Author’s journey of discovery (From Haringey Independent)

Author’s journey of discovery

9:00am Friday 20th February 2009

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Andrew Blackman was a banker in New York when he decided to give up his career to pursue his love of writing.

After living in the city for six years, three of which were spent writing for the Wall Street Journal, the September 11 attacks changed his attitude towards his own future.

Jack Kerouac inspires me because his books are about trying to find something more in life than the stale day-to-day existence that most of us settle for.

Andrew Blackman

He says: “It got me thinking: if I had died that day, I would have felt I had wasted my life. I'd given up on being a writer without really trying it.”

Blackman moved back to London where he began to write his debut novel, which took nearly two years to complete.

He had always had dreams of becoming a writer, but needed an event as shocking as the terrorist attacks to push him into following them — as well as some inspiration from Jack Kerouac’s novel On The Road, in which a charismatic young man and various friends journey across America in search of an idealised hobo lifestyle.

He says: “Jack Kerouac inspires me because his books are about trying to find something more in life than the stale day-to-day existence that most of us settle for. Usually it’s a doomed quest, but his characters try to find some deeper meaning or authentic experience anyway.”

Like Kerouac, Blackman was intrigued to see how youngsters become independent and left the comfort of their parents’ homes. In America he observed with interest the spring breaks, when teenagers would travel across state lines to enjoy soaring temperatures and parties on golden beaches.

He says: “America is so big, there are so many things to do. The UK has CCTV everywhere and it’s hard for people to be themselves as they are always being watched.”

Having experienced life in both countries, Blackman was eager to show how life is so different in each of them, and he eventually hit upon the perfect storyline.

His novel, On The Holloway Road, explores the freedom and adventures of two young men with conflicting personalities.

Neil and Jack are both in their twenties, but while Neil is a childish, carefree, fun-loving character, Jack is quite the opposite: cautious and always thinking about consequences.

Together they decide to embark on a journey travelling as far north of England as they possibly can, aiming to find a meaning to life and freedom from their parents. The book details the journeys these two young adults take and the problems they face on the way.

It’s a story that captured the attention of the judges when Blackman entered the book for the Luke Bitmead Writer’s Bursary.

The fund was set up in memory of struggling writer Luke Bitmead, who took his own life aged just 34, after numerous failed attempts to get a publishing contract.

Elaine Hanson and Tiffany Orton, Luke’s mother and sister, set up the bursary to help writers like Luke fulfil their dreams, and through their scheme Andrew Blackman was awarded a publishing contract with Legend Press.

For his next project, he plans to continue his focus on the pressing real life issues of today.

Though reluctant to give away too much about his second novel, he says: “It’s about the dangers of social networking and how easy it is to have a secret identity, gaining trust from and exploiting vulnerable youngsters.”

On The Holloway Road is out on February 28. For more information about the bursary, see www.lukebitmead.com.

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