Today I am delighted to welcome Rohan Gavin to Library Mice, as part of the blog tour for the release of the second book in the popular Knightley and Son, K-9.
In K-9, thirteen-year-old tweed-wearing detective Darkus Knightley returns in another crime-solving adventure. His dad has gone walkies, leaving the family mutt – an ex-police dog- as his partner in crime-solving. And they will both need their animal instincts for the case. Mysterious trained hounds are attacking policemen at the full moon. There are rumours of a werewolf at a top London beauty spot. And now two stealth dogs seem to be following Darkus. On the scent of a villain who makes the hound of the Baskervilles look like a Labradoodle, will Knightley and Son make it to the next full moon?
With à great mix of crime-solving a la Sherlock and quirky humour, this is a great read for readers 10+ who enjoy a mystery solving story with a bit of a twist.
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Rohan Gavin has worked as a screenwriter in LA and is now based in London. He comes from a very creative family, is married to the singer Dido and is the son of award-winning children’s author Jamila Gavin. He is a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes which makes him the perfect author to bring back the classic detective mystery to young readers. Knightley and Son, Rohan’s debut novel was received to great acclaim and has been selected for the 2014 Summer Reading Challenge.
http://www.knightleyandson.com/
@rohangavin
A Q & A with Rohan Gavin
Can you tell us a little bit about your favourite books?
Danny Champion of the World by Roald Dahl – it’s a brilliant depiction of a father and son, and the dreams of adventure that every child imagines they might take with their dad. I was lucky enough to meet Roald Dahl at a book signing when I was a child and he commented on us having a similar first name!
Sherlock Holmes: The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – my favourite of the Holmes tales because it challenges Sherlock to confront the possibility of supernatural forces. Also it’s just a very scary and suspenseful book.
The Stand by Stephen King – I read this while I was travelling in the US and it’s really a modern day Paradise Lost, an epic battle of good versus evil, played out in a vast, apocalyptic version of America. It’s very haunting and definitely not for the faint of heart.
Who are your five favourite authors?
Roald Dahl: for his wit, warmth and darkness in equal measures.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: for his intricate plots, deductive reasoning, and the legendary central relationship of Holmes and Watson.
Charles Dickens: for his ability to combine what was considered almost pulp fiction with piercing social comment and just brilliant writing.
Ian Fleming: for pure entertainment value and the strength of his central character who will probably live forever.
Stephen King: for his ability to scare, entertain and question our view of reality–particularly his ability to take the ordinary (a car, a dog, a school graduation) and make them terrifying.
If you could choose to be a character from a book, who would it be?
James Bond – like most Englishmen if they were honest.
Who or what was your biggest influence when deciding to become a writer?
My mother for being a writer herself and never giving up, and my father for giving me the father-son material that helped me create Knightley & Son.
When did you start writing?
When I was writing short screenplays to apply to film school in my early 20’s.
What would be your number one tip to an aspiring writer?
Persistence, finding your voice and being true to it despite any criticisms you encounter.
Have you got a particular routine attached to your writing process?
I listen to a lot of music, especially film soundtracks because they get me into the mood of a scene or a character. Music was my first love and it still influences everything I do. I find music is a shortcut to emotion, and for that reason it’s very useful, whether I’m writing something scary or something funny.
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Many thanks, Rohan.
Knightley & Son: K-9 comes out tomorrow.
