I live in Paris, and have done so for almost half of my life. Fond though I am of the country (Scotland) and city (Glasgow) in which I was born and raised, I must admit I'm very happy to have found my way to Paris and to have sunk my roots here.
Writing (or rather seeking to have what I have written published) is something to which I've only recently turned. I therefore have a day job, working as a management consultant (not the most glorious of professions, I grant you, but one which offers many delights to the curious).
I write first and foremost because I like telling stories. I also do it because it reminds me just how tough and unforgiving it is trying to hammer out a tale that's worth reading - which, in turn, makes me a more appreciative (and probably more tolerant) reader.
I write crime fiction because it's a genre that has never turned its back on the simple pleasures of colourful characters and compelling plots. You can do a lot of things with crime fiction (social and political commentary, existential angst, ...), but there's an overwhelming duty to keep your reader on his or her toes, providing a little mental gymnastics and a lot of entertainment.
