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Why did you choose to write crime fiction over other genres?
Due to my reading always being crime books, it was automatic to choose this genre to write in. My books feature the police procedure involved in achieving the result in an investigation. I enjoy this side of the stories; I have never been the type of reader who can guess who the criminal is. This happened naturally in my writing that the criminal would be known to the reader, and then they would have the journey with the police in solving the case. I think this is something I have always enjoyed in my own reading, so want to put this across in my books. I have written some short stories in other genres, though I always feel they are not far away from becoming another crime story. I like reading occasionally other genres but very quickly return to crime novels.
Your main character is Detective Inspector Ray Keane. What was the inspiration behind the character and is he based on anyone you know?
Ray Keane came about mainly with me thinking that I wanted a character with a nickname, so going on the phrase of Keen as Mustard, I then came to the name of D.I Ray Keane and the thought he would always be fully committed to his job hence the nickname, though even though he knew of it, people only mentioned out of his hearing. He is not based on anyone, though I have had it mentioned since the last book, that people felt he was based on myself. This is only down to some of his lifestyle and not deliberate, I find it interesting to hear others describe him as I have never given any description of him, preferring to let the readers build up a picture. I laughed when a lady I knew asked why couldn’t she meet someone like him as he was lovely, I explained that he wasn’t real and just my imagination, while feeling proud that I had done a good job.
If you could ask one person (living or dead) one question, who would you ask and what would be your question?
Hopefully, you will allow me 2 people to answer this question. First my Mum, who is no longer with us; I would like to ask is she proud of my writing achievements. Then secondly from a writer’s point of view, I would like to ask Agatha Christie how she went about her writing style, and getting it down on paper.
What advice would you give to someone starting their writing journey?
I have always answered this question in the same way. Just go for it, it is not easy but can be rewarding if you enjoy it. Do not set targets, if possible, write every day in some form. Read books in a similar genre and make use of social media to meet like minded people. As you progress take on board support from others and also give support to others.
~ T.G. Campbell, August 2023
KEANE AS MUSTARD:
An Interview with Ken Ward
Back in June I attended the first UK Crime Book Club Live event in Leeds, and one of the amazing authors I met there was Ken Ward. I’m delighted to now welcome Ken to this month’s blog for a chat about his writing, his journey, and much more.
I started by asking him to say a bit about himself.
I was born in London in 1960, moving to Witham in Essex with my parents in 1962. I lived in Essex until 1988, when I moved to Norfolk, moving to Torrington St Clement Norfolk in 2011. I married Jan in 2012 ana we share the house with 2 poodles Duggie and Violet who like to keep me company when I’m writing. I have always been an avid reader and in 1990 decided to attempt writing. With an old typewriter and a ream of paper I decided it would be the next bestseller, very quickly I realised I had a lot to learn. Putting the idea to one side it stayed there until 2008, I joined a local writing group following an exercise in the group the character D.I Ray Keane was born. The exercise was to write a paragraph about something happening in the local park, this developed into the book One Good Shot. I self-published this in 2010, following it up with Tower of Silence and Knife of Honour. Life and work made writing take a back seat until 2020, the pandemic allowed me to concentrate on the next book Time for Revenge which was published by Austin Macauley Publishers in September 2022. The book has sold well, and I enjoy the promotional work of giving talks to various organisations. Straw, Blood, and Bones is the next book which is currently with publishers. Though the books are a series, Time for Revenge introduces the main characters and is a rebirth of D.I. Ray Keane, so can be read as a starting point.