I’m 38 from Aberdare. I grew up wading through rivers, climbing trees and getting filthy. I met my wife when we were 15 and are proud parents to William. At 17, I joined the RAF and have served ever since. Finding a balance between family and service life has been difficult, but being good at one makes me better at the other.
August–Lost follows a detective who has lost his connection to emotion. He doesn’t understand empathy, sorrow, happiness, and struggles to engage with people. His only focus is finding evidence and catching killers. But when he finds evidence that proves the existence of an elusive hitman, he angers someone who creates masterpieces that are fuelled by unbridled emotion.
The ebook version and paperback can both be found on the Amazon market place. But I am looking to make it available through local book shops.
I have recently developed a website. You can check out my website .... Here
And you can find me on Twitter as @RobVaughan82.
The characters are examples of what people could become when trauma is a recurring part of their childhood. At an early age I discovered I could survive brutality from someone who is supposed to keep me safe. And as I grew older, I realised that it actually gave me strength. Those experiences made me who I am and the lessons I took from them taught me how to be better, how to excel, how to be a good person.
But when I wrote a certain scene, even though I held a lot back from the page, I found my heart pounding and my eyes filling up. Even my siblings found it difficult to read.
I am a White, Welsh, heterosexual man. Some would say that I’m not qualified to write as a different gender, ethnicity, sexuality etc, and I agree with that to a certain degree. Stereotyping ethnicities, sexual preferences or gender qualities can be extremely harmful. Even if the writer thinks they are being flattering, they can cause offence or pain and that is something I hope I never do. A writer has to be responsible for what they publish and they must think of the audience.
That being said, I’ve never murdered anyone. To try and portray the mind of a killer without being one; I am equally underqualified and I hope it stays that way!
When I wrote from the POV of Val Marsh, I wanted convey a strong and professional woman while showing that sexism is very much alive. I see, hear and challenge it a lot in day-to-day life.
In the first draft, I had older male characters calling Val “my dear” and “darling” etc, and tried to show her deflecting it. The reason for it was to show that she was up against more than trying to catch a killer. She was strong enough to endure arrogant and patronising people in authority. But my editor pointed out that it could be misinterpreted as the author’s beliefs, so I took it out. Afterall, I’ve never been subjected to that kind of behaviour and cannot comprehend the damage it can cause. Nor have I ever thought like that, so I don’t understand the motivation to do it.
Yes. I wanted to write a book but I couldn’t condense the story into just one novel. As the story played out in my mind, it overflowed into two, then three. Now I have a path for the entire storyline and the three books will come under the series title Masks of Sanity.
I spend a great amount of time flying in the back of cargo aircraft and that gives me plenty of time to read. But I never entertained the idea of writing before I started a new and very demanding role.
The place where I was working was a toxic environment. Bullying was rife, accepted and sometimes endorsed. I found myself being a prime target for some of these people. I was new to my rank and didn’t want to cause waves in case I lost the promotion, so I endured it.
When I was driving home every Friday, I found myself reliving the events of the week and dwelling on the things I should’ve done/said.
The longer this went on, the more I alienated my family, and soon, they were encouraging me to take action. After about a year (yes, I’m stubborn), I tried to highlight the problem, but those in power just brushed it under the carpet.
One day, during my hundred-mile drive to work, I refused to imagine what was waiting for me. Instead, I reflected on the day before when I sat with my wife to watch a movie. She always guesses the endings and declares “I should’ve written the script.” So, I thought about a story that would entertain her and keep her guessing. A story that she wouldn’t guess the ending to and one that I could use to handle my stress.
The Count of Monte Cristo has always been my go-to book. I love the cunning and commitment to revenge. Who can honestly say they’ve never fantasised about repaying an evil deed?
Another great author who keeps me coming back is Karen Slaughter. Ever since I read Blindsighted, I have loved being shocked by scenes that are the product of a very dark mind. And even though she may be a lovely person, the stories she tells are brutal.
You can buy the Count of Monte Cristo.....Here
You can buy Blindsighted....Here
LJ Ross is who I look for these days. Her ability to set a scene and make me a part of it is outstanding. I am always standing just behind her characters and feel and see everything they do. I remember reading the opening scene to Holy Island and actually reached to turn my collar up against the rain.
She offers just enough to show, but leaves enough room for my imagination to do the rest.
It’s going back a long time, but when I was around ten, I read a book called The Midnight Fox. I’d never been a reader up until that point but there was something in those pages that woke my mind’s eye.
I remember a scene from the book where Tom (the MC) tried to imagine a new colour, which got me trying to imagine a new colour. That was when I began reading and using my imagination.
