I'm not a believer in either a God or a benign universe but I grew up Church of Scotland, R.E. at school, church and Sunday school on Sundays. It didn't take, but some of the fire and brimstone seeped in and took hold. It sometimes comes out in my writing.

Especially, it seems, in my weird westerns.

My early childhood was steeped in Westerns. I have my Granddad to thank for days watching Wagon Train, Rawhide, Bonanza and Gunsmoke, then later on, The Virginian and The High Chapparal. He also introduced me to Louis L'Amour and others as I devoured his collection of Western paperbacks.

Writing weird westerns just grew naturally out of that background.