BILL KITSON ON WRITING

I know how difficult it is for authors to get that first, elusive contract, and I was beginning to despair of ever achieving that goal, when I received invaluable advice from best-selling crime writer Mark Billingham. Before my first book was contracted for, he told me, “If you believe in what you’ve written, sooner or later, someone will pick up on it.” Twelve months later, my opening Mike Nash thriller was published. The moral of the story is, never give up on your
dreams.

One question I’m often asked is how I switch genres. That has never seemed difficult, as both represent human life, good or bad. No matter whether it’s crime, romance or historical fiction, a key element for me has to be credibility, and that involves as much research as possible. 

My plots usually stem from a single idea, which I develop en route. I know other authors vary from this, but everyone has their own style. The idea for my saga came when I was looking at a sweeping crescent of large Victorian houses in Scarborough. My initial thought was to imagine what terrific stories each of those buildings would hold, of the deeds — and misdeeds — of the generations who had lived there. I began with Number One Byland Crescent, intending to move on, but the Cowgill family enthralled me so much I never left!

Basing the saga principally in my home county was natural, as the elements making Yorkshire special are so appealing. Living in Scarborough, and having been brought up in a textile family near Bradford, made the settings and background obvious, and unlike my thrillers, all the saga locations are factual. That apart, the stupendous and widely varying scenery challenges even the best writers to provide a fitting description. Other locations for the saga were easy, having spent time in Spain and journeyed to Crete for many years.

Strangely, my biggest challenge was the huge Australian connection in the saga, as I have never visited that magnificent country. This is an omission I regret, as I recently discovered eleven of my maternal ancestors were transported there, and my own grandmother was born and brought up in Tasmania.

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