Graham is fired up for latest novel
AFIREFIGHTER turned novelist is all set to taste sweet success with his latest creation - a mystery with a painting and a vanished former girlfriend at its heart.
Kandyman is the fourth novel from the pen of Rochdale writer Graham Ashworth who retired from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service in 2009.
In it, artist Alex Dawson finds one of his paintings while browsing at a brica-brac stall which was once hung on the wall of his former girlfriend, Hannah, who vanished under mysterious circumstances 20 years earlier.
At the time, Hannah was thought dead and Alex sets about trying to solve the mystery with the book divided into two parts - the first from Alex’s point of view, the second from Hannah’s.
Graham said: “The idea for Kandyman came while I was on holiday - I don’t want to give too much away but there is a clue in the title. All of my books have taken around six months to write - writing itself doesn’t get any easier as I tend to keep raising the bar. I love a challenge.
“I tend to write in the mornings and then once I’ve reached a point where nothing new can be added, I go for a walk as this tends to help; I can leave the house with writer’s block and return with numerous ideas for new chapters. I look at it as ‘fresh air - fresh thoughts.’”
Graham was born in Rochdale in 1959 and served as a firefighter with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service for more than 30 years before his retirement in 2009.
He is married to Dawn and has children Mark and Kayleigh as well as grandchildren Evie and Oliver.
Kandyman is his fourth book which follows Man O’the World, The Original Wag and Crossed Paths and he has been writing for the past four years.
He added: “I have always read and my favourites tend to change - I think my main influence was Barry Hines and his novel Kestrel for a Knave, which was filmed as Kes.
“I love books with mystery, intrigue but they must have a firm foot in reality.”
Graham has finished a fifth book, has a collection of 15 short stories ready for publication and his ultimate ambition is to write something for TV or see one of his books adapted as a drama.
His books including Kandyman can be purchased from most online bookstores including Amazon where he has an author’s page.