Australian author Terry Richardson admits he's a nostalgic man. He doesn't even own a mobile phone. He is thankful for his laptop computer though, which has allowed him to almost complete the sequel to his most recent novel, The Justice Force, within six months.
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"I started writing my first book by hand back in 1988 and that didn't get finished until 2011," he said.
“Thankfully I use a computer now, so it makes the whole process much easier and faster.
"I never intended to have a sequel, I wanted to leave the story up in the air a bit, mainly for the entertainment value, but the book was really calling out for a follow up."
Mr Richardson said his sequel will still have “the Wagga flavour” of The Justice Force, a crime thriller novel set in 1980 Wagga that follows an investigation by local detective Mike Walker into a string of mysterious murders.
The sequel will be a thrilling tale, following the continued exploits of detective Walker, as he finds himself pulled deeper into a world riddled with corruption and intrigue.
If the sequel wasn't enough, Mr Richardson is also working on two other works: a book entitled Conspiracy on a Branch Line, which delves into government conspiracies in outback NSW, and another based around stories of the fire brigade, of which Mr Richardson was an employee for more than 30 years.
Born in the NSW town of Brewarrina and having lived in Henty for years, Mr Richardson said he was drawn to writing novels set in familiar places.
“I’ve set both the books in Wagga because it’s an area I know,” he said. “I can mention street names and landmarks and it makes the story more tangible for readers.”
Also crucial to his books is the time period, with both The Justice Force and its sequel based in 1980.
"I think it was a better time in a lot of ways,” he said.
“I'm one of those unfortunate people that tends to live in the past. They were grittier times, filled with political incorrectness and none of this nanny state stuff that goes on nowadays.
“Coppers could get away with a lot more back then than they can now, but they often got a better result.”
Mr Richardson hopes to have the sequel completed by the middle of this year, with publishing to occur soon afterwards.