It would have to be Geralt of Rivia from the Witcher series. He’s hard as nails, rides around on a horse, sleeps under the stars, and wields two swords. Sounds pretty cool right?
The books are fantastic and Henry Cavil is doing a great job of bringing the role to life on Netflix.
You never lose. You either win or you learn – Nelson Mandela.
No matter what situation you find yourself in, applying this philosophy to your life will make you a better person. It’s something I want my son to live by.
What comes first plot or characters?
It’s a bit of a chicken and egg scenario. For August, I wanted to put a very dark person next to everyday people. Someone who smiles and goes about their business, but would have no compunction about hurting you in ways that would never occur to you. To me, that is a dreadful thought. But what else? What would make him a monster? In order to see his traits, he needed a plot that could showcase his skills, and as the plot evolved, so did the character.
On the other side of the coin, the protagonist had to be up to the task. You can’t have an unbeatable villain, nor can you have a flawless hero and it’s the plot that gives them the arena to duel in.
I have a long commute to and from work which gives me ample time to think about possible paths. And most of the time, when I sit down to write, I have an idea of where the characters are heading. But as the words flow, more often than not, something changes and I become a passenger. There have been so many times when I’ve stopped and thought “how the hell did that happen?”
I start by pantsing it. But that will only get you so far. Eventually, an element of planning needs to be used to tidy it all up.
My characters are made from the people in my life. Obviously, I amplify certain traits to make them suit the storyline, but I believe a character is more relatable when they’re anchored to reality.
They are also shaped by my mood at the time of conception. Val has one hell of a temper when I’m in a bad mood so I have to be in a good place to write her scenes.
Sometimes I have too many ideas and that slows me down. I have an idea, then think “what if” and change my direction. Then “what if” and change again. The only way to get out of it is to be strict with myself and say enough is enough.
I wrote August for my wife. It was a gift for her and therapy (of sorts) for me. However, after editing and formatting, we agreed that I should publish it.
I jumped into the query trenches for a while, but rejections and silence are unintentionally cruel. It takes phenomenal strength to go round after round trying to get an agent and in the end, you either win or you learn.
The one thing I learnt was that no one is interested in a random query from someone with no accolades. Literary agents have a huge responsibility to their listed authors. Priority must be given to their clients and that means prospective clients are only looked for with one eye.
Editing, formatting and cover designs cost time and money– resources that need to be focused on their proven clients. Successfully getting an agent and publisher to gamble on an unknown author is incredibly difficult. So, before I ask them (again) to take a risk on me, I thought I’d put my money where my mouth is.
I employed a developmental editor and made amendments. Then employed a copy-editor and made more. And finally, a proof reader for honest feedback. It’s an expensive process but worth every penny.
At the moment, I am a sapling hiding inside a forest and all the other trees are growing. Before I try again, I needed to grow roots and show them that I am worth the risk. That’s why I chose self-publishing.
There are elements of the story that are delicate and required a fair bit of research. I am not a psychotherapist nor am I a police investigator, but I spoke to enough professionals to ensure I didn’t tread on any toes. One thing I did discover before writing the investigative scenes is that each force/constabulary has their own standard operating procedures. They all handle cases differently.
The best thing about being a writer is being part of the writing community. I still feel like I don’t deserve to be there– Imposter syndrome is a funny thing, but authors are incredible people and support each other.
Then there is the feeling of seeing your name under a title you made, and knowing the story inside came from you.
As for worst thing; I haven’t really experienced any negatives yet apart from self-induced pressure. But I know there will be vocal people out there who take pleasure in condemning your work. I see other authors receiving horrible reviews, and others getting hate mail. I don’t know what prompts people to do things like that, but I they are entitled to their opinions.
August needs company. There are two more books in this series that are edging their way to completion. My job now is to make sure I tie up all the threads while staying true to the characters and their journey.
The other series I’m writing was started a few months ago. I write this one when I’m in a mischievous mood.
People are warriors on social media; saying things they would never say in person. Unfortunately, this is the way of the world and the only time our society pays attention is when we are slapped across the face. The only “truth” people believe these days is what they read online. This series shines a light on that
I sat my GCSE English and Maths exams when I was 37. It’s never too late.
Ascension Island – a small island in the Atlantic. Great people, beautiful scenery and perfect weather.
Coach Carter - An inspirational true story of a transformational leader who inspires a group of young men to reach their potential.
The Sound of Silence cover by Disturbed - The band’s music paid tribute to the lyrics and made it unforgettable.
Pizza - Because it is awesome.
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