Ask the Author: Albert J. Clack
Answered Questions (5)
Albert J. Clack
Romeo & Juliet. Okay, my answer is undoubtedly influenced by the fact that I am also an actor; but my reason is that the tragedy of true lovers from conflicting backgrounds resonates across time, place and cultures. That's why the play is so often staged as occurring in different circumstances. I myself have played Juliet's father, Capulet, as a 1960s London gang boss, with Romeo the son of a rival mob. The story would work equally well, and movingly, with the families being, say, Moslem and Jewish. It is the universality of the theme, and the doomed helplessness of the 'star-crossed lovers', that makes this pair my choice in answer to your question; although the beauty of the language takes a bit of beating, too!
Albert J. Clack
My most recent book is 'Murder of a British Patriot' The ideas for the interwoven themes came from different sources. The central murder plot - the assassination of a far-right politician while campaigning for the Brexit referendum - simply came from following the news about the rise of neo-fascist groups. The secondary plot about cocaine gangs arose from conversations with a friend who used to be involved in that sub-world (but is not any more). The fictional story around the factual involvement of Fleet Street printers in the 1984 miners strike was inspired by another friend who was one of those printers and who introduced me to two others who took part.
Albert J. Clack
The third DI Warren mystery, 'Murder of an Anthropologist', in which the body of a white, British university professor is found mutilated in an African-style ritual killing. Professor Hugo Cunningham's main field of research was the genocide in the African republic of Zembwanda. It had been rumoured among his academic colleagues that he had uncovered evidence of the involvement of somebody wealthy, powerful and influential in the slaughter . But DI Keith Warren and DS Philippa Myers must also investigate the possibility that the motive for killing him might be found closer to home.
Albert J. Clack
By jumping to another part of the story and scribbling down whatever comes into my head about it, however daft it may seem at the time.
Albert J. Clack
So far the inspirations for the basic ideas have come from a mixture of my own experiences (eg being a touring actor in a stage play), people I've met during my life (eg a retired Fleet Street printer who supported the miners in their 1984 strike), and events in the news (eg the growth of small neo-fascist parties in recent years). Once I have the germ of an idea, I go through a period lasting several weeks of letting it churn it around in my mind until it starts assuming a viable structure. Then I write lots of brief notes on small index cards - just a few words on each - to indicate possible scenes, spread them out on my big dining-room table, move them around, and gradually add to them. This is also the phase when I find people with expert knowledge of the subjects I'm going to be covering, and record interviews with them to give my story a credible grounding in reality. Then it's just a case of getting up in the morning, telling myself, "Do your job," and sitting down to write the flesh on to the bones.
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