Interview With Author Stuart McIntyre
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I started writing books after I had to give up my full-time job to care for my wife and son who do not keep in the best of health. Through a love of reading and watching Western movies and documentaries, it was only natural that the genre for my books was Westerns: Cowboys, Indians, Outlaws etc;
I find that writing books is relaxing and takes me away from the everyday struggle of trying my best to care for my family.
My debut novel “Cameron of Carson Creek” featured a young man from Scotland (where I live) who, through circumstances, found himself in the Wild West of America in the late 19th Century. After this, many of my subsequent books, although all based in the Wild West, contained subtle links to my homeland.
I have now written and self-published 12 books and I am currently working on book number 13. Let’s hope that it is not unlucky 13.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The last book that I published was “Beyond The Savage Plains”. It tells the story of a young man (Caleb Sadler) who, when he was 8 years of age, had a 5 year old friend who was also his neighbour. Without giving away the plot Caleb, when he is older, is required to search for his young friend after she is taken prisoner.
The story was inspired by several Western movies that I have watched and, in particular, “The Missing” featuring Tommy Lee Jones, Cate Blanchett and Val Kilmer.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t really have any unusual writing habits. If an idea comes into my head (normally when I am sleeping) I simply start writing down the ideas on a Word Document. So far all of the ideas have manifested into the beginnings of a story and the books just flow from there.
One day, if I get a good idea for a story, I’d love to go somewhere quiet, particularly to the West of America, e.g. Arizona, Wyoming, Oregon etc and write the story in the settings where most of my books take place.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
My favourite author of all time has to be Stephen King. I have read all of his early work and some of his later stuff. I also particularly like Robert R. McCammon. His book “The Wolf’s Hour” is possibly my favourite book of all time.
Although I write Western novels, there are no particular Western Authors that have influenced me although I do like the works of Louis L’amour and Zane Grey.
What are you working on now?
I am currently working on my 13th novel. It is as yet untitled but, as most of my books have, it has a subtle link to my homeland of Scotland. I am about a third of the way through the book and ideas are still coming to me. Hopefully I will finish the book early in the New Year and aim to publish the book in the Spring of 2026 (fingers crossed)
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Promoting my books is a rather difficult subject for me. As mentioned earlier, I am a carer for my wife and son, an unpaid carer, therefore finances are incredibly tight for me which means that I do not have the resources to hire a publisher to promote my work. Given these circumstances, I currently only advertise my work on Amazon KDP, Cravebooks and Goodreads. I am not a great user of Social Media which means I cannot use Facebook, Instagram or Twitter to promote my work.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
I would simply say to anyone thinking about writing a book to “GO FOR IT!!!”. What have you got to lose. I know from personal experience that it can be a frightening prospect to put your work “out there” but if you don’t do it, you’ll never know if it would have been successful. It could literally change your life but, if not, at least you’ll still have the pleasure in knowing that your hard work is out there for everybody to see and there is no doubt that you’ll give anyone who reads your book enjoyment and that in itself is incredibly satisfying.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I was told by my late father on many occasions when I was young “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it”. I have applied this policy to my writing in that, if I am happy with what I have written, then I won’t amend or edit my work.
What are you reading now?
I am not reading anything at the moment simply because I am currently working on my latest book. The next book that I plan to read is “The Limping Lady” by Livia Huntingdon-Jones. It is a true story about an American spy during World War II. The spy is female and she has a limp. I simply love non-fiction books about events that happened during the Second World War.
What’s next for you as a writer?
As already mentioned, I am currently working on my 13th novel. I aim to finish the book early in the New Year and hopefully publish it in the Spring. Things don’t always go to plan however, but hopefully there will be no delays. I also need to come up with a title too!!!
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?
I would take the following four books, all of which I have read before but they were so good that, if stranded on a desert island, I would never tire of reading them again. In no particular order they are:
“The Wolf’s Hour” by Robert R McCammon
“It” by Stephen King
“Salem’s Lot” by Stephen King
“The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank
Author Websites and Profiles
Stuart McIntyre Amazon Profile
Stuart McIntyre’s Social Media Links
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