Author Bryan J. Mason lives in Bristol, England. He used to work as a tax investigator, a mediator, made sound effects for radio, and was also a rent collector, but now he is a full-time writer. Bryan wrote his first novel, Shaking Hands with the Devil, around 1990, but despite having a literary agent, failed to get it published. However, he finally gave it another go, and the book was published thirty years later in 2021. His current book has been nominated for a Crime Writers Dagger award. Bryan is a member of the Crime Writers Association and belongs to a local group of crime writers who meet regularly. When he is not writing, Bryan enjoys the theater and directs a community group as well as reviews stage productions in the southwest of England. He swims regularly in an outdoor lido and loves football (soccer) and cricket.
Which genres do you cover?
Bryan J. Mason: I write black comedy crime, often with a serial killer involved.
Which is the latest book you had published, and what is about?
Bryan J. Mason: An Old Tin Can is the first in a new series based in Belfast during the Troubles and features my detective Harry, who joins a team of abandoned oddballs in the police, trying to find the man behind a series of apparently random stabbings. Harry is an outsider, but in a land where identity is everything, he gets caught up in an increasingly complex political landscape.
At which book events can readers find you?
Bryan J. Mason: I just appeared at the Clevedon Literary Festival and at the Clifton Literary Festival, where I was on panels discussing crime fiction. I hope to also appear at CrimeFest in Bristol next May.
Which book event connecting you with readers is your favorite and why?
Bryan J. Mason: I have enjoyed the Harrogate Crime book festival, mainly because it caters for such an enormous range of crime genres, attracts a vast number of readers – and has a very large outside tent to take cover from the rain or sun.
Do(es) your book(s) have any specific messages to your readers and, if so, which are they?
Bryan J. Mason: I like to play around with identity and tease readers with twists and turns in a way that I hope they find page-turning and witty.
Which writer(s) keep(s) inspiring you and why?
Bryan J. Mason: I love reading anything by David Peace, who writes very literary stories about crime, sport, and the human condition. I also adore Elmore Leonard who wrote such fantastic dialogue with wonderful, slightly flawed characters.
Do you have any specific writing habits?
Bryan J. Mason: I try to follow Stephen King’s rules and write at least 1,000 words a day. Write first, then edit next and keep going, but always with an eye on quality, not quantity.
What are you currently working on?
Bryan J. Mason: The second novel in my black comedy crime series set in Northern Ireland. Dead On picks up where An Old Tin Can leaves off with more nastiness, humor, and ongoing themes of identity … and biscuits.
Which book are you currently reading simply for entertainment?
Bryan J. Mason: I am always reading a lot about Northern Ireland but am also currently reading Anne Tyler’s Redhead by the Side of the Road, which is a beautifully written tale about an apparently unimportant character, told with humor and affection.
What advice would you give any aspiring author?
Bryan J. Mason: Find something you want to write about, and write. And write. And write some more. You will get better at it.
You can find Bryan J. Mason’s books on Amazon.