Tell us a little bit about yourself? What are your special interests?
I have a somewhat unusual background. I was born in England, grew up largely in Ireland and then moved to France. Currently I work as an instructional designer, software engineer and writer. When I’m not writing,I love learning languages, listening to music and watching films. Naturally,I’m also an avid reader.
What inspired you to write the book?
The Crystalline Crucible was inspired in large part by my dislike of how autistic characters are often written. They are portrayed as one-dimensional, emotionless people with some form of math savant trope (RainMan, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Big Bang Theory).I believe most autistic people have no better abilities in maths than the rest of the population. I tried to write the autistic main character, Maxwell,so that he would not be bound by the autistic clichés.
Who are some of your favourite writers?
My favourite author is James Joyce (cue obligatory sighs). I read Ulysses in college, and I was predictably pretty bewildered by what I was reading—who isn’t at first with this infamous book? But as I perused Joseph Campbell’s guides about it and have revisited it over the years, I have come to regard Ulysses as a masterpiece of modernist literature. It’s one of the most re-readable books ever written,attributable largely to its encyclopedic novel length and complex stream-of-consciousness writing style.
Tell us a little bit about what the book is about?
Here is the blurb. Maxwell Jacobs, a neurodivergent 21-year-old with a passion for knights, Tetris and cheese sandwiches, harbours an audacious dream-to become the greatest treasure hunter in England. His chance comes with The Crystalline Crucible, a treasure-hunting contest promising untold wealth and answers to the world's biggest secrets. However,Max's mission gets off to a rocky start when he's arrested for breaking into a museum in search of a clue. His fear of leaving his hometown, Stapleford, his cynical best friend, Rosie Shaw, and his clumsy, awkward nature only serve to complicate things further. Overall, his prospects seem dim. That is, until Max crosses paths with Khalil Ahmed, a former criminal seeking redemption and quick cash. Despite their differences, their shared desperation draws them into The Crystalline Crucible. Together, they'll decipher cryptic clues and embark on an epic nationwide adventure, with high stakes and a singular goal: to find treasure!
Are there any similarities between yourself and the characters in the book?
You would have to ask my friends, but I would say in large part no. At least, I certainly don’t go about brandishing swords,entering treasure hunting contests and getting into fights with drug gangs.
How did you find the experience of writing the book?
The hardest part was editing. I had to read it about a billion times, and even then some errors slipped through. But I think that’s inevitable.
How has it been received so far?
People have been very kind and now, the score on Amazon is 4.7 out of 5 and the score on Goodreads is 4.24 out of 5 (with twenty 5-star reviews). But I try not to be affected by reviews, good or bad.
Where can people purchase the book?
The easiest way to buy the book is on Amazon. However, for Irish readers (I think it is a Brexit thing) it’s only possibly to buy an e-copy of the book on the UK Amazon site. For a hard copy, please do visi tamazon.fr or amazon.com
Anything else?
I am already working on my next book, but being an independent writer is a largely rewardless and financially unremunerative endeavour. Any support or reviews for The Crystalline Crucible would be very much appreciated! I hope you enjoy reading it!
