Category: Author Interviews

Interview with Crime Novelist Tony Forder

10/4/2019

I'm delighted to welcome bestselling crime novelist Tony Forder to my blog this week! Thank you for letting me interview you, Tony. Let's get going with the questions!

I’d like to know more about your latest novel, the fourth in a crime series featuring DI Bliss and DC Chandler, called The Reach of Shadows. What can readers expect to encounter in its pages?

What readers will find is a Bliss under pressure physically, professionally and personally, with each of these looking to consume him. In fighting to solve a possible stalker-murder case whilst recovering from being mown down by a car, Bliss also has to ward off an IOPC investigation which focuses on the murder of his wife many years earlier. With help from a loyal team, Bliss resolves the murder in a way he might not have envisioned, and puts to the sword all of the questions asked about his involvement in his wife’s murder. Here's a taster:

Recovering from injuries sustained in a road collision, DI Bliss is taken directly from hospital to a fresh crime scene and ordered to investigate the vicious stabbing and murder of Jade Coleman.

When Bliss realises the victim had reported being stalked, and that two of his own team had been drafted in to take her statement, he is given the unenviable task of interviewing both of his detectives.

Increasingly it appears that the stalker may be her killer. However, several other people soon become part of the team’s suspect list. Bliss also finds himself being questioned about his own past and has to battle to defend himself whilst continuing to investigate the murder. Soon more questions arise. Why would anybody target Jade Coleman? Why are the team unable to identify the victim’s close female friend? And why did Jade recently leave her job without any explanation?

With his work cut out, and his team under pressure, can Bliss solve the case before more victims show up? Or will the shadows of his own past reach out and drag him under before he can succeed?

What about your second Mike Lynch crime thriller, Cold Winter Sun, published in November 2018?

Mike, who in the previous book started out as a character worn down by life and striving to avoid hitting the bottle again, became the man he had once been across the course of that novel. In his second outing, he and his friend and comrade in arms, Terry, fly out to New Mexico to find someone important in his ex-wife’s new life. Hunted and plagued by people who appear to be seeking the same individual, Mike and Terry use their military skills to extricate both themselves and their target from harm’s way. Here's another taster:

A missing man. A determined hunter. A deadly case.

When Mike Lynch is contacted by his ex-wife about the missing nephew of her new husband, he offers to help find the young man with the help of his friend Terry Cochran.

Arriving in LA to try and track down the young man, the pair are immediately torn away when the missing man’s car shows up, abandoned on the side of a deserted road in New Mexico.

When two fake police officers cross their path, Terry and Mike know there is more to the case than meets the eye, and soon they find themselves asking exactly who it is they are really looking for…

Tell us about yourself and what you get up to when you're not writing.

I read, though not as much as I would like. I’ve played guitar since I was ten or twelve, and still practice most days – though I no longer have my fleet of guitars and equipment. I love music and listen as often as I can. I enjoy many sports, and follow Chelsea and the England rugby union team. I am now 61, live with my long-suffering wife in Peterborough, and I write full time. I love well-made films and TV, especially oddball stuff like Boston Legal, Fargo, Breaking Bad, Killing Eve, etc.

What is your all-time favourite novel?

The Silence of the Lambs. Thomas Harris recognised in Red Dragon the impact a villain like Lecter might make, and then added a beautifully observed character in Clarice Starling. Add suspense and tension in just about every scene, plus razor-sharp prose and dialogue, and you have a piece of magic. I loved Red Dragon as well, but for me Lambs just takes the prize.

What are you working on at present?

I wish I knew. I’m close to finishing my final edits for the next DI Bliss, and also working on a brand new story and character – my first female lead – but only recently had an idea for another Bliss book which I cannot stop thinking about and had to start writing immediately. I always have plans for 2-3 books ahead, and I always change them. I need there to be 48 hours in a day or for someone to clone me.

Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer to see where an idea takes you?

It entirely depends on the book at the time. My most recent release, The Reach of Shadows, began with two ideas: a possible stalker murder and an internal investigation against DI Bliss. It really was no more than that when I started, but it ended up being what I consider to be my best book so far. Conversely, with the book I am editing, slated to be the next Bliss, the entire story was pretty much in my head and significant incidents noted before I wrote a single word. It all came to me within about fifteen minutes, shortly after reading an article about a bizarre true-life murder in the US. I didn’t so much write about the murder itself, but instead used a similar incident here in the UK as the reason other murders take place.

Do you think the cover plays an important part of the buying process?

