Getting to Know the Character Interview with DI Rosalind Kray
Rob Ashman joins me today to take part in my
Getting to know the Character Interview with
DI Rosalind Kray
Getting to know the Character Interview with
DI Rosalind Kray
Can you describe your character?
DI Rosalind Kray has galloping OCD, an eating disorder and drinks enough
alcohol in a week to kill a small horse. Her idea of having a healthy meal is
drinking a bottle of wine and eating chocolate while lying in the bath – having
first had a couple of large ones sat on her sofa for starters. She lives on her
own in Lytham St Annes and is a prickly, uncompromising character with a
healthy disregard for authority.
alcohol in a week to kill a small horse. Her idea of having a healthy meal is
drinking a bottle of wine and eating chocolate while lying in the bath – having
first had a couple of large ones sat on her sofa for starters. She lives on her
own in Lytham St Annes and is a prickly, uncompromising character with a
healthy disregard for authority.
Roz is racked with guilt after her husband was killed in a horrific knife attack,
for which she still bears the physical and emotional scars. It’s a constant
battle for her to keep body and soul together. Some days she succeeds at
that better than others.
for which she still bears the physical and emotional scars. It’s a constant
battle for her to keep body and soul together. Some days she succeeds at
that better than others.
Her job is now her life but she doesn’t fit into the highly political world of
modern day policing. Her unconventional style and intuitive methods get
results and her team thinks she walks on water, but despite this, she appears
to be on a permanent collision course with the top-brass. Roz has ambitions
to progress up the ranks, unfortunately her bosses have other ideas.
modern day policing. Her unconventional style and intuitive methods get
results and her team thinks she walks on water, but despite this, she appears
to be on a permanent collision course with the top-brass. Roz has ambitions
to progress up the ranks, unfortunately her bosses have other ideas.
Roz has a waspish sense of humor which keeps her sane. When faced with
having to appease an idiot she tells me what she’s thinking before she utters
a word. Her inner dialogues are hilarious, I never know what she is going to
come out with next.
having to appease an idiot she tells me what she’s thinking before she utters
a word. Her inner dialogues are hilarious, I never know what she is going to
come out with next.
What is her job role and where does she work?
Roz is a Detective Inspector in Lancashire CID and rose through the ranks
quickly. She cracks cases that others can’t and refuses to play the corporate
game. This makes the top brass uncomfortable.
quickly. She cracks cases that others can’t and refuses to play the corporate
game. This makes the top brass uncomfortable.
Where did the original idea of Roz come about?
The first character who burst into my head in the new series was Jason, the
serial killer in Faceless, and Roz was not on the scene at all. I had written
almost ten-thousand words but had no detective to solve the case. An
interesting dilemma for a crime writer to face.
serial killer in Faceless, and Roz was not on the scene at all. I had written
almost ten-thousand words but had no detective to solve the case. An
interesting dilemma for a crime writer to face.
Then, one morning when I sat down to write, she appeared out of nowhere
and the first thing she said was, ‘My name is DI Rosalind Kray, but please
call me Roz.’ Which is what she says to everyone she meets. She hates
being called ma’am.
and the first thing she said was, ‘My name is DI Rosalind Kray, but please
call me Roz.’ Which is what she says to everyone she meets. She hates
being called ma’am.
Roz developed from there and always takes the lead when I write about her.
There are times when I think I know what’s going to happen but she always
surprises me.
There are times when I think I know what’s going to happen but she always
surprises me.
What makes Roz original?
As a non-reader I don’t know if Roz is original or not - I know that’s not a
great thing to admit on a book club post. The only thing I can say is she
keeps me on my toes. Even though I’m writing the fourth book in the series
I’ve still not worked her out.
great thing to admit on a book club post. The only thing I can say is she
keeps me on my toes. Even though I’m writing the fourth book in the series
I’ve still not worked her out.
There are times when she tells me her inner dialogues and I think to myself
– you can’t say that! But she can … and she does.
– you can’t say that! But she can … and she does.
What makes her tick?
Roz is fiercely driven by being good at her job and stopping the bad guys.
