Q & A
"'This is going to go down better than a stripper and a sack of cash at a Cabinet meeting'."
- Harry, in Harry's World (p.259)
- Harry, in Harry's World (p.259)
#001
Q: What inspires you to write?
A: A huge question with no simple answer, however, a few thoughts …
I think the first part of my response has to be that I love reading what others write. Like most humans, I relish a great story. I love to see ideas and human behaviours described on the page. I marvel at the sheer imagination of so many of my favourite authors. And I am endlessly fascinated with the use of the English language - its beauty and range of expression.
The second part of my answer is that I want to be able to tell great entertaining stories, and also make my comments on all sorts of life aspects through the written word. As hard as it can be, often, to get words down on to a page and looking good, the feeling of satisfaction is immense.
Q: What inspires you to write?
A: A huge question with no simple answer, however, a few thoughts …
I think the first part of my response has to be that I love reading what others write. Like most humans, I relish a great story. I love to see ideas and human behaviours described on the page. I marvel at the sheer imagination of so many of my favourite authors. And I am endlessly fascinated with the use of the English language - its beauty and range of expression.
The second part of my answer is that I want to be able to tell great entertaining stories, and also make my comments on all sorts of life aspects through the written word. As hard as it can be, often, to get words down on to a page and looking good, the feeling of satisfaction is immense.
#002
Q: As a former detective how much of your writing is autobiographical?
A: At the outset let me put on the record that I am not Harry! Although, of course, we have both been detective sergeants in our time. Harry and I do share a number of views, certainly, cynicism being up there as well as a deep-seated loathing of corruption and hypocrisy. Obviously I have seen a lot of life, especially the uglier side, during my detective days and a lot of those experiences have provided material for my creative writing.
Q: As a former detective how much of your writing is autobiographical?
A: At the outset let me put on the record that I am not Harry! Although, of course, we have both been detective sergeants in our time. Harry and I do share a number of views, certainly, cynicism being up there as well as a deep-seated loathing of corruption and hypocrisy. Obviously I have seen a lot of life, especially the uglier side, during my detective days and a lot of those experiences have provided material for my creative writing.
#003
Q: You must have seen some colourful characters and had some interesting experiences throughout your career. What has been the influence on your writing?
A: Yes, indeed, on both counts. I think I can safely say that I've seen such a range of human behaviour that there is little that would surprise me and nothing at all would shock me. In the police I saw a lot of crime, and some of the very worst of it - there's not much lower on the scale than what some adults can do to children. And since my police career, across oversight agencies and other government bodies, I've seen a hell of a lot of corruption and misconduct, often at very senior levels. So, I guess the influence of all that on my writing is two-fold. Firstly is the cynical, or realist, view that I have on human nature in general and on public officials in particular. Harry certainly shares, and therefore exhibits, that cynicism, as do some other characters. Secondly is the material I have to let my imagination work with when creating incidents and scenes and characters in the stories. To sum up, I couldn't write what I write in the way I do unless I'd had the life I have had.
Q: You must have seen some colourful characters and had some interesting experiences throughout your career. What has been the influence on your writing?
A: Yes, indeed, on both counts. I think I can safely say that I've seen such a range of human behaviour that there is little that would surprise me and nothing at all would shock me. In the police I saw a lot of crime, and some of the very worst of it - there's not much lower on the scale than what some adults can do to children. And since my police career, across oversight agencies and other government bodies, I've seen a hell of a lot of corruption and misconduct, often at very senior levels. So, I guess the influence of all that on my writing is two-fold. Firstly is the cynical, or realist, view that I have on human nature in general and on public officials in particular. Harry certainly shares, and therefore exhibits, that cynicism, as do some other characters. Secondly is the material I have to let my imagination work with when creating incidents and scenes and characters in the stories. To sum up, I couldn't write what I write in the way I do unless I'd had the life I have had.
#004
Q: Flowers and scent hold an important place throughout your writing. What is the significance?
