Today on Meet the Author, we have Finn Og who is letting us in on some of his thoughts about his writing life.
His latest thriller, Charlie, is about the relationship between a father and
daughter, as he extracts from the Navy following the death of his wife.
In providing for his little girl, the lead character, Sam, creates a
clandestine company, which lands them in a lot of trouble.
Welcome to Books, Life and Everything, Finn!
Would you like to start by telling us a
little about yourself and how you started as a writer?
I
hesitate to call myself a writer, yet anyway. I have one book on the
market, another being edited, and while I have written others, at least
one of them cannot be published for reasons I won’t go into. However, it
is something that for some reason i need to do, rather than want to. It
is hard to explain. There must be something in me, some restlessness,
and writing, for the moment, has taken the edge off that.
When did you first realise you were going
to be a writer?
At
school I think. Then I took a long slow trajectory away from that
notion, but it feels like I have landed in the target area. I have spent
a lot of time building the experiences from which to draw stories onto
the page, if that makes sense.
If
you didn’t write, what would you do for work?
Good
question. I do work at other things currently. If I ever manage to make
a living from scribbling, I’ll get back to you on what I would do
otherwise.
What are your interests apart from writing?
Family, then the sea, for sure. I make stuff, with timber.
What
is your favourite childhood book?
Swallows and Amazons.
Tell
us about your latest book without giving the plot away.
It’s
fundamentally about the relationship between a father and daughter, but
they are grieving the loss of his wife, and her mother. The main
character, Sam, returns from active service as a Royal Marine Commando
following the death. He’s skilled in all sorts of ways, and he uses
those skills to exact a certain amount of revenge, and as a means to
help him recover from some of the questionable things he’s seen and
done.
What
are your writing routines and where do you do most of your writing?
I
write early in the morning, as that’s the main time life will allow. I
don’t sleep well, so anytime from 0430 gives me a few hours before
routine kicks in.
How many hours a day do you write?
At least one, on a good day three.
How do you go about researching detail and ensuring your books are
realistic?
I don’t need to
do a lot of research to be honest. I’m happy that they are realistic,
and thankfully the feedback and reviews reflect that.
Which aspects of your writing do you find
easiest and most difficult?
Getting
the time, marketing, and social media I find difficult. I’d rather be
under a boat working at it than trying to work out what a Facebook pixel
is or how to use it. I still haven’t cracked that, yet I can strip a
water pump from a diesel engine with one hand. Different strokes for
different folks.
How difficult was writing your second book- did having one published
change how you went about it?
Easier, for sure. I had a rhythm, and the second poured out of me like a story in a pub.
Were there any scenes which you had to edit
out of your book which you still hanker after?
Lots, for reasons I can’t go into, but lots.
How
do you select the names of your characters? Are they based on anyone you know?
Unusually
I struggle with this. I mull over it for a long time, and often change
my mind pre-publication. It’s tricky, but important to get right. I
don’t base them on people I know.
How long on average does it take you to
write your first draft?
About six months so far, but I have too few to say with accuracy yet.
Are there any secret references hidden in
your books?
Someone
once asked me if I was expecting any surprises. Yours is a good
question, posed by a smart person, I like it but I won’t answer it!
Do you have any guilty pleasures which stop/ help you write?
I
occasionally drink alcohol. I enjoy it. I don’t recommend it, and I’m
not an alcoholic or anything, but sometimes memories are triggered
through a drop of rum, and I scribble down a note, and often incorporate
that experience into a scene.
Does
writing energize or exhaust you?
Marketing exhausts me. Writing a lot in a day gives me an excuse to go sailing.
Do you or have you ever considered writing under a pseudonym?
I do, and will continue to do so. It is important to me, and that anonymity is vital.
Do
you have any other writers as friends and how do they influence your writing?
Not a single one.
If you could tell your younger writing self
anything, what would it be?
Keep
calm, keep quiet, don’t smoke and look at what you’re trying to achieve
from a distance - work out how the whole thing is moving and sometimes
it’s ok to take the easier road.
Do you believe in writer’s block? What do you do to break its spell?
I
believe in it, but other than the aforementioned rum, I don’t have any
decent suggestions - other than get outside, preferably in bad weather,
and get physical - ideally in or on the sea.
Can you give any hints about any upcoming
books you have planned?
Sure.
The next book gets more into the psychology of Sam and Isla, and is
based on current events. Again, Ireland is a hinge, but it is global,
and Sam is trying hard to be less impetuous and more calm. It doesn’t
always work, but he’s working on it!
Do you have any unfinished or unpublished
books hidden away?
I do, and at the moment I imagine they will remain like that for a long time. Some stuff just can’t be put in print!
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