I have lot’s of great memories from my childhood. I think to go on holidays with my grandparents to Aberystwyth in Wales every Easter was some of my fondest memories. It is a difficult one to answer really.

Not really, I used to get cheap books from the local newsagents. I think I did most of my reading because of school, I was never a book worm, and sad to say I still have difficulty staying with a book. My brain won’t let me relax; I’m afraid. It wants to write more than engaging in someone else’s, but I do love audible copies of books because I listen to them when I’m driving, or when I’m cooking.

I had always wanted to, I think. My older brother had joined years before me, and when I left school, I was in a job that had no real prospects – even though it was a good job, loved it. But there was no future or adventure. I decided to join up one day after seeing people in the local pub, sorting through their loose change to see if they could afford the next drink. I wanted more out of life.

That wasn’t my choice. I had done my 22 years’ service, and it was the standard leaving period of my rank. But it worked out for the best in the end as it happened. The writing came later during the job that I had started once I had left the forces.

It was an idea I had one day when I was bored at work, we had a lot of time to think on weekends. Lol. I had an idea of a character; the story came later.

I don’t think I had an inspiration for it, it was just something that just popped in there. Hard to explain really, but thinking about it, that is how I get most of my story ideas now, they just come to me.

Brian Armstrong, like most of my characters, evolves as the story goes on. I never plot, I just let the ideas seep into the story. Which can be exciting and at the same time infuriating because you may have to go back to parts in the manuscript and adapt them to what you have just written. When I started writing Broken Steel, I had no idea what it was going to be about. All I had was a husband and wife having an argument in a restaurant, and she dies. That was all I had.

I think knowing how to draw in the audience is to be as excited about what you are writing as what they are reading. I write for me. It is selfish to say, but as long as I’m happy with the story and the way it is going, that is all I’m happy about. Now, I know a lot of people will think I’m very full of myself – but the truth is I’m not. I’m just true to the story, and as a writer, you have to be. If you worry about what people want, you can lose the style, and that is what people love or hate about writers’ books. One brilliant author once said, “write the book that you have always wanted to read,” and it is true. An avid reader would have read Lee Child, James Patterson, Michael Connelly, Anthony Horowitz and so on, which is excellent. Still, then they want to see their style in your books because Lee did this, and James did that. I believe a writer – unless he is writing Bond or Holmes etc. should remain in their way of doing things. Which I believe is more engaging for a reader than lots of murders and explosions. If you keep true to your writing, they will always come back.

In truth, I don’t think any of my family have read my books. Which, in truth, I can live with because they would be seeing a side of me they are not used to. I don’t think any author who has someone close to them hasn’t gotten those despairing looks of “Oh, God, he or she wrote this, but they were such a lovely child,” lol. As a crime/ thriller novelist, we delve into a world that we hope will never happen, create people that should never walk this earth. And I’m okay with that, but it gets you funny looks at family reunions. Lol.

Truthfully, writing is the biggest pain in the butt a person could ever possibly go into. But it’s great. I think, as a writer, you have to be nuts to start with. I mean, what sane person would willingly lock themselves away for months on end have a coffee addiction. Have rages of anger because their brain won’t give up the goods. Get sleep deprivation because their brain keeps coming up with new ideas just before they are about to fall asleep. Have constant fear that the computer won’t do something that will cause the machine to suddenly be reduced to scrap metal and plastic? However, there is nothing more satisfying than looking back a chapter and thing you have created something remarkable. To type in that last word after months of gruelling pain and sweat and tears and know it was possibly your best work yet. It is hard, but it is worth it. A typical day for me when I’m not writing? I do security, so I cannot talk about it…sorry.

Unpublished – because I’m just about to edit them? – 2. Ideas that are good to go, just need writing? Of the John Steel series, I have 4. Standalone novels – 6.

This is quite an unfair – but good question. I say that because authors are always giving each other advice. I go to crime festivals because the wealth of knowledge is there. I think the best advice I was ever given was by Rachel Amphlett years ago, who said: “Get your arse to crimefest.”

Something of interest to the readers? To be honest, there isn’t that much to know. And as for a titbit? That is quite difficult. I’m a very quiet person and very reserved. Truth is I don’t like talking about myself much, possibly because I feel there isn’t that much to say. When I sit in a restaurant or cafe, I have to sit facing the door, preferably with my back against the wall. I always wear black or dark clothing; I can’t listen to people eat – drives me nuts.

At the moment I’m getting myself ready to start editing the next John Steel, which won’t be out until next year. Next Chapter has gotten the manuscript of book 5 to look through. This is called Maltan Steel, time of this hitting the shelves I suspect will be next year. Blood and Steel, which is book 4, comes out in August.

I believe I found you guys on FB. A great site and you guys do an excellent job, thank you so much.

I was born in RAF Cosford in Wellington but grew up in the City of Wolverhampton which is in the West Midlands in the UK. This for me was a great place to grow up with plenty of good mates. The people of Wolverhampton are a great bunch who are happy and polite, and let’s not forget the excellent Indian Restaurants and fish and chips places.

My time with the theatre was too brief for my liking, but then it was only part of the course I was doing. The choice to leave was unfortunately not mine, but I had a great time never the less. Favourite play? Wow, that’s a good one. To be honest, I can’t remember a lot of the performances we did. Being the helper in the background didn’t afford much time to stand and watch.

