Thriller writer, archaeologist and traveller
No.7 in an occasional series on writing non fiction You’ve established the scope of your non-fiction book, you’ve spent months or years amassing research and now all you have left to do is write it. With your head full of your subject and a heap of reference material at your fingertips, the book could simply... Continue Reading →
#6 in an occasional series on writing non-fiction. If you are writing a book that is essentially creative, the crucial thing is that it works. If you are writing Teach Your Child to Swim! Or Build Your Own Microlight Aircraft, it is vital. Cookbooks are a less extreme example; you should have made all the... Continue Reading →
March means the Alderney Literary Festival, an event loved both by islanders and by the authors who fly in to participate. This boutique festival concentrates on historical writing, both fiction and non-fiction, giving it a coherence some festivals lack. Another feature is that authors get whole hour slots to themselves, either giving a presentation on... Continue Reading →
Flint is back – and with extra content. Lume Books have re-issued the e-book box set of the five Jeffrey Flint archaeology mysteries with new covers, but that’s not all. One feature of my historical thrillers that readers have said they enjoy is the author’s note at the end, so notes have now been added... Continue Reading →
#5 in an occasional series on writing non fiction Research is the backbone of the non-fiction book. Even if you are writing your autobiography it is important to get the facts right; for one thing people expecting to be mentioned in your book will be looking eagerly for their name and have their lawyer’s telephone... Continue Reading →
The time has come to launch a newsletter. It will be roughly monthly depending where I am in the world, what I'm writing and whether I'm digging. The title is inspired by Edgar Allen Poe, reflecting that I'll be posting pieces on my whole range of books from historical thrillers to archaeology mysteries plus the... Continue Reading →
#4 in an occasional series on writing non fiction Know your market is one of those truisms thrust at novelists and it is doubly true for non-fiction writers. It helps to frame your book, directs your research, dictates your writing style, and constrains your expectations. A huge number of books are published each year, and... Continue Reading →
A feel-good story in the news is that a guitar stolen from Paul McCartney in an opportunist theft in the 1970s has been returned. When I heard the news I thought “Hofner”, as in conversation with the artist Peter le Vasseur he mentioned including a Hofner in his painting Echoes of Liverpool. The painting came... Continue Reading →
#3 in an occasional series on writing non fiction Non-fiction is not read at random. A reader may take a chance on a novel with an intriguing title, a fetching cover or great plot hook on the back. However, they are only likely to pick up your book on notorious poisoners if they have an... Continue Reading →
I was contacted by news presenter Kamran Arshad who was interested in how I combined my life as an archaeologist with that of a writer, and how one influenced the other. The full 24 Minute interview is here, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtmXSFK99TA&t=209s