An Interview with Sid Hunter

Sid Hunter is a teacher and writer now living in Hampshire (because London house prices are, frankly, criminal). He writes thrillers with heart, humour, and a few too many close calls — often featuring a laid-back teacher who finds himself in very unexpected danger.

Sid has worked in schools long enough to know that real life is often stranger than fiction, and he writes in the overlap — where classroom calm meets full-blown chaos. A lifelong reader of thrillers, it was inevitable he’d one day put pen to paper in the genre…he just couldn’t resist adding a few dad jokes along the way.

Sid insists he’s just a teacher. But then again…isn’t that exactly what a spy would say?

Find him on Goodreads and Instagram/X: @sidhunterbooks

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What inspired you to start writing this book?

I first began writing about Memphis James — the teacher at the heart of the story — during lockdown. With more time on my hands than usual, I managed to get a large chunk of a completely different adventure down on paper. But once we came out of COVID restrictions and I returned to work, the time to write vanished and the story ground to a halt.

When I revisited the character later, a new idea had taken shape — essentially an origin story — showing how an ordinary teacher could end up in extraordinary trouble. That became Keep Cool, Memphis. It took about a year to write and edit around work and family life, and finishing it was a real moment of pride.

The original lockdown manuscript wasn’t wasted, though — it’s since been reworked into the second book in the series, which is now in its beta phase.

Why Memphis? As a teacher for around fifteen years — working with teenagers — I’ve been on enough school trips to know that something always goes wrong. Usually it’s a broken-down coach or a forgotten passport, not masked men in the Paris catacombs. Keep Cool, Memphis started as a “what if?” daydream, and the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to see what would happen if an ordinary teacher got caught up in something far bigger than permission slips and packed lunches.

We all daydream to escape the more mundane parts of our jobs — so a teacher who might also be a spy was my idea. And I ran with it. I also felt my students would love it. It’s not quite YA in the traditional sense as the students in the story are key players but not the main character. But I suppose I also wrote it with them in mind.

Tell us the story of your book’s current title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

It took…a while. For most of the drafting process, the file was just saved as Paris, which hardly set the pulse racing. I wanted something that captured both the humour and the tension of the story.

“Keep Cool” comes from the advice Memphis would like to give himself — and occasionally does — but rarely manages to follow. “Memphis” is the main character’s first name: unusual enough to stick in the mind, and perfect for a hero who’d rather be anonymous but somehow stands out anyway.

The title, like all the chapter titles, is drawn from a phrase within the book itself. Keep Cool, Memphis appears in chapter one — that was intentional. A teacher in an absurdly dangerous situation would need to reassure himself, and this line felt like the perfect combination of calm instruction and mounting panic.

Describe your dream book cover.

I did a lot of research on the genre and its visual style before putting my graphic design and Photoshop skills to work. I always knew the Eiffel Tower had to be there — a nod to the Paris setting — but it was a question of how to use it without falling into cliché.

Originally, I had Memphis front and centre, staring towards the Tower with armed mercenaries bursting from the shadows. KEEP COOL was in a straight font, with Memphis in a script. I also considered a moodier approach — Paris streets at night, wet cobblestones reflecting streetlights, a silhouette disappearing around a corner, the Tower just visible but slightly blurred, and perhaps a subtle school trip nod, like a stray clipboard or rucksack.

In the end, I went for a bold title treatment with a more subtle Eiffel Tower. I’m really pleased with it — especially the distressed font. My dream version would keep the current title and Tower, but add a strong quote and tagline without feeling cramped.

I tend to work on covers while a manuscript is in beta, and the sequel’s design is already proving more difficult. I’ve not even dared think about book three yet.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

Great question. And at the back of my mind, when I’m writing, I’m aiming for the cinematic — so a soundtrack match that vibe. I’d probably have something cliche like Edith Piaf’s “Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien” for the French element. Probably something dramatic like the Moby track used for Jason Bourne films. Equally, a big Guns N’ Roses rock anthem would fit. My favorite bands include Counting Crows, Hootie and the Blowfish, and, contrastingly, bands like Pearl Jam — so I’d want to squeeze them in. I’m also a fan of country music… I’d love to know what readers would think!

What books are you reading (for research or comfort) as you continue the writing process?

I’ve not been reading for ‘research’ as such — it’s all been for enjoyment. Lately, I’ve been leaning towards audiobooks, simply because they fit more easily into my day. I’ve listened to a few of Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club books, and I recently revisited Christopher Brookmyre’s One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night — arguably the book that made me fall in love with humorous action thrillers.

I then listened to his Cracked Mirror novel and thought it was incredible — two seemingly separate stories that ultimately converge into one. Brookmyre, Carl Hiaasen, Elmore Leonard, and Osman all prove that crime and comedy can share the same page.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I’m a teacher, which means I’m also a counsellor, referee, occasional detective, and alleged caffeine enthusiast. I’ve never worked as a spy — but then again, that’s exactly what a spy would say.

I’ve been teaching in secondary schools and sixth forms in England for over fifteen years. Before that, I worked in communications and a range of fairly typical office jobs. Outside of teaching, football has always been a big part of my life. I was a volunteer coach at a community club for around thirty years until I moved house, and I’ve also volunteered as a matchday programme editor for a professional football club — more writing and graphic design fun, just with more mud and floodlights. I only gave up that role this summer and am hoping to use the time gained to write more novels!

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

I’ve always loved reading, but Christopher Brookmyre probably stands out as a direct inspiration. I’ve mentioned him before, but his mix of sharp plotting and humour showed me that action and comedy can share the same page. I’ve always been drawn to the underdog — in sport and in fiction — but I’m not sure I’d read much where the hero is an accidental hero. That was something I wanted to explore.

Before writing novels, I used to write poetry — probably as a way of expressing emotion. Looking back, I think that helped hone my observational skills and my ability to notice the little quirks in people and situations. I’ve always loved humour, so bringing a light-hearted touch to thrillers felt almost inevitable once I started writing longer stories.

Where is your favorite place to write?

I’m a night owl, so most of my writing happens in the evenings, usually on the sofa with my laptop. In an ideal world, I’d be tucked away in a cabin in the middle of nowhere, or in a quiet villa in France — or perhaps a house in Scandinavia with huge windows to admire the night sky. Definitely not somewhere hot, though. I can’t stand the heat.

What advice would you give your past self at the start of your writing journey?

Probably to look at the marketing side. I’ve noticed as I’ve written book two, and now 52k words into book three, that my writing has improved — but because I’ve always been a writer of sorts (communications job, programme editorial/copywriting, etc.) — I know my writing isn’t bad.

I’d remind myself to keep going — run with the momentum because sometimes time and life means writing will drift. And to write the book I want to read, because that passion keeps me going as I get excited and want to find out how it runs…

But as I say — marketing. I’ve written a good book. I’ve designed a good cover. But I’m getting no sales — and therefore no reviews. I feel a few good reviews would kick-start the process, so probably working on pre-launch and getting a buzz before I publish would be helpful.

What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?

That it’s a good story, fun, and they want to read another. (I suppose that’s three things, in one sentence!)

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