I remember being sat in my local pub one day with my girlfriend at the time looking at the people sat at the bar counting their last coppers to see if they had enough for the next drink. And something clicked inside; I didn’t want to end up like them, I wanted to do something with my life. And then days later my brother came home on leave, he’d just spent six months in Belize. And I knew I wanted some of that life. I must say some of the memories from my drill sergeants, and instructors do help when I’m doing memory flashbacks for Steel. Other than that, no, my career was nowhere as interesting shall we say, as Steel’s.

It’s true I do like to travel, to see new and exciting places and people. It’s a fantastic feeling to wake up and look outside your window and look forward to a new adventure. As for beautiful place? That is a hard one to answer because there are so many beautiful places. I love Malta; it is brilliant for stirring the imagination. The people a friendly and the views are breathtaking. Probably why I used it in book five. I love New York. A fantastic city that my wife and myself have fallen in love with. I could go on, but to be honest, a place to settle down and live? The jury is still out on that.

Why John Steel? I needed a genuinely British name, but one that didn’t make him sound like a spoilt schoolboy, but a name that suited his persona. I believe when you name a character it’s almost like naming your child; you need something that can be shortened and still sound cool. I chose John because it’s a good reliable name, with a hint of he’s your best mate in it. I guess Steel because it’s got that solid, hard name to it. I know most authors would choose a name, so they can use it as part of the title, which is ok, but one can run out of ideas with such a way of doing it. I think Steel is someone everyone would like to be, but at the same time wouldn’t. What fascinates me about the John Steel character has many plus points, wealthy, charismatic, hard as nails not to mention an English Lord. But he has a darker side to him, haunted by the memories of his wife dying in his arms; so he doesn’t sleep much. He can be driven by a case, sometimes to the point of self-destruction and let’s not forget those yes and the scares which remind him every day of what happened that fateful day he lost everything.

Hidden in Blood-Stained Shadows was complete fiction, it all came out of my (some may say twisted) imagination. When I start to write any of my books I have no idea where they are going or who most of the characters will be. I find this shock treatment refreshing. If I’m surprised, so will the reader. Favourite unsolved murder? I think probably the same as everyone else’s. Jack the Ripper. Most killings have a motive, even serial killers, however, what the Ripper’s motivation was is still not understood. I think that is what makes it all the more horrific, apart from the brutal way these women were slain, but the way he just disappeared like a phantom.

Oh, there are plenty of those. But that’s the thing about writing, growth in what you do to better yourself. I think trust your gut is a good one, if you feel something is right, go for it regardless of what people say. In book one, “Rise of a Phoenix,” I wrote an introductory chapter where we first meet Steel, people said leave it out, so I did. This is due to be reinstated in the revamped version that comes out next year. Another thing I learnt is, doesn't rush to get it out, take your time and release it when you are entirely sure.

You have to remember these are two people that are entirely different in every way. McCall is from New York whereas Steel is not just a Brit, but one who was educated in Oxford and was part of the British army, so his accent is going to be all over the place. The humour for Steel is what we call “Squaddie humour,” which can be dark and sarcastic, but that is when his darker side doesn’t come out, then he is focused and emotionless. Whereas, McCall is a typical no-nonsense kind of woman with a playful side that she doesn’t like to show very often. But there is a pleasant banter between them which has that tension about it. It is a fun medley to write that’s for sure.

Operation Unity was such fun to write, so much so it took me three months to complete. A scene that made my heart thump? The book was full of them as you have seen. I suppose the café scene (no spoilers) was a good one, but also any scene where Mr Williams was interacting with Steel. They have such a dangerous, but the dramatic relationship, almost a Holmes and Morriarity kind of thing going. Goosebumps? All of the time when I’m writing as I have said before, I don’t know what is going to happen, so I kill someone off, or find out who did it, I get shivers.

After I finished book four, I knew that Steel had to go it alone. In my mind, he was never meant to be part of a team let alone stay in one place for very long. So, I decided to make the break in book five. Now I knew there were a lot of Samantha McCall fans out there, so to please them I knew I had to start a McCall series. I find writing McCall a challenge because it isn’t just a case of trying to get a woman’s perspective but a strong, independent, but messed up woman’s perspective. Easy it is not, but fun, it defiantly is.

My darling wife loves all sorts of books, especially crime. Its Harry Bosch at the moment, but she also loves the Reacher books. My wife has read my books and has enjoyed them, trust me if she didn’t like them she would say. And that is the relationship we have; I know she won’t hold back, if it’s wrong she’ll tell me. And that is important to a writer to have someone there who won't give the “Oh that’s brilliant,” reaction when it’s not. She encourages me, and that is a brilliant place to be. How does she feel about McCall? I don’t think I’d ask, she may ask who I was thinking about when I created her. And in truth, I have no idea. I was just scribbling some ideas down, and this image just came to me, the same with all of my characters. They’re all from that dark place in my imagination.

Not yet, however, someone did comment that book one reminded them of a TV show they were watching because of the Tooms and Tony characters. I think that is one thing a writer has to expect. Because most of the cop shows or crime novels have a group element, which includes, the serious people and comic relief if you’re going down that road.

Completed book five which is in with my publisher and around halfway through book six. The McCall series is on the back burner for the moment, but I’ll pick that up when book six is completed.