john harvey murray
About Me
John Harvey Murray – Author: My Background
I began to write at the age of four. I began with my name. Since then the scope and, I hope, the quality of my writing has developed.
I am fascinated by words. I have studied some foreign languages and find that illuminates my knowledge of English, not least because English has been enriched so much by other languages over the centuries.
I write blogs, articles, newsletters, and books on various subjects, notably risk and management. I also write about matters relating to faith. I am currently in the process of writing a work of fiction.
They say every author’s first novel is autobiographical. Does that apply to me?
No. Of course, I have drawn on many of my experiences in life.
Am I one of my characters??
No. I do, however, usually give my central character certain of my characteristics, but there are always some important differences too. It is important to be able to identify with your hero to a certain extent.
Is John Harvey Murray my real name?
Yes, but nobody calls me by my full name. I include Harvey only because it makes me easier to find online.
What aspects of me are reflected in my books?
Certain themes will often occur in my writing because they are things I am interested in and care about:
- Crime-fighting
- Business and Money
- Wales
- God
- Animals and Nature
If you share my loves and interests, I hope you will enjoy my writing.
MY INFLUENCES
Writing
WHEN DID I START AS JOHN HARVEY MURRAY AUTHOR?
In my career I have had to write reports, memos, letters and procedures. I almost always found that to be one of the more interesting aspects of my job. It taught me some useful lessons. I have written some non-fiction books aimed at helping people manage the risks in their businesses and in life.
WHAT DO I READ?
I read all kinds of books, magazines, papers, adverts, blogs and e-mails. In fact just about anything. I think whatever you read influences your style, even the things you dislike. I enjoy historical fiction, historical fact, humour, crime mysteries and articles on management and current affairs.
I also like reading the Bible and books about the Christian faith.
BUSINESS AND MONEY – WHY WRITE ABOUT THEM?
They say you should write about things you know about. My background is in Public Sector Finance, but in recent years I have been involved in the Private Sector, dealing mainly with small businesses. I have done a lot of investigating: audit investigations, insurance claims and assessing Risk.
Since money is often a motive for crime, a knowledge of how it works is useful in writing crime fiction.
Many of my stories are set against a background of the world of small businesses.
WHY CRIME FICTION?
I enjoy crime fiction in print and on TV. I enjoy solving puzzles and mysteries. I find that a mystery gives a story a bit of purpose or direction, although some writers manage to do pretty well without including a mystery?
HAVE I ANY EXPERIENCE OF POLICE WORK?
I have never been a police officer but I have investigated financial irregularities including fraud. I found my questioning mind was put to good use. I am now putting it to use in creating fictional crime stories.
WHY AN AMATEUR DETECTIVE?
I enjoy a lot of modern police fiction, but I think the use of forensic science, databases and profiling, which things I applaud in real life, can push out the old-fashioned low-tech methods of investigating crime, whereas an amateur detective has to get back to basics. Thinking about amateur detectives also reminds us that fighting wrong cannot be left entirely up to the Police. We can all play our part to some extent.