From what I’ve read, most people claim not to be influenced by covers. However, even with those who say it means nothing to them, I do believe they may be subliminally drawn to certain colours, fonts, and images. It may catch their eye without them even realising it, but there’s no doubt in my mind that readers can be drawn to a book by a cover.

I don’t, however, believe they buy a book because of the cover. But being drawn to it can be enough, because that may then lead them to read the blurb and go on to buy it.

What kind of research do you do?

I actually enjoy research, and the volume and kind entirely depends on what sort of book I am writing. For Degrees of Darkness I had to interview a taxidermist, for my current DI Bliss book it I needed advice from an embalmer; prior to that, I’ve used a solicitor, a paramedic, and a variety of police organisation units. The Met, NCA and RAF have been extremely useful. Then there’s good old Google and Google Maps. I almost got caught out by the maps, though. In If Fear Wins I have DI Bliss visit a police station in Essex. I wrote a whole scene, part of which described the exterior which I studied in street view online. A week or so afterwards I read a piece that said the station had been closed down and the whole lot moved elsewhere – you forget how out of date those maps and views can be.

How long do you spend on research before starting your book?

I try not to write about anything about which I have a complete lack of knowledge, so I’d say I write the book with a general awareness and minimal research behind me, fill in some specifics during the first draft, but mainly add my research material via the edits. In full flow at the keyboard I leave notations inside square brackets where something needs checking or adding.

What advice would you give to would-be novelists?

Persevere. If you have imagination then you can pluck an idea out of thin air and turn it into a story, which means you must write as often as possible. Learn as you go, but produce. Nothing need be wasted, as it can all be revisited later, after which you can polish your work. I’m not sure everybody gets the fact that, as with most creative things, you have to actually learn your craft. You do that by writing, and although some writers claim not to read, I do think you also learn by reading. Certainly you can learn about structure and pace from reading. Finally, grow a thick skin, because when you present your work you must be prepared to be criticised.

Thank you, Tony! Here's more information about Tony and his books:

Tony J Forder is the author of the critically acclaimed, international best-selling crime thriller series featuring detectives Jimmy Bliss and Penny Chandler. The first three books, Bad to the Bone, The Scent of Guilt, and If Fear Wins, are now joined by The Reach of Shadows, published in January 2019.

Tony’s dark, psychological crime thriller, Degrees of Darkness, featuring ex-detective Frank Rogers, was also published by Bloodhound Books. This is a stand-alone novel. Another book that was written as a stand-alone was Scream Blue Murder. This was published in November 2017, and received praise from many, including fellow authors Mason Cross, Matt Hilton and Anita Waller. Before it had even been published, Tony had decided to write a sequel, and Cold Winter Sun was published in November 2018.

Tony lives with his wife in Peterborough, UK, and is now a full-time author. You can find out more from his website, https://www.tonyjforder.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tonyjforder/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TonyJForder @TonyJForder
Amazon Author: https://www.amazon.co.uk/l/B01N4BPT65
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16166122.Tony_J_Forder
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/tony+j+forder?_requestid=248936
Bloodhound Books: http://www.bloodhoundbooks.com/tony-forder

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Author Interview - Robert Bidinotto

27/2/2019

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I'm delighted to welcome to my blog today Robert Bidinotto, author of the bestselling novel Hunter. Set in Washington, D.C. during a wave of vigilante killings, it’s the tale of two strong, idealistic loners. Dylan Hunter is a crusading journalist with a mysterious past, working to expose outrageous leniency in the criminal justice system. Annie Woods is a beautiful security officer at the CIA, sworn to track down the unknown assassin of an Agency employee. They meet after a brutal criminal act of violence against mutual friends.

As the parallel investigations by the CIA and the police begin to intersect in surprising ways, Dylan and Annie fall passionately in love. But they don’t realize that the shocking secrets they’re hiding from each other are propelling them headlong toward shattering personal conflicts—or that a terrifying predator is targeting them both.

I can vouch for the fact it's a great novel. Now, on with the interview...

You say that the failings of the US legal system formed the basis for Hunter's plot. Will future novels incorporate other areas of interest to you, such as environmental issues?

Maggie, my nonfiction background was writing serious journalism and commentary about current events and controversial topics. Now that I’ve turned to fiction, I find that I’m incapable of writing stories that do not have serious themes. Because I write thrillers, readers have every right to expect, above all, entertainment—colorful characters in fast-paced plots with lots of action, romance, and suspense. But in a Bidinotto thriller they also will find provocative perspectives on important topics. My goal is not only to keep readers turning pages late into the night, but also to encourage them to rethink the conventional “wisdom” on various topics. So, call these “thrillers for thinking people.”

