about Out of Towners

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a big fan of the British seaside. In many ways, Out of Towners is my love letter to all those dodgy resorts.

As a kid, I used to go to the tiny Cumbrian coastal town of Silloth with my mum and dad. My first Lads’ Holidays were to such exotic locations as Great Yarmouth, Llandudno, Weston-Super-Mare and Weymouth.

Out of Towners is fictional, but one or two facts creep in here and there…

It’s hard to describe what exactly it is that appeals to me about the British seaside. In truth it’s a lot of things. Obviously, I love the sea – the sound, the smell, even the taste. But there’s more to it than that.

There’s just a certain something in the air when you’re in a British coastal town. A sort of nostalgia. The faded grandeur of the place. Something magnificent fallen on hard times. I really can’t put my finger on it. The tatty amusement arcades, the worn-out ice cream parlours, the old hotels in need of a lick of paint…

The other thing I was trying to capture when writing Out of Towners is that feeling that you have when you’re young – 16,17 – just starting out on adult life. The idea that absolutely anything can happen, anything is possible. A sense of anticipation that is almost perfect.

Out of Towners – the story

As the bus draws into Whitbourne coach station, Chris can’t keep the grin off his face. Sixteen years old, GCSEs finished and the whole summer stretching out ahead of him, he’s on his first lads’ holiday. A weekend in Robbie’s family’s caravan at the Wonderland Holiday and Leisure World. The sunny south coast. Two days of beach, booze and hopefully birds.

Chris’s parents don’t know he’s there of course. Neither do Robbie’s. George and Dylan’s mums and dads are in the dark too. They’ve managed to weave an intricate web of bullshit. Everyone’s folks think the lads are sleeping over at one another’s houses back in Letchford. If the parents bump into each other, the whole thing will come crashing down. Still, it’s a chance worth taking.

Heading through town, luggage in hands, Chris can feel anticipation building. Whitbourne is a tatty little place, but the pier looks good, the sea is glistening in the afternoon sun and everyone seems friendly. Or at least most people. Some local lads in two battered cars are not so welcoming. They’re not keen on out of towners.

The two groups end up in a stand-off. It’s threatening to get out of hand, but eventually things calm down. By the time they arrive at Wonderland, everything’s been forgotten about. The caravan isn’t exactly a palace, but it’ll do. While Chris, Robbie and Dylan get set up, George is despatched to get the beers in. He doesn’t let anyone down. When the evening comes around, the lads are feeling nicely out-of-it, ready for whatever Whitbourne might have in store for them.

And it certainly turns into a weekend to remember…

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about Seconds Out

Seconds Out is a short book, published as part of A & C Black’s “Wired Up” range, a series which aims to provide fast-paced, exciting and readable fiction for teenagers.

Having written novels previously, working with far fewer words turned out to be an interesting challenge. I had to rein in my natural tendency to waffle – something that was difficult to do at times! I can confirm that shorter is definitely not easier, but overall I found the book fun to write.

Seconds Out – the story

Andy Cope is in trouble again. Fighting. It’s not the first time and it won’t be the last. At fifteen, Andy isn’t good at many things, but fighting is the exception. If anyone provokes him, it all kicks off. Partly, it’s about survival. It’s a dog eat dog world at Weston College and you can’t allow people to take liberties. But there’s more to it for Andy. He’s got a reputation. Hardest in Year Ten. He’s a big lad and he could probably sort out most of the Year Elevens and Twelves too. And that’s something he’s proud of. It gives him a buzz.

Andy’s mum is at her wits’ end, and his girlfriend Becky has almost had enough. The Principal, Mr Maxwell, is running out of sanctions he can use to try to keep Andy in line. Pretty soon, exclusion is going to be the only option. What Andy needs is something to channel his aggression, and Mr Maxwell has a suggestion. There’s a boxing gym in the town. It’s free to join and the subs are reasonable. It could be just the thing to keep Andy occupied and focus his energy in a positive way.

Andy is sceptical. He doesn’t think much of boxing. He likes Mixed Martial Arts. Boxing is for pussies. And amateur boxing is even worse. Big padded gloves and vests and headguards. But Becky won’t let it lie. Unless Andy straightens himself out, she’s off. It’s finished. Reluctantly, Andy agrees. The next Saturday morning, he’ll give it a go.

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about Big and Clever

Big And Clever is my first novel for young adults.

Working on and off, the book took about two years to complete, from first draft to final revising and editing.

My inspiration for the story came from a lot of different sources. My experiences of school as a pupil, a teacher and as a parent were important. In terms of the subject matter, I was influenced by things I've read, things I've seen on TV and incidents I've witnessed during thirty years of going to football matches.

