Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in England and raised in Zambia like my hero Wilbur Smith. As a child of eight, I would travel between my boarding school in the north of England and my family home in Lusaka, Zambia. I developed a deep affinity for the people of Africa and its spectacular natural wonders. My favourite spot in the whole world is the Luangwa Valley game reserve in eastern Zambia.
When I left university in the UK I became a procurement manager in London and the south east working for prestigious firms such as IBM before meeting my Australian wife and emigrating to Sydney. I have settled in the Sutherland Shire, south of Sydney for over twenty years and have four children aged 19, 18, 16 and 12.
I have written two novels, the Sleepwalker Legacy and the Nocnista Agenda.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called the Nocnista Agenda. I was inspired by my wife who told our kids not to put any photos or personal information on Facebook or the internet as it would come back to haunt them later in life. ‘Now there’s a great idea for a book’, I thought! And so was born the social media tycoon and serial killer Leo Wulff who bought a database used by the rich and famous. Those leaders of society who did not live up to his conservative values of ‘the American Way’ were systematically and brutally murdered by Wulff’s hit men operating under the code name ‘Nocnista’. (Night Hag.)
Much of the action is set in the civil war zone of the Eastern Ukraine and I have absolutely loved weaving into the book the customs, traditions, icons, exotic buildings and the beautiful but often ferocious people that inhabit this region. I have managed to include Pussy riot, Cyber criminals, and ancient religious sects into a whirlwind plot in which the hero Sam Jardine, and a number of incredibly strong female lead characters, have to save the world yet again.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I started writing novels a few years ago when I missed out on a promotion at work that would have had me flying around the world at least six times a year. Rather than feel sorry for myself, I decided I would do something constructive with the time I had been given back in my life and hence my writing career was born.
Much of the time I find for writing comes while watching my children play representative cricket on the fields of the Sutherland Shire in Sydney’s south. It’s amazing how many sentences can be written in between the fall of wickets.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I grew up reading the adventure books of Wilbur Smith who wrote about the plains of Africa, but I particularly enjoyed his Ancient Egyptian stories. I also enjoyed Frederick Forsyth (Day of the Jackal), Tom Clancy’s earlier books and all the historical fiction of Bernard Cornwell. If I were skilled enough I would write nothing but historical fiction!
I also love authors who are able to include subtle elements of humour into their thriller novels despite the seriousness of their genre. It is a rare and precious skill and provides a much needed break in the relentless tension that can sometimes make thrillers hard work to read. An absolute master of this art is Peter James with his DI Grace books. His novels are so good that I was inspired to finally put pen to paper and emulate his wonderful style as best I could in my own books.
What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a third book where much of the action will take place among the beautiful ruins and the volatile atmosphere of modern day Egypt. It will be the last book for the hero Sam Jardine who must negotiate his way through the politics, conspiracies and moral issues facing the oil industry. I have always had a fascination for Egyptian history and culture. This setting represents an opportunity to use Egypt’s stunning heritage, internal conflicts and fascinating people to create a conspiracy in which Sam will face global catastrophe.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My main character, Sam Jardine is a procurement manager. Procurement is usually seen as a dull profession like accounting, but the key difference is that procurement managers must also be excellent negotiators. This gives me the opportunity to throw Sam into some pretty hairy situations where he must use his powers of negotiation to save himself and the world.
It has the added benefit of allowing me to market directly to the half million or so procurement professionals in the English speaking world who would love to see one of their own as the new James Bond.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
It takes thousands of hours to write and fine tune a novel to the point where it becomes an enjoyable and effortless read. I was very lucky as I found the process completely addictive. I would experience withdrawal symptoms if I was not writing!
New authors must have a self-belief and determination to keep writing and never be satisfied until they have completed their first draft. Good advice from family, friends and experts coupled with hard work can turn an average book with a clunky style into a blockbuster!
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Follow your passion. You will always thrive if you enjoy doing what you do.
What are you reading now?
am researching the oil industry at the moment for my new novel and am reading the hilarious book
about life on the oil rigs by Paul Carter ‘Don’t Tell Mum I Work on the Rigs…She Thinks I’m a Piano
Player in a Whorehouse’!
What’s next for you as a writer?
More books in the James Bond genre, except that the leading characters could easily be any one of us with our faults, strange personality traits, relationship hang ups but unique and special qualities that make us all heroes.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
It is tempting to say Shakespeare or Dickens, but in reality I would like a thumping good read to take my mind off my predicament. Top of the list would be Wilbur Smith’s Egyptian blockbuster ‘River God’. The second would be Tom Clancy’s revenge novel ‘Without Remorse’, while the third would be the genre defining ‘Girl with the dragon tattoo’ by Stieg Larsson. To lighten the mood I would bring along my favourite book from my teen years – the hilarious ’Three Cheers for Me’ by Canadian author Donald Jack. This beautiful book, written in 1962 is an absolute gem that makes you laugh hysterically, cry and gasp in wonder every chapter.
Author Websites and Profiles
Christopher Hepworth Website
Christopher Hepworth Amazon Profile
Christopher Hepworth’s Social Media Links
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