Alan McDermott's Blog, page 3

Interview with John Paul Davis

John Paul Davis is my next guest, and this international bestselling author has been the subject of international attention, including articles in The Sunday Telegraph, The Daily Mail, Yorkshire Post and Nottingham Evening Post, mentions in USA Today and The Independent and reviews in the Birmingham Post and Medieval History Journal.
Tell us about your latest book
My latest is a thriller called The Cortés Trilogy, a three-part series that centres on the Noche Triste Treasure: the legendary hoard Hernán Cortés temporarily got his hands on after defeating the Aztec emperor, Montezuma, during the Spanish conquest of the New World. Each section of the trilogy is concerned with a different part of the treasure that many people believe to still exist somewhere in Mexico.

How much research goes into each book?
A lot. My writing career began in historical non-fiction, where a typical list of sources could include more than a small library’s worth and the references’ section be half as long as the actual book! Though fortunately thriller novels don’t require a bibliography, old habits die hard and I try to ensure my facts are correct – especially as I tend to base my stories on real life historical events or legends. I also like to visit most of the locations first-hand, and set various parts of the story in places I’ve experienced, which I definitely believe helps add a little extra bit of authenticity. At the end of a novel, I always include an additional ‘Facts Behind the Fiction’ section to detail what was accurate and what was made up.

What is the strangest thing you had to research?
Interesting question! There’s usually something in every book that either beggars belief or leaves me temporarily wondering if I’m going insane! One that really springs to mind was while researching The Templar Agenda back in 2010, I was conducting some research into the ins and outs of the Vatican, and a story from Belgium got me totally side-tracked. Apparently in response to allegations of paedophilia among elements of the local clergy in one of the cities, the Belgian police are alleged to have drilled holes into the tombs of two cardinals and hidden cameras inside in order to capture any suspicious activity. I still can’t get over the fact something that would seem far-fetched in a James Bond movie actually happened in real life!

What is your favourite book of all time?
Gray Justice ;). I also really liked David Copperfield, as nobody rivals Dickens when it comes to characters, and Ludlum’s The Bourne Identity.

When you’re not writing, what do you like to do to relax?
Fortunately, I do genuinely find the creative side of writing relaxing, so I guess I’m really quite lucky that I’m usually pretty relaxed. I’m passionate about sports and go to a lot of football games – though I guess it’s debatable whether being a Villa fan could ever be considered relaxing! I love travelling – especially getting to know sites that would be great in a book – reading, watching action/thriller movies, going to gigs, hiking or generally just hitting the gym. I’m also extremely lucky that I have a really close-knit group of mates who always find new ways of being entertaining.

Which three authors, living or dead, would you like to meet?
Growing up, Ludlum was my hero, so I would certainly have loved the opportunity to meet him: maybe hang out and have a couple of drinks in one of the many great and glamorous locations he used in his novels! In my mind, he still sits unrivalled as the greatest thriller novelist of all time. I’d also quite like to meet Dan Brown and ask him whether hanging upside down wearing gravity boots in order to receive inspiration actually works! There’s a lot of other thriller writers I could mention, but as I’ve only got one choice left I’d have to go for Dickens and basically ask him about the world he knew and maybe learn a thing or two about characterisation from the true master! In the meantime though, hanging out with yourself, Dave Leadbeater and Keith Houghton was still pretty cool!

What would mean more to you: having a number 1 bestseller; or winning a top literary award?
At the end of the day, a number 1 bestseller means your book has come to the attention of hundreds of thousands of readers, many of whom are now your fans, and that what you’re doing is probably making a splash in the world beyond the publishing industry. Winning a top literary award might be a nice achievement, but ultimately it still only means your book’s been brought to the attention of a handful of people, many of whom probably never even bought the book to begin with, and that an entire generation of school kids probably now hates your guts after being forced to spend two years of their lives studying it for their GCSE in English Lit, which most of them probably failed because they didn’t have a clue what the hell you were on about! For me, storytelling is the dream and I’d rather write something that proved to be popular than be worried about whether the ‘experts’ approve of it!

Where can we find out more about your books?

