Nick Brownlee an interview by Chris High

Having gained no small amount of critical success with his debut novel, Bait (Piatkus), author Nick Brownlee has brought back his duo of Moore and Jouma for another nerve shredding instalment of their story, Bait. Here he explains to Chris High how it is being a writer of acclaim, how it differs from being a journalist and, the big one, why choose Africa in which to set the novels?

How are you enjoying life as a novelist?
It’s a curious experience. It’s a joy to have actually got a book published, and to have a contract with an agent and publisher, because it was always my ambition; and getting up in the morning knowing that your job is to sit there and write books is a fantastic thrill. But at the same time it’s rather daunting to be out there now with people reading and commenting on your work. Reviews for my first book “Bait” were excellent, but I suspect I may have to develop a thicker skin in the future!

How long have Jouma and Moore been kicking around inside your head as characters?
I always wanted to feature a double act – and these two have had many incarnations over the years. It was only when I decided to set the book in Kenya that they began to take the form they have now.

What is the draw of Africa and, in particular, Kenya for you as a writer?
I wanted to write about an old school copper who solved murders using legwork and powers of deduction, and bad guys who committed crimes without worrying about leaving fibres or hair follicles at the scene. But how do you make characters like that realistic in a world of increasing CCTV surveillance and DNA profiling? The eureka moment came several years ago during a trip to Mombasa and the east coast of of Kenya. I was struck by the extremes of wealth and poverty, and by the cosmopolitan mix of ex-pats living there, and I knew I’d found my setting. It’s a place where the “normal” rules don’t exist. For a writer that is incredibly liberating, and for a crime writer doubly so.

Does your freelance news agency give you the opportunity to have a writing routine or is it more of a question of fitting the novel in around work and what would your ideal writing day be?
“News agency” is rather a grand term for what is effectively just me working as a freelance journo. I cover Cumbria and South-West Scotland for the nationals on both side of the border, but I have always specialised in off-diary stories, ones that I can think up and follow up myself. That gives me a lot of freedom to write my own stuff, as long as I plan my week. Times are tough in the newspaper world at the moment, so it’s handy that I’ve now got a second career as a novelist to help pay the mortgage. A lot of old-style freelancers, the ones who spend their days slogging round the courts, are finding it very difficult to get work these days. My ideal writing day? I’ve always been fascinated with authors who get up at nine, write 300 words, have lunch and then spend the rest of the day reading. Sounds great, but I’d feel guilty I hadn’t done enough. I think if you’ve got the muse then keep bashing away until you can’t do any more. When I’m on a roll I can go from eight in the morning till two the next morning

You’ve written a great many non-fiction books (including A guide to Coronation Street and A History of The Tour de France). Which do you prefer writing, fiction or non-fiction,and why?
Most of my journalistic career has been as a feature-writer, and to be honest I have always regarded the non-fiction books as an extension of that. It’s just research, interviews, and writing to order. My novels are my babies, and I care a lot more about them.

. Bobby Spurling is a pretty unsavoury piece of work to say the least. How long did he take to develop and is he based upon anybody in particular?
Good old Bobby! Sometimes characters come into your head fully formed, and you just let them get on with it. Bobby was one of those. “You want to kill your father now? Be my guest!”. He was very easy to write because he told me what to do. He’s not based on anyone in particular – thank God!

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a novelist?
Getting published was a bit of a struggle. In fact getting an agent was even more of a struggle. But I always backed myself, because I really couldn’t face the idea of not being a writer. Never give up – and don’t take rejection personally. If your angst-ridden suburban novel keeps getting turned down, it’s probably for a reason. Try something else, another genre. Once you’re established you can always dig your Great British Novel out of the drawer again.

Jouma is quite placid in a lot of ways, but also determined. Do you find it difficult to strike a balance?
Jouma has firm convictions about justice and morality, and he firmly believes in the sanctity of his job even if nobody else does. Crime is a fact of life in Kenya, and he has learned to be sanguine about it. What really gets him going is when the criminals are those who are supposed to be in positions of trust.

How has being a Fleet Street journalist helped with your writing?
The ability to churn it out, even when you don’t feel like it. I much prefer to have 5,000 words in the bag at the end of the day than a blank page. As long as you’ve got it, you can always hone it later.

How much research did you undertake to write Burn and how much of it is actually in the book?
I always try to ensure my books are well-researched, but not to the point of boring the reader with detail. They aren’t travel guides, after all. Plotwise, I keep up with the Kenyan media for ideas. Child sex trafficking (Bait) and overzealous property developers (Burn) have all been relevant issues in Kenya in recent years. But I try never to forget that at the end of the day I am writing commercial crime fiction for an audience that wants to be entertained.

Do you show your work to anybody during the process of writing?
My wife Jane has always been the first person to read my stuff. I give her 100 pages at a time, and then drive her mad by rewriting the whole thing later. Now she insists I finish the MS before she reads it. I also have a brilliant editor at Piatkus called Emma Beswetherick. We have developed a very close working relationship in which we bounce ideas off each other during the writing process and change things as we go along.

When I see Cumbria I think The Lakes? A nice place to write?
Cumbria is a beautiful county, but I rarely wander lonely as a cloud when I am writing. Most of the time I’m cooped up in my attic. It’s always nice to take the dog for a walk on the fells when I want to clear my mind, though.

What are the most important attributes a writer should have?
Tenacity, productivity, the ability to act on constructive criticism, and not to take yourself too seriously.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given as a writer?
Never let the facts get in the way of a good story.

What’s next for Nick Brownlee?
I’m currently putting the finishing touches to Machete, the third in the Jake and Jouma series, then I’ve got to crack on with Snakepit, which is the fourth – then I’d really like to write a stand-alone. I may even dig my Great British Novel out of the drawer!

Nick Brownlee's website

Cath Staincliffe reviews Bait Chris High reviews Burn

Chris High is a freelance journalist, historian and highly regarded theatre and literary critic.
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Burn at TW's
Bait at TW's  and