Malcolm Holt's Blog, page 2

A Quick One on The Side - Danielle Ramsay

A very warm welcome to my guest author today, all the way from Whitley Bay, Danielle Ramsay. Her second novel featuring DI Jack Brady, 'Vanishing Point', was recently published by Avon, a division of Harper Collins, and it's already doing very well indeed. Brady first appeared in Danielle's first novel 'Broken Silence'. Originally from Dundee, Danielle now resides in what she describes as 'a small coastal town in the North East of England'. There is sadly no doubt that Whitley Bay has seen better days and Danielle's portrayal of the town pulls no punches.


I began by asking Danielle where her love for writing came from and how she got started.

"From being a young child I was an avid reader and short story writer. A couple of my favourite authors who were influential during my adolescence were the American short story writers Flannery O'Connor, Charles Bukowski and Raymond Carver. Then at the age of fourteen I was drawn to films and decided that I wanted to write screenplays and wrote to the National Film and Television School in London (NFT) asking them how I could apply.They graciously replied by telling me that if I was Steven Spielberg then they would have no problems signing me up at such a young age.The normal route was to complete a BA (Hons) in Media Production majoring in scriptwriting and so this was what I went on to do.
After completing my scriptwriting degree I took a slight detour and began an MA in Film and Literature instead of, as I had always planned, taking an MA in scriptwriting at the NFT. My MA led onto a PhD in African American literature and American literature and also lecturing in this field. However, close to completion of my PhD I realised that I wanted to write creatively instead of critiquing and theorising books. So, with a top New York literary agent interested in my first book (a psychological thriller set in New England where I had spent a year before going to University) I left a career in academia to write full-time. A decision which at the time could have been seen to be reckless and foolhardy, but it is one I have never regretted, despite the arduous and, at times, fraught journey towards becoming a published author."

Of course, these journeys aren't always straightforward.....

"I spent two years writing my first book, only to be told by the literary agent that although it was original, it was too complicated and had too many voices. They wanted it to be more commercially viable and consequently asked me to rewrite it. At the time I did not have the inner resources to change the book to meet their specifications, so consequently it is still waiting to be rewritten.
I then decided to start afresh and write about what I knew and that was living in a small, run-down seaside resort, coupled with my interest in the darker side of humanity. I had the character DI Jack Brady and I had the ideal location, Whitley Bay, and finally I had a plot, the murder of a local fifteen year old girl whose death ultimately implicated the whole community."


"My novel 'Broken Silence' is the first DI Brady book in a series and I was very fortunate to get signed by my agent after she had read the first three chapters and the synopsis. This then led to a two-book deal with Harper Collins who have recently published 'Vanishing Point', the second book in the series."

I'm sure that cover looks familiar.....


"When I was writing 'Broken Silence' I was short-listed for the Crime Writers Association's Debut Dagger award in 2009, an international competition for unpublished authors. Then in 2010, shortly before 'Broken Silence' was published, I was incredibly privileged to be short-listed again by the CWA for the Debut Dagger, this time for 'Lock Down'. a zeitgeist black comedy crime piece. This is a book that I have on my list of to-do's once I've finished my third book which I am currently working on."

So, that's the business end of the interview over, let's get to know more about Danielle the person.

Who is your favourite band, group or artist?
"I am going to cheat here as I cannot narrow it down to one artist. David Bowie and Tom Waits."

What would be your favourite album?
"Again, I am cheating when I say Samuel Barber's 'Orchestral Works, Volume 2, Cello Concerto', Tom Waits' 'Small Change', Jan Garbarek's 'Officium', David Bowie's 'Ziggy Stardust' and 'Diamond Dogs', and finally K.D. Laing's 'Hymns of the 49th Parallel'."

What would be your favourite gig/concert ever attended?
"I may as well as continue in the same theme as above as I have three favourite gigs. David Bowie's 'The Glass Spider Tour', Robyn's 'Body Talk Tour', and finally the Red Hot Chili Peppers' 'I'm With You Tour'."

What would be your favourite gig venue?
"It has to be the O2 Arena. What was wonderful about this venue was being in a hotel on the Docklands in London late in the afternoon and being fortunate enough to hear the Red Hot Chili Peppers sound checking and seeing the Arena from the balcony, knowing that I would be there later that evening."

What is your favourite food?
"New England chowder accompanied with rustic bread as it reminds me of the time I spent on the East Coast."

What is your favourite holiday destination?
"Jamaica."