Her methods may go against the grain for those above her but she gets the
job done. That’s all she cares about.
Her methods may go against the grain for those above her but she gets the
job done. That’s all she cares about.
She has an innate ability to get into the killer’s head. Which often results in
her leading a tortured existence, trying to predict the killer’s next move while
maintaining her own sanity. A balancing act which she gets wrong all too
often.
her leading a tortured existence, trying to predict the killer’s next move while
maintaining her own sanity. A balancing act which she gets wrong all too
often.
Roz also carries around a massive guilt complex following the death of her
husband. And some of her actions are driven by her inability to let go.
husband. And some of her actions are driven by her inability to let go.
What is her biggest fear?
That’s easy … failure. Which is why she clashes with those around her when
they fail to perform.
they fail to perform.
If you and your character met in real life, do you think you’d get on?
Definitely yes. She has the same sense of humor as me and is direct to the
point of being rude. Which I have a tendency towards, a trait that leads my
wife and daughters to tell me off when I lapse into Roz-speak.
point of being rude. Which I have a tendency towards, a trait that leads my
wife and daughters to tell me off when I lapse into Roz-speak.
If Roz and I went out for drinks before dinner, I could see us having a few
beers and cancelling the meal in favour of a pub crawl. Then later she would
eat chocolate and I’d have a curry.
beers and cancelling the meal in favour of a pub crawl. Then later she would
eat chocolate and I’d have a curry.
Who would you like to see play Roz if your books were made into a film
or TV show?
or TV show?
Answering this question has driven me nuts. I have a very clear picture in my
head of what Roz looks like along with a very clear picture of the actress who
would play her. She is the spitting image of Roz.
head of what Roz looks like along with a very clear picture of the actress who
would play her. She is the spitting image of Roz.
It took me ages to track her down because I didn’t know her name and only
had a vague idea of the programs she’s been in. Anyway … it’s the Lorraine
Ashbourne. She has been in loads of crime dramas including Thorne and
Silent Witness.
had a vague idea of the programs she’s been in. Anyway … it’s the Lorraine
Ashbourne. She has been in loads of crime dramas including Thorne and
Silent Witness.
Whenever I picture Roz, that’s who I see.
How many books do you have in the series so far?
To date there are three: Faceless, This Little Piggy and Suspended
Retribution – which have all been published by Bloodhound Books.
I am half way through the next one which has the working title of Faking It.
Retribution – which have all been published by Bloodhound Books.
I am half way through the next one which has the working title of Faking It.
I have no idea how many more will follow, I suppose it depends on how
Roz gets on. With her uncompromising nature and tendency to hit the
self-district button, I keep expecting her to be fired from her job or worse.
But to date she has more lives than a cat.
Roz gets on. With her uncompromising nature and tendency to hit the
self-district button, I keep expecting her to be fired from her job or worse.
But to date she has more lives than a cat.
What’s in store for them next?
Now that would be telling …
About The Author
Rob is married to Karen with two grown up daughters. He is originally from South Wales and after moving around with work settled in North Lincolnshire where he’s spent the last twenty-two years.Like all good welsh valley boys Rob worked for the National Coal Board after leaving school at sixteen and went to University at the tender age of twenty-three when the pit closures began to bite. Since then he’s worked in a variety of manufacturing and consulting roles both in the UK and abroad.
It took Rob twenty-four years to write his first book. He only became serious about writing it when his dad got cancer. It was an aggressive illness and Rob gave up work for three months to look after him and his mum. Writing Those That Remain became his coping mechanism. After he wrote the book his family encouraged him to continue, so not being one for half measures, Rob got himself made redundant, went self-employed so he could devote more time to writing and four years later the Mechanic Trilogy is the result.
When he is not writing, Rob is a frustrated chef with a liking for beer and prosecco, and is known for occasional outbreaks of dancing.
Rob published the Mechanic Trilogy with Bloodhound Books in 2017 and will be releasing three new books during 2018. These are titled: Faceless, This Little Piggy and Suspended Retribution.
Links:
Twitter: @RobAshmanAuthor
Website: http://robashman.com/
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