MURDER, revenge and adventure drive the plot of a Buderim author's latest novel, launched just this month on the Coast.

Formerly part of the BBC television's design department, Roger Wood said the idea for the rogue convict story, My Name is Patrick Hagen, initially came to him in the form of a TV series, but he ended up writing the story as a novel.

The drama follows the adventures and adversaries of 17-year-old Patrick Hagen, an Irish farmer who in 1822 decides to avenge his sister, murdered by British officers. But before he can do so, he is shipped as a convict to Australia where he recognises one of the officers.

It's the author's first novel set in the 17th century, with most of his other works following a Sydney detective by the name of George Overton set in the post-Second World War era.

Mr Wood said writing the book involved a huge amount of research, but he enjoyed the flexibility of writing an entirely fictional character.

"It's a lot easier to invent things for a fictitious character, than documenting real things for a real character," he said.

"Though, with this particular story, everything that happens to the hero has happened to somebody at some point."

He said it was not terribly challenging to write for characters who would have lived 200 years ago, as long as his research was sound.

"I can write in just about any period, I just have to do the research."

Self-taught as an author, Mr Wood said the advice he'd give to any budding authors was to just "go for it".

"If you've got an idea, just go for it. I had an idea initially for a story, and I just sat down and worked out how to get it from my head onto paper."

"After that, I found it easy."

My Name is Patrick Hagen can be found at Books on Buderim, and Mr Wood will be signing copies there on October 6 from 10am.

His other works include Detective George Overton, and The MacArthur Diversion.