So where did Stent come from?

Several people at shows have commented on the character of Stent, the down-to-earth king of the streets of Edinburgh. I must admit I've got a lot of pleasure from writing scenes with Stent in - he makes a great foil to the pomposity and self-assured confidence of some of the other characters.

Where did the idea for Stent come from? Would you believe he is a real person? A few years ago I was waiting outside a shop in Edinburgh's George Street. It was mid-evening during the festival, so the streets were crowded with people, and then I noticed someone who stood out as different. He was loping along the street, clearly on a mission, with concentration on his face. As he passed each parking meter or phone box, he flipped the coin return in case there was change there, and he picked up coins and cigarette ends from the ground, but all without slowing his steady, rapid pace. Later that evening I saw him again in another part of the city, still striding along and looking out for every opportunity he could find. I was fascinated by him - who was he, what was his story? And so the character of Stent was born.

Stent's voice came from a different source. I needed an authentic-sounding voice for him, and it came to me when I was sitting on a Lanark to Glasgow train and overheard someone talking in quite a loud voice. 'It's just pure nonsense, by the way. They eejits are takin' the piss, man.' The voice was perfect for Stent and I spent the rest of the journey surreptitiously taking notes on my phone!

And his name? I don't know - it just sort of popped into my head when I was writing. Maybe I watched a hospital documentary the night before!

Bracken - the Jack Russell Terrier who inspired Garm

The purpose of stone circles, according to Archer

'Old Reekie' - Edinburgh, the setting for the Parallel Realm books