Upon the release of his new book The Kazak Contract, Paul Purnell tells us a little bit more about himself.
Paul Purnell
I love writing stories to amuse people.
My last three books were medleys of short stories published on Kindle with the idea of amusing readers in short doses. But my publisher suggested I should write for a different group who like to get involved with the characters. So ‘The Kazak Contract’ was born.
I live in London and enjoy the bustle of city life
..But when I get out to visit friends, I am knocked out with the stillness and beauty of the countryside. You don’t have to travel hundreds of miles to get away. I love West Sussex and the Downs where we can walk for miles and never see a road. You meet characters just right for stories --some scary and some eccentric.
I adore making a note and using them later.
I buy my wine in Lidl.
I am a total fan of Elmore Leonard.
If I could write his dialogue I’d be happy. Some years ago, I read all his early cowboy stories. They were good but he hit the spot when he moved to gangsters and con artists (like Chilly Palmer.) Still, I enjoy my own work and would never try to copy him--impossible!
I tell my grandchildren stories.
But get railroaded by them to go on telling one after the other as a trick to put off bedtime. Luckily, my daughter rescues me. But I’m flattered and will go on doing it till I drop.
My wife is so critical I prefer to show my work to my proof reader before she sees it!
The hours I put in drafting thrillers and short stories gets me out of the house (into my shed.) She complains, but when I show a script to her, she sees all the mistakes and points out every one. Very enjoyable-NOT.
I use my years of being a trial lawyer as a source of characters.
Some of the facts of cases I have been involved in would make most murder fiction look feeble, but I don’t want to write crime fiction. I aim to intrigue my readers and take them out of ordinary life into a ‘What-if?’ world where they can escape reality. But, of course, the people and events of my professional life seep into all I do.
I am a fan of Taylor Swift.
Good videos-neat songs. Is it a crime? Maybe, but I don’t care.
Motorcycles are my passion.
All my life I have loved the feeling of freedom you get when travelling a winding road with the sun on your back and warm wind caressing your face. Have you tried it?
Cooking Spanish Paella is my signature dish.
This cook needs a good slug of red wine (Rioja?) to get him going.Then fling in the shell fish and maybe some chicken for a mighty meal, but choose the right rice!
The Kazak Contract by Paul Purnell (published by Clink Street Publishing 23rd May 2017 RRP £7.99 paperback RRP £4 ebook ) is available to purchase from online retailers including amazon.co.uk and to order from all good bookstores. For more information please visit http://paulpurnell.com and follow on Twitter @purnell14