How did Ged become a Writer?
Ged reckons he was ‘born writing’. “I remember as a kid reading out my gruesome thrillers to my parents and wondering why they weren’t more impressed”.  (Apparently they are now huge fans of both his mystery novels and his kids’ books). Ged has written previously about how he believes a writer has to have writing ‘in your bones’ otherwise the sheer amount of work involved will prevent you ever wanting to complete a book.
What is Ged short for?
It’s not!  Ged (pronounced ‘jed’) is his full name. Although he does get called Ged (pronounced ged) a lot.
How did it feel to be nominated for a Ned Kelly award? [in the category: Best Crime Fiction 2018]

Ged readily admits he was floored when CLASS ACT (the second book in the Bill Murdoch Mystery series) was included in the long list for Best Australian Crime novel 2018. The experience also gave Ged a damn fine excuse to add some new titles to his ‘to-be-read’ pile, and he’s subsequently loved delving into the latest works by Sulari Gentill, Michael Robotham, Garry Disher and those other inspiring and best selling crime fiction authors based in Australia. As well as being honoured by the nomination, he’s also gratified to see such a wealth of talent on Australian shores producing consistently great quality detective fiction and mystery novels, as well as excellent true crime. It’s a wonderful time to be a crime fiction lover, he says.

[A note for crime fiction lovers: CLASS ACT, a story within a story, slowly reveals the conventions of crime fiction to the Reader, as reluctant private investigator, Bill Murdoch, goes about solving the case of a murdered young woman whose body is found floating in Sydney harbour. If you are interested in understanding how to go about writing a detective story then CLASS ACT will guide you through those all-important crime fiction conventions!]

Where do his story ideas come from?
Ged interviews a wide array of criminals from across the ‘industry’, from criminals to judges to police officers. They are always full of true stories that Ged then has to rein in to make them more believable. Real life, he believes, is always the best inspiration for fiction.  ‘Fiction,’ he says, ‘only moves us when we recognise it as realistic.’

He also recommends aspiring storytellers to keep their ears open, be it in a cafe, an airport lounge, commuting on a train… Some of the most riveting, thrilling, edge-of-seat stories have a strong foundation in real-life occurrences. Even a quirky expression overheard in a changing-room might help flesh out a secondary character and make them more believable. Be observant, and make a note of any ideas as soon as they pop up – otherwise you might miss out on capturing some potential gold for a New York Times bestseller!

Which authors does Ged admire most?

Ged’s favourites include John le Carré, Peter Temple, Alan Furst, Ian McEwan, Margaret Atwood, Sarah Waters and Belinda Bauer. But he also loves discovering new writers and of course he has a towering and constantly growing to-be-read list by the bed. It’s a nice complaint to have!

What is Ged’s writing process? Does he have a daily writing habit?
Ged says he tries to write three hours a day, no matter where he is or what else is going on. But ‘tries’ is the operative word here.
Does Ged have any advice for aspiring writers?

‘I was inspired by a teacher who said “A writer is a person who writes.” In other words, as long as you are working away at a novel, no one can take away from you the fact that you are a writer.’

Ged recommends writers to be a passionate readers too. To read widely and often. To be inspired by voices in one’s genre, but also be open to dipping one’s toes into other genres sometimes. This can bring about some unexpected creative opportunities.