A: Apart from my personal love of flowers and fragrances? I do have days when I wished I had chosen a career in floristry of perfumery … but then I wouldn't have had the same life experiences, and couldn't tell the same stories.
The answer is my quest for some degree of aesthetic balance in the stories. There's a lot of darkness and ugliness on show, so the flowers and fragrances are at least a part of my counterweight to this. These are accompanied by other lifts, such as colours, foods, trees and beauty. I hope that this in some way may cause a greater range of emotional response in the reader.
For the same reason this website is visually dominated by colourful flowers and plants.
Q: Flowers and scent hold an important place throughout your writing. What is the significance?
A: Apart from my personal love of flowers and fragrances? I do have days when I wished I had chosen a career in floristry of perfumery … but then I wouldn't have had the same life experiences, and couldn't tell the same stories.
The answer is my quest for some degree of aesthetic balance in the stories. There's a lot of darkness and ugliness on show, so the flowers and fragrances are at least a part of my counterweight to this. These are accompanied by other lifts, such as colours, foods, trees and beauty. I hope that this in some way may cause a greater range of emotional response in the reader.
For the same reason this website is visually dominated by colourful flowers and plants.
#005
Q: With the constant corruption we read about in the press, did you ever feel you weren't even scratching the surface with your work? AND ...
Q: Would it be fair to say that your view on Australian governmental systems and their transparency and integrity is pessimistic?
A: Yes, in a word, to both questions. The human obsession with power, and how much that is a driving force behind so much of what so many people do, often for the worse, is a preoccupation of mine. I have seen the misuse and sheer abuse of power so often throughout my life, and corruption flows directly from this use of power. I'll be blogging on these subjects in a lot more detail, but suffice to say here I firmly believe that our whole system is smeared by corruption and the abuse of power. And when I use the term corruption I do so in its broadest sense. Corruption, in its real sense, by politicians and public officials is far more than taking bribes or gaining some financial benefit. That seedy overt end of the scale certainly exists, but far more of the corruption is about unethical decision making, looking after like-minded people, and failing to serve the nation's people. Sadly public service these days has very little to do with serving the public, at every level of government.
Q: With the constant corruption we read about in the press, did you ever feel you weren't even scratching the surface with your work? AND ...
Q: Would it be fair to say that your view on Australian governmental systems and their transparency and integrity is pessimistic?
A: Yes, in a word, to both questions. The human obsession with power, and how much that is a driving force behind so much of what so many people do, often for the worse, is a preoccupation of mine. I have seen the misuse and sheer abuse of power so often throughout my life, and corruption flows directly from this use of power. I'll be blogging on these subjects in a lot more detail, but suffice to say here I firmly believe that our whole system is smeared by corruption and the abuse of power. And when I use the term corruption I do so in its broadest sense. Corruption, in its real sense, by politicians and public officials is far more than taking bribes or gaining some financial benefit. That seedy overt end of the scale certainly exists, but far more of the corruption is about unethical decision making, looking after like-minded people, and failing to serve the nation's people. Sadly public service these days has very little to do with serving the public, at every level of government.
#006
Q: Will we see more Harry adventures?
A: Definitely. There's an awful lot more corruption and sleaze in Sydney for Harry to get stuck into! And, of course, there are a number of items of unfinished business in Harry's life. I have a number of further Harry episodes as concepts at the moment, so we'll be seeing Harry's vices and virtues on display again.
Q: Will we see more Harry adventures?
A: Definitely. There's an awful lot more corruption and sleaze in Sydney for Harry to get stuck into! And, of course, there are a number of items of unfinished business in Harry's life. I have a number of further Harry episodes as concepts at the moment, so we'll be seeing Harry's vices and virtues on display again.
#007
Q: What are your plans for future writing?
