Author Interview: Morton R. Leader / History is a Lie

 

Welcome to Author Interview Tuesday at the Books Delight. Today we welcome Morton Leader to talk about history, writing and his book, History is a Lie. 

JMR-Welcome to the Books Delight, Morton. Tell our readers where you live, what you do for fun and what does the perfect day look like?

MRL- Hi, can I first say thanks for the opportunity to talk to you.  

I have been living in Bristol, in the South West of England, for the past 15 years, before that I lived in Northampton which is in the Midlands.  

For fun I like nothing more than spending time with family and friends talking nonsense and sorting out the world. 

A perfect day would be a few beers on a sunny afternoon with my friends whilst a huge lump of meat slow cooks on the BBQ, finished off by a winning trip to the casino.

JMR-What’s your favorite historical time period? Why?

MRL-I think the early gangster days of the roaring 1920’s in America would have been a great to time to be around.  So much was going on, prohibition, speak easy’s, Capone, the music and fashion, America in truth was so young then but was establishing itself on the main stage.

JMR-Who is your favorite historical figure? Why? If you could ask them one question, what would it be?

MRL- It would have to be John Montagu the 4^th Earl of Sandwich, I love sandwiches but I am also a keen gambler in my spare time, the story of how he invented putting the meat between two slices of bread to stop his cards getting greasy, and this led to the entire world calling and copying this is amazing(if true).

My question would be “have you tried hard boiling an egg and putting that in there as well?”

JMR- How did you come to be a writer of historical fiction?

MRL- I chose early retirement aged 49 after 30 years with the same company, whilst traveling for the last 2 years I started to write down the stories that had been running around my head for all those years.

My stories are really about people and how we react to one another so I would say I wasn’t in truth a historical writer.  However my latest which is detailed below was inspired by a book titled “ All the countries we’ve ever invaded”, having always been interested in history it really got me thinking how Britain was so influential to the modern world, the more I read and researched made the story then have a life of its own.

JMR- Where do you go for inspiration? Favorite place to do research?

MRL- As mentioned I gave up work and started travelling, mainly Malaysia until my 3 month visa ran out then I would move on until I could go back, away from the “rat race” I was able to find the time and space to put pen to paper, so I would have to say there.  Research wise nowhere special just as long as I have internet. 

JMR- Have you travelled anywhere to do research for your writing?

MRL- I am lucky enough to be considered “well-travelled” I would say, lots of local things I see or hear are often quoted or pop up in my stories, for example when I was in Russia on the first part of my Trans-Siberian rail trip, a guide mentioned they have 2 seasons in Russia, “Winter and Construction” this and many more observations find their way into my tales.

JMR- Morton, tell us about your new book, History is a Lie.

MRL- As mentioned I was intrigued by how a small island off the coast of Europe was able to have the largest empire the world has ever seen.  Using real events such as Agincourt, the battle of Quebec, the fall of the roman Empire, Rasputin, plus many more I have built a story that links all these events, it touches on folklore as well, as the story unfolds from ancient Greece to America 2021.

Well known mysteries are solved and given a new viewpoint but at its heart it’s about how history, is told by the winners, has shaped mankind and how we are so tribal and linked to our own past.

JMR-What projects do you have in the pipeline?

MRL- Loads, I was writing a mystery about a virus that comes out of China just as the pandemic hit called “Year of the Ox”, I have shelved that until we reach some sort of end point of where we are now.

I have a set of short stories call “Tales for people that don’t read”, these are short , fun with a wicked twist, the title inspired by some of my friends who haven’t read a book since school, but now are enjoying reading again due to my books.

Lastly I have three more of my usual “Who done it” thriller types, I been busy!.

JMR- Tell our readers how to find you on social media and the web.

MRL- To be honest I am not a fan, I am only on Twitter to help promote my stories @LeaderMorton

JMR- Thank you, Morton for coming along and talking with us today. Good luck with your writing! Readers, I have included a link to Morton's book.