Let me stress that, in my stories, the action doesn’t grind to a halt while characters just sit around pontificating at each other. That’s boring. Instead, I weave important themes into the very fabric of the characters and plot. The conflicts, confrontations, suspense, and story resolution all revolve around the characters’ values and viewpoints. So, the reader’s emotional investments in the characters and their fates become part and parcel of the ideas.

That was my approach in Hunter: it dramatizes corruption and leniency in the criminal justice system. But readers will find even more controversial themes in Bad Deeds. It’s set in the environmentalist movement—another long-time interest of mine. But let me assure you, my perspective is not “politically correct.” And the third novel in the series, Winner Takes All, tackles just about every political controversy that has emerged since the 2016 presidential election. It is the most complex story yet—and many readers think it’s the best.

Let’s imagine a showdown between Lee Child’s Jack Reacher and your Dylan Hunter. Reacher has the brawn, but can he compete against Dylan Hunter’s brain? Tell us how Dylan Hunter would win!

Ouch. First of all, I love the Jack Reacher character and have enjoyed most of Lee Child’s thrillers. Second, fictional characters—whether Lee’s or mine—can do pretty much anything the author wants them to; so Lee and I can always imagine and invent ways in which Dylan Hunter could defeat Jack, or vice versa. Now, if you’re asking about a physical confrontation between the very smart, very ruthless, and very large Jack Reacher, vs. the very smart, very ruthless, and considerably smaller Dylan Hunter—well, I don’t think the boxing commissioner would allow such a match.

Both guys also fight dirty, however, and maybe Dylan would have a few tricks up his sleeve that Jack wouldn’t expect. Who knows? Either way, things would get bloody. If your question is about something more than a physical fight—well, I’m sure that Dylan, with his money and background, could come up with a lot of high-tech spy gadgets to even the odds.

With its passionate love affair between Dylan and Annie, Hunter marries crime fiction with romance. Do you see yourself ever joining the growing ranks of male romantic novelists? Or perhaps exploring other genres besides crime/thrillers?

Pure romance novels? Probably not. However, after I’ve given Dylan a good run, I do have ideas for novels outside the thriller genre. Stay tuned.

To what extent has your interest in philosophy, in particular the Objectivist movement of Ayn Rand, influenced the character of Dylan Hunter?

All writers are products of past influences. From Ayn Rand’s writings, I’ve certainly drawn a romanticized outlook on life. I’m not a literary naturalist or so-called realist, in the sense of dramatizing a cynical, downbeat, or defeatist outlook. My heroes and heroines have moral codes and values; they are strong protagonists, not playthings of fate and circumstances; they make hard choices and pursue their values relentlessly, and with integrity; and most of the time they are victorious. So, that’s one way Rand has influenced me.

Another is Rand’s focus on justice. Dylan Hunter’s view of justice, and commitment to it, is unconventional and quite “Randian.” The justice theme was explicit in Hunter, which dealt with the criminal justice system. But that same theme will be explored, in its many facets, in all the subsequent books, too. Justice is the philosophical thread that will tie them all together. Stylistically, I think I owe some things to Rand, but to others, too. I’ll let readers draw their own comparisons and conclusions.

Does your interest in philosophy extend to spiritual and religious issues and if so, do you ever envisage writing fiction around those areas?

Yes, and yes. Although, given what I just said about Randian influences, some people might expect to be able to predict how I’ll approach these issues. They’re likely to be surprised.

What fiction authors and books have influenced your writing the most?

I hope nobody presumes that, in mentioning the following names, I’m suggesting that I write like any of these amazing authors. For their influence on me in how to write stories built on substantive philosophical, psychological, and political themes, I’d say that, in addition to Rand, there is Shakespeare, Hugo, Dostoyevsky, Ibsen, Edmond Rostand, and George Orwell. I also love Robert Bolt’s A Man for All Seasons—a dazzling play about intellectual independence and personal integrity. All these great writers demonstrated that you can entertain readers and say something important at the same time. Two of my favorite thriller authors—Brad Thor and the late Vince Flynn—showed that you could also build nail-biting thrillers on serious political themes.

Many other thriller authors have influenced me in terms of how to craft a gripping action tale and create memorable heroes. Besides Brad and Vince, I would add Lee Child, Stephen Hunter, and Daniel Silva to the contemporary top rank. I love the earlier novels of Jack Higgins, Nelson DeMille’s “John Corey” thrillers, the “Spenser” series by the late Robert B. Parker, the mysteries of Robert Crais (especially his Elvis Cole and Joe Pike novels), and the old classic thrillers and mysteries by Alistair MacLean, Donald Hamilton, and Mickey Spillane. Of course, many, many other writers outside the thriller genre have influenced me over the years, from Charlotte Bronte to J.K. Rowling to Robert Heinlein to J.R.R. Tolkien.

