Thriller writer, archaeologist and traveller
We're used to hearing about 'Writer's Block', romantically imagining our author has been deserted by his or her muse; no inspiration, clueless about the next twist of the plot, capable of only writing flat doggerel. Maybe uncharitably we might quietly think our author is just being lazy. Perhaps too much absinthe, even? You don't hear... Continue Reading →
We see it every year. Christmas creeping ever earlier – cards in the shops by September, the first trees and tinsel appearing in October and those ‘catchy’ Xmas tunes of the 70s are playing by November. The Grinches of course complain; 12 days of Christmas, not 42 days, they say. My American readers may not... Continue Reading →
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is far and away the most successful novel set in Guernsey. Although there are easily two dozen works of fiction using the German Occupation of the islands as their background, this is the stand-out commercial hit. Curiously it was written by an American who had only made... Continue Reading →
January is a hectic time at Guernsey Museum, as we turn around all the temporary exhibition spaces in three weeks. For me it means checking and proofing all the wall text, and numerous press releases. New Year's Day is also when I like to pitch into the new book - NRT in the case of... Continue Reading →
I don't smoke. I just don't get it, so my lead characters don't smoke either. You might think that old hippie Jeffrey Flint might have done the odd roll-up in his time, but if so he keeps quiet about it. In my crime reading pile, I have noticed that most fictional detectives smoke to a fault.... Continue Reading →
Okay, I know this is a family blog but we're going to talk about sex this week (stop sniggering at the back!). The book I'm working now on requires a frank and realistic approach to sex scenes, but has led me to look back on my oversexed hero of novels past. Jeffrey Flint is a bit of... Continue Reading →
Crime writer Jason Foss has vanished. In a move reminiscent of 1984, or the more paranoid Roman emperors his name has been erased from e-books on sale. Only a few hard-to-find first edition hardbacks remain of his five archaeological thrillers featuring offbeat lecturer Dr Jeffrey Flint. Suspicion falls immediately on his alter ego, Jason Monaghan,... Continue Reading →
In a recent debate on a writers' forum the question was asked whether you had to actually have visited a place to use it as a setting for a novel. My answer to this is both yes and no. YES if the place is well known, such as London, and many of your readers are... Continue Reading →
It was Scotty's iconic line from Star Trek, which of course broke the laws of physics every episode. This goes beyond Sci-Fi though and into the world of thrillers and adventure, whether books, TV or films. The special effects geek in 'When the Dust Settles' explains to Maddy that if a film director wants a man thrown... Continue Reading →
It was a divers' joke. The object they found was a blue-grey colour, heavy, metallic. It was the size of a man's oustretched palm, with a circular central hole and three vanes each with a screw hole. Three further supporting lugs added strength. They called it the Fiat Gearbox, or the Messerschmitt gearbox, thinking this... Continue Reading →