AUTHOR IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Petra Lozano, Creator of author2ubooks.ning.com is pleased to interview,
Brian Kavanagh, Author of the Belinda Lawrence Mystery Series.

Hello Brian thank you for participating in this interview.

Petra:

What inspires you to write, and is the mystery genre your favorite?

Brian:

Well my life has been involved with making films and they are a form of storytelling. So I've always 'written' in one form or another. Only in the past ten years have I attempted writing novels, prior to that I have had experience in script writing so it seemed a natural progression. I don't believe I have the gift to write something that will change the world but I hope that my books are entertaining, as that is what I view them to be - entertainments. I do enjoy reading mystery novels usually one with an amateur sleuth - I like the idea of ordinary people being introduced into a difficult situation and having to resolve it. It also permits for character development. Other books I enjoy are biographies and books on history.

Petra:

Where did you grow up?

Brian:

I was born and grew up in Melbourne, Australia where I still live. I have travelled quite a lot over the years and lived and worked in other States around Australia. I grew up during the war years and although I knew about the war - we had air raid practice at school and had to be marched off to hide in trenches -at that early age it didn't seem a threat to me. In later years I came to realise the truth and how close Australia came to being invaded. I was fortunate enough to be raised in a loving family environment along with my older brother. The realisation of how much my parents, in particular my father, had faced bad times only came to me as I grew older myself and my father had much to complain about. But he never did and always looked to the future with determination. I like to think that I inherited some of his positive attitudes.

Petra:

Who or what was the earliest influence that compelled you to write?

Brian:

We didn't really have many books in the house when I was growing up but it was the Saturday afternoon cinema films that attracted me to writing or more accurately storytelling. I often wrote the story of a film as a play in an exercise book when I returned from the cinema. Later I discovered a local library and for a penny each week would hire a book. I suppose I read most of the books that children read at that time, Biggles etc., Boys adventures. In my teens I discovered the classic writers although I preferred twentieth century writers such as Steinbeck, Evelyn Waugh, and eventually Agatha Christie, which developed into my liking for mystery novels.

Petra:

Do you have a routine or writing philosophy that you follow?

Brian:

I tend to take a long time letting the idea develop in my mind before I actually start to write. I like a start and an end but leave the route between the two to develop and ferment as I write. And I often let my characters guide me.

Petra:

What compelled you to choose a female protagonist, and was it difficult to voice her?

Brian:

Choosing a female protagonist seemed logical as I suspected that the bulk of book readers these days are women. Also women are more interesting to write about - their emotions are often closer to the surface. There is also the classic ploy of having a female under threat and how she can use her own abilities to resolve the situation.

Petra:

Is there an underlying message in your novels?

Brian:

Not really except for the old adage "crime does not pay" but in my new novel, BLOODY HAM there is a background of big business, in this case the film industry, and how power and greed can corrupt while often the innocent suffer as a consequence.

Petra:

How much of your actual life is intertwined in the characters, or are most pure fiction?

Brian:

Pure fiction, although Belinda and Hazel, the two women in my books, are to some extent based on women I have known.

Petra:

Tell us a little about your favorite character in this particular novel. How did you create him/her and what was your inspiration for him/her?

Brian:

In CAPABLE OF MURDER Belinda the lead character was inspired by the number of young Australians who travel to England and Europe for two of three years before they return home and settle down. There has always been a very strong tie between England and Australia. Belinda would have returned had she not inherited her Aunt's cottage. That of course changed her life. I travelled and worked in London for a time as most of my friends did so I suppose I was drawing on my experiences as well in creating the character. But Hazel Whitby is a particular favourite. Hazel was originally just a very minor character but somehow she took over. Or at least demanded to become a central character. In the second book, THE EMBROIDERED CORPSE, her character develops further and now she is an equal with Belinda. I like Hazel as she is irreverent, worldly and witty and a good foil for the younger, Belinda.

Petra:

How easy was it to write this novel? Do you write in outline format, or do you write each chapter as you go?

Brian:

As I said, I like to have a beginning and an end and let the story develop while writing. I know where I want to go but like the idea of moving off the straight and narrow to get there. In the case of CAPABLE OF MURDER the idea was suggested when a friend of mine did actually inherit a small cottage in a tiny village near Bath. I often used to visit him and got to know the area very well and the history of the old cottage. Over a period of time the idea for the story came to me and I drew on my knowledge of the area and the cottage. I tend to start at the beginning and continue naturally through to the end, chapter by chapter in chronological order. At least in the first draft. Then I rewrite and edit and that can be more disorderly.

Petra:

How do you feel about your publishing choice? Would you recommend it to others, or would you now only use traditional publishers?

Brian:

I am quite happy with BeWrite Books, and their way of working with an author is excellent and they pay much attention to editing, style and the cover. It would be nice to see copies in book stores but frankly, with the number of books that sit on shelves and are remaindered it may not be worth it. I get book blindness when I enter Borders for example - wall to wall books. Frightening. It requires a lot of work doing publicity but the same applies with traditional publishers, who I'm led to believe do very little in the way of promoting authors and their books - unless you are a best seller.

Petra:

What are you working on currently? Are there more novels in your immediate future?

Brian:

I have another idea for Belinda Lawrence and also a new idea for a one off novel - but at this stage it is only a vague idea. I have the start but not the end! Also I am working on the second draft of a film script.

Petra:

Is there anything else you wish to tell your readers that we have not covered?

Brian:

Only to keep reading and to explore some of the newer writers. I see on some book groups the same fashionable authors' names cropping up time and time again and they are usually best sellers. That's fine but in the rush to be up-to-the-minute and be in on the latest best seller, readers often overlook some genuine talents that deserve attention.

Petra:

That is the idea of Author2u, to explore new authors from around the world, and also give them a read.
Thank you for granting me this interview, Brian, and I wish you continued success with your writing career.


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FLY WITH THE MOURNING DOVE by Velda Brotherton

EDNA LIVED WHAT I ONLY DREAMED ABOUT AS A CHILD

This story about a true account of Edna's life, brought back memories of my own childhood, when I dreamed of moving to America and living in the wild wild west. Now that I've read this history of an amazing life and all its ups and downs it tears at your heart strings and you can only imagine all the strenght and determination it took to endure the harsh condition Edna and her family had to endure. I highly recommend this book to all who have so much and don't appreciate it.
I was saddened when the storyline ended, for it was way too early. Edna's life had truly just begun, and I hope Velda Brotherton will consider adding another book to portray the remainder of a life story worth sharing.
Petra Lozano
Creator of author2ubooks.ning.com

AUTHORS! IF YOU WANT YOUR BOOK TO BE REVIEWED BY AUTHOR 2 U BOOK NETWORK, THEN CONTACT PETRA HERE AT THE SITE, OR SEND AN E-MAIL TO:
stitcher5000@msn.com