Would you ever accept a traditional publishing deal or will you stick with self-publishing? How do you see the future for self-published authors?

I have traditional publishers for some foreign editions of Hunter, because I don’t have easy access to foreign markets. After self-publishing the audiobook edition of Hunter, I also accepted a publishing offer from Audible for the audio editions of Bad Deeds and Winner Takes All. That was mainly because it’s costly and time-consuming to publish audiobooks—even though I’d probably make more money in the long run by publishing them myself.

But as for my future English-language print and ebook editions, I plan to stick to self-publishing for a host of reasons. Today, an author will probably do far better by self-publishing. A publisher will take most of your rights and royalties, usually in exchange for a tiny advance. By self-publishing, you won’t surrender or share those rights and royalties with anyone. You also keep total control over every aspect of your book: its content, cover, pricing, and marketing. A publisher’s unilateral decisions about those elements can kill your book’s commercial prospects, which happens frequently.

Many writers think that a publisher will take the burden of marketing off their backs. Not true—unless your name is Grisham or Child or King. You’ll still have to do the promotion yourself. All that a publisher can do for you--maybe—is get your book into some bookstores for a couple of months, before it is remaindered and/or goes “out of print.” At a time when more and more bookstores are disappearing, and more and more book buying is moving online and toward ebooks rather than print, it makes less and less sense to hand over your precious manuscript to a publisher—then let them reap the lion’s share of the rewards forever.

The future for self-publishing authors is bright. Never has there been a better time to be a writer. No “gatekeepers” can keep you from being published anymore. You can publish as much as you want, as fast or slow as you wish, at whatever length, in whatever genre—or none. You have complete freedom now. That said, competition for reader eyeballs is ferocious. Competing with millions of other titles, your book had better be good, and you had better learn how to market it.

Tell us more about your second book, Bad Deeds.

Bad Deeds is another vigilante thriller, the sequel to Hunter. It features the same hero and heroine—Dylan Hunter and Annie Woods—and many of the same supporting characters. Here’s the basic story premise:

At a cabin in Pennsylvania’s Allegheny National Forest, Dylan and Annie seek to heal the wounds from their ordeal at the hands of Adrian Wulfe, the twisted psychopath featured in Hunter. To build a life together, Dylan promises Annie that he’ll abandon his violent ways. But ideological zealots and Washington’s political elites have conspired to terrorize and plunder the hard-working locals. These victims have no protector against the bad deeds of the powerful and privileged . . . . . . except for one man. A man as ruthless and violent as they. Because in the face of injustice, Dylan Hunter cannot walk away—even if it costs him the woman he loves.

And book three in the series, Winner Takes All?

Here's the storyline of Winner Takes All:

Engaged to be married, mysterious journalist Dylan Hunter and CIA officer Annie Woods are eager to put their violent past behind them, for good.

But then an investigative reporter is found mysteriously murdered. An idealistic presidential candidate is targeted for destruction. And a horrific day of unspeakable terrorism rocks Washington, D.C.

Soon, Dylan’s investigation puts him in the cross hairs of a power-hungry billionaire and a cold-blooded assassin. A deadly conspiracy of dangerous men aims to install their puppet in the White House. And these predators are willing to do the unthinkable to bring America under their total control.
The stakes—political and personal—couldn’t be higher. Because to stop them, Dylan Hunter must make an irrevocable choice. It’s a decision that will, finally and forever, seal his fate . . . including his future with the woman he adores.

Finally, I was very taken with the photo of your cat, Luna, who appeared as a character in Hunter. Can we expect her to reappear in Bad Deeds? Does she, with typical feline arrogance, consider herself your muse?

Luna is the only real-life character I’ve imported into my stories. She not only appears in Bad Deeds; she actually plays a pivotal role in the story. Really! If you want to see how a pet cat can help create serious, nerve-wracking suspense in a thriller, well, you’re just going to have to read the book. Luna also graced the pages of Winner Takes All, and she will continue to appear in future Dylan Hunter stories, too.

As I wrote the novels, the real-life Luna did decide she was my muse. She often lounged on a blanket at my office window, sunning herself, interrogating passing birds and squirrels, and voicing her literary advice while I wrote. It sometimes made me self-conscious, I tell you!

