Becky
asked
Bruce Beckham:
Bruce, Why did you decide to write your stories around the Lake District area? Not that I don't like it, mind you, I love it, please keep doing it, I was just wondering if there was a reason behind it.
Bruce Beckham
Hi Becky - believe it or not I've had to rack my brains to answer this question. I wrote the first novel long before the others (never imagining there would be a series) - now there are 13 books and I just take the Lakes for granted.
On reflection, I would say Skelgill came before the location. I had a fairly clear idea of his character traits and it just seemed to me he would be a person hewn from the northern fells.
The next step was to choose somewhere I knew well and could write about with confidence. Had I planned a series, I might have had second thoughts about the 'sleepy old' Lake District (but I would have been wrong).
Cumbria is extraordinarily beautiful, hugely popular with visitors, and yet is a place of extremes. It is home to the ancient Herdwick sheep, introduced by Viking settlers, and to Europe's largest nuclear reprocessing plant. It contains both some of the nation's most valuable country estates, and its most deprived neighbourhoods. It is isolated, yet adjacent to Britain's major north-south transport artery. There never seems to be a shortage of trouble, home grown and of the invasive variety, for Skelgill to get his teeth into!
Thanks for your question and your kind comments. Bruce.
On reflection, I would say Skelgill came before the location. I had a fairly clear idea of his character traits and it just seemed to me he would be a person hewn from the northern fells.
The next step was to choose somewhere I knew well and could write about with confidence. Had I planned a series, I might have had second thoughts about the 'sleepy old' Lake District (but I would have been wrong).
Cumbria is extraordinarily beautiful, hugely popular with visitors, and yet is a place of extremes. It is home to the ancient Herdwick sheep, introduced by Viking settlers, and to Europe's largest nuclear reprocessing plant. It contains both some of the nation's most valuable country estates, and its most deprived neighbourhoods. It is isolated, yet adjacent to Britain's major north-south transport artery. There never seems to be a shortage of trouble, home grown and of the invasive variety, for Skelgill to get his teeth into!
Thanks for your question and your kind comments. Bruce.
More Answered Questions
R.L.
asked
Bruce Beckham:
I was an advertising artist before children. I love birds. Outside my living room window we have tufted titmice, carolina chickadees, amongst more than a dozen other birds. South Louisiana is full of water, and birds! I love the Skelgill series because of them. I will check out your blog. Will you keep writing them?
Jean Samuel
asked
Bruce Beckham:
Food plays a prominent role in the stories. I always eat before reading so I won't be tempted to run to the kitchen. My question is this: Do the non-fictional people of the Lakes District adore bacon rolls, sausage, pastries and curry (?) as much as your two male characters do? Although, I suspect DS Jones bags her lunches. I appreciate how your characters march along unfettered by you. It is fantastic. Jean
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