It's all in the tie!

[John Dean]

I am always interested in what triggers a new character for a writer. Maybe the process begins with something physical. Maybe, for example, the writer becomes taken by someone who cannot wear a tie smartly. That is where DCI John Blizzard started.

Or it could be a facet of their character. Maybe they don’t deal well with people. DCI Jack Harris, another of my creations, was inspired by the physical appearance of a real person but what really interested me was the idea of developing someone who prefers animals to people and, therefore, does not speak unless absolutely necessary.

A recent review of Error of Judgement (The Book Folks) said that Harris was getting more human (a comment prompted, I suspect, by the hint that he may have a girlfriend) and it got me thinking about the nature of characters.

Do I develop my characters based on a plan? No. The girlfriend storyline was certainly not planned. Do I let the character evolve through the storytelling? Yes, very much so. That gives the story an organic quality, taking its own direction in line with events.

But whatever happens, Blizzard will still be unable to wear a tie properly and, if Harris met you and your dog out for a walk, he’d still be more interested in your dog!

You can buy Error of Judgement, and read the review mentioned above, at

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ERROR-JUDGEMENT-gripping-Detective-Inspect...