Ian Kemish

Papua New Guinea seemed to generate lots of opportunity to do that, I have to say.

So absolutely, you know,

I think people who haven't been within the system couldn't be expected to understand it.

But, you know, at least half your job is about managing your own side, if I can put it that way.

You know, influencing your own government's thinking and approach when it comes to the issues that you're facing close up on a day-to-day basis.

Oh, look, it's great.

It's been a wonderful thing.

As I think you know, it's my second book, but the first was non-fiction and probably closer to the kind of writing I used to do.

And absolutely, there's a new creative freedom that comes with

letting yourself go a little bit and creating characters.

It's been a wonderful joy and a wonderful discovery in the process.

Truth is, though, particularly if you're talking about a time as I am, it is anchored in truth and needs to be.

You need to get your facts right.

My plot plays out

uh well the contemporary plot there's flashbacks but the contemporary plot plays back plays out through the spring northern spring and summer of 1997 and you know i wanted to be very clear about what was happening in the background um uh and set up the temporal framework just right the blair election in the united kingdom is taking place in the background for example and i wanted to make sure that

The days were exactly right.

And this is a matter of going to the calendar, checking this happened on that day, you know.

So if you're writing about a time and you don't want your former colleagues to pick apart your work, then you need to get your facts right.

No, absolutely.

You know, it's Oasis v. Blur.