One wonderful thing about writing fiction is that the author gets to “play God.” You can make your Story World whatever you want it to be. That includes defying mortality. Whatever may happen to me or to the real-life Luna in the future, readers can rest assured that Luna, Dylan, Annie, and the other characters they enjoy and love in the Dylan Hunter Story World will live on forever in the novels.

(Isn't Luna gorgeous? I wish I had a literary muse as pretty as she is, but no doubt she'd insist on being inserted into my novels and dispensing writing advice as well! - Maggie)

Thank you, Robert, for letting me interview you!

It's been a pleasure talking with you, Maggie, thanks so much for your thoughtful questions and your generosity in letting me chat with your own fans here.

More about Robert Bidinotto...

You can find out more about Robert, read other interviews with him and check out his blog at www.bidinotto.com.

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Interview With Craig Robertson

30/1/2019

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From Oprah Winfrey and the backstreets of India...

I'm delighted to be interviewing bestselling Scottish novelist Craig Robertson for my blog today. A former journalist, Craig Robertson had a 20-year career with a Scottish Sunday newspaper before becoming a full-time author. He interviewed three Prime Ministers, reported on major stories including 9/11, Dunblane, the Omagh bombing and the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. He was pilloried on breakfast television, beat Oprah Winfrey to a major scoop, spent time on Death Row in the USA and dispensed polio drops in the backstreets of India.

His gritty crime novels are set on the mean streets of contemporary Glasgow. His first novel, Random, was shortlisted for the 2010 CWA New Blood Dagger, longlisted for the 2011 Crime Novel of the Year and was a Sunday Times bestseller. He is also the author of a series of novels featuring crime scene photographer Tony Winter and Detective Sergeant Rachel Narey: Snapshot, Cold Grave and Witness the Dead. I reviewed Witness The Dead for my blog a while ago. You can read what I had to say about it here. Let's get on with the questions for Craig...

How difficult are you to live with when writing a novel? Tiger or pussy cat?

Hmm, let me ask those who have to live with me… Okay, the answer seemingly is tiger. Bad tempered, grouchy, particularly in the morning, tiger. And apparently only tiger because there wasn’t an option for Tyrannosaurus Rex. I think this is unfair and possibly slanderous but fully accept that I’m rarely a pussy cat.

It’s clear from your tweets you’re a footie fan. Any plans to draw football into future novels?

None at the moment. I’m not sure that sport translates very well into fiction, particularly crime fiction. I now realise I’ve probably just insulted a few friends so they’re the exception to this. There was quite a bit of footie tweeting recently as we had a Scottish Crime Writers v English Crime Writers match at Bloody Scotland. It would be unfair to quote the result (*cough* 13-1) but it’s fair to say that the English guys were unlucky. A lot. And often.

Do you see yourself branching into different genres? If so, which ones, and what do you find compelling about them?

I’m quite happy trying to get the hang of crime fiction at the moment without making things any more difficult for myself. Also, I’m not quite sure where I’d go if I did change tack as there’s a few that are no-go areas for me because I’m incredibly narrow-minded and petty. So no sci-fi, no horror, no supernatural, no zombies, no elves, no chick-lit, no cat mysteries. There I go insulting friends again. What does that leave? Children’s books possibly or maybe some as yet undiscovered genre, like food mysteries or architectural symbolism.

What’s been the most satisfying scene for you to write in any of your novels?

That’s a toughie. Ask me again in five minutes and I’ll probably give you a different answer but… maybe the opening scene of The Last Refuge. The scene itself happens around a third of the way into the book so I had to wrestle with that plus create an opening that would grab people right off the blocks. I also had to take the reader and immediately transport them to a very different location, the Faroe Islands, giving them the feel of the place without introduction. I made it difficult for myself, which thankfully I like doing, but I’m hopeful that I pulled it off and that’s pretty satisfying.

And the most difficult?

The most difficult is often the most satisfying but if I had to pick another then… maybe a scene from my first novel Random. The protagonist is a serial killer and the book is written first person from his point of view, meaning we are in his crazy head for the entire journey. There’s a scene where he begins to reveal the reason for his rampage and the hurt that he suffered to get him to that place. It’s all pretty raw and I wrote from hurt of my own (hurt that didn’t lead to an outpouring of murder thankfully) and that was pretty difficult to let loose. But, as above, ultimately satisfying.

If you could take any of your characters for a drink, who would it be, and what advice would you give him or her?

