Author Interview: Kirk Weddell

What is your favourite thing about writing books?
Escaping into a boundless world where the only limitation is my imagination. There is no better feeling than completely immersing myself into a fictional world and silencing the noise of life. I also love researching the subject matter that I’m writing about and learning about inspirational people from the past.

Who is your favourite character in your book and why?
Owen – the protagonist. 

I wanted to explore the lengths that we go to in a bid to avoid dealing with our emotional scars. Many of us seek help in some form or other whether it be professional counsel or catharsis through conversation with friends and we generally finally find a way through the traumatic event and heal. Unfortunately for Owen the feelings of betrayal and humiliation resulting from his brother Patrick running away with Owen’s fiancé was just too much to bare. He chose a different path; complete distraction to avoid ever having to face up to his devastating emotional rift by opting for a life of solitude as a lighthouse keeper where no one would ask him any uncomfortable questions and where he would be able immerse himself in his work. But even then thoughts of his past continued to gnaw away at his psyche. Desperate for escape he found it in the legend of the long lost treasure of the Spanish Armada galleon – El Gran Grin that was rumoured to be buried on Clare Island and managed to convince himself that it was actually deep under his lighthouse which was built on the site of an ancient watchtower. For the first time in years he found solace as he escaped to another world – one of gold doubloons and adventure. 

I have two brothers and like most families our relationships have had their highs and lows but as we grow older we are all becoming far more appreciative of the value of our sibling bond. I occasionally hear tragic stories of siblings that fall out, are unable to reconcile and are then left with deep regret when one of them passes away. If just one person resolves to offer an olive branch and reaches out to an estranged sibling after reading my book then it will have been worthwhile.

I also wanted to explore how someone deeply hurt by a failed relationship can summon the courage to risk falling in love again in the twilight of their lives. As much as we sometimes try to suppress our feelings after a failed relationship a loving partner is the true north that most of us crave.

What is your favourite drink to consume while writing?
Double espresso – Italian coffee.

Do you have any bad habits while you’re writing?
I’m pretty disciplined about switching off my email and phone while I write. My biggest distraction is my dog Coco who sits under my desk when I write. It’s hard to say no when she waves one her toys at me and demands some playtime!

How do you research your books?
I’m obsessively driven when I research my subject matter. That drive made Owen’s character so relatable to me in his obsessive desire to find the treasure. I can lose days delving deeper and deeper into history. It’s so interesting revisiting historical events that I touched on at school and really exploring them in depth. I feel like I’m going on my own treasure hunt as I search for the nuggets that excite me and inspire my stories.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?
A bit of both. I don’t impose any structural constraints on myself during the first draft. I think that creative freedom is essential to get the essence of the story and raw emotion onto the page. After the first draft, the hard work begins where I then pay close attention to the structure and plotting to ensure I draw the maximum emotion from the story.

If you could live in any fictional world, which would you choose and why?
Whilst I love the history of how we’ve got to where we are I’m also a huge sci-fi fan. I love the limitless possibilities that the future offers. Not the dystopian view, I’m an optimist and believe that we can sort this world out and travel to new worlds. So to answer your question, there isn’t one fictional story of the future that I would like to inhabit, it would be an amalgam of inspirational sci-fi worlds where humanity transcends out current problems and fulfils its potential to explore space… okay maybe Star Trek with a name like Kirk I think my parents were trying to tell me something!

If you could befriend any fictional character, who would you choose and why?
Can I cheat a little on this question? There are a number of fictional characters that I would love to meet but one man who recently passed away inspires me more than any other. Professor Stephen Hawking. The strength of character that he showed in the face of such adversity and to always do it with humour and deference whilst unravelling the secrets of our universe. He is someone I would have loved to have befriended and been mentored by. His parting gift to humanity –Big Answers to the Big Questions is a profound wake up call for us all.