These days, I have two websites. www.theunknowntemplar.com which was originally set up for my first ever book, and www.johnpauldavisauthor.com which is my new official website. All of my thrillers are exclusive to Amazon, and listed on Goodreads. I’m also on Facebook and Twitter – handle @unknown_templar

Interview with Jennifer Jaynes

Next up in my series of interviews is Jennifer Jaynes, whose new book Don’t Say a Word was released a few weeks ago.  It is the third in the Stranger series, which started with Never Smile at Strangers.  That first novel was originally self-published, but it caught the eye of Thomas & Mercer, who snapped it up and re-released it in January 2015.

What was your reaction when you found out that a major publisher was interested in your work?
I was ecstatic. 
I’d dreamt about being with Thomas & Mercer for a couple of years. They’re the best home for my books. Unlike many publishers, they really know how to reach the right audience for our work.

What have been the major differences between self-publishing and working with Thomas & Mercer
The marketing. 
I no longer have to do nearly as much marketing. They have a terrific marketing team—and they’ve been very kind to my books.

How many drafts do you write before sending it to your publisher?
Way too many! Seriously. It takes me a long time to get everything just right. 
I don't write in a linear fashion. My brain just doesn't work that way, so I bounce around from the end to the beginning to the middle to some other point. Over and over again.
After the first draft, I have like 5,000 puzzle pieces before me. I have no idea where many of them go and about 500 missing are still missing. 
So from there, it's all about tearing apart, rebuilding, framing, re-framing, layering. It’s all very time-consuming.
I have novelist friends who write from beginning to end and release a book every 3-4 months because their minds work so efficiently. But that’s not me.

If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why?
Wow, great question. Maybe “Silence of the Lambs.” 
I thought it was brilliant.

Describe what your ideal writing space looks like.
A cabin in the woods with just a laptop, a refrigerator, stove, small bed. No clutter. The only sounds are a roaring wind during the daytime and insects at night. 
I went to a place like this three times over the last six weeks to write. 
It was perfect.


What's the strangest thing you have ever had to research online for your book?
Hmm. There are too many to just pick one. ;)

How difficult is it to balance your writing with looking after young twins?
Very. But it’s much better now that they are in kindergarten. I’m pretty sure that my life isn’t very balanced right now. It’s a constant struggle. But one I’m incredibly grateful to have. I’m living my dream in so many different aspects.

Have any authors had an influence on your work?
Yes, many. Janet Fitch, Tawni O’Dell, Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Mary Higgins-Clark.

Where can we find out more about your books?
My website: www.ProjectJennifer.com
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/1rX1Ljm 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferJayn... 

Bloody Brighton!

I've been at this writing lark for about 6 years now, and in all that time I've been happy to let others do the festivals, telling people how they wrote their bestseller and how you, too, can do the same.

That's about to change.

I'm getting together with six other bestsellers for an afternoon of alcohol, book signings and general chat about writing, and it won't cost you a penny* to join us! I'll be at The Marwood Cafe on Saturday 30th July with David Videcette, Stephen Edger, William Shaw, Paul Grzegorzek, Charlie Flowers and Alex Shaw.

If you're in the Brighton area, why not pop in and join the conversation!

Here's the address:

The Marwood Cafe, 52 Ship Street, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 1AF




*You have to pay your own fare to and from the venue and buy your own drinks/coffee/cake, etc..  We might be bestsellers but we're not made of money!

Interview with Claude Bouchard

It’s time to hop over the pond to Canada to meet USA Today bestseller Claude Bouchard.   Claude is the author of over a dozen books, his most recent of which is Getting Even, part of his Vigilante crime thriller series.


What made you choose to write about a vigilante for your first novel?The catalyst for my first novel, which I wrote in 1995, was the OJ Simpson fiasco. Shocked to see how someone could so easily get away with murder, I started thinking, “What if there was someone out there who dealt with those who slipped through the net?” The wheels started spinning and eight weeks later, I had completed my first draft of Vigilante.


