Portobello Book Blog

Welcome back Graham. First of all, would you tell me a little about yourself? 

I’m nearer forty than fifty although only just. I’m married with one son and somehow my day job is general manager of a family owned hotel and wedding venue despite the fact I trained as a joiner. 

What inspired you to start writing?

I’ve always been a reader and after tossing the umpteenth book across the room muttering “I could write better than this” it finally became time for me to put my money where my mouth is.

Tell me about your journey to publication

I am the organiser of a weekend of crime writing masterclasses called Crime and Publishment (www.crimeandpublishment.co.uk) which teaches aspiring authors various different skills. One of the sessions I include every year is being taught how to pitch by an agent or publisher. They also listen to our pitches and I was lucky enough to make a successful pitch and secure my first publishing contract. I’m very proud that five other attendees have also signed publishing deals.

In a nutshell, what is your latest book about?

Watching the Bodies tells of how a Utah doorman finds himself tracking a twisted serial killer with a most unusual method of selecting his next victim.

How did you come up with the title for your book?

I’ll be honest here and admit that Watching the Bodies isn’t the original title. As my publisher had recently released a book with the original title we both felt it was best to change the title of mine. So I bounced ideas off a couple of writing friends and the publisher until we settled for Watching the Bodies.

How do you plan to celebrate publication day?

I plan to celebrate by drinking my own bodyweight in water, smoking too many cigarettes and then perhaps a meal with family or drinks with friends.

Do you have a work in progress just now?

I’m currently editing a novel and novella in the Harry Evans series and as soon as they are finished I’ll be started Jake Boulder three.

What’s your favourite book you’ve read in the past few months? Or favourite three if you really can’t choose!

I’m going to cop out and say three because I’m fortunate to have read many excellent books. They are:

The Quiet Death of Thomas Quaid by the ever wonderful Craig Russell

Streets of Darkness by Amit Dhand is a simply stunning debut

Summoning the Dead By Tony Black is magnificently written around a harrowing subject

                    

What are you reading just now? 

In Feb 17 I’m reading Sacrifice by Paul Finch and while I’ve only read a few pages, I can’t wait to read more.

If you were on Desert Island Discs, what one book would you take with you?

I’d take the Lord of the Rings so I could learn as much as possible about creating a new world.

Is there a book you’d like to see made into a film? 

Other than my own? I have so many writing friends I’d like to see have this success it’s really hard to choose but if pushed I’d say Lennox by Craig Russell as I just love the whole atmosphere of the stories and Lennox is imbued with my kind of sardonic wit.

How can people follow you or connect with you on social media?

I’m on the birdy place @grahamsmith1972 and the book of faces at https://www.facebook.com/grahamnsmithauthor/ I tend to be on the book of faces much more than the birdy place so it’s the best place to holler at me.

And finally, if you could be a character in any book you have read, who would it be and why?

I’d be Jack Reacher. He’s big, brainy and has no stresses in life other than having nowhere to go and all the time in the world to get there.