Briefly tell us about your book.
Storm Child is the fourth in the Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac series but can be read as a standalone. As a child, Evie was discovered hiding in a secret room in a house where a man had been tortured to death. She refused to reveal her true name or age or where she’d come from.
Ten years on, her past remains a mystery, but forensic psychologist, Cyrus Haven has made it his mission to protect Evie and help her lead a normal life. All of this is thrown into turmoil on a Lincolnshire beach when seventeen migrant bodies wash ashore and Evie’s nightmares come roaring back. These deaths were no accident and the same dark forces that took Evie, are reaching out, dragging her back into the storm.
What inspired the idea behind this book?
The idea for Storm Child came from a story I read ten years ago about a migrant boat in the Mediterranean that was deliberately rammed and sunk, drowning those on board. I wanted to explore all the possible reasons for such a tragedy and use this to unlock Evie Cormac’s memories and reveal the truth about what happened to her.
What was the research process like for the book?
The book is set primarily in three locations, Nottingham and Cleethorpes in England and in Aberdeenshire in Scotland. My research involved a road trip that took me into the wilds of Scotland, talking to fishermen, harbour masters, coastguard crews and Royal Life Boat volunteers.
How does it feel to hold your book in your hands?
The thrill never diminishes, even after eighteen books. My favourite moment is when my author copies arrive and I open the box and see a new book with my name on the cover. I pick it up. I open at a random page. I read a paragraph. Then put my nose deep inside and smell. There is no greater drug in the world and it’s a wonder it’s legal.
If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring writers, what would it be?
Write, write, write and when you’re sick of writing, read books. Don’t just read them, dismantle them. Ask yourself what works and doesn’t work. Why you liked or disliked a character? Why a scene moved you?
When you understand the ingredients of a good story – the conflict, characters and settings – you can begin creating your own.
It is not the truly great books that inspired me to be a writer. They just make me weep because I’ll never be that good. It’s the books that I read and think, ‘I could make that better.’
Buy a copy of Storm Child here.
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