After The Murder Tree I was actively encouraged to include Billie Vane in another story. He’s not everyone’s idea of a hero, and one reader felt he could be “vulnerable”. What better way to create tension than to put your hero in a vulnerable situation? So, my librarian has a second outing by request. Not having followed such a career myself, I felt obliged to seek out another librarian to help me flesh out aspects of Billie’s history, and I am grateful to Robin Crawshaw for assisting in that respect.
Still on the subject of libraries, The Mitchell in Glasgow is only rivalled in my eyes by The Central in my birth city of Manchester (yes, there are elements of me in Billie). It seemed only fair to include that other beautiful building in this story, and I am indebted to Darren Rawcliffe from Manchester City Council for his assistance in showing me round, and including those parts the public don’t get to visit.
The Irish connection to Titanic’s story is huge, and anyone who really wishes to gain a thorough understanding of the human background to that great ship should do as I did and go to Belfast. I was especially helped in my historical research by Aidan McMichael of the Belfast Titanic Society, and I had the privilege of meeting him in the original Harland & Wolff boardroom. If you have any interest in Titanic, that is the place to go.
Another Irishman is my editor, Alan Whelan. He ploughed through all my verbosity and guided the manuscript into its present shape, for which every reader will be eternally grateful.
While writing is normally a solitary occupation, the end result was only reached after input and constructive critique from members of my writing group, in particular from Ed Christiano and Mike Ward.
As The Titanic Document has much of its action based in Manchester, it provided me with an opportunity to include some personal input from family members: my daughter Mollie once had an apartment in Salford Quays, and that location became Emma’s for several scenes; my son Matt also worked at the former All Star Lanes, off Deansgate, and consented to make a personal appearance to assist Billie and Chrissie in their hour of need.
Lastly, and by no means least, my wife Elaine still thinks I spend too much time on my laptop. I have to placate her by doing my share of the housework and pretending there will be no more books to write after this one. Please don’t spoil the illusion!
Alan Veale, September 2020