Book: The Forgotten Gun
Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
My name is John Reid, born in Scotland more years ago than I care to remember (73 years young) and am currently enjoying retirement with my wife of over 50 years Liz splitting our time between Scotland and Portugal. Now that I am finally retired, and both children grown up, I have had time to concentrate on writing and bringing the ideas that I have carried around for years to life!!!
My early years were spent in the army serving in the Royal Corps of Transport on a Short a Service a Commission, serving in both Northern Ireland and the Middle East. My working career began in management trainee positions and ended in CEO positions working in venture capital and fund management. I was fortunate to travel widely before the world became so accessible, seeing different cultures first-hand and learning as you go – there was no Trip Advisor in those days!! I’m still not sure of the origins of several meals to this day, but slow flights and hotels in deserts gave me plenty of time to read!!
I’m also delighted that I can use writing to benefit Sense, a, a great charity that supports anyone living with complex disabilities. For anyone who is deafblind. Sense helps people communicate and experience the world. The believe that no one, no matter how complex their disabilities, should be isolated, left out, or unable to fulfil their potential, just as I do.
My only regret is that I waited this long to start writing, it has become a real passion. There are times when I wish I could type with more than finger though!!!
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing ‘The Forgotten Gun’ book?
Starting. I had a blank piece of paper and an idea for a story that I had thought about for a lot of years, but once I got that first paragraph down it immediately started to flow, with a sense of excitement at finally getting the nuances and subtleties of the story down on paper. Each book has been referred to as a ‘screenplay’, and that is exactly how I write.
The central plot for “The Forgotten Gun” is based on something that I had often thought about and intrigued me as an idea – The idea that someone can be killed, it looks like a shooting, but there is no bullet or any obvious firing point. Woven around this central story is an introduction to the main character in the series – DCI Steve Burt. A decorated but disgraced officer with a final chance to save his career, hindered by an impossible case to solve a newly formed team of misfits to manage.
The success of every story is getting the characters right. I wanted to create characters most people could identify with. Real people doing a real job, but to never become boring, predictable or disappear as in some books. Every character has a story, and I try to make the reader struggle to predict their next moves.
I also wanted to show a working policeman doing his job 24 hours a day with no padding out of the story line with statements such as “the following week etc. etc. ” Real policemen work their cases each day and my readers follow their time-line.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
I’m an avid reader and have a wide and varied reading history. I wouldn’t say that any author in particular has influenced my writing style, but there are many authors that I admire, and I respect every single author who has had the courage and commitment to get their words into print. I have a style all of my own and deliberately do not follow any formula or other authors works – it keeps it fresh, orginal and a pleasure to write.
There are a number of incredible series from the likes of Lee Childs and Ian Rankin, and my guilty pleasure of Rumpole from the Bailey by John Mortimer, and I hope that the DCI Steve Burt series can emulate these fine bodies of work.
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
My wife and I live in both Scotland and Portugal. In Scotland our favourite spot is Loch Ness. The scenery is spectacular and you can still find places unspoiled by tourism and as nature intended. Finding lovely local bars, cafes and restaurants off the beaten track is one of our favourite hobbies!!
When in Portugal on the Algarve we enjoy walking the cliff tops and taking in the outstanding rugged, natural scenery with views out to sea. The choice of restaurants in the Algarve is incredible and my wife and I together with other friends enjoy eating out and trying different restaurants, all in the name of research obviously.
Q5. Is there lots to do before you drive in and start writing a book?
I think I am lucky in that I have a very productive imagination.
In all seven books to date, with the exception of “The Forgotten Gun”, I have started with only a vague idea for a plot and have allowed the characters to write their own script. So in answer to your question – no. There’s not a lot to do. I find if I give the characters the outline of a plot they then take over and I follow. I know it sounds weird but that’s how I write.
Q6. How long did it take you to write ‘The Forgotten Gun’ book?
I had the idea for “The Forgotten Gun” for decades in my head. I was lucky in that my way of writing was instant. As I said I allow the characters to run the story. “The Forgotten Gun” took me six weeks to write and my wife another six weeks to proof-read.
On each subsequent book I always have a vague idea for a plot-line, and once I sit down and weave in a series of sub-plots, characters and intrigue the stories flow naturally, growing and evolving with the characters.
I find it really enjoyable, quite absorbing, and a relatively quick process. The stories keep getting better and better too, although my publisher might just be saying that!!!
Q7. On what all platforms readers can find ‘The Forgotten Gun’ book to buy?
I confess that today’s communication technology is beyond me so I am grateful for my in house support. I am reliably informed that ‘The Forgotten Gun’ is available on Amazon and the Austin Macauley website as the main channels. Other bookstores are available.
We also have a dedicated website for the series – http://www.steve-burt.com – and profiles on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram if anybody wants to take a look.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘The Forgotten Gun’ ?
The book cover was started by our publisher and as a family we discussed it and came up with a few suggestions that were taken onboard. We wanted to create a mystery and not design a book cover that gave too much away. As to the title, as the story line evolves we could see only one title. The Forgotten Gun. The novel is after all about a gun that was forgotten.
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
The simple answer is I don’t know. I devise plots with multiple layers of intrigue and find making notes surrounding the characters activity help me keep abreast of the action. Because the characters set their own agenda I feel the stories are always fresh. If I as the author don’t know what an individual character is going to do next, then the reader cannot possibly guess. It is always fresh and unpredictable.
Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?
I am sure there are but giving too much away in the blurb would spoil it for the reader. All I can say is that the identity of the killer, the reason he has selected his victims and his means of killing all become clear towards the final chapters of the novel. DCI Steve Burt and his misfit team uncover a web of events the reader could never imagine. I have been told it is a real page turner.
Book Is Available On Amazon
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