I’m happy following in dad’s famous hoofprints
KEEPING the family legacy alive was always going to be a daunting task for Felix Francis, the son of legendary writer Dick Francis.
But he has just sent signed copies of his latest book to his most famous fan, the Queen, so it’s fair to say he’s continuing his father’s publishing success.
Dick, who wrote more than 40 novels, was acclaimed as one of the greatest thriller writers in the world. But it was no secret the books were a “team effort” between the former jockey and his wife Mary, until her death in 2000.
Felix, a former physics teacher, was his father’s full-time manager when he became his co-writer “quite by accident”.
He said: “My father’s agent took me out to lunch and said they needed a new hardback as his books were all going out of print. They had a crime writer they wanted to write a ‘Dick Francis’ novel but I asked them if I could give it a go.
“The result was our book Under Orders. It was written by me but published under my father’s name. It was well received and reached No2 on the bestsellers charts.”
Father and son collaborated on four BY JANE HAMILTON more books until Dick’s death in 2010, leaving Felix to take over the reins of the hugely successful series of horse-racing themed thrillers.
His latest book, Crisis, is his 13th novel published under the Dick Francis brand.
Felix is happy with the set-up as “the books have always been a team effort”.
He explained: “My father would write, then my mother would polish it into the final article. It wasn’t unusual when I was growing up for perfectly normal breakfast table conversations to be centred around ways of killing a man.”
Growing up with a famous father brought Felix into contact with some of the greatest minds in literary fiction, including Agatha Christie.
He said: “She was always talking to my father and he visited her often. I would be banished to the kitchen to make her tea. “At 17, I was quite unfazed by it all. I couldn’t remember a time my father wasn’t famous and mixing with royalty and other famous names. “Now, I think I was very privileged to have had those opportunities and memories. I can’t wait to share these stories with my readers in Scotland.” A master raconteur, Felix will be telling anecdotes from his life at his first appearance at the country’s biggest crime-writing festival, Bloody Scotland, in Stirling tomorrow. The festival starts with a gala opening tonight, where the winner of the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year will be announced.