A very warm welcome to my guest author today, all the way from Whitley Bay, Danielle Ramsay. Her second novel featuring DI Jack Brady, 'Vanishing Point', was recently published by Avon, a division of Harper Collins, and it's already doing very well indeed. Brady first appeared in Danielle's first novel 'Broken Silence'. Originally from Dundee, Danielle now resides in what she describes as 'a small coastal town in the North East of England'. There is sadly no doubt that Whitley Bay has seen better days and Danielle's portrayal of the town pulls no punches.


I began by asking Danielle where her love for writing came from and how she got started.

"From being a young child I was an avid reader and short story writer. A couple of my favourite authors who were influential during my adolescence were the American short story writers Flannery O'Connor, Charles Bukowski and Raymond Carver. Then at the age of fourteen I was drawn to films and decided that I wanted to write screenplays and wrote to the National Film and Television School in London (NFT) asking them how I could apply.They graciously replied by telling me that if I was Steven Spielberg then they would have no problems signing me up at such a young age.The normal route was to complete a BA (Hons) in Media Production majoring in scriptwriting and so this was what I went on to do.
After completing my scriptwriting degree I took a slight detour and began an MA in Film and Literature instead of, as I had always planned, taking an MA in scriptwriting at the NFT. My MA led onto a PhD in African American literature and American literature and also lecturing in this field. However, close to completion of my PhD I realised that I wanted to write creatively instead of critiquing and theorising books. So, with a top New York literary agent interested in my first book (a psychological thriller set in New England where I had spent a year before going to University) I left a career in academia to write full-time. A decision which at the time could have been seen to be reckless and foolhardy, but it is one I have never regretted, despite the arduous and, at times, fraught journey towards becoming a published author."

Of course, these journeys aren't always straightforward.....

"I spent two years writing my first book, only to be told by the literary agent that although it was original, it was too complicated and had too many voices. They wanted it to be more commercially viable and consequently asked me to rewrite it. At the time I did not have the inner resources to change the book to meet their specifications, so consequently it is still waiting to be rewritten.
I then decided to start afresh and write about what I knew and that was living in a small, run-down seaside resort, coupled with my interest in the darker side of humanity. I had the character DI Jack Brady and I had the ideal location, Whitley Bay, and finally I had a plot, the murder of a local fifteen year old girl whose death ultimately implicated the whole community."


"My novel 'Broken Silence' is the first DI Brady book in a series and I was very fortunate to get signed by my agent after she had read the first three chapters and the synopsis. This then led to a two-book deal with Harper Collins who have recently published 'Vanishing Point', the second book in the series."

I'm sure that cover looks familiar.....


"When I was writing 'Broken Silence' I was short-listed for the Crime Writers Association's Debut Dagger award in 2009, an international competition for unpublished authors. Then in 2010, shortly before 'Broken Silence' was published, I was incredibly privileged to be short-listed again by the CWA for the Debut Dagger, this time for 'Lock Down'. a zeitgeist black comedy crime piece. This is a book that I have on my list of to-do's once I've finished my third book which I am currently working on."

So, that's the business end of the interview over, let's get to know more about Danielle the person.

Who is your favourite band, group or artist?
"I am going to cheat here as I cannot narrow it down to one artist. David Bowie and Tom Waits."

What would be your favourite album?
"Again, I am cheating when I say Samuel Barber's 'Orchestral Works, Volume 2, Cello Concerto', Tom Waits' 'Small Change', Jan Garbarek's 'Officium', David Bowie's 'Ziggy Stardust' and 'Diamond Dogs', and finally K.D. Laing's 'Hymns of the 49th Parallel'."

What would be your favourite gig/concert ever attended?
"I may as well as continue in the same theme as above as I have three favourite gigs. David Bowie's 'The Glass Spider Tour', Robyn's 'Body Talk Tour', and finally the Red Hot Chili Peppers' 'I'm With You Tour'."

What would be your favourite gig venue?
"It has to be the O2 Arena. What was wonderful about this venue was being in a hotel on the Docklands in London late in the afternoon and being fortunate enough to hear the Red Hot Chili Peppers sound checking and seeing the Arena from the balcony, knowing that I would be there later that evening."

What is your favourite food?
"New England chowder accompanied with rustic bread as it reminds me of the time I spent on the East Coast."

What is your favourite holiday destination?
"Jamaica."

Which would be your favourite airport.....and the worst?
"Schipol airport has to be the worst (missed connections etc) and the best has to be Montego Bay's Sangster International airport simply because I'm landing in Jamaica!"

How many autographs have you signed in one session?
"45."

Have you ever been mistaken for someone else?
"No, luckily for the other person."

How often do you get recognised?
"Never-thankfully!"

Ummm....I don't recall seeing too many people walking around Whitley Bay with red hair.....


I want to thank Danielle for breaking off from finishing that third book to have a chat today. Her latest book 'Vanishing Point' is out now.


You can catch Danielle at Newcastle Central Library on Thursday 14th June at 6.30pm. (Booking required) She will be appearing along with Ann Cleeves (also from Whitley Bay) and Mari Hannah (from Corbridge) in a Crime on Tour event, part of this year's Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.


As ever, many thanks for reading.....