Meet Desmond G. Palmer, a self-published author renowned for his gripping archaeological thrillers and young adult fantasy novels. From the inspiration behind his compelling stories to the challenges of self-publishing, Palmer provides candid insights into his writing journey. Learn what’s next, including a psychological thriller featuring a complex detective that’s sure to grab your attention.
How do you find inspiration for your stories and characters?
I find inspiration from the world around me. From things I see, or read in the news, things that make me scratch my head and go “hmmm”. For instance, I’m a member of the British Museum so I’ve visited it quite a bit, and one thing that I’ve always wondered is why the Assyrians decided to start using iron weapons during the Bronze Age? What was the spark? I later read an article about the Cintamani Stone, a wish-fulfilling jewel in Hindi and Buddhist traditions, somewhat like the Philosopher’s Stone. Then you start asking What If…? What if the Assyrians had a Cintamani Stone and what if they used it to ask for dominance over the region? I put the two things together, and that’s how the central storyline for the Eye of Nineveh came about.
How do you handle criticism and negative reviews, especially being self-published?
When I released Birth of The Mortokai, my first book, I was expecting to get 3 stars. When I got 5 and 4 stars I was well happy and a little shocked. But when the 1 and 2 stars eventually crept in, I did take them personally. I was new to the game then. After wallowing in pity for a bit, I learnt a valuable lesson from my editor. You can’t please everybody. Your job as an author is to find your fans and serve them, not the entire world. And just to emphasise the point, I looked at some of the most popular authors out there, the multiple time bestsellers, and not a single one of them escaped the dreaded 1 star review, not even J. K. Rowling or Charles Dickens.
Can you tell us about any upcoming projects you’re excited about?
I am very excited about my next project. Regional crime and detective thrillers are pretty big right now and I have a detective that is a bit different. Not only is it set in London, but DCI Luna Quinn specialises in catching serial killers. She has a talent for thinking like them, because she is on the borderline of being one of them. Quinn manifests the Dark Triad personality type as determined by psychologists, namely narcissism, sub-clinical psychopathy and Machiavellianism. I feel this will lead to a complex and compelling character with layers of intrigue and internal conflicts. Sherlock Holmes and the 7th Dr Who demonstrated such traits.
DCI Quinn’s manipulative tendencies and cunning intelligence allows her to excel in solving cases and navigating the intricacies of urban crime. However, her lack of empathy and willingness to bend the rules creates conflicts with colleagues and some superiors, while others laud her. She works at her redemption with the help of therapy and the new Detective Constable Ghita Campbell, who is assigned to her unit.
The first DCI Quinn thriller, The Blood of Innocents will be released in 2024.
Who are some authors that have greatly influenced your writing and why?
For my fantasy books I’d say that my writing was influenced by J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Raymond Feist, Robert E. Howard, Ursula Le Guin, Stephen Donaldson, the Dragon Lance books by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, and the Forgotten Realms books by R.A. Salvatore. I could go on. These were some of the authors I read growing up, a lot of sword and sorcery, High Fantasy stuff, and you can see it in my fantasy series, dragons, faeries, quests and magical weapons.
Other authors who have influenced me, in one way or another are, Ian Fleming, Ernest Hemingway, Robert Harris, Don Pendleton, Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, Frank Miller, Alan Moore, Jim Lee, Jeff Loeb and Chris Claremont.
As I’ve developed as an author, it’s become more and more apparent to me that to be a success in this business, you need to read. Not just the genre you write in, but others as well. That way you’ll get to write well rounded stories with full-bodied characters.
Are there any movies or TV shows that have inspired your storytelling?
Considering that I try to make my archaeological thrillers similar to watching a movie, there have been a lot of screen influences, but the biggest ones for my most recent novels are the Indiana Jones series, as well as the TV series 24. But I’ve been just as much inspired by games such as Uncharted and Tomb Raider, which are both movies now. There’s just something about the escapism that everybody loves. The exotic locations of the James Bond films are just as interesting as the cool gadgets.
What’s the biggest risk you’ve taken in your writing and how did it pay off?
When I switched from writing fantasy books to writing thrillers, some said it was a mistake because I’d built up a fanbase of fantasy followers who wouldn’t necessarily read thrillers. I’d effectively be starting all over again, having to rebuild a new list of fans. But I did it anyway, and it turned out to be the right decision. The Eye of Nineveh became my first bestseller, and The Acquirers series is going from strength to strength with four books out now and a fifth on the way. I learnt that sometimes taking risks isn’t bad. I took a risk having a lead character with albinism. I took a risk writing an archaeological thriller novel with black protagonists. Some might think I’m taking a risk with my Dark Triad detective. At most, they’re calculated risks. Because at the end of the day, people just like good storytelling and that’s what I aim to deliver.
What of your book(s) are you the most proudest of, and why?
The books I’m most proud of are, unsurprisingly, The Acquirers series. Yes, they’ve been my most successful novels, but that’s because I’ve learnt more about the craft of structuring a story and learnt more about the business of self-publishing, and they’re a culmination of that ongoing studying. They let me know things are going the right way.
What is your most recent book and/or what are you working on currently?
I’m currently working on book 5 in The Acquirers series, The Magdalene Creed. It’s a grail quest, but looking at things from a slightly different angle. Hopefully it’ll make readers think a little, because ultimately I want to educate and entertain.
You can find Desmond G Palmer at his web site, or on Facebook.
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