Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m on my 7th. The first five were a mess, though. It takes a while to get good. Meanwhile, you’ve got to pay the rent. Appease your landlord. Pour drinks, sort the mail, move furniture. Whatever it takes, really…
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Blackspoon. I saw an article on the BBC about soldiers smuggling heroin back from the war in Afghanistan, and thought it was a really interesting jumping off point for a thriller and character piece. Especially as there was no follow up to that report. Like, what happened then..?
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No. I basically avoid it at all costs like most writers.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Lately, Steve Toltz, Owen Jones and Patrick De Witt have really blown my hair back. Just amazing work. You really dream of being half as good.
What are you working on now?
The Sweet Oil of Vitriol: A Tom Glaze Hit.
It’s a thriller about an ex-Mossad operative who goes undercover at a top London hotel (posing as a room-service waiter) in order to perpetrate the perfect hit.
First in a series, hopefully. A sort of combination between Tom Ripley and Jason Bourne.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Right now I’m just trying to collect a bunch of reviews, trying to make an impression. Work out who’s who…
Do you have any advice for new authors?
You’re a soldier.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Einstein said, ‘Keep it simple, but no simpler that it need to be.’
What are you reading now?
The Establishment And How They Get Away With It, by Owen Jones.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m going to watch every episode of the Sopranos. Take notes this time.
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?
A Fraction Of The Whole, by Steve Toltz
The Sisters Brothers, by Patrick De Witt
Ransom, by Jay McInerney
The Contortionist’s Handbook, by Craig Clevenger