Which would be your favourite airport.....and the worst?
"Schipol airport has to be the worst (missed connections etc) and the best has to be Montego Bay's Sangster International airport simply because I'm landing in Jamaica!"

How many autographs have you signed in one session?
"45."

Have you ever been mistaken for someone else?
"No, luckily for the other person."

How often do you get recognised?
"Never-thankfully!"

Ummm....I don't recall seeing too many people walking around Whitley Bay with red hair.....


I want to thank Danielle for breaking off from finishing that third book to have a chat today. Her latest book 'Vanishing Point' is out now.


You can catch Danielle at Newcastle Central Library on Thursday 14th June at 6.30pm. (Booking required) She will be appearing along with Ann Cleeves (also from Whitley Bay) and Mari Hannah (from Corbridge) in a Crime on Tour event, part of this year's Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.


As ever, many thanks for reading.....

Talk on the Wild Side - Gerry McCambridge

A very warm welcome to my brand new entertainment interview series 'Talk on the Wild Side' and a very special welcome to my first guest, all the way from Las Vegas, the Mentalist himself, Gerry McCambridge.

Gerry is a professional mentalist who currently headlines nightly at the Planet Hollywood casino on the Las Vegas Strip. He is also the proud father of six children and grandfather of three. A professional mentalist for over 20 years, Gerry is originally from Long Island, New York. He was born on Halloween in 1962. At the age of 8 years, he was given a magic kit for Christmas. By the age of 9 years, Gerry had become fascinated by magic and a budding career was starting to emerge.

"My older brother had a vending machine pocket trick called a 'Wonder Wallet' which would make a coin disappear. I played with it when he wasn't looking and figured it out. I loved fooling my friends with it. I then saw a TV commercial for a deck of TV Magic cards. I purchased them and loved the fact that I could do a few different tricks with it. From there, I started going to the library and taking out books on magic as a hobby."

When Gerry celebrated his 12th birthday, his brother gave him a ticket to see the late Canadian magician and illusionist Doug Henning on Broadway.

"After seeing Doug Henning on Broadway in 1974 I always dreamed of being on stage performing as a magician. When I saw Doug on Broadway, I knew what I wanted my hobby to become."

Gerry's father was a New York City detective who was an expert at interrogation. Gerry learned some of his skills as a mentalist from observing his father.

"My father would use his psychological interrogation tricks on my older brother and sister to catch them with lies. It was something I learned by watching over many years. It was not as effective on me :-)"

Gerry began to study memory techniques, body language and comedy, all of which he was to use during his shows. Gerry's first show was at the age of 12 years.

"It was a girl's slumber birthday party. I told the girl's father I wanted $2.50 for a half-hour show. He handed me $5 and told me to keep the girls busy while he played cards in the kitchen with his friends. The next day I took the money to a sign shop and had him make up a sign advertising my services as a magician. I convinced the local candy store owner to put the sign in his window."

Gerry started touring the country at the age of 15 years.

"I was apprenticing with other magicians to learn everything I could about my craft. Two of them were touring magicians who would perform at State Fairs, Colleges, indoor Circuses, etc. I would travel with them as their roadie and on stage assistant. Eventually one of them would let me perform a spot in his show as a featured young and upcoming magician. Lots of miles travelling from state to state in the back of a van loaded with props."

In the 1980s Gerry starred as 'The Mentalist' in the comedy clubs around the country.

"My very first club was in New York City. I was a middle act. The response was ok. I did that a few times and quickly tweaked the effects I was doing. I quickly moved up to the headliner spot because comics refused to follow me. I headlined for years, which helped me develop my timing needed for improvisation."

In 1999 Gerry won the Merlin Award.

"The Merlin Award to magic is what the Oscar is to the movies, what the Emmy is for television, and what the Tony is for theater. I received one for 'Mentalist of the Year' and one for 'Mentalist of the Decade'."

In 2002 Gerry wrote his first TV script titled 'The Mentalist' and took it out to Los Angeles, with the aim of pitching it to the networks. Jeff Zucker, the president of NBC had seen many of Gerry's live shows and immediately bought the show. Gerry became the creator, executive producer and star of what became a hit prime-time television show, 'The Mentalist'. It aired in 2004.

"I went from being a corporate performer known in the US to a TV performer known internationally overnight. The airing of my TV special was my turning point. After the TV show, I was scheduled to go to Las Vegas to look for a job. My wife got pregnant and I wanted to be there when the baby was born, so I put Vegas on hold, and opened off Broadway in New York City. At the end of the Summer, I closed the show, and two days later my 6th child, Luke Vegas McCambridge was born. Soon after, I went to Vegas and landed my first job."




