David Bush

Tell us a little bit about yourself, your hobbies and interests.

I am a medical doctor specialized in haematology. I still practice hospital medicine in Malta. I spent most of my adult life in the UK but I was born in Malta where I spent my childhood. I’m interested in almost anything. I am an avid collector of art and antiques. Being brought up in a musical family, music and the theatre plays a big part in my life. I like travelling, swimming and reading (though I regret I’m limited in how much I can read because of my work commitments). Above all, I’m a DIY enthusiast for almost anything and it’s a pity there are not enough hours in the day to do all I wish to do.

When and why did you start writing books?

I had written a medical book and published a large number of medical papers in peer reviewed scientific journals. I am also a regular contributor of articles on political satire for an influential political blog. However, from a young age, I have always had an ambition to write at least one novel. I recently given up my private practice and that has given me more time to spend with my two delightful great nephews, Jack and Luke. Most of my free time is spent with them daily. They have provided me with the impetuous to write and they have also provided me with the literary ideas for storytelling. With Jack, we compose stories together. I then do the writing and editing in the early morning hours before going to hospital.

What made you decide to tackle writing as a career?

My great-nephews. I have always had a love of literature which was imparted on to me by my parents and two elder sisters. Likewise, I wish to impart it on to my nephews. I am of the opinion that there is no better way to ignite a love of literature in a child other than with an in-house, self-published work. This arduous literary DIY undertaking was a labour of love from beginning to end. I have written two books of the intended Jack trilogy in which my nephew’s namesake becomes a protagonist in the plot. The books are intended to be read by my nephew when he reaches the appropriate reading age. It will be another ten years before my great-nephew Jack comes of age, I may not be around then, but at least I would have left him with a perpetual personalized memento, apart from a dowry. Even if he will not appreciate the book, one day he might come to an understanding of the patient effort with which the various threads had to be woven for the making of the book tapestry.

Which one of your books or characters is your favourite?

“The Joyous Adventures of Whizzojack” is a middle grade book in which a five year old boy considers himself to be a superhero. It is partly autobiographical. The co-author is my nephew himself, who cannot yet read or write. We have threshed out the stories together. He provided the bones of the storyline to which I merely added the flesh. He came up with the characters and the rudimentary story line. He even showed me how the illustrations should be. I drew them for him in response to his exigent promptings and directions. After he approved them, I passed the sketches over to a professional graphic artist. The book has not been published yet even though it was the first novel I’ve written.

Which one of your books was the hardest to write and stretched you the most as a writer?

“General Jack and the Battle of the Five Kingdoms”. In my early teens, I was hooked on the weekly periodicals, “Look and Learn”, “World of Wonder” and “Tell Me Why”. Each edition was packed with diverse unconnected articles on many subjects which were presented in an engaging style. They were entertaining, inspiring and educational. I credit them for changing the aimless, disinterested kid I was, into the teen who subsequently acquired a lifelong thirst for general knowledge, and who went on to become an avid reader. It’s a pity that periodicals of that ilk are no longer around. So, one day I had this crazy idea of recreating the essence or spirit of those periodicals in one book. For that to materialise, I had to come up with a homogenous storyline that does the impossible and unites a variety of disparate themes into one compact mass (not unlike what General Jack had to do with his animals I got the idea for the book from the simple stories I spontaneously created in response to the incessant questions young Jack posed to me about nature and wildlife. Also, I’m always helping him lay out battle scenes and strategies with his lego soldiers. I gathered these stories together and embedded them into a literary matrix. I wrote the first draft of about 90 pages in one day. Unusually, everyone was away that weekend so I had the house to myself. It started off as a middle grade novel, but it took on a life of its own, and as it expanded, it became more appropriate for a more mature reader. It took me some time to realize what was happening, and the book had already been launched. It made a mess of my marketing efforts as I had to undo most of what had already been set.

Who is your favourite author and book?

Probably AJ. Cronin and his four top books" The Citadel", " The Stars Look Down", " The Keys of the Kingdom" and "Three Loves". What we have in common is our medical background. Doctors in certain specialities witness personal tragedies first hand, It puts us in the uncomfortably realistic position of observing and experiencing the emotions of the protagonists and seeing how they react to the unexpected and cruel dramatic twists of life.

What book are you reading right now?

The English translation of "La Catedral del Mar".

Where do you get your inspiration for your books?

From Christian theology. It gives emotional depth and meaning to any novel but it has to be done in a very subtle manner for it to be effective. So subtle that the casual reader may not even detect it.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Babysitting my delightful two great-nephews on a daily basis takes up all my free time now and it something I thoroughly enjoy.

Do you have any new books in the works?

An children's book the manuscript of which has long been completed but for the illustrations. The COVID pandemic has wrought havoc with my plans. It took me a long time to find the right illustrators, but each time they have been struck by the viral infection and have failed to meet any deadlines. Sometimes, I think this book is jinxed and I am getting increasingly impatient for it to see the light of the day.