My
Interview with STEPHEN BENTLEY!
I
always appreciate authors and readers taking time out of their busy lives for
me. It’s an honor! I am, especially, interested in interview you
today, Stephen,
as you have such a fascinating tale to tell us all. J
1.
I always kick off my
interviews with the same question.
Therefore, please tell us how you’d describe yourself?
Hard
working – most of the time – diligent, don’t suffer fools easily. I am told I
am a friendly type. That may surprise some as I will stand my corner if I
believe in a cause.
2.
For this first set of
questions, I would like to discuss your past life as a former
UK undercover detective and barrister since this has such a bearing on
your writing. I’d like to find out how
this career path led you to where you are today.
·
Your
police service lasted from 1966 until 1980.
What lead you into this type of work?
o
My father was a decorated police officer. I admired him.
Ø What made you decide to resign?
§
The full answer is to be found in my memoir. Essentially, the
impact of undercover work badly affected my mental health.
·
You
worked undercover to infiltrate the largest LSD manufacturing/distributing
network, which your book UNDERCOVER: Operation Julie – The Inside Story is about. How did you get involved with such a dangerous
case?
o
I was head-hunted by the operational commander.
Ø Did it influence you in any way to resign your post as
Detective Sergeant? Why, or why not?
§
No, that did not arise because I was seconded to the secret
undercover operation, so I kept my rank throughout my time undercover. In fact,
I was promoted to Detective Sergeant after the operation was successfully
concluded.
Ø How do you maintain your safety after such a ploy?
§
Those were pioneering days so there were none of the features
available to modern-day undercover officers. I relied on my wits and my
undercover buddy to ensure my safety.
Ø Did this have any bearing on your decision to become
an Ex-Pat, retiring to the Philippines?
Why, or why not?
§
No, not at all. I retired and chose to become an expat in the
Philippines for a number of reasons. You will have to read the full
autobiography to learn of all of the reasons. I hope to write it and have it
published by 2018. One radio station presenter in the UK told me it would be
fascinating, as I have lived “many lives.”
·
Between
1980 through 1993, you worked various jobs while studying to become a
barrister. What made you decide to
pursue this career path?
o
I became redundant and “recharged my batteries” when driving
large trucks. I decided then to obtain a law degree at university as a mature
student. Law was something I knew something about, owing to my earlier career
in law enforcement.
Ø I know you specialized in criminal law, defending
cases involving things like rape, murder, drugs… Did your past as a Detective dealing with
similar topics help or hinder you?
§
Helped me enormously as I knew the “inside tricks.” That
assisted me in cross-examining police witnesses, and spotting irregularities in
their reports and testimony.
§
Yet, I did have one former colleague, who was jealous of my
success, telling accused persons that I was an ex-cop, and not to be trusted!
Ø As a barrister, did you ever come across defendants
who you had previously met as a police officer, and if so, how did you handle
that scenario?
§
No, and if I did, I would have had to recuse myself, owing to a
conflict of interest.
Ø Why did you opt to end your career in law?
§
Wait for my autobiography as the truth still hurts. Let me just
say at this stage I had some issues with the tax authorities in the UK J
·
How
did your old positions translate into being a writer? I mean, what made you go from cop to author?
o
I always wanted to be a journalist at school. Following my
resignation from the police, many people were fascinated by my undercover
experiences, and told me to write a book. I did, but it took a long time to
finish it.
3.
Now that we are discussing
your writing, let’s discuss your writing.
LOL J I’m sure you can guess the nature of this
next group of questions.
·
How
did you get into writing? Was it always
something you had done, or did your interest develop over time?
o
Always enjoyed writing at school. When I started to seriously
write my memoir, I started blogging to hone my skills. Then, I wrote and
published a tome about my expat experiences to give me the hang of
self-publishing.
Ø Are you an avid reader? If so, do you think your love of reading fed
your interest in writing, or did your writing create your love of reading?
