Raymond Moore is a Registered Nurse, living and working in Saudi Arabia with his wife and three children. He also has a house and farm in Thailand. As well as being a writer, Raymond has been a record label owner, band manager and singer with a band. Born and brought up in Glasgow, he left his parents and moved to the Isle of Skye as a youngster, and his life changed forever.

• Where are you from?

I’m originally from Glasgow, Scotland. When I was thirteen I went to live with my Great Aunt and Great Grandmother on the Isle of Skye.

• Why do you write? 

It started off as Facebook posts. Telling stories of what it was like to grow up on an island in the late 1970’s. This developed into poems and then I found I couldn’t stop writing.

• What do you write about? 

The Skye Stories Trilogy document my life on and off the island. I wouldn’t say that I have lived a conventional life. I’m currently typing this from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where I have lived and worked as a Registered Nurse for over 20 years. Recently I have just submitted my first novel to the publishers and I hope it will be out next year.

• Do you have a specific writing style?

The Skye Stories trilogy have been written in an easy to read format. Bite sized chunks that I hope will entertain folk.

The first person style I used in the trilogy I have also used in my novel and hope that it too will entertain.

• What are obstacles that come in the way of writing? 

The biggest obstacle is my inherent laziness. Since the pandemic began my family who lived with me in Saudi got stuck in Thailand and have been living there. My wife is Thai and she lives in our house that we built with my three kids. With no family to distract me I had no excuse!

• What’s the most memorable thing asked/said by a reader about your work?

What makes me happy is the thought of someone laughing about some mischief I got up to when I was young. I just wanted make people smile.

• How long have you been writing?

I began seriously when I was in quarantine recovering from COVID19 last year.

•  When did you first realize you wanted to become a writer?

I always had an idea to write but laziness and life stopped me!

• What is your work schedule like when you are writing?

I generally write in the evenings after my hospital work is finished and at the weekends.

• What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I’m not sure I have a quirk but I basically have tried to write the way that I speak. When you read a Skye Story it would be as if I was there beside you telling you it.

• How long does it take to write a book? (if you’ve written one -published or non). For the Skye Stories Trilogy it took around a year. Volumes 1 7 2 are already published. Volume 3 will be out in October on Redshank Books. The novel has taken me around 6 months to get it into shape. There is still a fair bit of work to be done when my editor has finished reading it.
• Do you have suggestions on how to become a better writer?

Just write. Poems, stories, whatever. Get your idea’s down on paper. For example I’m now working on a ghost story and I didn’t really have a plot in mind just the title, Castledawn from that I’ve now written around 20k words. I’m lucky in that I have a very understanding editor who likes my sense of humour.

• What challenges do you come across when writing/creating your story?

For me dialogue is a challenge. It’s something new for me and sometimes I’m unsure how best to present it.

• What do you think makes a good story?

Anything that other folk can relate to. Even though my Skye Stories are about growing up on a Scottish Island it is also the story of a young teen going through young teen things. Doesn’t matter where you are in the world. We were all young teens once!

• What does your family think of your writing? 

They have been supportive of me and are proud I’ve published a couple of books.

• Do you see writing as a career?

I would love to be able to write full-time. Who knows?

• Do you have anything specific you’d like to tell the readers?

Would just like to say thanks for taking the time to read this interview. And should they be tempted to buy a book of mine I would be honoured.