Probably Tony Winter, my police photographer. My advice would be threefold. Firstly, just relax a bit and stop being so obsessed with all those photographs that you take of dead people. It’s becoming a bit creepy, dude. Secondly, up your game a bit with Rachel Winter. You’re onto a good thing there so try not to blow it. If you do, I might ask her for a drink instead. Thirdly, if you get invited to an abandoned biscuit factory anytime soon, be very careful. That’s all I’m saying.

Have you used any of the situations you’ve been in as a journalist as material for any of your books? If so, tell us more.

I think writers use everything around them so yes, I’ve taken things from my journalism days. Not situations so much as people and their reactions to adversity. I interviewed a lot of people at their most vulnerable, often in bereavement after incidents such as 9/11, Dunblane and the Omagh bombing. That gave me insights that I’ve been able to use in my books. Some of those people have remained friends though so I make sure I do my best to respect the things that I’ve learned rather than exploit them. On a more practical, day-to-day level, I’ve been able to use my experience of dealing with some very bad people. And also some who weren’t journalists.

Why do you think crime fiction is so popular?

Because it’s the best genre in the world. I think there are a number of reasons for this. In no particular order… People liked to be scared a little and this is a way of doing it while remaining safe. It’s a vicarious thrill. Crime fiction, more than any other genre, allows us to examine society, to prod and probe it while being entertained. We see people at their most vulnerable and therefore often their most genuine and can learn much from that. Readers like a mystery, a puzzle, and it can put them at the heart of the book, in locus detectus if you like. We all have our lines; it's up to us whether we cross them.

Are there any topics or situations you wouldn’t tackle in your novels?

I don’t think so. Or maybe I should say that I haven’t thought of one that I’d shy away from. That being said, there’s a long way from saying I wouldn’t rule out writing about say the Holocaust or incest to actually wanting to do it. But I’m not much in favour of censorship so I’m not keen to start by censoring myself. We all have our lines and it’s up to us whether we venture to cross them.

To what extent do you plot your novels before starting writing? Do you begin with a solid plan, or do you allow the book to evolve at its own pace?

It has probably changed from book to book. I’ve done it both ways and now plot much more than I used to before. I use the whiteboard and post-its and do a whole lot of thinking before I ever type that first sentence. There’s still plenty of scope for it to change – I’m never going to get all my best ideas at the start – but I like a solid roadmap of where I’m going. Clearly there’s no right and wrong here, it’s just whatever works best for you.

Thank you, Craig!

A huge thank you to Craig Robertson for agreeing to be interviewed for my blog. You can find out more about Craig and his books via his website, www.craigrobertsonbooks.co.uk, and you can follow his footie tweets via @CraigRobertson_.

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Interview with Rachel Abbott

26/12/2018

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Welcome to an e-publishing sensation!

I'm delighted to welcome novelist Rachel Abbott to my blog today. The Guardian newspaper once called Rachel ‘the epublishing sensation of 2012’ while The Observer stated ‘self-published authors such as Rachel Abbott are the trade’s hottest property’.

Rachel was born near Manchester, England, and spent most of her working life as the managing director of an interactive media company. After her company was sold in 2000, she fulfilled a lifelong ambition of buying and restoring a property in Italy. She now splits her time between homes in Italy and Alderney, where she writes full time .

Rachel launched her first novel 'Only the Innocent' in November 2011. The book was self-published in the UK through the Kindle Direct Publishing programme on Amazon, and reached the number 1 spot in the Kindle store just over three months later. It held its position for four weeks, and was the second highest selling self-published title in 2012. 'Only the Innocent' is now published by Thomas and Mercer in the USA, and achieved number 8 in the US charts one week after launch, before reaching number 1 in August, making Rachel’s debut a number one bestseller on both sides of the Atlantic.

In March 2013, Rachel Abbott released her long awaited second novel 'The Back Road', which entered the UK Kindle chart at number 100 just 48 hours after launch. It went on to reach number 2 and has over 450 five star reviews.

Have you always wanted to write? What was the impetus for 'Only The Innocent'?

I have been writing in one form or another for years. I ran an interactive media company for many years, and we often produced dramas for training and education (and occasionally for entertainment), and I was involved in the scripts. They weren’t sterile training videos – each one was like a TV drama, and working on those gave me a real desire to write.

When it came to 'Only the Innocent', I’d had an idea in my head for years – what set of circumstances could be so bad that a woman had no choice but to murder a man? I spent years thinking about it as I drove to work – because there had to be no other option, and that’s quite hard to imagine. Then when I sold my company and had some spare time, I was delighted to find that I really enjoyed writing the story, and my writing career just went from there.

