Q&A with Michael Trant, Author of Wild Dogs

What inspired the idea behind this book?

Mostly a multitude of current affairs. In 2013 a boat carrying sixty-six asylum seekers pretty much just pulled undetected into Geraldton. In 2017 Geraldton also had 1.2 tonnes of meth seized at the wharf, Australia’s biggest at the time. Add to that, various raids on illegal workers around the state and my desire to write a bit more of an actiony, faster-paced novel, it all sort of came together.

If I looked at your internet history, what would it reveal about you?

That I don’t know much about guns, drugs or body decomposition, and that I have no patience to search for hidden places and items in a computer game. Also that I like to see how others build PC’s, and how to fix problems in the PC I’ve built.

How does it feel to hold your book in your hands?

There was a lot of relief when my first copy arrived. I’d nearly given up on getting another book out there, so to have this one come through with such huge support and enthusiasm from everyone involved was very vindicating.

How did you think of the title of the book?

It was originally titled Where Wild Dogs Roam, similar to Wilbur Smith titles like When The Lion Feeds, but we shortened it to hint at the conflict between the Gabe and Chase, and it’s just punchier.

If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring writers, what would it be?

You have to do the work. You have to write, but then you have to work on it as well. Talk to other writers, read writing books, attend writing events. Work on your craft, and like any craft, you will get better at it as you go.

Buy a copy of Wild Dogs here.