Recently Penumbra Publishing welcomed Scotsman Anthony Jude McGowne to the growing list of our published authors. With two published books, including Broadland Suspense: The Blue Lady, Tony was kind enough to grant an interview...
PP: Tony, please tell a little about yourself, and how long you’ve been writing.
AM: I could fill a book or two with my experiences having coached youth football and other sports, as well as my youth leadership work. I’ve played with several good few football teams and I have had the pleasure of many characters in my life.
I have only been writing seriously for four years. Previously it was only for fun. I’m sorry I didn’t keep my poem book though.
PP: Broadland Suspense is the second book you’ve had published. Why did you choose an American-based publisher for this book?
AM: It is difficult to find a good publisher, one who has your interest at heart, and after being let down on a few occasions I tried the Big Counrtry – a USA – a which I love.
PP: Broadland Suspense is an entertaining and exciting tale of seven Scottish lads on a boating holiday, but then a gang of smugglers upset the applecart. What inspired you to write this storyline?
AM: I have always had a good imagination. This, plus experience, is a must for any writer. I have to admit to being on the Broads as a young man and, on seeing the area with its vast inlets, I thought it perfect for smuggling.
PP: The story is set in 1974. Why did you choose that time period?
AM: Check the history books and you’ll find the period filled with strife – the coal miners’ strike, the Middle East conflict (still going on, obviously) – all in 1973. We were all out of pocket with three-day work weeks. The price of petrol was still expensive, which hindered output. By 1974, inflation was just starting to taper off, but it was still very high. For example, a pair of shoes costing $50 then would be the same price now in 2011, 37 years later. That’s how bad inflation was.
PP: Your book is filled with lively characters who seem to be good-hearted and fun-loving. Even some of the smugglers seemed likable in many ways. Were any of these characters based on real people you’ve known?
AM: I think every writer draws a little from personal experience and people they’ve known in their lives. I’m not exception.
PP: There’s quite a bit of detail that suggests some boating experience. Are you a boating enthusiast?
AM: Yes, I like boats, but not the sea. Flat calm suits me. In Highland Adventures, my first novel published, the story of being out on the fishing boat was true. After that I confined my boating to the Lochs.
PP: Are you working on any writing projects at the moment? If so, can you tell us a little about it?
AM: Yes, I am working on a novel tentatively titled Port Combe Mystery. When I was a young, my dad took us boys down to Devon and Cornwall for the summer. I absolutely loved it and still go there often. The Cornish Coast is a haven for smugglers, and has been for many years. This gave me an idea for the novel. Once again, it’s an innocent party that get caught up in intrigue when they are stranded on the rocks in fog. And, yes, I myself was in a boat stranded in fog, and I sat on the bow to keep an eye out for rocks when the tide was going out. I’ll say no more, as I don’t want to give too much away.
PP: What’s next for you, as far as writing goes?
AM: I’m hoping to complete a sequel of Highland Adventures.
PP: How may readers contact you, and do you have a website or Facebook page?
AM: My website is http://anthonyjudemcgown.vpweb.co.uk/, and my Facebook page can be found by searching ‘Anthony Mcgowne’.
PP: Any other comments you’d like to make?
AM: Just to say thanks for the opportunity to let readers know a bit more about me and my books!
PP: Tony, please tell a little about yourself, and how long you’ve been writing.
AM: I could fill a book or two with my experiences having coached youth football and other sports, as well as my youth leadership work. I’ve played with several good few football teams and I have had the pleasure of many characters in my life.
I have only been writing seriously for four years. Previously it was only for fun. I’m sorry I didn’t keep my poem book though.
PP: Broadland Suspense is the second book you’ve had published. Why did you choose an American-based publisher for this book?
AM: It is difficult to find a good publisher, one who has your interest at heart, and after being let down on a few occasions I tried the Big Counrtry – a USA – a which I love.
PP: Broadland Suspense is an entertaining and exciting tale of seven Scottish lads on a boating holiday, but then a gang of smugglers upset the applecart. What inspired you to write this storyline?
AM: I have always had a good imagination. This, plus experience, is a must for any writer. I have to admit to being on the Broads as a young man and, on seeing the area with its vast inlets, I thought it perfect for smuggling.
PP: The story is set in 1974. Why did you choose that time period?
AM: Check the history books and you’ll find the period filled with strife – the coal miners’ strike, the Middle East conflict (still going on, obviously) – all in 1973. We were all out of pocket with three-day work weeks. The price of petrol was still expensive, which hindered output. By 1974, inflation was just starting to taper off, but it was still very high. For example, a pair of shoes costing $50 then would be the same price now in 2011, 37 years later. That’s how bad inflation was.
PP: Your book is filled with lively characters who seem to be good-hearted and fun-loving. Even some of the smugglers seemed likable in many ways. Were any of these characters based on real people you’ve known?
AM: I think every writer draws a little from personal experience and people they’ve known in their lives. I’m not exception.
PP: There’s quite a bit of detail that suggests some boating experience. Are you a boating enthusiast?
AM: Yes, I like boats, but not the sea. Flat calm suits me. In Highland Adventures, my first novel published, the story of being out on the fishing boat was true. After that I confined my boating to the Lochs.
PP: Are you working on any writing projects at the moment? If so, can you tell us a little about it?
AM: Yes, I am working on a novel tentatively titled Port Combe Mystery. When I was a young, my dad took us boys down to Devon and Cornwall for the summer. I absolutely loved it and still go there often. The Cornish Coast is a haven for smugglers, and has been for many years. This gave me an idea for the novel. Once again, it’s an innocent party that get caught up in intrigue when they are stranded on the rocks in fog. And, yes, I myself was in a boat stranded in fog, and I sat on the bow to keep an eye out for rocks when the tide was going out. I’ll say no more, as I don’t want to give too much away.
PP: What’s next for you, as far as writing goes?
AM: I’m hoping to complete a sequel of Highland Adventures.
PP: How may readers contact you, and do you have a website or Facebook page?
AM: My website is http://anthonyjudemcgown.vpweb.co.uk/, and my Facebook page can be found by searching ‘Anthony Mcgowne’.
PP: Any other comments you’d like to make?
AM: Just to say thanks for the opportunity to let readers know a bit more about me and my books!
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