Peter James: Novelist and Film Producer: Spaced Out

Peter's blog

Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Spaced Out

One of the joys of being a writer is my office is a moveable feast. For much of the year I like the disciplines of being rooted to my desk in either London or Sussex, but a dramatic change of scene, and escape into the tranquillity of France, has become an essential part of the finishing of each of the books in the Roy Grace series for me.

The first five of these novels have been finished, or virtually finished, in seclusion in France. I find a similar need to have a change of scene when editing, when my brain has to go into a different mode, and when my friend the brilliant composer and song-writer Tony Macaulay and his lovely wife Sarah invited us to his hideway on Cocoa Beach, on the Space Coast of Florida, I jumped at the opportunity.

Distant view of the missile silos

Tony's most successful song was the perennial Build Me Up Buttercup and he has written countless hits for Diana Ross, Glenn Campbell, Tom Jones and many others. He also wrote the musical Windy City as well as writing several (non musical!) novels. Tony is in the middle of composing a new musical at the moment, which involves him sitting at his grand piano playing for much of the time, so while I worked away on the edit of Dead Tomorrow I was treated to a constant wonderful background of inventive music.

There was a certain "roundness" to my being on the Space Coast. One of the first writing gigs I ever had was working in Canada on a television series on the Apollo moon shots back in the early 1970s, and we spent time at NASA then. It was wonderful to sit on the balcony (pictured) with a view of the missile launch pads in the distance (too small so see in the picture!) Incidentally one scientist told me that an an Apple iPhone, or a BlackBerry contains more computing power than the whole of NASA had in 1969 when they put the first man on the moon!

PJ in his Space Coast office!

And that picture of me - yes it really is me up there. I am utterly terrified of heights, and hadn't realized when I went to do some research at the Astronaut Training School, for a future novel I want to write, that weightless walking is to some extent about heights. Well, I guess the moon is pretty high up... In the photograph, you might see a smile on my face, but there is true terror in my eyes...!

Roy Grace's creator finds new way to escape mobbing fans...

posted by Peter James at 5:24 AM 19 comments

Comments:

I know exactly how you feel about heights Peter, i'm very much the same, they scare the bejesus out of me! I'm loving the Space Coast office, it looks like a fantastic place to write, far better than my teacup covered desk back in Brighton!

By Paul, at 10:48 AM

Hi Paul

Yes, sitting in Sussex in the grey weather this morning it cheered me up to look at it also!!!

All best - and keep away from heights... Have just been today with the Sussex Police helicopter team, telling me what happens to people who fall from heights. Belive me, stay on the ground!!!!

Peter

By Peter James, at 5:04 PM

In my next life I am going to be a writer, what a wonderful life you have. Jackie

By jacqueline twamley, at 9:10 AM

Hi Jackie

Maybe you could write my books for me...!!!!!

By Peter James, at 9:55 AM

I could of course write your books for you, but then what would you do?

By jackie, at 3:02 PM

Then I could read them and be suprised by them!!!!

By Peter James, at 12:19 PM

Nice office that! To get over your fear of heights Peter I'll supervise you climbing indoors when I get back - you'll love it! You'll become addicted!

By Jo Adams, at 3:31 PM

Hi Jo

Thanks for the offer, but I fear you'll have to drag me kicking and screaming!!!!! Or hoist me.....

By Peter James, at 10:25 PM

Well I'd make sure you had rope and harness but instead maybe a climbing scene in a future book! I'll act as your free 'expert witness' !!

By Jo Adams, at 12:05 PM

Peter

I have finished the Alchemist, brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. How do you know so much stuff. As I said before not keen on the gorey bits but the story is great. And the gorey bits dont last too long so I speed read those. Cant wait for the next Roy Grace. Take Care Jackie

By Jackie Twamley, at 9:17 AM

Thanks, Jo! I think you'd need to bring tranquilizers along as well!!!!

Really glad you enjoyed Alchemist, Jackie - it is one of my favourites. The good news is that I think my writing is definitely less gory these days...!!!

By Peter James, at 10:01 AM

Wow. Only just discovered you - am halfway through Dead Simple and totally hooked. Will be reading lots more of your books. Thank you, Carolyn.

By Carolyn, at 2:58 PM

Thank you, Carolyn! I hope very much you will enjoy any others of mine that you read!

All best

Peter

By Peter James, at 3:57 PM

read last roy grace book in hard back , couldnt wait for paperback , absolutely brilliant!! the the thing is what do i read now until next year, i will have to read some of your earlier novels.
i certainly dont know how ian rankin keeps getting top spot, i dont think it will be long before you dethrone him peter.
by the way nice backdrop, been there myself a few times although ive sat on beach reading a book not writing one
thankyou for roy grace and long may he reign !

all the best

anthony rickell

By a,rickell, at 8:28 PM

Hi Anthony

Thank you so much for these hugely kind words. Much appreciated! It is a great backdrop - even more so when the rockets launch - guess you have probably seen one.

All very best

By Peter James, at 10:54 PM

i did see one launch from titusville which was great but the traffic was hell.

all the best
anthony

By a,rickell, at 8:07 AM

Yep, it's congested as hell up in space :-)

By Peter James, at 10:01 AM

yes i can imagine , but i Meant on road back to orlando !

By a,rickell, at 3:10 PM

!!!!!

By Peter James, at 3:35 PM