Interview: Author David MacPhearson

Today the Cyder Scribes would like to welcome author David MacPhearson  who has kindly agreed to answer a few questions.

To start, please could you tell us a bit about yourself and your writing.

My name is David Macpherson.  I live in  Portesham near Weymouth. I was a History teacher and since moving to Dorset I have become intensely interested in local history. I have written four books and all are historical fiction, but with as strong a regard for historical fact as I can manage. As an ex-teacher I hope my books will be instructive as well as an enjoyable read.

Four of my books have very strong connections with Dorset,  The first Defenders of Mai-dun was published by Roving Press and is a novel about the Roman Army's attack and capture of the Iron Age Fort of Maiden Castle.  Although (like all my books) it is written with a young-adult readership in mind, it is certainly enjoyed by adults who want to find out more about local history. Ideally this can be bought from Roving Press.

My second book, The Black Box, is about Monmouth's invasion of 1685 and his subsequent defeat at Sedgemoor, capture and execution. The story revolves round a Dorset farming family who get mixed up in the turmoil of the invasion and their involvement with Judge Jeffreys and the Bloody Assizes in Dorchester.  This book has not been published  on paper but can be down loaded from Kindle.

My most recently completed book called A Zigzag path is about Smuggling in the 19th century.  Unusually the hero is a young Revenue Officer rather than a smuggler, but I found it impossible to write without some sympathy for the 'Gentlemen of the Night'. There are references (not least in the title) to J Meade Falkner's Moonfleet, and considerable information about the state of smuggling in the early 19th century.  This also is only available to those with Kindles.

At present I am working on a novel about the Portland Spy Ring of 1955-1961.  I am trying a different and more difficult writing technique in this and at present the enterprise is proceeding with difficulty.  I expect to complete it by the end of 2014 and will also publish it electronically.

I have one other novel called Nomad which is about a Tibetan family's escape from the Chinese and flight across the Himalayas.  This was written from my personal experiences in Nepal and has no Dorset connections. It can be downloaded by those with Kindles.

Are you a member of a local writers group?
I am not a member of any local writing group, but feel I ought to be.

Who are you favourite local authors?

I have to say Thomas Hardy is my favourite local author, not least because he used to walk across my garden to visit a girl friend in the School House at Coryates.

Do you have a favourite book set in the local area?
Of all Hardy's books I like Wessex Tales the best.

Thank you David for joining us today.