Bookpleasures.com welcomesas our guest Lyndon Haynes, a North London-born writer whose richbackground in music and screenwriting informs his vivid andemotionally gripping storytelling.

With a career spanningfrom short stories and self-published works to a master’s degree inwriting for screen and stage, Lyndon has developed a distinctivedescriptive style that immerses readers fully in the worlds hecreates.

Today, we will bediscussing his latest novel, Paper Trail, the firstinstalment in a gripping crime thriller trilogy set in London andbeyond.

Norm: Good day Lyndon andthanks for taking part in our interview:

Paper Trail centersaround the Griffin Pub and its complex characters. What inspired youto choose this particular setting as the focal point of your story?

How does the pubatmosphere enhance the themes of secrecy and community in the novel?

Lyndon: Hi thanks forhaving me. I wanted to create a sense of a typical London setting andthe community that thrives within that, the Griffin and thecharacters in and around the Kingfisher estate represent the peoplethat I see everyday, hardworking members of the community who may tosome be simple people but behind closed doors have secrets anddilemmas.

Norm: The siblingsCindy and Dwayne have a relationship that goes beyond blood ties. Canyou elaborate on their dynamic and how it drives the plot?

Were these charactersinspired by real-life relationships or entirely fictional?

Lyndon: Yes, Cindy is theelder sister to her brother Dwayne, they have a close bond but theirpaths have taken them in different directions. 

Cindy is a careerdriven young mother with high aspirations whereas Dwayne whilsthaving a good soul seems to always land himself in trouble. Cindywants him to change his ways and contribute to being part of thefamily especially for his niece but he is always on the edge ofsomething. As siblings they have trust in each other butcircumstances test their trust and loyalty.  

The characters arefictional but are really derived from my observations of people thatI've met in my life.

Norm: Your backgroundspans music, screenwriting, short stories, and novels. How has yourexperience in the music industry shaped your narrative style in PaperTrail?

Do you find storyrhythm or pacing in writing parallels to musical composition?

Lyndon: Yes, in some ways.When I was writing music and lyrics it was about getting all yourideas and details down within a short time span for example each songwould be around three minutes so pace and content was essential intrying to get your message across.  

When writing this book, Iused all of the elements of my writing skills, there are elements ofthe screenwriting structure as well as injecting the urgency and paceof a song to keep the reader engrossed. 

I want readers to vividly seehear and feel each chapter the same as when you watch a good film.

Norm: PaperTrail is part of a planned trilogy with scenes stretching fromLondon to Europe and the Middle East. What challenges andopportunities do you see in weaving such international locales into acrime thriller?

Can you hint at howthese diverse locations influence character development or plotprogression?

Lyndon: Great question! Ithink even though the original arena is anchored in London a city Iam very familiar with I didn't want to limit where I think the storycould naturally take me. 

I have travelled around the world and wantto include some of the elements of places I have seen, there aregreat visual opportunities when describing locations or charactersand it also challenges me to think outside of what I know and drivethe narrative to another level. 

One of the things I am aware of isthat I want to reach a global audience with my books so similarly toa good series on television when people read a story from me mysignature will be don't expect me to stick to what I know and justcome on the journey. In terms of character development there arechallenges such as language, customs, food many intricate detailswhich enhances the plot and adds layers to the story.

Norm: You donate 50% ofroyalties to the Sickle Cell Society UK and are active in communityoutreach. How important is social engagement to your identity as awriter?

Does activism orawareness play a role in your storytelling themes?

Lyndon: Firstly, I am aSickle Cell sufferer myself and have had this disorder since birth,so my donations are really a way of me giving back to the communityand people that have supported me all of my life. 

I feel like I havea platform that can inspire young people to live their dream ofbecoming something or somebody in life because I was always told thatmy sickness will limit me, so social engagement is really importantto me.  

I have written screenplays which tell stories ofactivism and social awareness which are yet to come to light, maybeafter this trilogy I will turn my focus to writing books that will bethemed around self-help and motivation.

Norm: Before writingfull-length novels, you completed a postgraduate master’s in screenand stage writing. How has this formal education impacted your novelwriting?

In what ways do youthink screenwriting skills benefit novelists, especially thosewriting thrillers?

Lyndon: Yes, I was whatthey call a mature student! My dream was always to attend film schooland that was the toughest challenge I ever had but the reason Iwanted to do it was to learn the craft of writing. 

My actual motivewas to write screenplays for television drama and I learnt that theprocess and structure was completely different to writing a novel.Similarly to music there are restrictions in the way you write anddifferent techniques which make a screenplay stand out.

I felt thatwhen writing a novel, I have more freedom but can also use thestylistic scene structure and apply that to my chapters ensuring thescene is as descriptive as possible and in terms of dialogue it helpswith making it punchier and more succinct. 

Norm: Suspense andmystery are central to Paper Trail. What techniques do youuse to maintain tension and keep readers engaged in your thriller?

How do you balanceemotional depth with plot-driven suspense?

Lyndon: I'm a massiveHitchcock fan I used to watch his films when I was younger and Iloved the way he would create a sense of taut suspense where youcould not completely trust any character. 