Gerry has headlined in Las Vegas ever since. I asked him how his day plays out.

"I get up and help get the kids ready for school. I drive them to school and get a coffee. I spend time with my wife as she gets ready for work. After she leaves, I go to my desk and operate my internet business. I also use that time to build new props and routines for the show. At 3.00pm I pick up the kids from school and take them for an after school snack. After the snack, we do homework, soccer, band practice etc. When my wife comes home from work, I shower and head to the showroom. I perform my show, take pictures with the fans and head home. I unwind in bed with a snack while watching TV. Fall asleep and wake to do it all over again."

I wondered how Gerry managed to relax.

"I love to play on my computer. Sitting in Starbucks with a cup of coffee and my iPad is also something I love doing."

I also asked Gerry about his favourite food.

"Chicken cutlets. Pizza or a good steak, with creme brulee for dessert."

In 2008 CBS sought Gerry's help with their concept of merging the skills of a mentalist with a detective for a television series. 'The Mentalist' is now a successful TV show starring Simon Baker as the mentalist Patrick Jane.

"I actually pitched the idea for a TV show called 'The Mentalist' to CBS in 2003. Unfortunately for them, NBC optioned the show before CBS was able to make me an offer. Years later, CBS decided to revisit the idea and called me and asked for help promoting the show before the very first episode aired. They wanted a real mentalist promoting the show since Simon Baker is just an actor and had no mentalist training. I watch the show on occasion."

I wondered if Gerry ever used his mentalist skills at home to help get him out of trouble.

"Actually, my skills at home cause more trouble than they are worth. I try to leave the mental manipulation at the theater, because every time it creeps into my personal life, it causes havoc!"

Gerry's show can be seen at the Planet Hollywood casino. If you are in Las Vegas, be sure to check it out.



Sadly, Gerry's father very recently passed away. I know that he was a great influence and Gerry learned so much from him. With Gerry's agreement, I dedicate this interview to Gerry's father.

A Quick One on The Side - Bruce DeSilva

Yes we're back. It's the return of 'A Quick One on The Side' and my guest author today is Bruce DeSilva. His only request was that I allow him to smoke. Just this once, Bruce...

Bruce DeSilva is the author of "Rogue Island", winner of the Edgar and Macavity awards for the best first novel of 2010. "Cliff Walk", his second crime novel featuring Providence, R.I., investigative reporter Liam Mulligan, is due to be published on May 22nd, and he has just finished writing the third. Bruce was a journalist for 40 years before retiring to write crime fiction. (It works for me) He worked as an investigative reporter, editor, and writing coach at The Providence Journal and The Hartford Courant newspapers; and, most recently, he was writing coach worldwide for The Associated Press. Stories he assigned and edited have won virtually every major journalistic prize including The Polk Award (twice), the ASNE (American Society of Newspaper Editors), and the Batten Medal. He also edited two Pulitzer finalists and had helped edit a Pulitzer winner. He has worked as a consultant on writing and editing for more than 50 newspapers and is currently a masters' thesis adviser at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. His crime fiction reviews have appeared in The New York Times book review section, and he continues to review crime novels frequently for The Associated Press.
Bruce was born in Taunton, Massachusetts, and now lives in New Jersey with his wife, the poet Patricia Smith, and two enormous canines, a Bernese Mountain Dog called Brady and a mutt named Rondo.

So, here we go. Ten quickies for Bruce.....

Who is your favourite author?
"Like most word-lovers, I could list 1,000 names and still feel terrible about the ones I had left off. My first love is the hard-boiled crime genre, so I have to begin with Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, who first lifted those dark stories out of the pulp magazines and turned them into literature. I have a deep admiration for contemporary literary crime novelists including Daniel Woodrell, Thomas H. Cook, Walter Mosley, Kate Atkinson, Dennis Lehane, James Ellroy, and several others. I love the quirky characters and lyrical style of Howard Frank Mosher, the closest thing we have now to the great Mark Twain. And my wife, Patricia Smith, one of our most honored living poets, is the most gifted writer I know. But, all that said, the opening paragraph of John Steinbeck's "Cannery Row" is my favourite passage in the English language."

