SEVEN has always been a bit of a mythical number. In fact, there are whole studies dedicated to the importance and symbolism the number has throughout human history.
The Man in the Dark
From superstitious football players demanding the seven shirt to the number of Dwarves that were Snow White’s pal - there’s always been a special fascination with the number.
And of course, there are the seven deadly sins. Quite appropriate for me as a writer, given my leading man in The Devil.
So, on that infernal bombshell, here is a list of things that some readers might not know about me. Some dull, others not so much - but all, as always, very much true. Enjoy!
I took part in the “Olympics and World Cup of radioactive waste”
A small caveat to begin with this one. When I say I took part, I was actually covering the event/summit as a journalist.
I’m not just a full time writer, I’m also a reporter. And a few years ago I got the chance to cover the International Radiation Protection Association when it held its conference in Glasgow in 2012. These summits are only ever staged every few years and see some of the biggest and brightest minds in the field come together for talks and sessions.
It was really special to be a part of this event. And as it turned out I was the only journalist who wanted to cover it. So lots of great interviews and stories. I did feel like I should have paid more attention in school physics though!
I’ve played football for my country
Again, a bit of a small caveat here. I love football, it’s a real passion of mine and I’m glad to say that I can still play it, even as I creep further and further into my thirties.
One really cool part of being a writer, however, is the community that surrounds it. And one of those communities is the Scottish Writers FC. The team normally plays every month, usually for good causes. Opposition comes in the form of other writers teams, museum sides, charity squads and anybody else who will give us a game. There’s a real team spirit to the get togethers which has been a priveledge to be a part of.
My “career” highlight on the field if you want to call it that, was playing or Scotland against England at this year’s Bloody Scotland. Writer Craig Robertson had been trying to get me to play in the annual fixture for years but scheduling (not to mention getting married on matchday last year) always got in the way. But 2019 was my year - even though we lost 3 - 0. So it’s really cool.
I wrote my first book in six weeks
Yes, it’s true. My first novel, Morbid Relations, came out in 2015. At the time I was living in Edinburgh but working in Glasgow. This meant I had a two hour window of commuting time every day - before and after work. So I wrote. And I wrote. Then I wrote some more.
The first draft of the novel was done in around six weeks - with edits for the final published version a little more than another fortnight on top of that. It was a very, very intense writing regime. And not one that I would rush back to.
To put it into perspective, HellCorp and my new novel The Man in the Dark have each taken months to wite. While I enjoyed the intense regime at the time, I think it only suited the characters and setting, plot etc of that book. I don’t think it would work for the HellCorp series. Different strokes for different folks I suppose.
Gok Wan once said he liked The Man in the Dark’s cover
This is filed in the “so surreal I still think it might be made up” category of my writing career. But yes, Gok Wan - THE Gok Wan - once said, live on TV that he liked the cover of my new book.
It came about after my wife was flicking through the channels and stumbled across QVC. The great man himself was on doing a bit about his new fashion line - which included a blouse. Mrs W commented that the design and colours looked very much like the distinct cover for The Man in the Dark and said I should Tweet Mr Wan.
Reluctantly I did. Ten minutes later my tweet was read out LIVE ON AIR, with the fashion icon himself saying he agreed that the cover did look like the blouse. And that he liked it.
Now, anyone who’s ever met me will know that I am probably the LEAST fashionable person on the planet. Seriously, my wardrobe is like the cast offs from a seventies sitcom. A bad one at that. So to have that sort of support from somebody so big really was quite bizarre and cool at the same time.
My novels have travelled further around the world and to more places than I have
If there was ever an excuse to go on holidays - this is it!
I’ve been absolutely blown away by the response to my HellCorp novels. Who thought The Devil trying to go on vacation but being tasked with solving crimes instead would prove so popular? I am, of course, hugely humbled by all of the lovely things that readers have said about my characters and work.
One of the cool parts of being a writer is meeting with readers. I’m always fascinated by people who have taken the time to read what I’ve written and to share their experiences with me. When HellCorp was released last year there seemed to be a flurry on Twitter of people showing just how far and wide they had taken or received the book. From Dubai to Las Vegas, Shetland to the south of France, Rome, Toronto, Sydney, The Hague, California and many, many more, it really was breathtaking.
And while I’ve travelled to a lot of wonderful places, I know for a fact that I’m not racked up anywhere near the amount of air miles that my novels have. But I don’t mind, honest.
I used to sell kilts - and got to wear one every day at work
Oakay, I know this sounds like the most stereotypical Scottish thing ever. But it’s true.
When I was a student, I worked every weekend in a kilt shop in Glasgow. And my uniform was to wear and actual kilt. Corniness aside, it was actually pretty cool. It was mostly students in at weekends and I got to help people choose their tartan for all kinds of events. From birthdays to graduations, weddings and other celebrations, there was never a shortage of stuff to do.
I also learned so much about Scottish history on the job. And lots about whisky too as we used to sell that in the store. So all in all it was a pretty sweet gig for a poor student who needed beer tokens.
I love to write - it’s not just my job, it’s also my passion
I know I’ve said before that it’s a privilege to be a writer, but I really do see it as such. Being able to do something I love every day, in lots of different ways, is a real dream come true. I get to spend time with the characters I’ve created, put them through good times and bad and everything else in between, and get paid to do it. What’s not to love about that!
Truly I’m very lucky.
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