Cohn Iggulden is an author whose historical novels have sold over 10 million copies in the UK alone.
He is also co-author of the publishing sensation, The Dangerous Book for Boys (2006), which sold millions of copies.
Before becoming a full-time writer, the 53-year-old was an English teacher for several years, and one of his students was the broadcaster Fearne Cotton.
The father of four and author of over 30 books, he lives in Hertfordshire with his Italian wife Ella and their children.
How did your beginning in life influence your outlook on money?
My father grew up in Sussex without electricity and enlisted in the RAF as soon as he could forge a birth certificate, joining a squadron flying gliders to Arnhem in 1944.
My Irish mother entered a convent at 14 and left at 32. She took vows of poverty and obedience and had always found extravagance unpleasant.
Although my father built up a substantial retirement savings through wise investments, I have never met a couple who cared less about material wealth, although they did like having a decent home.
They still affect me greatly and I am annoyed at unnecessary expenses such as urez fines.
Did you get any pocket money?
I was given a pound a week which I spent on chocolate, crisps and comics (the Beano was my favourite, but I also bought 2000AD for many years) and I enjoyed lying in bed munching on sweets and reading Roger the Dodger or Judge Dredd.
What was your first real job?
“I was working in a greengrocer's in Eastcote when some men came looking for the owner and I waved them through. When I returned I found the owner tied up – he'd been robbed. I removed the gag and the owner fired me on the spot.
My second job was in a fish and chip shop, where I was getting £20 a shift before going to a nightclub, but as soon as we started dancing and the mood got lively, people would ask if we wanted vinegar. [laughs].
Have you always wanted to write?
Yes. I've been sending my first chapters to publishers since I was 11, writing about people in sixth grade, and writing every night at midnight.
Did success come overnight?
Very few. I had been turned down by agents and publishers for so long that I was very surprised when one of them actually accepted.
I sent the finished book to over 20 people, who always returned it in the enclosed envelope. I had to wait until I was 30 for the door to open.
How much of an advance did you receive for your first book?
My first contract, after many fruitless years, was for a trilogy – £102,000 per book, split between shipping, hardback and paperback publishing fees.
I started teaching on £14,250 and by my second year it had risen to a whopping £15,400, so the advance was a huge amount of money for me, and enabled me to write full-time for the first time.
What was your breakthrough moment?
Reading Christian Meyer's biography of Caesar inspired my first novel, The Gates of Rome (2003), about the young Caesar.
I suddenly thought: “Everyone knows he was assassinated… but nobody knows the fact that I'm reading here that he was captured by pirates, held for ransom, and then hunted down the pirates. What an incredible story!”
As for historical fiction, I barely knew what I was doing, but I knew it was a great story when I saw it.
What was the inspiration for The Dangerous Book for Boys?
Having a fairly elderly father and an even older father, I grew up in a house full of old books, most of which had been passed down, like “The Wonder Book of Wonders” and “Chemical Amusements for Boys.” When I had my own son, I looked for similar books but couldn't find any.
I began thinking about writing a book about all the silly things I did as a kid and the skills and knowledge I thought all boys should have, like learning to tie a bowline knot, or a bow and arrow, or knowing about Douglas Bader.
Which book has generated the most revenue?
The Dangerous Book for Boys sold well in the US, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France and China. It reached number one on the New York Times bestseller charts and sold over 500,000 copies in the UK alone. In total, it has sold millions of copies. There are chapters on how to play poker, how to train dogs and even Admiral Nelson…
How did this book change your life?
The publicity tour was next level – I was interviewed by everyone from Steve Wright to Claudia Winkleman. I also competed in the Horse Chestnut World Championships – but lost to my brother, much to my dismay.
Have you made any big purchases?
I bought a £2,000 gift box from Fortnum & Mason for my agent and took my family on a holiday to the Amalfi Coast in Italy.
How do you follow up on those bestsellers?
I don't think I'll ever write a book that's as successful. Lightning doesn't strike twice. The sequel, The Double Dangerous Book for Boys, didn't sell very well either. Maybe its time has passed, or maybe all the kids have cell phones now. I did my best to stem the tide.
How has the publishing industry changed since you started out as an author?
So much has changed since my first novel was published almost 20 years ago. Entirely new genres like “romance” have emerged, and promotion is now driven by TikTok, Instagram, memes and X-tweets. It’s a completely different world.
Have you ever been through a tough time?
I wasn't paid a ton of money as a teacher, and smoking 20 cigarettes a day didn't do much for my bank account, much less have four kids, but we got by, and I was a compulsive saver, so I always had a rainy day fund.
What has been the best investment you have made?
My Rolls Royce shares. I panicked a bit when the shares crashed during Covid but I figured they would fly again. I held on and they've done very well ever since. My BAE and AstraZeneca shares have also done well. I bought them because I had confidence in the country and its future.
Do you own real estate?
Yes, I live with my wife and children in a five-bedroom pre-war detached house on the outskirts of London.
Are you a spender or a saver?
I'm a thrifty person. I find it hard to enjoy spending money. My wife has just learned that the plumber has diagnosed our old boiler and it is beyond repair. This news has cast a gloomy shadow over our finances for weeks.
What is your greatest joy?
I was a smoker for many years. I used to smoke a pack a day, sometimes two, but I quit 10 years ago and have saved a lot of money. Vodka is my thing these days. I like to have an occasional martini.
What is the worst decision you've made regarding money?
I was once deceived by a man I knew but had never met, who came to see my wife in tears and told her that if he did not get some cash quickly, he would lose his house and his wife and children would be destitute.
She begged me for help but I was in a time crunch and panicked and doubled my mortgage to help him out, sending him a 6 figure sum not realising he was a thief and scoundrel. He must have laughed at my ignorance. It was insanity and I deeply regret it.
Do you donate to charity?
Yes, every month. I regularly ask the nuns for help. They are very good at finding deserving people who need a little help.
Nero, the first in a new trilogy by Cohn Iggledon, is published on May 23rd (Penguin Michael Joseph).