Describe a typical writing day for you. Are there any props you consider essential to the writing process?

I like silence when I write. Well – that’s not quite true. I live by a beach in the Channel Islands most of the time, and I can hear the sea washing up on the shore, which is a wonderful sound. My props depend on the stage of writing. When I am editing, I usually end up eating a lot of biscuits – usually Jaffa Cakes – which I swear help me to concentrate. As for the day itself, I sit down with a cup of coffee and go through all my emails first, respond to any that are absolutely essential, and flag for follow up any that will wait – principally because I want to get on with writing.

I find I work best in the morning, so I write all morning, and if things are going well, all afternoon as well. If I’m stuck on a plot point and need to give it some thought, I will spend the afternoon taking care of all the other stuff – the outstanding emails, the accounts, some marketing. It all needs to be done, so I tend to go with how I’m feeling at a certain time. But writing takes priority.

Will your future novels explore different genres, or will you stick with psychological thrillers?

For now, I will stick to psychological thrillers. I am fascinated by what makes people tick – and that could have gone towards romance or thrillers. I think I’ve ended up with a thriller style that is about relationships, but usually the sort that have gone catastrophically wrong somewhere. But in all cases, the way in which they have deteriorated leaves my protagonist with a dilemma.

Your books, being psychological thrillers, cover dark themes. Are there any topics you wouldn’t portray in your writing, and if so, why not?

I don’t think in general that I would write about gory acts of physical violence. There may be dead bodies – there may be some elements of violence. But I don’t see myself writing about cutting open people’s stomachs and wrapping intestines around the victim’s neck. That sort of sickening violence should be reserved for those who write it considerably better than me. It’s mainly in the mind in the case of my books. My readers decide what is right and wrong.

To what extent do you believe a crime fiction writer has a duty to end their novels with good triumphing over evil?

I don’t believe that at all. That suggests that everything is either black or white, and although it’s difficult these days to mention ‘shades of grey’ without it being misconstrued, I think that’s the reality. People do bad things. But they are not necessarily bad people. They make mistakes, get themselves deeper and deeper into trouble, and find it hard to extricate themselves. Sometimes people have to do very bad things in order to save others.

One of the shout lines on one of my books is ‘how far would you go to hold on to the people you love?’ and it’s a theme that I have used more than once. In other words, sometimes people need to do some terrible things in order to protect others – and where do you draw the line?

So I like to leave my readers to decide what is right and what is wrong. In both 'Only the Innocent' and 'Sleep Tight' my protagonists do things that are, without a doubt, illegal. But you can practically hear people cheering them on from the sidelines.

Will your future novels involve the same characters, such as DCI Tom Douglas?

I never intended to write a series about one policeman, but my readers fell for him, and so I’ve just carried on – and I love him more all the time. So for the moment, he’s staying with us.

Will any of your future novels feature Italy, where you have a home?

I did feature Italy a little in 'Only the Innocent'. Laura has a summer home there. I don’t spend as much time in Italy now as I do in the Channel Islands – and Alderney, my home, already features in 'Sleep Tight' so it would be difficult to repeat it. I may, however, bring Italy again at some point in the future – but it would have to be relevant to the plot.

Your website features food and recipes from your books. Is food important to you, and if so, what is your favourite type of cuisine?

I love food and I love cooking. I keep telling myself that I should go on a diet (true) but food is one of life’s greatest pleasures. The very next thing that I am going to do after answering these questions is go and make a curry. Indian food is my favourite, but anything spicy – Thai, Malaysian, even North African. Our local Indian restaurant here in Alderney (it’s really good) have a special curry that they make for me from Bangladesh, using a certain kind of lemon that you can’t get in the UK. It’s wonderful.

Is music important to you, and if so, what sort do you most enjoy?

I love to sing. I am a member of a small singing group that meets once a week for an hour or so, and we occasionally perform in public. We sing all kinds of things – but mainly well known popular music that people will recognise from the charts at some time or other (probably not recently, though). My taste is very varied. I particularly love 'Elbow' at the moment, but then when I wrote 'Sleep Tight' I mentioned Judie Tzuke’s music, which is haunting. Music, to me, is like writing. It has to evoke emotion. If it doesn’t, I’m not interested.

To what extent do you reveal yourself in a novel – your opinions, your values?

That’s a really good question. I think the main characters in my books share my values. The protagonist in each story (excluding Tom, of course) is usually a woman, and I think that although their personalities have been very different, they each have had a moral code that I approve of. However, I try very hard NOT to use writing to express my opinions. I used to be really, really guilty of that, and would find a way to introduce little things that bugged me into the story. My editor and/or agent would – without fail – cross them out. And quite right too. My books are not a platform for me to spout about bad manners, or irritating habits, and I would never make any political statements in my books, unless they were the opinions of the characters – but never mine.