Given the choice between a number one bestseller and winning a top award, which would you choose, and why?I love spinning my tales and sharing them with my readers. That said, writing is not a hobby, it’s what I do to earn my keep and I do believe a number one bestseller would pay more bills than a top award would. I’ll have a number one bestseller, please.
If you were offered a publishing deal, would you take it, or do you prefer self-publishing?I would certainly consider any publishing deal offered but whether or not I would accept it would depend on the proposed terms. I do admit I enjoy the complete freedom and control self-publishing provides me. However, I’d be willing to give some of that up for an offer allowing me to buy that cute little jet I’ve had my eye on.
Who edits your books, and where did you find them?I do a lot of reviewing and self-editing as I go along so my first draft is generally pretty clean. Once it’s done, I run through it again then print a copy which goes to my wife, Joanne. Once she’s done and appropriate corrections have been made, the manuscript goes to my sister, Lucie who manages to spot a missing word here and a typo there. As to where I found these two marvelous ladies, Joanne was right there in our house and I’ve known Lucie since the day she was born.

If you could collaborate with one author, who would it be?I’ve actually thought of collaboration in the past, not in the sense of wishing to do so, but rather, wondering how it actually works. I don’t plan/map out my writing so I’d likely be best working with someone who does. Considering the fun I had melding my characters with Russell Blake’s when I wrote Nasty in Nice for his JET Kindle World, and knowing he’s a decent, clown-hating, tequila imbibing sort, I guess I’ll say Russell… But then again, I drink rum.
What is a typical writing day in the Bouchard house?A typical writing day starts somewhere between six and seven in the morning and runs until four in the afternoon. Weekend days generally start between eight and nine. Barring bathroom breaks and getting food, that time is spent behind the keyboard facing two monitors. One displays a variety of open internet tabs and the other, an assortment of required documents, the main one usually being my current WIP. Though I do sometimes write in the morning, the flow tends to be better in the afternoon. Mornings are generally devoted to writing related activities including social media, correspondence, promotion, recordkeeping, research and so on. It’s a finely honed form of chaotic multi-tasking which I’ve perfected over the years.
Have any of your previous jobs had an influence on your writing?Absolutely. I held a variety of management positions, all within large corporations, where writing reports, policies, procedures, manuals and other official documents was an ongoing requirement and proper grammar was essential. In addition, my background is in human resources which led me to meet and deal with literally thousands of people over the years. This has definitely proved useful when developing characters for my fiction writing.
You have over half a million followers on Twitter.  How good a marketing tool do you think it is?When I released Vigilante in 2009, nobody had ever heard of me. Today, some people have heard of me. It’s all a question of getting one’s name out there and, in my case, using Twitter and building a following has helped. I’m not saying I move tons of books whenever I send a tweet because that simply doesn’t happen. However, Twitter has allowed me to develop a network of readers, authors, reviewers, bloggers and interviewers which certainly hasn’t had a negative effect on my marketing efforts. Every little bit helps.


Where can we find out more about your books?Folks are welcome to visit my website at http://www.claudebouchardbooks.comat any time because I never lock the doors.They can also drop by at Amazon (US: http://amzn.to/1RlJaaQ UK: http://amzn.to/1Q5bNDU)

