Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
After growing up in the north east of England, studying English Literature at Sunderland University and failing to make it as a rock star, the real story began in 2006, when just days after my 27th birthday, I boarded a plane to Sydney, Australia, with no return ticket.
I spent 2 years in the land downunder and travelled through every far flung corner of the country, earning my keep by taking up jobs doing everything from pruning grape vines to tractor driving. In my spare time I vowed to try every new experience that was offered my way, no matter how crazy. I climbed glaciers, Swam with sharks, jumped from aeroplanes and pretty much tried to live life as much as possible.
During this time overseas, I was also fortunate enough to meet the love of my life; Katie. Upon our return to the UK in 2009, what was originally intended as a birthday present (a travel journal recounting our time in Asia) ultimately led to me finding my vocation in life. The travel journal soon progressed to fiction and I have since completed 3 novels and have several more in various stages of completion.
The Outback and Stealing Asia are currently available on Amazon and Diamond Sky is scheduled for release in the summer of 2014.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Diamond Sky is my third novel, but was really the first idea I had. It is about grief, loss and an inability to let go of our loved ones. The plot is based around a group of scientists in a remote location in the Australian outback who are conducting experiments into astral projection. The aim of the research is to explore otherwise inaccessible parts of the galaxy, but one of the team has an ulterior motive. She lost her parents at a young age and is determined to find evidence of continued existence beyond death.
The story came to me after a bad day at work. I got home and tried to think of the one place I would want to be to get away from everything. My mind settled on the Australian outback. There is nothing more beautiful than a clear night desert sky. There is so much colour in the stars – they glisten and sparkle like diamonds, hence the book’s title. When I wrote the Outback, I originally planned on developing it into the astral projection plot, but decided to go a different way and replaced the supernatural elements with Aboriginal superstition, creating a psychological murder mystery rather than a sci-fi thriller.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I use only very vague outlines and tend to write by the seat of my pants. Therefore, my writing is very sporadic. When I am “in the zone” I can write for hours, churning out 10,000 words. When I am not, I can go days without writing a thing. During these blank moments I will edit or work on my blog just to keep writing.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I first fell in love with books when I was introduced to Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series as a teenager. Those books completely changed how I defined my reality. I started writing fiction after graduating from university, but a dull office job sapped my creativity and it was only when travelling and I picked up a John Grisham novel at a book exchange that my love of the written word was rekindled.
In terms of my writing, Alex Garland’s The Beach was the biggest influence. I saw how he used his experiences travelling to create incredible fiction and emulated (though not copied) this spirit in my first two novels, which are about backpackers in Australia and Asia respectively.
What are you working on now?
I am adapting Diamond Sky into a trilogy. I am writing the second and third installments back to back and hope to have them ready by the end of the year.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have only just begun the long, arduous task of promotion. I wanted to wait until I had built up several titles before promoting myself. I plan on experimenting a lot in this respect over the coming months.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Take all advice with a pinch of salt. All writers are different and approach their art in a unique way. There are no rules that are completely universal. Just try to stay as true to yourself as possible. Write the stories that you want to read, not what you think others want to read. Finally, read ‘On Writing’ by Stephen King. If you only read one book about writing, that is the one to read.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Remove all unnecessary words and avoid the passive voice (Stephen King). Basically, it is not the words that matter, it is how effectively those words convey the story. The story forms in the readers imagination, not on the page. Over complicated prose creates a barrier to the reader forming those images. Reading should never require effort, but always be a pleasure.
What are you reading now?
I am doing the final proofread for Diamond Sky, but outside of my own work I am reading The Luck of the Weissensteiners by Christoph Fischer. He is an author and reviewer who has been incredibly supportive of my writing so the least I can do is to spare him the time he has given for me. I have not read much historical fiction (outside of my uni course, at least) and seeing the amount of research that goes into such stories is truly inspiring.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Fame, fortune, seven figure movie deals. Until that comes, I will just keep on writing. One day, I would like to write a screenplay, whether it be an adaptation of one of my novels or a completely original work.
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?
Number one has to be my anthology of John Lennon’s two books, A Spaniard in the Works/In His own Write. The stories and poems Lennon writes are surreal and often disturbing, but perhaps give more insight into the author than his music did.
The Beach by Alex Garland is a book that I can read over and over. It is also quite fitting for the desert island.
Lastly, I would look for a book of survival tips by the British adventurer Bear Grylls. If anybody knows how to survive on a desert island, it is Mr Grylls.
Author Websites and Profiles
David Clarkson Website
David Clarkson Amazon Profile
David Clarkson’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account