Author Interview with Graham Sclater

Author Interview with Graham Sclater

Name/pen name: Graham Sclater (pronounced Slater)

What genre(s) do you write? Most genres which includes, historical fiction, music based and psychological thrillers.  

What first inspired you to write? I wrote a film script and television series which were optioned but what surprised me were the lengthy delays before anything progressed.  While I was waiting I decided to start on my first novel which was based on my time living and working as a professional musician in Hamburg Germany, during the sixties. It took me several years but at the same time I started on a second novel which meant I had two books published one year after the other.

How do you come up with the ideas for your stories? That is difficult but it has to be something I am interested in and really feel that I want to live with. Once I decide on the subject I spend a lot of time thinking about the basic outline and then do as much research as possible. This usually means me travelling to wherever the book is set. I need to walk the streets and feel the ambience, which opens up more ideas. Then I feel ready to make a start.
I try to spend time writing every day but if it isn’t flowing I reread  previous sections and work on them.
I don’t believe in writer’s block. I feel that anyone who believes they have it then it is due to them failing to research their subject plan their basic storyline. And to research each character’s background sufficiently and outlining the book before they start.
The outline can be broken down into chapters.  I always set up chapters (it doesn’t matter how many you have at that time) before I start and where possible have a heading with a sentence outlining the content of each one. I then print it out and place it on the wall in front of me.
I also set up a timeline for the book which will have quite a large impact on the detail of each chapter. Also you need to be sure that there are no errors on material things i.e. were mobile phones in use at the time of the book, model of car, newspapers etc. Check out names and spelling too and if you’re not sure, colour the word or highlight it before moving on.

What question do you hate the most about being a writer? I want to write a book but don’t know where to start. Can you tell me?

Are you indie or traditionally published? Tabitha Publishing is an indie UK company formed in 1975 and is linked to our music publishing company and record label. We still publish music and release great original music from our writers and bands that are based all over the world. All of my novels  are available in paperback  across Europe from www.tabithabooks.webs.com and Amazon worldwide in paperback or e-books.

Have you ever tried the other style of publishing? Yes, my first novel, Ticket to Ride” was published in 2006 by Flame Books.  But as I set up the promotion, radio interviews and book signings myself it was mutually agreed that I was released from the contract. We then republished “Ticket to Ride” by Tabitha Publishing with a brand new cover, additional content, interviews, reviews and photographs.

What are you working on now? My first sequel: a follow up to my fifth novel, “Love Shack” which was set in Amsterdam in 1999-2000.  “I will survive,” my eighth novel, follows on for the last chapter of the novel and I am very excited about working on this.
Can you give any advice to other writers? Date your work as soon as you sit at your PC or laptop. (I have spent hours working on a draft and then found out that there was a more recent draft.)  Always set your documents to auto save and back up at least one more copy onto a memory stick or the cloud.

What is your most recent/upcoming release? “Cowboys and Angels,” was my seventh novel which was set in Cyprus and England. It is selling really well and a television company has taken and option for a possible television series.

Links to stalk you online: http: //www.grahamsclater@webs.com  and http://www.tabithabooks.webs.com