Q&A with Paul Anthony Shortt discussion

So one of the cardinal rules of writing I always learned was write what you know - in light of that, why did you decide to set the novel in New York? Being from the other side of a pretty substantial ocean, you've got pretty limited first hand experience of the city, and would have had to base everything on online research & pop culture, with very little chance of first hand scouting, and a risk of getting something wrong and offending/annoying any New Yorkers who read the book.

Write what you know is a good rule. But I believe there should be an addendum to that: If you don't know, learn.

I knew when I set out to write this book I wanted it to be set somewhere very modern, with global recognition. A place that is known for being a melting pot of cultures. New York fit the bill. It's arguably the most famous city in the western world and was a haven for many people from a range of cultures, forced to leave their homes and seek out a new life in America.

It was my wife who gave me the best way to explain this with the comment "When the Old World wanted to hide from itself, where else was it going to go?"

But I was aware of the challenges of using a city I knew only from movies. So I started researching. I drew from every source I could, from encyclopedias to travel guides to the work of famous photographers, all to capture an interpretation, rather than a replication, of the city.

Even after all that research, attention and dilligence were key. When I was writing, Google Maps and Street View became my best friends. I had to re-write more than one scene while I was checking them over because I realised I'd described a particular bridge incorrectly or mentioned the wrong building.