About A. J. Davidson:
AJ Davidson is a traditionally published author and playwright, who, in Spring 2010, made the switch to Indie. He is keen to explore the potential of a rapidly changing publishing world, and is enjoying the closer contact with his readers that e-books afford.
AJ has a degree in Social Anthropology. Married for 32 years, he has two children, a Harrier hound and a cat called Dusty.
Not one for staying long in the same place, AJ has lived in many countries across several continents. He has worked as a pea washer, crane-driver, restaurateur and scriptwriter.
A member of the ITW. Represented by the Jonathan Williams Literary Agency.
What inspires you to write?
My parents encouraged me to read. Each Christmas I would receive a stack of books as well as the usual kid’s stuff. The books are still there, the toys are long gone. I decided I would be a writer in my mid-teens and have been fortunate enough to find that my writing can support me financially.
Tell us about your writing process.
I tend to write by the seat of my pants. I believe if the author starts a book without knowing where it’s going then the reader will find an equal journey of discovery. My only exception to this was Churchill’s Queen because it was a story based on actual events. Obviously my non-fiction books are written to a very clear outline; libel is big business in Europe and authors here need to be much more prudent than American writers. Perversely, one of my college friends is now a very well-known libel lawyer and has represented a bunch of American movie stars.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
Val Bosanquet, my main protagonist, is not like the majority of fictional detectives. He has few vices and lives happily with his partner. I didn’t want to make him a clone of the ‘troubled’ detective readers come across so often.
What advice would you give other writers?
Read, read, and then read some more.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I started off as a traditionally published author and landed a contract with Macmillan. The process taught me a lot, but I did find it restrictive and slow. I stuck a toe into self-publishing and loved it. I might consider another traditional publishing deal, but probably for only my non-fiction books.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
The future of book publishing looks very bright, though change will be inevitable, much of it welcome. I love my e-readers and find that I devour books at an even greater rate than before. I like to read a book a number of times to really get to the heart of it and e-readers make it so easy.
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: Mystery, thriller, historical and non-fiction.
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
A. J. Davidson Home Page Link
Link To A. J. Davidson Page On Amazon
Link to Author Page on Smashwords
