One of the things about Go West which made it entertaining to write is that every time I put someone or something real in the book, I googled that person or thing with the word "fake" next to it. This is how I discovered the truth about one major historical character's reputation, a myth about a famous Devon spinster, and a story about the painter Robert Lenkiewicz.

I love Lenkiewicz. He lived in Plymouth at the same time I did (except I was a child at the time), he led a wild life, and he's both hugely popular and critically disliked (to me, he's like a satanic and brilliant Jack Vettriano).

I won't go on about him here - I do that in Go West - but I want this painting of his to be on the cover of the book somewhere. It's a portrait of local TV presenter Judy Spiers and a puppet rabbit called Gus Honeybun. They used to do the birthdays on TV when I was a kid. I think Lenkiewicz may have exceeded the terms of his commission here.

I love this portrait.