411 on Books, Authors & Publishing

Guest Post from the Author

Where were you born/grew up at?

I was born in Evesham, Midlands, UK. And I was raised in the village of Feckenham, Worcestershire, UK. So far both of my novels have been set there.

If you knew you’d die tomorrow, how would you spend your last day?

So long as I was able, I would spend it with my family in the theme parks in Orlando, I love it there!

What kind of world ruler would you be?

In my work as a manager I am extremely tolerant and like to offer people the opportunities and chances so that they can grow and develop as workers and people. Outside of work I tend to be far less tolerant and often joke that people who annoy me would suffer badly by my hands in the event of a zombie apocalypse, when rules and consequences no longer matter lol. I think the reality would be that I would be an awful world ruler, I would always put my loved ones before all others and would struggle to give the attention required to the rest of the world.

What makes a good story?

I think anything coherent and interesting can make a good story, it is really more about how the story is told and the characters inside the story that determine whether it ultimately turns out as good or not.  Personally I like mystery and suspense inside the story, that’s always something that I try hard to inject into my own.  Usually I drip feed details throughout the book so that I am always answering questions for the reader, while at the same time asking new ones. I think the other important thing is to make sure that all the loose ends are tied up. Nothing lets a good book down harder than unanswered questions that needed to be answered, so annoying!

What do you do to unwind and relax?

Writing is one of my favourite ways to unwind and relax, but cracking open a few beers and having a barbeque hits the spot pretty well too. Holidays! I love to travel and see new things, experience new places, and meet new people. Or it can be as simple as curling up on the sofa with my beautiful wife, a glass of wine and a good horror movie!

What made you want to become an author and do you feel it was the right decision?

I’m not sure if I actually ever decided to become an author, I don’t think I’ve ever consciously made that decision. I wrote a story and enjoyed writing it, I went on a journey through the publishing process and loved every minute of it, and then I found people who loved what I’d written. So long as people want to read what I write then I will keep writing. I would love for it to be my full time career because who wouldn’t want to do something they love for a living, but until that day comes I will just keep going. If it never happens for me, then I will always know that tried my best and that I loved every step of the journey.

Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in The Shady Corner?

David Wilcox is the lead character, we meet him at various stages throughout his life. The story never strays far away from him, even when he is not in focus, he is always there somewhere. David’s family and friends play their parts in the story along with a few unsavoury characters, but David is the heart, the soul, and without a doubt – the darkness!

David is probably the complex character I have created. He may be the most complex that I ever create? You see, David doesn’t just have layers to his character, he has dimensions that control and dominate his very existence. It is clear after just a few chapters of the story that David is troubled and unstable. A few more chapters and it becomes clear that he is a monster. Yet as his creator I actually pity him, whatever he does, however evil he seems, I always knew something that my readers don’t learn until very end. I knew the reasons why!

David’s journey through the novel sees his struggles, his madness, and his torment. It also hurls the reader deep into the evil deeds as if looking at them through David’s own eyes!

Every piece of feedback I’ve had agrees that David is a monster, but only a few feel pity for him the way I do.