Ask the Author: Tony McMahon
Answered Questions (6)
Tony McMahon
Quest for the True Cross, my first Templar novel, was born out of an abortive project to write a Dan Brown-esque fantasy set in the present day - but with heavy historical references - called The Apostle's Secret. My ex-book agent (we split up over this!) hated it deeply but liked one chapter where I spirited the reader back to the 12th century. He begged me to write a book that was set entirely in that period and - hey presto! - here is Quest for the True Cross.
Tony McMahon
My parents enrolled me at the local public library when I was child and I fell in love with the whole world of books. Going to the library was always a magical experience - entering a garden of delights. I yearned to be among the authors - a name on the shelf.
Tony McMahon
In September 2016, Saqi Books will publish a co-authored work called "The Battle for British Islam", which I'm writing with human rights activist Sara Khan. It's a tough subject about the growth of extremism and what we can do to encourage moderate and inclusive values among young people.
Tony McMahon
Write! Talking about writing is the big no-no. There really is no alternative to getting your fingers dancing across the keyboard. Share your content with other writers, copy editors and sites like Goodreads. Don't feel you have to hide it away from public view. Writing should be a collaborative exercise.
Tony McMahon
Being on the journey. I love the whole book writing experience from concept to research and then execution. As a former journalist, I was more used to non-fiction but have how now embraced fiction. The process is surprisingly similar between the two.
Tony McMahon
I don't really get writer's block - I just have days when I write well and days when I write badly. It's not always obvious which day I'm experiencing! I was a journalist for years and so having writer's block was never an option - if I didn't generate news stories, I'd get fired. So that certainly motivate me!
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