Interview with Simon Wood

In the first of what I hope to be many interviews, I’m delighted to introduce the award-winning thriller author Simon Wood.  An Englishman living in California, Simon also writes horror stories under the pen name Simon Janus. 
What were you like at school?Quiet.  Not very outgoing.  Not particularly good at school.  I am dyslexic and that made me very self-conscious.  I was more than happy to leave and never look back.
What made you decide to become a writer?It's kind of hazy to be honest.  I'd moved to the US and I had a lot of time on my hands after working seven days a week at my previous job.  I just indulged myself for once.  And, oh yeah, I couldn’t get a job in America to save my life.
Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you?I'm an outliner.  I don’t outline heavily.  I just make bullet points for each scene and it goes into a color coded spreadsheet.  I'm not married to the outline but what it does do is make me think my story through.
How do you think your writing has evolved over the years?I don’t know really.  I think my attitude and focus has changed.  I think I'm very aware of the kind of stories I write and I zero in on them.
Do you ever get writer’s Block?  If you do, how do you battle through it?Yes, it happens from time to time.  I have two ways of dealing with it.  Write utter crap until the good stuff starts flowing again or go and do something completely different.  It's surprising that after a week or so, I get itchy about getting back to the keyboard.
Do you write full-time or part-time, and what is a typical day at the keyboard?I write full time.  I usually start around nine on my main book project.  I work through to about three or four in the afternoon.  In the evening, I'll spend a couple of hours working on a side project.  At the weekends, I work on a pet project for a little bit.
Give us an insight into the main character in your latest book. What makes them special?My current book is THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY and it features Zoë Sutton.  She's survived an abduction and now she's dealing with survivor guilt.  Essentially, this makes her impulsive, self-destructive, and a risk taker.  She left a friend behind to die.  She needs to find her soul again and a direction for her life, and she gets that when she tracks down the man who abducted her.  She's a prickly character but you want to see her change her life around.
For your own reading, do you prefer ebooks or traditional paper/hard back books?I'm dyslexic so I'm all about the audio books.
Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your latest book?Oh, that’s tough.  I don’t have a clue but some readers have said they'd like to see Jennifer Lawrence play Zoë.  Brie Larson is another name mentioned.  I think that would work.
You find yourself in a perilous situation.  Which fictional character would you like to have come to your aid?Crime boss, Mike Ballou, from Lawrence Block's Matthew Scudder novels.  I always think of him as a guardian Irishman…which everyone should have.
Where can we find your books?
My website http://www.simonwood.net is a good place to start.  It has descriptions, excerpts, audio clips and links to all the bookstores. 

Salvation is coming!

It's funny the things you forget when you're engrossed in your writing.  For me, it was this blog!  A good friend put a link to this blog on his website, and it was only then that I remembered I haven't posted anything since May 2015!
This would be a good time to wish you all a Happy New Year, and I hope you didn't overdo it over the holiday period.  I know I did!
So what have I been up to?  Well, writing obviously, and my seventh book is coming along nicely.  I decided to give Tom Gray a rest after all he's been through, not least in his latest adventure, GRAY SALVATION, which will be released on March 8th.  In book 7 I will be focusing on Andrew Harvey, Veronica Ellis and the rest of the MI5 team my readers will be familiar with.  It may not have Tom, Len and Sonny, but it's the normal fast-paced read with a mighty twist.
As for GRAY SALVATION, if you're thinking of pre-ordering, can I please ask that you wait until the release date, as this will help my rankings and help others to discover the series.  If you are already on my mailing list, I'll send out a reminder on March 8th.  
Speaking of which, everyone on my mailing list will be entered into an exclusive draw to win one of FIVE signed copies of GRAY SALVATION a month before it goes on sale.  To join the list and have a chance of winning, just send an email to alanmac@ntlworld(dot)com with Next Book in the subject line. 
Here's the cover image and the blurb:

When the body of an MI5 operative is found floating in the Thames, police frogmen find a significant clue nearby: Nikolai Sereyev, an MI5 informer and mid-level player in a Russian criminal organisation. Both men have been brutally murdered.Andrew Harvey is tasked with finding his colleague’s killer, and quickly uncovers a plot to assassinate a visiting dignitary on British soil. No sooner has he scraped the surface of the case than the tables are turned and he becomes a pawn in a game of international brinkmanship that leads all the way to the Kremlin.Harvey’s girlfriend, Sarah, also a secret service operative, is hot on his trail, but when she too becomes compromised, security chief Veronica Ellis knows there is only one man she can turn to. He’s a loose cannon, but she needs his help to rescue her agent and prevent a full-blown international incident.The trouble is, Tom Gray has gone to ground. Finding him is just the beginning.

Vengeance is here!

That's right! Gray Vengeance, the latest installment in the Tom Gray series, is now available.  Here's the blurb:

Da Sunan Annabi has a ruthless new leader whose aim is to train British nationals to bring England to its knees.
As their plans unfold with deadly precision and Britain is crippled by a series of attacks, the government is forced to deploy its new secret weapon: a surveillance network that can spy on nearly every human being on earth. It is nearly foolproof—but is it ethical? And does that even matter now?
Soon, Tom Gray and his daughter are in the militia’s sights, and their lives depend on Gray finding the man behind the recent atrocities. His desperate search leads him to Africa and Cuba, for a final showdown with an enemy he could never have imagined.
Gray Vengeance, the fifth book in the action-packed Tom Gray series, leaves you breathless until the very last page.