§
I was an avid reader from an early age, thanks to my parents. I
would have to say my love of reading led to my interest in becoming a writer.
·
What
made you decide to become a published author?
o
I thought I may as well try and make some money from my writing,
and I thought in the memoir I had a book people would enjoy reading.
Ø How did you publish (i.e. literary agent, small press,
or self-published), and how did you find this avenue?
§
Self-published, and I researched it and taught myself what was
necessary.
Ø Why do you feel it is a good fit for your publishing
needs?
§
Self-publishing gives me more control. I like that.
·
I
know you aren’t just a novelist, but you are also a blogger. How did you get involved with blogging for The Huffington Post -
UK?
o
I submitted a few blog posts until one “hit the spot.” HuffPo UK
then invited me to become one of their team, and I have now had three posts
published.
Ø Did you begin blogging because of writing, or vice
versa?
§
I believe I have already answered that. Blogging is just another
form of writing, and it helped me with my writing voice and style.
Ø How do you plan and execute your blog posts?
§
I don’t. If something or someone piques my interest, then I will
write about it.
o
I actually have two personal blogs. One is devoted to my expat
life in the Philippines, and the other is my author website.
·
I
know you have delved into investigative journalism. What can you share about this aspect of your
writing career?
o
At this stage, I can only say it is about exposing online
scammers.
4.
What do you think of the
literary world today? Do you feel it is
easier to publish, or do you think the new publishing avenues have added new
hurdles to the whole industry/process?
Why, or why not?
It is
easier to publish not only because of Amazon but also the other POD and eBook
companies that make it so simple to publish. I am a strong supporter of indie
authors, and it’s great that the traditional publishing world id looking over
its collective shoulder. The only issue that concerns me with some self-pubbed
authors is (a) quality and (b) price. Some books out there are poor; badly
edited or no editing; amateurish book covers. They give the indie community a
bad name. As for price – what’s with the plethora of free books? I expect to be
paid for my time and effort. You will not find me giving my books away for
nothing!
5.
Your extensive travels to
various countries, and hence, your exposure to different cultures must have had
some impact on your writing. Let’s focus the next questions around this
topic.
·
How
do you feel your travels have influenced your writing?
o
My travels have broadened me as a person. That surely has to
influence my writing.
·
Do
you see law differently after being exposed to other cultures and beliefs? If so, how, and why?
o
Good question! I don’t really because the fundamentals
underpinning laws are essentially the same the world over. Most laws are there
for the good of society and built upon the tenets of many faiths, whether they
be Christian, Muslim, Buddhist or many other beliefs.
·
That
question makes me wonder… What impact did working undercover have on your view
of law? Having gotten into the mind a
criminal, so to speak, has your view altered in regards to what’s right and
wrong? Why, or why not?
o
I believe any good detective has to think like a criminal,
whether they are undercover or not. Thinking like a criminal does not equate to
acting like one in as much even most criminals know the difference between
right and wrong.
·
Are
you fluent in languages other than English?
If so, what are they, and do you read/write in them?
o
I was reasonably fluent in French when younger. At school, I read
La Plague by
Albert Camus, the French language version. It is a heavy philosophical work,
and difficult enough to understand in my native language, so I am pleased to
know my French was once good enough to comprehend it! I am still able to read
in French.
6.
What can we expect to see
from you over the coming year?
Publication
of my first novel and some exciting news about my undercover memoir. If that
comes to fruition soon, then you can add the news as a bit of “stop press” J
·
Do
you maintain an annual writing strategy or do you sort of “wing it”, based on
the characters and stories that dominate your mind?
o
Wing it! No real strategy, except I know what my next writing
projects are.
·
What
is your current WIP?
o
My first novel with a working title of ‘Sixth Sense’.
It is a spin-off from my memoir, and is a tale of an undercover detective. Who
knows, it may not end up as a “stand-alone.”
Thanks
again for sharing your story with us. You
have led quite the life, my friend. I
wish you continued success and happiness in all you do!
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