The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Gerald Wixey

The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Gerald Wixey

Summary: Sue's been gorging on Gerald Wixey's Small Town books. After she'd read Salt of Their Blood and 4 Bones Sleeping she had quite a few questions for the author when he popped into Bookbag Towers.

Date: 23 April 2013

Interviewer: Sue Magee

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Sue's been gorging on Gerald Wixey's Small Town books. After she'd read Salt of Their Blood and 4 Bones Sleeping she had quite a few questions for the author when he popped into Bookbag Towers.

• Bookbag: When you close your eyes and imagine your readers, who do you see?

Gerlad Wixey: Adult definitely, probably women in the main, certainly night owls.

• BB: What was the inspiration behind the Small Town books?

GW: Characters locally, the wide lawns and narrow minds morality that dominates small towns and the politics of relationships.

• BB: For a man who has always lived in a peaceful market town you bring the seedier parts of London off the page extremely well. How did you manage that?

GW: Talking to my uncle who ran an illegal drinking club in London just after the war. I've heavily researched that period as well, especially post-war London.

• BB: I sensed that there was a great deal of your father in Harry, the pub-owning ex-boxer. Are any of the other characters a nod to other people you know, or have known?

GW: My dear old uncle, a lounge lizard and a cad. Also Jack, who was based on a dear old friend who was in military intelligence during the war. A pedant, fount of all knowledge, a drinker and good company.

• BB: What's next for Jack, Harry, Wyn and Stuart? I've grown rather attached to them!

GW: Two more novels involving the above, both finished and looking for a decent publishing deal.

• BB: Where and how do you write? Are you a disciplined writer?

GW: I start writing when my wife leaves for work at 6.15 and do four hours on the bounce. I try for 1500 words which would be a good day, mostly I probably average 1000. I play around with what I've produced for another hour, then walk my dogs and discuss my next days work with them.

• BB: I know that you're studying for an MA in Creative Writing - but does reading matter to you? What are you reading at the moment?

GW: I read avidly, at the moment I'm reading Alan Furst, who is the master of the low-key suspense/espionage novel. As to my studies, I've been in such a rich vein over these last few months that I've put them on hold for a year. I have to write at the moment, it means everything to me!

• BB: Tell us what turned you into a whistle blower - we're intrigued!

GW: I was employed by the Atomic Energy Research Establishment, purely on energy production. There was a bad accident at a weapons producing plant nearby and they moved production to my workshop. This was the time of the cruise missiles which were housed just a few miles from my home After a long talk with my wife (young family + mortgage!) I told my employers that I refused to use my many skills manufacturing warheads. Within hours, I was moved out and consigned to a backwater. Because the switch in production was both illegal and morally wrong, I contacted the Observer and after a few meetings with their journalists they ran the story. I was immensely proud of my stance and as everyone knows, the land based cruise missiles have long gone. (not because of me I hasten to add!)

• BB: That's a brave and principled stance to have taken.

You've got one wish. What's it to be?

GW: A deal with a leading publisher.

• BB: What's next for Gerlad Wixey?

GW: I have 4 more titles ready to go. Two of which are not thrillers. Both are very modern love stories, dark, intense and I hesitate to class them as erotica. The modern conception of erotica is badly written filth. Mine are both well written filth and I'm almost ready to begin the submission process.

• BB: We wish you well with all that, Gerald and thanks for chatting to us.

You can read more about Gerlad Wixey here.

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