Gay Vengeance is available from Amazon UK, Amazon US and lots of other Amazon territories. 

Gray Vengeance Giveaway

I regularly host giveaways on my Facebook page, but this one is rather special.




Gray Vengeance, the fifth book in the Tom Gray series, will be released on May 26th, but I am offering my readers the chance to win one of EIGHT copies on May 4th.  Five will be signed paperbacks, and the others will be the Kindle version.

Here's the blurb:


An African militia has a new leader—and Tom Gray has a deadly new problem.
Da Sunan Annabi has a ruthless new leader whose aim is to train British nationals to bring England to its knees.
As their plans unfold with deadly precision and Britain is crippled by a series of attacks, the government is forced to deploy its new secret weapon: a surveillance network that can spy on nearly every human being on earth. It is nearly foolproof—but is it ethical? And does that even matter now?
Soon, Tom Gray and his daughter are in the militia’s sights, and their lives depend on Gray finding the man behind the recent atrocities. His desperate search leads him to Africa and Cuba, for a final showdown with an enemy he could never have imagined.
To take part, visit my Facebook page and follow the simple instructions.  As always, no purchase necessary:  https://www.facebook.com/GrayJustice
Best of luck!

Cover reveal - Gray Vengeance

With only a couple of months to go until the fifth Tom Gray adventure hits the shelves, it's time to reveal the cover created by my publisher, Thomas & Mercer.





Gray Vengeance will hit the shelves on May 26th 2015.  here's the blurb:


An African militia has a new leader—and Tom Gray has a deadly new problem.
Da Sunan Annabi has a ruthless new leader whose aim is to train British nationals to bring England to its knees.
As their plans unfold with deadly precision and Britain is crippled by a series of attacks, the government is forced to deploy its new secret weapon: a surveillance network that can spy on nearly every human being on earth. It is nearly foolproof—but is it ethical? And does that even matter now?
Soon, Tom Gray and his daughter are in the militia’s sights, and their lives depend on Gray finding the man behind the recent atrocities. His desperate search leads him to Africa and Cuba, for a final showdown with an enemy he could never have imagined.
Gray Vengeance, the fifth book in the action-packed Tom Gray series, leaves you breathless until the very last page.

Dilemma: how do I up the word count?

Here's one of my recent days:  I'm up at five in the morning, so after taking a bath and getting dressed, I've got about an hour to write before I have to go to work.  Unfortunately, I have my social media to take care of, too, and that can often take up a whole morning.  That was the case on Thursday. Then it's off to work, and that keeps me occupied for the next nine hours.  I'm back home by 3.30, just in time to break up the first argument of the evening.  Much as I love the girls, they fight like cat and dog.  Once everything has calmed down, it's usually time for dinner, then getting the girls ready for bed.  Only then can I think about getting a few words on paper.

Okay, that was an extreme example, but despite that, if I could get 500 words done in a normal day, I called that a success.

Until now.

Five hundred words a day meant one book a year, and as my following has grown, I know that will never be enough.  That's why I've decided to quit the day job and concentrate on being a full time author!

I will take the next two weeks off to spend Christmas with my girls, and from January 5th 2015 I will sit down each day with a minimum  target of 1500 words per day.  That should enable me to write a book in three months, which means at least three new adventures every year.

I've already started book 6, which once again sees Tom Gray leaping into action, this time to rescue a friend from some Russian mobsters.  After that, I plan to write three spin-off books starring MI5 operative Andrew Harvey and his sidekick Hamad Farsi.  I think my readers will agree that Tom needs a rest!  I also have the seed of an idea for a standalone featuring brand new characters.

That's the next year and a half plotted out, and I should know by then if my decision to quit the day job was a wise one.

In the meantime, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year!