What would be your favourite book read?
"Naming one book is harder than naming one author.Today I'll say "Winter's Bone" by Daniel Woodrell. In this brutal tale, told in breathtaking prose that verges on poetry, the author transforms a simple country girl into the most memorable female hero in modern American literature. But wait! What about "Waiting for Teddy Williams" by Howard Frank Mosher, a whimsical, wise, funny book that deserves to be read and re-read for generations? And then there's...Damn, this is difficult."

Who is your favourite band/group/musician?
"I dig rock 'n' roll, but not as much as I love the blues. So I'll have to go with the legendary Buddy Guy, our greatest living blues guitarist."

What is your most listened to album?
"Oddly, it's not a blues album. It's Bob Dylan's "Blood on the Tracks"."

What has been the best gig/concert you have attended?
"Way back in 1981, when I was a journalism fellow at The University of Michigan, I sat in a little club in Ann Arbor as Chuck Berry played classic rock 'n' roll for two hours. Musically, it wasn't the best concert I ever attended; but the intimacy of the place (I was so close to the godfather of rock 'n' roll that his sweat splashed on me) and the company by my side made it a magical evening."

What is your favourite food?
"Do cigars count? If not, then I'll say Thai food. No, pizza. No, Thai food. Why don't they make a Thai pizza?"

What would be your favourite holiday destination?
"Paris on a rainy evening or Fenway Park, the home of the Boston Red Sox, on a sunny afternoon. If the Red Sox played in Paris instead of Boston, I'd move there in a heartbeat."

What would be the most autographs you've ever signed in one session?
"About 200 if you don't count all the checks I sign to the gas company, the electric company, and the credit card companies every month."

Have you ever been mistaken for someone else?
"About ten years ago, when I was 20 pounds lighter, I was sitting on a stool in a hotel bar in Los Angeles with a baseball cap pulled low over my eyes. At the other end of the bar sat two attractive young women. They were tittering and staring at me. After a few minutes, the women waved the bartender over and whispered instructions. Then the bartender wandered down the bar to me. "The two ladies want to know if you are Steven Spielberg", he said, "and if you are, they want to buy you drink." I don't know what got into me, but what I said was this: "I don't want to be rude, but it's been a long day, and I'd like to be left alone with my thoughts. Please thank the ladies for me, and tell them I appreciate the offer." The bartender said, "I'll do that, Mr. Spielberg." A few minutes later he brought me a refill on the women's tab. Somewhere in Los Angeles, there are two women who still talk about the day they bought a beer for the director of "Schindler's List" and "Saving Private Ryan." (...and one bemused bartender?)"

Bruce or Steven?

Steven or Bruce?

How often do you get recognised?
"When I come downstairs for breakfast in the morning, my wife and dogs usually recognise me.Otherwise it rarely happens, and I'm grateful for that. Fame is a curse."

My thanks go to Bruce for being my guest author today. His new book "Cliff Walk" is published on May 22nd.

As ever, many thanks for reading.....

Red Light - Slinger is back...

Paula Laskey, a talented young singer, was the victim of a road traffic accident. As she lies in intensive care, unconscious and on life support, Martin Laskey has been informed that his daughter has officially been declared brain dead. The car driver claimed that Paula walked out in front of the car when the traffic lights were on green. He was lying and his friends who were in the car said the same. There were no independent witnesses who could contradict this. Sitting outside is drummer, Frankie ‘Slinger’ Wilson, who had been in a relationship with Paula. When Martin Laskey is forced to make a difficult decision, he takes desperate measures that will lead to Slinger facing his inner demons once again. As the story unfolds, Slinger embarks on a nightmare journey that will have consequences for the car driver, his passengers and ultimately himself. Once he has started that journey, there is seemingly no red light to stop him. Slinger knows that whatever the outcome, his life will never be the same again......
'Red Light' sees the return of Frankie 'Slinger' Wilson. If you enjoyed reading the two short stories in my crime fiction collection 'Hard Drive', you can now follow him in a longer tale of heartache and violence, in equal measure. In 'Red Light' no one is guaranteed to survive......
You can download 'Red Light' in the UK here...http://www.amazon.co.uk/Red-Light-ebook/dp/B0082C2XDA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1336769093&sr=1-1
...and in the US here...http://www.amazon.com/Red-Light-ebook/dp/B0082C2XDA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1336769042&sr=1-1
Hope you enjoy it.Thanks for reading.....

Side Lines - Episode 4

Coming up in my author series 'A Quick One on The Side' as well as Mike Faricy are.....

