Having originally aspired to be an actor or a painter, Rathbone had also taken up writing and by the end of the 1960s had had three novels published, all set in Turkey and informed by a background of which he had intimate knowledge.
Rathbone, who had originally dreamed of becoming an actor or a painter, also pursued writing. By the late 1960s, he had authored three novels set in Turkey, each drawing inspiration from his personal experience with the country.