I've heard people say that a lot of writing is autobiographical, and that is true to a certain extent. There's a bit of me in all the central characters in Big And Clever.

I don't see Big And Clever as just a book about football hooliganism. Hopefully it's also about the basic human need to belong, to feel included, and the things that people will do to make this happen. I was also trying to write about the experience of being a teenager, the idea of it being a time of transformation, and the pressure that teenagers feel to develop an identity, something to make them stand out from the crowd.

I've never been a fan of fancy, flowery writing, so I try to keep my style as simple and straightforward as possible. Meat and two veg fiction.

Big and Clever - the story

Tom's whole life is straight out of Crap Towns. Mum has died, Dad's a waster and school is tough. Tom and Raks are bottom of the pecking order at their new school in the rundown town of Letchford, where everyone seems to belong to some kind of group based on dress-code and interests. Now Tom and Raks are starting to get pushed around and Tom has had enough. Life seems a long way away from paper rounds and nights in with his girlfriend Zoe.

Then the two friends gravitate towards 'ASBO boy' Ryan, a cynical and insolent boy whose reputation goes before him. Ryan's life revolves around going to watch League Two strugglers Letchford Town Football Club. If Tom and Raks want to make firm friends with the intelligent and intriguing outsider, Letchford Town is going to have to become part of their lives too.

Raks has only ever been to a handful of football matches and Tom hasn't been since primary school days when his Dad used to take him, but it isn't long before they are meeting Ryan on a Saturday and making their way to the Southlands Stadium. Their first match on the terraces turns out to be a lot more than Tom and Raks were expecting. It is matters away from the pitch that seem to be the focus of Ryan and his friends' attention. When it kicks off outside the ground with the Castleton fans, Tom and Raks are ready and up for it. Before they know it they are at the heart of the trouble and end up running away from the Police.

Tom is hooked and can't wait for the next home game and as the matches come thick and fast the two friends find a new focus. Now everyone at school notices them. Tom and Raks have an identity, a group of friends, they have power. Suddenly Tom isn't looking back to the good old days with Zoe and trying to support his Dad through his depression, he's skipping school to go down the Shakespeare's Head to drink with hardened legends of the terrace. Life is exciting and has purpose - but inevitably, at what cost?

Often funny, occasionally touching and always true to life, BIG AND CLEVER is an exhilarating Young Adult novel. Dan Tunstall's debut is a page-turner to get anyone into reading.

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about How To Be a Boy

How To Be a Boy is a collection of short stories bound together by the common theme of what it means to be a teenage lad in 21st century Britain.

Edited by Tony Bradman, the book features ten tales from some of the best Young Adult writers around, including Keith Gray, Mal Peet and Bali Rai. I was very flattered to be asked to contribute a story to this anthology. Needless to say, I jumped at the chance.

A number of tricky issues are explored in How To Be a Boy. Perhaps the main one is the way in which teenagers are often condemned as hoodies or druggies or thugs or gangsters when in fact most of them are just doing their best to find their way in life.

Although I’m knocking on a bit now, I can still vividly recall what it was like to be a teenager. It’s a fun time, but it can be scary too. You’re dealing with many of the problems of the adult world, but you’ve not got the life experience to help you through.

The central theme of my story, Last Man In, is how difficult it is to do the right thing, particularly when you’re a teenager. Luke, the central character, finds himself in a situation where he has a big decision to make.

Last Man In – my story in the How To Be a Boy anthology

Thursday morning cross-country with Mr Loman is always a killer. It’s even worse when it’s the middle of January in the freezing rain. But Luke’s not really got it bad. Not like Dale Jarrett.

Poor old Dale. He’s not one of nature’s natural athletes. Waddling round in his cheap pumps, half a mile behind everyone else, glasses steamed up. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, he’s got Loman dropping back to bark at him like some sort of Sergeant Major.

Back in the changing rooms, the rest of the lads usually avoid having a shower by ducking their heads in the sink then getting into their uniforms before Loman gets in. As last man in, with Loman right on his tail, Dale hasn’t got that option. He’s got to have his excuses lined up if he doesn’t want to take a shower.

And if there’s one thing Dale’s good at, it’s making excuses for not having a shower. The thing is, people are starting to catch on. And today they’re just not going to let him get away with it.

Dale’s trying to worm his way out of it, but the atmosphere in the changing room is getting nasty. He’s not got a towel, but someone’s got a spare one. It’s kit off time. Loman’s out of the picture and law and order are breaking right down. Someone whips Dale’s towel away. Laughter rings out as he scrabbles to cover himself up.

Looking on from a distance, Luke is feeling worse and worse. This isn’t right. And it’s time he did something about it.

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