Brian Kavanagh

In Australia. I was born in Melbourne in the State of Victoria. Have lived here most of my life as a home base, but have lived from time to time in the UK, France, and other states of Australia, mainly due to work.

Can’t think of one, except I discovered films at an early age and was hooked.

Not one person but my family and various friends.

My influences go back to literature from the 1930/40. Steinbeck, Evelyn Waugh. Agatha Christie, E.F. Benson. In terms of mystery writing, Christie most certainly.

Satisfying. I had experience in the many facets of film making from Producing, Directing, Script writing, but the majority of my film work was in Editing, which is where a film is really made. In the cutting room, where all the elements come together.

Belinda is a combination of several women I have known who each had a mixture of independence and charm and who forged ahead whatever the obstacles.

Not really. I do recall Wind In The Willows as a school project, but I also recall reading Sexton Blake mysteries, mainly because my brother, who was six years older than me, was reading them and so I took to them as well. I suppose they created an interest in detective mysteries for me.

Over the years I spent some time in Richmond in London; I worked on two films at nearby Twickenham film studios, and lived there for a while, so I got to know the area and its history fairly well. Part of that was the history of Ham House which is on the Thames there. The story of the house intrigued me and by adding the film elements it allowed Belinda to be part of the action and explore that history.

Both. I know enough to realise that a film version has the story seen through other eyes, but accept that . Two different beasts.

I have a work in progress which is not a mystery but a novel about the relationship between brother and sister. I want to continue with it to make a break from the mystery books; they can become formula if you don’t keep them in check.

No. I have what I call a road map of where I think I’m going, but tend to go off on side roads. The characters will tell me where to go and what the resolution is.

I doubt it does. There are many books and films that I think are perfect but that’s an illusion. At best they can satisfy me.

Very little. I write close to the bone and constantly edit as I go. My problem is to go back and expand information and character development that I may have overlooked in creating the story, a story the characters are eager to tell me.

Apart from the novel I mentioned earlier, I am researching material for a new Belinda Lawrence mystery. THE CHARABANC OF DEATH.

The wide expanse of books. The variety. The new authors. And access to all.