Geography

I live on the outskirts of Manchester, work outside Manchester, and spend a lot of my free time in the centre of Manchester.

I spend a lot of time driving.

It’s worth it, though, as Manchester is a place where there’s always something happening, and as a writer, I need that constant source of inspiration. If you wanted to find me, I’d suggest starting in the Northern Quarter; I’ll be the guy with a laptop bag slung over my shoulder, or a camera around my neck, and I’ll be taking more notice of my surroundings than most people. I do the same thing in Paris – collecting stories and images for my writing, and trying to tap into a feeling I can convey to my readers to place them there with me. I’m sure I’ll write a book set elsewhere at some point, but right now, that’s where my heart is.

Inspiration

I watch films for spectacle, read books for depth and read comics for kick-ass dialogue, and I work all three into my writing. I’m not trying to recreate the last book I read; I’m trying to write something that combines ideas and styles you might not have seen in a novel before. The advice that writers should read as much as they can is sound, but I need to look further afield to find my inspiration.

Time for a list. Top-five influences:

• Grosse Pointe Blank
• Spaced
• Michael Marshall Smith
• Warren Ellis
• Joss Whedon

Plans

More Make a Move. I have outlines for two more books in the series, and I’ll be satisfied that I’ve explored these characters fully once they’re done. I want to create more than just novels though, and I’m always looking for people with whom to collaborate on varied projects: music, film, comics, photography – each outlet complements and informs the others. I’m still new to this independent literary life, and I’m learning every day. I’m also sharing my discoveries – both good and bad – on my blog. It’s hard work, but all I ever wanted to do was write, so this is me, writing.