters and plot are believable, and I won’t skimp on the research. If I can’t find the info, I’ll wait till I can rather than make it up or leave it out which would ruin the book.

This is why ‘Blood List‘ had a ten year delay – and there’s an interesting story here. Some information I needed centred around the detailed abilities of a Cessna light aircraft and an exceptionally long flight. I simply couldn’t find out the nitty gritty detail I needed in 2008 to push on with the story, and had to stop until last year when I was persuaded to dig out the MS and research for weeks until I found the information.

It was only for a couple of paragraphs but it was crucial to the story, and crucial (to me) to get it right. It was a good job I hadn’t been tempted to wing it, (pun intended – haha!!), because at a W.H. Smith book signing, a lady who bought a copy, (and was also an author), asked me if I ever got writer’s block. I told her about the Cessna and she said… “Well I’m very glad you waited until you could find out that specific information.” I said;- “Oh no don’t tell me you’re a pilot?!” She replied;- “No – but my husband is and he’ll probably read it too. He would rubbish your book if it was badly researched or just plain wrong!” You can imagine my relief!

What’s your favorite place to visit in your country and why?

Anywhere with lakes or rivers, trees, hills and valleys. The Broadland area in Norfolk and the Lake District in Cumbria where ‘Blood List‘ is set, are my two favourites.

Describe the perfect solo date you’d take yourself on … where, time of day, weather, place, etc.

A luxury river boat trip on a beautiful sunny day, with a butler seeing to lunch, drinks etc. and my current read (plus one spare).

Tell us about your most recent book.

‘Blood List‘ is a psychological crime thriller where you know from the start who the killer is. It’s not a police procedural or a ‘who dunnit?’ It’s a why, where and a how ‘dunnit.’ There’s still a great deal of mystery however as well as plot twists and shocks. The antagonist is the star as opposed to the hero(es), yet my readers tell me they love her character despite how evil she is! Although having said that, maybe some people will feel sorry for her past history, present dilemma and mental health issues. Charlotte is self medicating, ruthless and on a mission – if you’re female, young and attractive you’d better watch out! ​

I love to keep in touch with my readers, so if you’d like to drop me a line I’ll look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you Ali for being a part of Meeting the Authors. It was interesting to learn about the varied aspects of your writer’s life! –Camilla

About the book:

Think the Lake District is a lovely place to visit? Think again. A Psychological & Chilling Thriller set in and around the fictional town of Kirkdale in Cumbria. One by one the young women of Kirkdale are being found grotesquely murdered, with no clues as to why.

Lying between the great lake Kirkwater and the base of Kirkby Pike, although beautiful, Kirkdale isn’t exactly the most exciting place on the planet. But after young reporter Jenny Flood moves into the relaxed Cumbrian town, it sets a catalogue of events in motion that brings this comfortable community to its knees.

When middle aged G.P. Charlotte Peterson discovers Jenny has followed her from Bradenthorpe, six years after a fling with her philandering doctor husband Miles, it stirs deeply buried mental health issues from her youth. In the run up to the Kirkdale country show, the arrival of this third and most recent adversary triggers the already edgy and emotionally scarred Charlotte into finally stepping over the edge. Her longing to destroy Jenny has been on a slow and very resentful burn for years, now the reality of achieving that presents itself as a genuine possibility.

Can journalist Andrew Gale protect new colleague Jenny, girlfriend Gina and her best friend Molly from the psychotic GP’s insane agenda? How will sarcastic ex Met. Officer Harry Longbridge deal with Andrew’s continued interference?

Then there’s the unexpected arrival of an American mystery woman. And just who is on the Blood List?

Find our more about Ali and her book:

Blood List is available in paperback from all good high street stores and the following websites.

Troubador Publishing: https://www.troubador.co.uk/bookshop/crime-and-thrillers/blood-list/

UK Amazon: https://amzn.to/2IKuYJ2

If you’d like to keep up with all things ‘Blood List‘ including joining Ali Carter’s book club and advance notification of signing events, visit the website: https://www.alicarterauthor.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/alicrimewriter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alicarterauthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevizionista/

If it feels right and you have the time (and you enjoy the interview) please like or comment or share it. The nature of the online world … the more eyes that see it the more it will spread and benefit the author and the website! Thank you!

And if it feels the thing to do and you are inspired to do so, I would be deeply grateful if you’d like to “Buy Me a Coffee” … Camilla – Host of Meeting the Authors …

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