Looking For Sarah Jane Smith

Franklin's Doctor Who-inspired debut is set in South Wales and Western Australia. ‘I'll always have fond memories of this novel because I'd spent the previous decade trying to find my ‘voice' on various aborted efforts,' he said. ‘It just clicked with this one because I had such a firm grasp of the chemistry between the three main characters. The book demonstrates my fascination with finding the humanity in damaged people who continually grate against their environment. It also made me realise I'd never be a PC writer, although I do enjoy polarising readers. The politically correct have a tiresome tendency to take things literally, perhaps because they are looking for ways to be offended so they can go into a self-righteous fluster in which they feel superior. I guess my refusal to insert clunky comments condemning my characters leaves me open to all sorts of accusations, but some readers never seem to entertain the fact I might disapprove of my creations. I prefer to show rather than tell.' The author was amused though by a Perth teacher who contacted Baby Ice Dog Press wanting to add the novel to the high school reading list. ‘I had to tell him that if he tried to introduce his students to Looking For Sarah Jane Smith he'd get sacked within a couple of days.' Franklin remains hopeful of fellow Welshman and Doctor Who revivalist Russell T Davies discovering the book. ‘I think the world needs to know a bit more about Sister Morphine, Wasp Boy and the Battle of the Sweaty Knickers.'