Why I’m starting to write at 43

I’ve spent most of my adult life doing things that felt practical. Work, family, responsibilities — the usual accumulation of reasons not to start something you’ve always wondered whether you could do.

At 43, I’ve decided that’s probably reason enough to start.

I’ve always loved stories, particularly crime fiction, and for years I’ve had half-formed characters, scenes and ideas floating around without ever doing much with them. The Fifth Man is the first time I’ve decided to find out what happens if I actually sit down and finish one.

I have no idea where it will lead. For now, the goal is simpler: write every morning, get better at it, and see what happens.