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Interview – Roger Bray

– When did you start writing stories/novels, what moved you to start writing?

I suppose I have dabbled at writing for most of my life, short stories, essay and few articles. I tried to write a novel about 20 years ago and although I did finish it I was not very happy with the outcome. I had the opportunity to go to University as a mature student which reinvigorated my love of writing and research. I guess even then I didn’t just sit down one day and start writing. I had a moment when I saw a silly little thing which stayed with me and I developed a story around that. It was a few months before I put words down on a page but found I couldn’t stop. I finished the novel and was really happy with it and already had ideas for the second, and third.

– In what genres do you write? Do you plan writing in other genres?

My stories are definitely crime orientated but I don’t write them in that way. I like to write about people and how they are dragged out of their comfort zones because of circumstances, whatever they may be. My books have been described as literary fiction / crime / thriller / psychological but as reading them in purely subjective I will leave it up to the reader to decide. For me as long as my readers enjoy them I don’t care what into what pigeonhole they are placed. Other genres? Probably not, I write what comes to me rather than trying to write to a formula.

– Tell us about your novels. Why should everyone buy them?

I have a dark sense of humour which has often got me into trouble, I also have an acute sense of justice. As I said above I like making my characters normal people who rise to an occasion because of circumstances and I would like to think most people could see a little of themselves in the reactions of the characters. I like my stories to be different. My first novel The Picture has been described as ‘thought provoking and intense’ where my new novel Blood Ribbon is much more in the realm of a psychological thriller. The stories of each of my novels are very different but are all character driven. Why should people buy them? My greatest satisfaction is when someone tells me the story touched them in some way, left a lasting memory with them and they enjoyed reading it. I enjoy telling stories and I know people enjoy reading them, they’ve told me, a lot.

– What is your all-time favorite novel? What makes it special?

Difficult, I could break this down into various genres and ages I was when I read them and give you a list of forty or fifty books. I can honestly say I don’t have a favourite book but I do have a library filled with favourites.

– Tell us a bit about your writing process.

I come up with an idea, where from I have no idea but somethings gels and sticks in my mind. I suppose I am a dreamer and have a great sense of ‘what if’ and see where it takes me. If I don’t think the idea has legs I’ll let it die an honourable death. If it stays I will play in my mind and consider beginning middle and end before writing anything down. Once I start writing I begin at ‘once upon a time’ and write until I get to ‘the end’ with few diversions along the way. I am very linear in that way and apart from research a point like to keep writing.

– What author would you love to have dinner with?

Robert Harris – I really enjoy his books and the way his writing spans different genres. There is usually a mystery element but the road to it is very different each time.

– Tell us about your hobbies and passions other than writing.

Reading, documentaries, riding my Triumph Thunderbird around the back roads of Northern NSW.

– We have many followers who would like to start writing a book or are already writing their first novel, any advice for these brave people?

Have an ending in mind and work towards it or, work backwards from it. Writing is a path not a jungle. Don’t try to give CPR to bad ideas, let them die and go away.

Keep writing. Don’t wait for inspiration, it won’t arrive. Mental block – write, if you getting something down it will help keep your mind moving in the right direction.

– How often do you write, daily, every other day or?

I am now writing full time so I am working out how to make it ‘work’ and write between set times with limited distractions, although my wife’s overly cute cat makes that difficult at times. Before I started writing full time I preferred to write in blocks of a few days together as I found I could immerse myself into the story more successfully. I tend not to write a few hours here and there as by the time I have picked up the story and edited what I last wrote the few hours is up.

– Do you keep a notebook with ideas for your novels? If so, do you carry the notebook with you so you won’t forget any ideas?

I don’t carry a notebook with me but I have been known to scribble a few ideas that have come to me down on whatever bit of paper I can find. Generally I try to dump all my ideas onto a document on the computer.

– How important is research when writing your books?

Essential. Nothing spoils a reader’s experience than hitting a pothole of inaccuracy. Sometimes it is only a minor point but I try to ensure everything is researched fully. I have spent hours trying to find out something I wanted to put into a plot only to find out out it is unfeasible or even impossible. That sort of research is just as important as verifying facts.

– What are you reading at the moment?

At the moment, nothing but I have just finished The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town By John Grisham which I enjoyed immensely.

– Certainly, you have had some interesting episodes as an author, fans related or others, share one of them with us.

I enjoy hearing from my readers although one of them did get very upset I had killed off a character in one of my first books. I think they forgave me though.

– A final message for our circleofbooks.com readers.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read this interview on Circle of Books. If you read my books please leave a review, if you have a thought or comment don’t hesitate to contact me through my website. I see all the comments and am always happy to answer any questions.

Thank you Roger Bray. We at circleofbooks.com wish you much success!

Click here to visit the author’s page here on circleofbooks.com

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