Bruce DeSilva

Grant McKenzie

Val McDermid

Danielle Ramsay

Coming up in my series 'Talk on the Wild Side', new guests confirmed are...

Alfie Joey

Gavin Webster

There are more guests to be announced in due course in both series, so stay tuned.
As ever, many thanks for reading.....

A Quick One on The Side - Mike Faricy is coming soon and has a free book to give away today

Mike Faricy will be one of my new guest authors in the series 'A Quick One on The Side' when it returns. Mike has a book free on Amazon today. I'll let him tell you about it...

"My crime fiction title 'Russian Roulette' will be free on Amazon May 10-12th. It is an entertaining tale of intrigue, rank ineptitude and one night stands. Dysfunctional PI Devlin Haskell wakes up in bed with his latest client, only find out she's signed him up with the Russian mob. Their 'special' relationship quickly finds Dev at odds with the local police and an FBI Task Force. In the process Dev places one foot on both sides of the law."

This is another fast paced, engrossing suspense thriller from Minnesota's Master of the Bizarre, Mike Faricy.

Mike's book can be downloaded from Amazon here.....
In the US
http://www.amazon.com/Russian-Roulette-ebook/dp/B004V4AHYU/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1336644378&sr=1-1

In the UK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Russian-Roulette-ebook/dp/B004V4AHYU/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1336644426&sr=1-4

Mike's interview will be coming soon.....

Side Lines - Episode 3

A quick update on scheduling...
Due to technical difficulties...having switched off completely during my self-imposed social networking detox, and having no internet access in the middle of nowhere, which I can heartily recommend...my planned double novella publication for tomorrow has been put back. But don't panic folks, both 'Red Light' and '27' will be with you shortly. I did manage to dream up some new story ideas and will release news of these in due course.
'A Quick One on The Side' will be returning shortly with some new guest authors. Yes, authors are throwing hard-earned cash to get on my guestlist...
'Talk on the Wild Side' will also be starting very soon and yes, famous folk are also throwing signed photos at me to get on my guestlist...
Episode 4 will be with you in the very near future with more news of guests and giveaways.
As ever...thanks for dropping by and reading......

Side Lines - Episode 2

Welcome to episode 2 of 'Side Lines'. I have two major things to tell you folks today.

First up, I have now decided to have a double publication day on Monday May 7th. Yes, I will be publishing two novellas on the same day. First is the long-awaited novella featuring my anti-hero Slinger, 'Red Light'...


...also, second is another new novella, '27', featuring a new main character, pathologist Kettle...

I can also confirm that my new entertainment interview series 'Talk on the Wild Side' begins on May 25th with the Mentalist himself, all the way from Las Vegas, Gerry McCambridge...

I am delighted to announce that I will also be welcoming two more guests. They are, all the way from Broadway, the star of 'Chicago', Amra-Faye Wright...

...and from the folk music dynasty, the Watersons, double Mercury Prize nominee, Eliza Carthy...

...and a reminder that, after its Spring break, 'A Quick One on The Side' will return on May 18th with author Bruce DeSilva. I am delighted to report that Val McDermid will also be dropping in for a chat as well over the Summer.

That's all for now. As ever, thanks for reading.....

A Quick One on The Side - Richard Gazala

A warm welcome to my final guest author before my Spring break, Richard Gazala.

According to his Twitter profile, Richard is a 'Raconteur, thriller author, Gazalapalooza blogger, book reviewer, lawyer, music aficionado, public speaker and guerilla chef'. Richard was born in Ohio. When he was very young, his family moved to Beirut in the Lebanon. They were forced out in 1975 by the Lebanese Civil War. Richard's secondary education was completed in Boston, Massachusetts and London. Richard attended the Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he was awarded a B.A. in Political Science and a Juris Doctorate. He has practised law for over twenty years in Tennessee, Washington DC and Virginia.
Richard is the award-winning author of the international conspiracy thriller 'Blood of the Moon' and the short story horror anthology 'Trust and Other Nightmares'. 'Blood of the Moon' features Newcastle upon Tyne and the Freemen of the City. Richard admits to having developed a mild case of 'Newcastle envy'. His sequel will also feature Newcastle. Good man!

So here goes, Richard is in the spotlight.....

Who is your favourite author?
"Hands down, my favourite author is Edgar Allan Poe. Sadly, my favourite author hasn't been putting out much stuff in the past 163 years. That said, I'm excited to see the upcoming movie 'The Raven' and get a fresh EAP fix that way."