Thank you, Rachel!

Thanks to Rachel Abbott for granting me this interview! I hope my readers have enjoyed it. You can find out more about Rachel and her books via her website, https://www.rachel-abbott.com/

Check out Rachel's latest novel, And So It Begins, on Amazon! Click or tap the image below (affiliate link):

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Interview with Crime Novelist Tony Forder

I’d like to know more about your latest novel, the fourth in a crime series featuring DI Bliss and DC Chandler, called The Reach of Shadows. What can readers expect to encounter in its pages?​

What about your second Mike Lynch crime thriller, Cold Winter Sun, published in November 2018?

Tell us about yourself and what you get up to when you're not writing.

What is your all-time favourite novel?

What are you working on at present?

​Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer to see where an idea takes you?

Do you think the cover plays an important part of the buying process?

What kind of research do you do?

How long do you spend on research before starting your book?

What advice would you give to would-be novelists?

Thank you, Tony! Here's more information about Tony and his books:

Author Interview - Robert Bidinotto

You say that the failings of the US legal system formed the basis for Hunter's plot. Will future novels incorporate other areas of interest to you, such as environmental issues?

Let’s imagine a showdown between Lee Child’s Jack Reacher and your Dylan Hunter. Reacher has the brawn, but can he compete against Dylan Hunter’s brain? Tell us how Dylan Hunter would win!

With its passionate love affair between Dylan and Annie, Hunter marries crime fiction with romance. Do you see yourself ever joining the growing ranks of male romantic novelists? Or perhaps exploring other genres besides crime/thrillers?

To what extent has your interest in philosophy, in particular the Objectivist movement of Ayn Rand, influenced the character of Dylan Hunter?

Does your interest in philosophy extend to spiritual and religious issues and if so, do you ever envisage writing fiction around those areas?

What fiction authors and books have influenced your writing the most?

Would you ever accept a traditional publishing deal or will you stick with self-publishing? How do you see the future for self-published authors?

Tell us more about your second book, Bad Deeds.

And book three in the series, Winner Takes All?

Finally, I was very taken with the photo of your cat, Luna, who appeared as a character in Hunter. Can we expect her to reappear in Bad Deeds? Does she, with typical feline arrogance, consider herself your muse?

Thank you, Robert, for letting me interview you!

More about Robert Bidinotto...

Interview With Craig Robertson

From Oprah Winfrey and the backstreets of India...

How difficult are you to live with when writing a novel? Tiger or pussy cat?

It’s clear from your tweets you’re a footie fan. Any plans to draw football into future novels?

Do you see yourself branching into different genres? If so, which ones, and what do you find compelling about them?

What’s been the most satisfying scene for you to write in any of your novels?

And the most difficult?

If you could take any of your characters for a drink, who would it be, and what advice would you give him or her?

Have you used any of the situations you’ve been in as a journalist as material for any of your books? If so, tell us more.

Why do you think crime fiction is so popular?

Are there any topics or situations you wouldn’t tackle in your novels?

To what extent do you plot your novels before starting writing? Do you begin with a solid plan, or do you allow the book to evolve at its own pace?

Thank you, Craig!

Interview with Rachel Abbott

Welcome to an e-publishing sensation!

Have you always wanted to write? What was the impetus for 'Only The Innocent'?

Describe a typical writing day for you. Are there any props you consider essential to the writing process?

Will your future novels explore different genres, or will you stick with psychological thrillers?

Your books, being psychological thrillers, cover dark themes. Are there any topics you wouldn’t portray in your writing, and if so, why not?

To what extent do you believe a crime fiction writer has a duty to end their novels with good triumphing over evil?

Will your future novels involve the same characters, such as DCI Tom Douglas?

Will any of your future novels feature Italy, where you have a home?

Your website features food and recipes from your books. Is food important to you, and if so, what is your favourite type of cuisine?

Is music important to you, and if so, what sort do you most enjoy?

To what extent do you reveal yourself in a novel – your opinions, your values?

Thank you, Rachel!

Check out Rachel's latest novel, And So It Begins, on Amazon! Click or tap the image below (affiliate link):

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I’d like to know more about your latest novel, the fourth in a crime series featuring DI Bliss and DC Chandler, called The Reach of Shadows. What can readers expect to encounter in its pages?

Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer to see where an idea takes you?