Marc Marshall - names that crop up a lot in
my writing, although the actual child isn't based on anyone in
particular. I set this in Dungeness because I love the place.
It's bleak, depressing and seems to live in a monochrome world
of Avengers locations rather than Derek Jarman extravagance.
It's cold, inhospitable and bleak. I love it and a visit there
the previous summer with my successor at DWM, Gary Gillatt
sealed its fate as the setting for this book. I don't think I
made use of the lighthouse though, which surprises me now. I
want to live in a lighthouse. Always have. God knows why. I'm
just weird.
Mrs Petter is based on the mum of an old school friend, and
Steve Merrett was my mate and boss at the job I had when
writing Scales, working for a PlayStation magazine. Others
from the Playstation Plus editorial team, (Matt, Alex, Oz and
Jacqui turn up later in this chapter).
Sir James Quinlan of course popped his clogs in Ambassadors
of Death and in Terror of the Autons we learn that the Doctor
frequents a London club with Lord 'Tubby' Rowlands.
Jeff Johnson, Liz's "partner" is a UNIT soldier from
Ambassadors - I gave him the name Jeff cos he was played by
Caroline John's hubby, Geoffrey Beevers. It's the Virgo in me.
I'm sorry. Oh, and Liz smokes a pipe, just as Caroline John
did back then. And I apologise for the blatant and unfunny
Shada "May week" rip-off.
In November '95 I stayed at a guest house in Blackpool (I
don't think it was called the Bay View though) where the
owners were very jolly and nice but were members of something
like the Rollercoaster Passengers Club and travelled the
world, determined to take every rollercoaster ever. Now, I
love Rollercoasters myself (Six Flags Magic Mountain in Los
Angeles has the best ever I believe) but my god, these people
bored even me.
WPC Barbara Redworth is named after a former flatmate of my
old DWM co-worker and chum, Paul Vyse. These days she's not
Redworth any more, but here she is, frozen in a moment of
time, Redworth forever.
And finally (Esther), yes, I think the chauffeur mentioned
here is the same one who shifted his allegiance to the Master
in time for The Mind of Evil.
More continuity nonsense with Episode Two, folks...
