AW Thanks so much for being here today, AK. What first got you into writing and why?
AKA When I retired in 2010, I needed to occupy myself. I had started to read crime thrillers and began by writing short stories in this genre. That progressed to my first novel, published in April 2013.
AW You write true crime, and your book In the Dead of Night was released a couple of years ago and is set in France. Why this particular story?
AKA Not all my novels are true crime, but I’d read about this unsolved crime and decided it could make the basis of a good story. I liked the sound of the characters and the basic plot. I have friends in Saint Plantaire in central France, so that was an influencing feature, too.
AW The research required for writing true crime must be quite onerous. How do you cope with that? How do you know when enough is enough?
AKA I like to make sure that actual facts are correct. I use Google and Wikipedia for most of my research, although I do speak with ‘experts,’ too. I tend to add the information at the end of a day’s writing, going back to the manuscript and inserting where necessary. It isn’t too onerous.
AW And what about other types of writing? Have you dabbled with fiction or short stories?
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| AK with friends in France |
AW Famous authors such as Roald Dahl and Dylan Thomas had a special space for writing. Do you have a writing shed of your own?
AKA Not as such. I always write in one room of our bungalow using my laptop. It’s comfortable and quiet.
AW And finally, if you had a whole afternoon to yourself and could choose to spend it with any one individual, living or dead, or a character from a book, who would it be, and what would you discuss?
AKA I’d choose Charles Dickens. I haven’t read all of his work, but from books, film and TV programmes I’ve watched, his travelling around the country that gave him inspiration would be wonderful to talk about! He used a now-closed school a few miles from where I live as the inspiration for Dotheboy’s Hall in ‘Nicholas Nickleby.’
about the author… I began writing short stories in 2010 following retirement. After a university degree, I had started a teaching career in 1969 before going into the medical equipment industry.
Having written about twenty short stories, I decided it was time to begin my first novel. It was titled An Unknown Paradise and published in April 2013.
One novel did not seem enough, and I had really enjoyed the writing process. So began the second one. Searching for Juliette came along a year later. Retirement meant that my time was my own, and I got into a routine of writing in the afternoons.
I had tried to get published through the normal channels but then found a London-based publisher with whom I formed a relationship. Several books followed before I then ventured into self-publishing through the Amazon website.
Now, here I am, nine published crime thrillers later!
But Anna doesn’t like the man who introduces himself to her at the Dover ferry. He has an odd manner, but Elizabeth seems to like him.
Three men who live in central France are hoping to visit an art exhibition in a French town not too far from where the Johnsons will be staying. One of the men is being hunted by the police in connection with a murder.
At the campsite one night, there are noises outside of their tent, and Gordon takes a look. When he doesn’t return, Anna goes looking for him. In the quiet of the darkness, Elizabeth decided to search for her parents.
But nothing was ever the same again.
You can hear AK talking about his book at the recent Books and Beverages event at Harrogate Library Here
An interesting gentleman. Like myself, he started later in life and look how much fun he is having. Carry on, Mr. Adams.
ReplyDeleteSouth Branch Scribbler, thanks for your comment! Very true!
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