For me it's about keepingreader not quite knowing where I'm taking them next so I try to droptiny clues or crumbs as I call them as to lead you to think you knowthe thought process or heart of a character then drop a crumb thatwill get the reader to have that inkling of doubt about them. I loveplaying with emotions because we all have them so I really work hardto reflect exactly how each character is feeling or thinking at everymoment, 

I want to evoke reaction from readers whether its anger,tears, heart in the mouth moments it's very important for me tocapture that tension, I listen to a lot of music when I write andsometimes a song might serve as the backdrop or soundtrack thatcreates the emotion which in turn helps me to drive the plot.

Norm: Your descriptivestyle aims to immerse readers fully in your created worlds. How doyou develop such vivid imagery without slowing the pacing of athriller?

Are there particularsensory details or writing exercises you use to enhance immersion?

Lyndon: My style ofwriting again harks back to the screenwriting element, you have to bedescriptive in terms of knowing whatever you write the producer ordirector can then create some kind of storyboard. Before I even writea chapter, I visualise what it will look like, I think about everydetail of the room or car etc because I want the reader to see ittoo.

I'm already someone who can retain visually a lot of details sowhen writing I want the imagery to be clear to put the reader in thelocation of where the action is happening. 

When I did a creativewriting course, I remember the teacher always telling us to neverforget the sensory details such as smell sound and vision so yes Iattempt to include all of these where possible, I think the trick isto get the reader to really be a part of the story by drawing them inwith detailed and vivid imagery just like watching it all play out ona theatre stage or movie screen.

Norm: The characterBarry Evans is an unsuspecting post office worker thrust into danger.What attracted you to telling the story through an “ordinary”person’s perspective amid extraordinary events?

Does Barry’s roleecho any larger societal observations you wanted to explore?

Lyndon: Barry is like anyof us just a normal man who likes a pint after work, unfortunatelyhis 'Greed' if you like leads him into a situation he never expectedand from there on in, he is caught up. 

These people or characters arereal to me because I know people like Barry so it's always good tothrow them into a dilemma and see how they react, quite cruel reallybut its again testing people's loyalty and character, putting himinto a position where he now has to make choices. 

It's a reflectionof how life can suddenly spiral. I commute to work every day and sitopposite strangers on the tube and I always wonder behind the suit orthe uniform or make up what is really going on in their life? Arethey dealing with a dilemma?

 Are they just like Barry? In relation tosocietal observations, I guess it's really what can be ordinary oneday can be extraordinary at any moment and how human beings react inextreme situations.

Norm: PaperTrail challenges readers about trust and hidden truths. Whatpersonal or societal questions did you hope to raise through thisstory?

Have readers sharedinterpretations of these themes that surprised you?

Lyndon: I guess for me itsmore of the question of how well do you know your friend's siblingsor spouses and what would drive them to lie be deceitful or hidesecrets from those who are close to them. human nature has a funnyway of adapting to different scenarios and in any relationshipwhether it be business or personal will always challenge people tochange or remain open and truthful with integrity but money is amassive driver for some people it will cause people to stab eachotherin the back and lie about a situation. 

I like to test my charactersin the same we as people get tested, bringing it back to Dwayne andCindy they are a clear example of siblings who are not telling thetruth until it's too late and both have their hidden reasons as towhy they use deceit instead of honesty. 

Readers have gasped at thetwists in the plot and themes especially when they are surprised bythe directions some of the characters take in the story.

Norm: Having workedwith an experienced TV producer and script editor, how do youapproach adapting Paper Trail or your other works forscreen or stage?

Are there plans ordesires from you to see Paper Trail adapted visually?

Lyndon: I would love tosee Paper Trail adapted for screen I think as a writer I have alreadyseen it in my mind as being on screen so that would be nice. 

Workingwith a TV producer and script editor really made me focus on thecharacter arcs and overall story arc from beginning to end. 

The way Iplan out my book before its written is similar to how I would write adrama series for television I map everything out first before I eventouch a keyboard and ask myself questions like what is the plot? 

Howdo I want the feel of the story to be? How will this charactersexperience be throughout the book? Where is the setting? What seasonis it in terms of the climate or weather? Just as much informationand research gathering I can do before I actually start to write. 

There is an element of structure but I also allow myself to becreative and flow so that the book can breathe and become its ownentity too.

Norm: Where can ourreaders find out more about you and Paper Trail?

Lyndon: I'm not massive onsocials but do have an Instagram page Lyndon Haynes Author, I have aLinkedIn page under my name Lyndon Haynes and I also have awebsite: lyndon-haynes-authr.ihub.app 

Norm: As we wrap up ourinterview, looking forward, what new directions or projects do youenvision for your writing, both within and beyond the crime thrillergenre?

Are there any themes orgenres you are eager to explore in future works?

Lyndon: At the moment I amnearing the end of the second part of this trilogy the follow up itscalled La Maison De Allure and continues five years later to followthe lives of Cindy and Dwayne with some returning characters and alsosome new ones. 

I have a screenplay called Rae which is about a youngfemale footballer who suffers from Sickle Cell but has amazing talentand her journey to try and break into the elite academies so I wantto try and get this made it's a feature film. 

Then I will probablywrite a love story to give me a break from the drama of a crimethriller! And as mentioned I am keen to explore the self help andmotivation style themed book but that's for the future.