James Phelan is a 30-year-old Australian novelist. He holds an MFA in Writing and is a PhD candidate. His acclaimed Lachlan Fox thrillers, which follow the New York-based investigative reporter into different global hot spots, have been huge bestsellers in Australia. Fox novels include Fox Hunt (Hachette 2006), Patriot Act (2007), Blood Oil (2008), Liquid Gold (2009), and Red Ice (2010). James has written for a variety of newspapers and magazines and has contributed to short story anthologies and serialized novels - including ITW's "Watchlist". He is currently working on two more Fox novels, the ALONE series of YA post-apocalyptic thrillers, and a follow-up to his non-fiction book "Literati".
Prolific seems to be a good word to describe James Phelan if his biography is anything to go by. Phelan was 25 when he had his first novel published and he expects to have ten books books in print as he moves from his twenties to his thirties. I take my hat off to anyone who has a plan, sticks to it and achieves it. If Phelan was not a good practitioner of his art, his plan would be in shreds.
Phelan has achieved what many aspiring writers want; a contract to write more than just one novel. Phelan is currently under contract to produce a Fox novel every year for a few years yet, but not satisfied with that, he has moved into the young adult audience market with his first novel of this genre: ALONE:Chasers.
Alone:Chasers, is published by the Hachette Book Group and is due out in May. It is a post apocalyptic story in which his main character, Jesse is on a UN Youth Ambassadors camp in New York when his subway carriage is rocked by an explosion. Jesse and his three friends, Anna, Dave and Mini, crawl out from the wreckage only to discover a city in chaos. Streets are deserted. Buildings are in ruins. Worse, the only other survivors seem to be infected with a virus that turns them into horrifying predators ... Outnumbered. No sign of life. Just Them. And you... ALONE.
Phelan's reviewers had this to say about his novel:
"A finely honed story which proves the thriller genre is alive... Can't wait for the next one." Sunday Times.
"An absolute must-read for fans of Clancy, Ludlum et al." Bookseller and Publisher.
"James Phelan is one of the hottest thriller writers to arrive on the scene in years." Vince Flynn.
Phelan decided to foray into the YA market because he liked the idea of a teenager in a war zone. This was inspired by Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl. He has had a couple of excellent reviews for Alone:Chasers but prefers not to be too carried away by them. Judging from his Lachlan Fox series, his reviews are justified.
Writing is something that Phelan has wanted to do since his teen years. He spent some time studying architecture, but the impulse to write took over and he kicked the architecture into touch and set out on his grand plan; something he has obviously achieved.
Writing his Lachlan Fox stories gives Phelan the challenge of working within an established framework that stretches his imagination and enhances is writing skill. Although he has worked in the media industry, he doesn't see himself as a journalist per se, but a 'writer' who tailors his ideas to whatever platform suits him.
All writers have their own way of starting their writing day or night as it is in some cases. With Phelan it's a trip to his local café and a few strong espressos, dealing with correspondence and then dividing his writing day into three blocks, finishing around midnight. He writes a great deal in longhand before transcribing it on to his Mac.
Phelan's taste in music and authors is eclectic, too numerous to mention here. But Kipling, Le Carré and Hornby while listening to Radiohead gives a fair idea of his tastes.
With three novels coming out this year, Phelan is a full time writer. He is well known in Australia but would like to get into the American market. He is a native of Australia, living in Melbourne which, he says, is by far Australia's greatest city. But if he had to move, it would be New York or the charming little town of Ravello on the Amalfi coast in northern Italy.
You can learn a little more of James Phelan on his website: www.a-lone.com.au
Michael Parker was born in Cuckield, UK 1941. He is the author of six novels and has been writing all his adult life. Parker has been married for 49 years and has 4 sons and ten grandchildren. He is a maintenance technician by trade and served in Royal Air Force. Parker lives in Spain with his wife, Pat. His next novel, A COVERT WAR, is due for publication in 2010.