What would be your favourite book read?
" 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' by Hunter S. Thompson. It's as disturbing as it is entertaining, very well written, and short enough to read through in a single sitting on a whim. "No sympathy for the devil; keep that in mind. Buy the ticket, take the ride..." "

Who is your favourite band/group/musician?
"Led Zeppelin. In their bombastic prime they were so far over the top the authorities had to have the top raised, and no-one has ascended it quite the same way since."

What would be your most listened to album?
" 'Sticky Fingers' by the Rolling Stones. From time to time for a long, long time, that demon life had me in its sway."

What has been the best gig/concert you have attended?
"In the right light on the right night, I can still close my eyes and open my ears and relive every moment of a Talking Heads concert I attended one fall evening in 1982 in Nashville, Tennessee."

What is your favourite food?
"People line up when I make my hand-crafted hummus, but the line always starts behind me."

What would be your favourite holiday destination?
"New Orleans, Louisiana. There's nothing about it I don't love. Even the parts other people don't love (excepting hurricanes), I love. I'm thinking of getting a place there. If I do, then my favourite holiday destination would be Savannah, Georgia."

What would be the most autographs you've ever signed in one session?
"About 60 is my record to date, achieved in a couple of hours at a now (sadly) non-existent Borders Books store that used to be at the Baltimore-Washington international airport in Baltimore, Maryland."

Have you ever been mistaken for someone else?
"I've had old Partridge Family memorabilia thrust at me amid fevered cries of "Mr Bonaduce! Mr Bonaduce!" Other than that, my children occasionally confuse me with Lucifer, but they swear they're joking."

Mr Bonaduce...

Mr Bonaduce?

How often do you get recognised?
"Far more often than I ever thought I would."

My thanks to Richard for answering his quickies and if you're ever in Newcastle, give me a call.
As ever, thanks for reading.....

A Quick One on The Side - Jeff Abbott

A warm Texas welcome to guest author Jeff Abbott.

Jeff is the award-winning author of 13 mystery and suspense novels. A graduate of Rice University, he has a degree in History and English. His early novels were very much in the tradition of detective fiction. In more recent novels, Jeff has written more thriller fiction. Jeff is noted for writing novels that are 'exciting, shrewd, and beautifully crafted'.
Jeff is a three-time nominee for the Mystery Writers of America's Edgar Allan Poe Award and a two-time nominee for the Anthony Award. His novels 'Panic' and 'Collision' have both been optioned for film. 'Collision' is titled 'Run' in the UK. Jeff resides in Austin, Texas.

So here we go, settle down y'all, Jeff answers some quickies...

Who is your favourite author?
"Charles Dickens probably for favourite of all time. Modern authors I always read are Harlan Coben, Laura Lippman, Kate Atkinson, Lee Child, and many more."

What would be your favourite book read?
"I'll say Madeleine L'Engle's 'A Wrinkle In Time' because it was the first book that made me want to be a writer. I re-read it with my son not long ago and it's still a wonderful book."

Who is your favourite band/group?
"Depending on my mood: Miles Davis, The Beatles, Sigur Ros, Radiohead, Patsy Cline, New Order."

What is your most listened to album?
"Miles Davis' 'Sketches of Spain'. But when I'm writing I listen to a lot of film soundtracks, so probably the three Bourne soundtracks by John Powell are currently the most played because I'm trying to finish a book."

What has been the best gig/concert you have attended?
"Bruce Springsteen in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas back in the 80s; Radiohead just this month in Austin."

What is your favourite food?
"Mexican."

What would be your favourite holiday destination?
"Hawaii."

What would be the most autographs you've ever signed in one session?
"My publisher flew me up to their warehouse in Indianapolis to sign 3,000 copies of 'Adrenaline' before it went on sale last summer. I thought my hand would get sore but they said 'No, it'll be your shoulder that'll ache' and they were right."

Have you ever been mistaken for someone else?
"Once a very sweet but momentarily confused lady at a library thought I was mega-selling YA author Rick Riordan. We don't look that much alike but she didn't have her glasses on."

Can you tell 'em apart?


How often do you get recognised?
"Not that often. I got recogised while on my second date with my wife-to-be, and that never happens, so my wife later joked that I'd staged it, but I hadn't. Once I was standing in line at a Rick Riordan signing with my kids (along with 3,000 other people) and another parent recognised me because she had one of my books in her purse and asked me to sign it."

Many thanks go to Jeff for being my guest, all the way from Texas.
As ever, thanks for reading.....