I floated about for a day or so – not only had a superstar agent written to me, but he represented Lee Child too

SO THERE’S THIS GUY called Jack Reacher (no middle name) who’s ex US Army Military Police, who travels across the US with no luggage except a toothbrush. He’s 6ft5 and weighs 220-250lbs, has dirty blonde hair, ice blue eyes. And he knows how to kill people.

And then there’s this guy called Lee Child (not his real name) who lost his job in British TV and went to New York, with possibly not much more than a toothbrush. He’s damn close to 6ft5, has sandy blonde hair and ice blue eyes. And he writes books. About a guy called Reacher, who knows how to kill people.

Lee Child is one of my all-time favourite novelists. He’s sold 100 million books. He’s an absolute legend.

I first discovered Lee Child in the library when I was heading for Michael Connolly in C and browsing along the way. The book I picked up was Killing Time and I was hooked from the first page. I read every single one of Child’s books back-to-back.

The story of Lee Child being made redundant from his TV job and, desperately broke, sitting down to write a bestseller and make his fortune, inspired me from the first time I heard it. It just shows you can make your own opportunities in life.

A few years later when I’d started writing myself, I submitted to a literary agent called Darley Anderson. He rejected my book but wrote me a lovely note suggesting that I look at the opening and closing lines of the first chapter of a book called Killing Time, written by a client of his, Lee Child. I floated about for a day or so, not only had a superstar agent taken the trouble to write to me, but he represented Lee Child. It had to be a sign.

A few years later, and it’s a balmy October evening in Dublin and the luxurious Westbury Hotel is gleaming. Sparkling chandeliers are refracting lights like clusters of stars. The unbelievable is about to happen.

In those few (like about 15) years since I read Killing Time, I’d put in my own killer writing time. Malcom Gladwell reckons it takes 10,000 hours to get really good at something. I’d done the 10,000 hours, building a business around writing in an effort to write better myself, and a website called Writing.ie to help others like me learn. And this evening in Dublin, Writing.ie is the golden ticket.

I’m about to meet Lee Child to talk to him about his latest book. I can still hardly believe it happened. As I sit nervously waiting, I spot him. He’s just got off a plane and is heading up the sweeping staircase to reception. He looks a lot like Jack Reacher.

I don’t often get stuck for words but I’m totally bamboozled. As we sit down at a quiet table, I think Child might have realised. I start by telling him that I’m probably his biggest fan. Ever in the whole world. And totally star struck.

He must be used to it; he’s utterly charming, and very easy to chat to. What I really want to know is, what was the secret to selling 100 million books? His answer: ‘It’s just a question of thinking up a good hook for the opening and seeing where it goes.’ He makes it sound so easy. He is an absolute master – one whom I discovered has an almost photographic memory, which is a definite asset when you’re pulling together a page turner with no plan. He says: ‘I often get asked this research question and the flippant answer is that I don’t do any; the pretentious answer is that a writer’s whole life is research.’

All Child’s books have been optioned for movies, and there was some controversy among fans when Tom Cruise (shortish and dark) ended up playing Reacher (statuesque and blonde). Child explains that it’s a bit like Bob Dylan writing a song – he’s more interested in Jimi Hendrix doing a cover, giving it a different take, than a Bob Dylan clone. Child’s feeling is that readers have powerful imaginations – they have created their own movie, and that movie is different for everyone. And when your movie has a solid gold A-list? I’d be very happy for Halle Berry to play Cat Connolly from my books – she’s not 24 or Irish, but you can see Child’s point about Cruise.

For anyone who has read Child’s books, you will know that Jack Reacher travels without baggage, buying cheap shirts in Walmart when he needs a change. He is a brilliant creation, a true man of mystery. And what was one of the most intriguing things about meeting the legendary Lee Child just as he was booking into his hotel? He didn’t have a suitcase.

That night I sat in the glittering Westbury and chatted to my favourite author of all time. An author whose books have been described as more addictive than chocolate. And it was October 11, the evening before my birthday.

Magic happens.