Virtual Geckos and a Sense of Place

Paul Waters (L) and Stevyn Colgan (R) with the writing legend that is Peter May

On this week’s new episode of We’d Like A Word (recorded in the basement of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Blackfriars, London) we’ve been talking to Peter May, multi-award-winning author of the Lewis Trilogy, the China series and more than 20+ thrillers that have sold internationally by the millions.

His latest book, A Silent Death, is set in Spain and Gibraltar and we ask him about using a strong sense of place as a ‘character’ in his novels. We also get the lowdown on how he got where he is today, why he created the world’s first Scots Gaelic soap opera and why he was once approached by two geckos to investigate a virtual crime. Intrigued? Then listen in and find out more.

You can find us on iTunes, Spotify, Anchor FM, Google podcasts and wherever good podcasts are hosted. And we’re trying an experiment this episode! We’ve broken it into three 20 minute parts to make it easier for the commute. Do let us know what you think.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Peter May is a Scottish television screenwriter, novelist, and crime writer. He is the recipient of writing awards in Europe and America. The Blackhouse won the U.S. Barry Award for Crime Novel of the Year and the national literature award in France, the CEZAM Prix Litteraire.  It was also chosen for the Richard & Judy Book Club autumn 2011 list. The Lewis Man won the French daily newspaper Le Télégramme‘s 10,000 euro Grand Prix des Lecteurs. In 2014, Entry Island won the Deanston’s Scottish Crime Novel of the Year, the Specsaver’s ITV Crime Thriller Book Club Best Read of the Year Award, and the French Trophée 813 for the Best Foreign Crime Novel of the year 2015. There have been many many more nominations. May’s books have sold more than two million copies in the UK and several million internationally. He has over a thousand TV credits and created the Scottish language TV series Machair, and the BBC war-time series Squadron. He also plays jazz and has just built himself a studio at his home in France.

Writing the Past in the Present

How do you go about create a realistic historical background for your novel? How much research should you do … and when do you stop? Do you have your characters reflect the tastes, mores and attitudes of past eras even if they are not acceptable today?

These are the kinds of questions we discuss on the new episode of We’d Like a Word with authors Alec Marsh (Rule Britannia) and Eoin McNamee (The Blue Tango and many more).

We’d Like A Word is available on iTunes, Spotify, Anchor, Google Pods and almost any place that good podcasts are hosted (or just click here).

This is the last episode of 2019. Paul and Stevyn wish you all a very merry Christmas and a hopeful and peaceful New Year. There are some great guests to come in 2020 …

Paul Waters, Alec Marsh and Stevyn Colgan
Eoin McNamee

Among the books mentioned on this episode …