I live with my wife and dogs in Whitehead, a quiet Victorian town on the Antrim Coast in Northern Ireland. We have a 19th Century house that's a couple of stone's throws from the beach. Belfast is a little over 15 miles away in one direction and the beautiful coast road heads north in the other. After half a lifetime living and working overseas, this is an ideal place to settle. If Northern Ireland were a few degrees warmer it would be the Caribbean of Europe.
I don't know where the idea for a 17 year old female sleuth first came from. I have nothing in common with Bailey aside from the fact I love animals and once lived in Farnham where her misadventures take place. But she's a lot of fun to write, and she let's me say things in print that I'd never say in life.
Deciding where to start Bailey's story was difficult. I could have begun with her already established as a detective. And I could have given her bigger cases to work on. But I didn't. I started at the beginning of her sleuthing career, when she is hurt and mostly broken. Her transition from failed teenager to Private Investigator is a big part of who Bailey is and I want readers to experience her path of discovery.
I have big plans for Bailey. The second series will feature three novel-length episodes that see her mature as her cases develop. I'm mapping out a 'locked room' mystery for her, and an impossible 'time of death' crime. I'm not sure if either will make the final cut yet, but if they do, it will give Bailey a lot to think about.
I'm inspired by authors who take time to craft a novel and weave story-lines that deliver more than first appears. Unforgettable characters, memorable dialogue and unexpected plot twists are the core ingredients of all my favourite authors ... Jeffery Deaver, Agatha Christie and Thomas Harris.
I also much admire every independent author who manages to juggle their love of writing with a full-time job. These multi-talented folk rely on dedication and determination to get the job done.
I'm a part-time writer with a couple of day jobs. I code websites and craft furniture to pay the bills, and fill the gaps between the two with writing. Of course I want to be a full-time writer. Who wouldn't? It's something I've wanted since I was a kid. But life and loves got in the way and I took my eye off the ball. But now I'm focussed and I hope to finish the first Bailey series in the Summer of 2021. And then ... who knows? Maybe more Bailey ... or something completely different.
