Author interview with Walter Gunn

Walter Gunn is the author of the Billy Ruffian's Courier naval espionage series.

Hi Walter, thank you for agreeing to come on my blog. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.

For one reason or another, I missed much of my earlier education. Things didn't get much better at the Secondary Modern I attended: it was pretty dire - its only claim to fame was two of its ex pupils discovered a waterless lake in Australia - I kid you not.

I've had my revenge though, in my 'Billy Ruffian's Courier' series, I wrote in some pretty horrible deaths for those teachers I found particularly obnoxious. I saved till last, and most awful, that of the headmaster - this gave much pleasure and, I must say, lasting satisfaction... he should never have caned me!

Which writers inspire you?

There are so many. I live in awe of those past authors who wrote their mss long-hand. But, first and foremost they have to be capable of telling a good story. Names that quickly come to mind are; Dickens, Andy Weir (The Martian), Gabriel Garcia Marquez - A Hundred Years of Solitude and 'Chronical of a Death Foretold', Garrison Keeler for pure entertainment - 'Lake Woebegon Days'. My list could not be complete without Hilary Mantel -'Fludd', 'Every Day is Mother's Day' and of course 'Wolf Hall' and 'Bring up the Bodies'. Apsley Cherry Garrard's 'Worst Journey in the World' made me feel chilled - now, I find I can only dip into it in the summertime. Then there're Lauried Lee, HE Bates, the list could go on and on... Good God, did I really miss out Jane Austen?

Would you tell us about your latest book?

'No Angels in San Chuan.'

Many years ago before I dreamt of moving to Aragon, we were at a dinner with a hang-gliding friend of ours and she told us of landing high up in the mountains where an old man tottered out of an even older stone barn and thought she was an angel - that charming seed lay dormant for many years. Later I moved to the Pyrenees and met old men in their mountain huts who could have been him; the seed started to germinate.

Where can we buy or see it?

Buy it on Amazon worldwide - print or Kindle - mybook.to/NoAngelsinSanChuan. And, when I sell the film rights, see it at a cinema near you.

What draws you to a genre?

My fancy at the time. 'Billy Ruffian's Courier' and 'No Angels in San Chuan' are completely different genres. They were both written from a lot of background knowledge and affection. Then there are 'The Snail Cookbook' and 'A Slice of the Pyrenees', again written from experience and affection - I live in a gastronomic area, I cook, and I love food. 'The Hoopoe' is a collection of my short stories. Most of these were ideas I didn't think would stand the strain of being fleshed out as full novels. Though, I am beginning to have second thoughts about this decision - I am being pressured to extend three of them in particular; 'Reverend Selby's Heresy', 'Hawksett & Burroughs' and 'Lucid'.

How much research do you do?

Not much really. I check a few dates and facts about the main characters and that's about all.

When did you decide to become a writer?

I never made the decision, the occupation grew steadily - it crept up on me stealthily. I looked round one day and found I was a writer. I suppose it really started when I wrote a few articles for international sporting magazines that went down well. I also wrote for corporate newsletters - this was good practice; accountancy firms, aircraft instrument manufacturers, medical equipment design and office furniture. The variety of clients meant swapping genre hats on a daily basis - all good practice for writing the novels I'm now involved with.

Do you write full-time or part-time?

I'm retired so you could say full time - things take so much longer at my age.

Do you have a special time to write or how is your day structured?

Between 1800 and 2000 every evening - the rest of the time I'm either cooking or thinking about what I'm going to write that evening.

Where do your ideas come from?

A good question, and one I've asked myself often. "Where the hell did that come from?" a common outburst when I'm writing. It's a lovely process.

What is the hardest thing about writing?

Trying to get a literary agent and publisher. It's mystifying how I can get completely unsolicited reviews, posts and communcations from people who've read my books, yet agents are just not interested - I guess many 'indi' writers are in a similar position. What is particularly galling is that some of the books that do make it to the market are complete rubbish.

What was the hardest thing about writing your latest book?

I didn't find it difficult at all. I simply sat there and it poured out. 'No Angels in San Chuan' takes place in an area I know well. While living there in Spanish Pyrenees in Aragon, I made many friends, heard many tales and fell in love with the mountain people and their way of life. It really wasn't hard.

What is the easiest thing about writing?

Writing from experience and watching what comes out from the end of the pen... I love the way characters will sometimes barge their way into the story and make it easy for me. In'Billy Ruffian's Courier', I introduced a girl called Joss. She was only intended to be a foil for one particular conversation. Post chat. she just refused to leave and is now part of the complete trilogy.

Do you ever get writer’s Block?

Only when confronted with Income Tax forms.

For your own reading, do you prefer ebooks or traditional paper/hard back books?

Definitely paperback; there is something special about looking at a book on the shelf and knowing if I open it there is a complete and different world inside: this gives me the sense of other dimensions - other worlds that are real and existing between two covers.

From a commercial point of view, print books are better for marketing. When being read in public - trains, buses ect. people can witness them. This is not possible with ebooks - the author, contents and cover remain anonymous.

What book/s are you reading at present?

At the moment I'm not reading anything. I'm involved with writing another in the 'Billy Ruffian's Courier' series - I rarely read other works when I'm head first in my own work. I find it too damn distracting.

Thank you Walter Gunn for talking to us today. I hope you will come back soon.

Author Profile Walter Gunn

Walter Gunn is the author of the Billy Ruffian’s Courier naval espionage series. During the period the series is set, the author was, like the hero, a Royal Naval marksman, fast launch pilot and sailor. The backdrop and substance of these books are thus based on his first hand experience.

On leaving the Royal Navy, he became a motor racing engineer and constructor; hang glider designer and test pilot - he competed in the 1st World Hang Gliding Championships.

Walter was the managing director of a leading edge sports aviation company. His creation of the extreme sport ‘Speed Gliding’ can be viewed as a natural corollary of his passion for speed and excitement.

He has written for specialist magazines and co-written, designed, researched and produced quality corporate newsletters. He is a capable photographer - his images have been published by national and international magazines, and his sporting video footage by television.

Walter Gunn has travelled the world extensively both as sailor and as vice president of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) Speed Gliding World Series. He has lived for more than twelve years in the Pyrenees. Walter speaks enough French and Spanish to get by.

He has written and published four Novels: No Angels in San Chuan, Billy Ruffian’s Courier - Part one: Rites of Passage; Billy Ruffian’s Courier - Part two: Hawkshaw; Billy Ruffian’s Courier - Part three: Baltic Exchange.

There is also his book of short stories: The Hoopoe.

His cookery books include: A Slice of the Pyrenees; The Well Thumbed Cookbook and The Snail Cookbook.

He is currently writing Billy Ruffian’s Courier - Part Four: Baltic Exchange.

Books by Walter Gunn

buy link

The Hoopoe.

No Angels in San Chuan.

Billy Ruffian's Courier - Part one - Rites of Passage.

Billy Ruffian's Courier - Part two - Hawkshaw.

Billy Ruffian's Courier - Part three - Baltic Exchange.

A Slice of the Pyrenees

The Snail Cookbook