Interview – David Coles – My train of thoughts on…

Dear readers,

a little while ago – on 2013-10-05 – I introduced British author David Coles to you by providing his 10 Statements (10 Statements – David Coles). On Friday, 2014-03-07, my husband and I had the great pleasure to meet him and his wife Jan at the National Railway Museum in York for a short interview.

David, you and your partner in writing, Jack Everett, have written awesome books for different genres. What is your favourite genre?

My favourite genre is definitely fantasy and science fiction, perhaps favouring fantasy slightly more. Like Jack, we grew up when UK libraries were stocking f&sf from Victor Gollancz – we didn’t know each other then, of course but we both used to wander round the shelves looking at all the yellow jackets: VG’s trade mark.

Researching for a story – do you enjoy it that much that you are already inspired for another book?

I enjoy researching, I think Jack finds it less enjoyable but in both cases, it can lead to another book. Since Jack is often the initiator of a particular book, my research goes on at the same time as writing, thank goodness for the Internet and Google maps.

How do you and Jack split your work on a book?

This has changed over the years. At the start of our partnership, we used to write alternate chapters and try to leave the hero in big trouble so the other had to get him/her out of it before continuing in the same way. Nowadays, Jack has graduated to thrillers at which he is better at coming up with ideas; so now, I follow along behind checking facts as I go and adding further ideas to the plot. A case in point is our forthcoming DI White novel: “Damaged Souls” (ms has just gone to the publishers last week) where I added a full preliminary chapter following the villain’s service in the Bosnian conflict and setting the scene for his subsequent activities in the UK.

What about post-processing – how much time does it normally take?

Post-processing, I assume you refer to editing and polishing; takes some months. Jack & I will read and polish the manuscript twice, sometimes more and then divide it into separate chapters to be dealt with by our editor at the publishers – Barking Rain Press. Ti Locke is an editorial director and fantastic editor and I count her very much as a friend. She queries words or phrases not used in America: … parked on the verge – no such thing: parked on the roadside grass. Just one example of how a common language separates our two countries. She also suggests connections or possibilities we haven’t noticed. That process takes at least 6 weeks: two checks through the manuscript with each chapter being returned each time with the queries and a final check once the manuscript is ready for printing and eBook conversion. Turning the edited work into print-ready copy is no small task either and must take its turn in the queue.

What is your next project – would you like to provide a little teaser?

We’re contemplating a fourth outing for our DI White – a more light-hearted Agatha Christie type of thing and just possibly, a third sf volume in the “Arcady” series, though not with Gyle Meredon this time (as far as we know). Adele has already started a second in the “Amaranthines” series; she wants to write 3 or 4 books, each one narrated by a different character; this one by ‘Uncle Max’ is set at the turn of the 12^th century in Rome – now there’s a job and a half of research.

Preview – Prologue

Amaranthines series – preview: Prologue

Thank you very much for these amazing insights, David!

Dear readers,

for more information on David Coles, Jack Everett, Adele Abbot, and their works, please refer to the following related articles. Further reviews are upcoming, among others Postponing Armageddon by Adele Abbot.

Related articles:

Review – 1/1: Jihad-Britain

Review – The Diamond Seekers

10 Statements – Jack Everett

10 Statements – David Coles

http://www.davidbcoles.co.uk/

http://www.archimedespresseuk.com/

http://archimedespresseuk.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/at-national-railway-museum.html