A: Well, a return for Harry, of course. But much more than that. I'm playing with all sorts of projects on and off, available time be the only limiting factor to what I can actually write. There are two specific projects which are more advanced than just concept or scribbled musings in a moleskin! A story I have always wanted to write is one about child abuse, given the amount of time I spent investigating paedophilia in the police. So, that is coming together as a novella, The Scent of the Wattle (working title anyway). I'm also currently editing/coordinating a book project from the UK which is a collection of pieces written by survivors of the boarding school experience, so that is something on a completely different level. I'm also dead keen on writing something dystopian - it's a genre I've always loved, up there with hard-boiled crime.
Q: What are your plans for future writing?
A: Well, a return for Harry, of course. But much more than that. I'm playing with all sorts of projects on and off, available time be the only limiting factor to what I can actually write. There are two specific projects which are more advanced than just concept or scribbled musings in a moleskin! A story I have always wanted to write is one about child abuse, given the amount of time I spent investigating paedophilia in the police. So, that is coming together as a novella, The Scent of the Wattle (working title anyway). I'm also currently editing/coordinating a book project from the UK which is a collection of pieces written by survivors of the boarding school experience, so that is something on a completely different level. I'm also dead keen on writing something dystopian - it's a genre I've always loved, up there with hard-boiled crime.
Here are some questions I answered through the Ask Me Anything website: www.amafeed.com
And the subject was:
Hard-boiled crime fiction from a former detective sergeant. AMA about writing realistic crime stories.
Selected questions and my responses below:
And the subject was:
Hard-boiled crime fiction from a former detective sergeant. AMA about writing realistic crime stories.
Selected questions and my responses below:
#008(AMA)
Q: In regards to your debut novel, was the feedback you got from fans and critics something that you had been expecting? If not, what surprised you?
A: To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect. Obviously one hopes for a positive reaction, and the majority of feedback I've had has been very positive. And given my writing style is very gritty and quite explicit in parts, I've been very pleased with reader reactions. I do think as an author that you have to develop a thick skin very quickly, as some people can be vary harsh in what they say, especially online. I've only had a couple of very negative comments online, but they were pretty nasty. At the end of the day, no matter what you write, some people will love it and some people won't. You have to write what is in your heart, and not succumb to the pressure to write what you think people are going to like.
Q: In regards to your debut novel, was the feedback you got from fans and critics something that you had been expecting? If not, what surprised you?
A: To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect. Obviously one hopes for a positive reaction, and the majority of feedback I've had has been very positive. And given my writing style is very gritty and quite explicit in parts, I've been very pleased with reader reactions. I do think as an author that you have to develop a thick skin very quickly, as some people can be vary harsh in what they say, especially online. I've only had a couple of very negative comments online, but they were pretty nasty. At the end of the day, no matter what you write, some people will love it and some people won't. You have to write what is in your heart, and not succumb to the pressure to write what you think people are going to like.
#009(AMA)
Q: What are some of the unrealistic things you've read in other crime fiction novels? Despite that, were these books successful? Why do you think that is?
A: Ah, realism! Yes, one of my pet subjects with crime fiction. Since I read a lot of crime fiction, I do get to see unrealistic things with certain authors.
One of my favourite dislikes, especially since it occurs so regularly, is the character who pulls out a .38 revolver (the most popular handgun in history) and takes off the safety catch. They don't have safety catches! I carried a .38 every day of my police career - the long-barrelled version as a uniformed cop, and the short-barrelled verson as a detective. I think writers need to do their research really thoroughly before they put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). Another I've read recently by an Australian author (and a very successful one) was having a police squad in Sydney headed up by a "captain". Now, for American readers that would seem fine, but it is not a police rank in Australian police forces. It's either lazy research or a lack of concern about realistic detail - both unforgiveable in my book.
On a more structural note about plots, the fact that most crime novels always end up with a satisfactory resolution is also unrealistic. A lot of crime goes unsolved. Now, I do understand that readers want to see a resolution, but I don't think it is realistic to always have the perfect ending. Hence in my writing, the end of the book is a mixture of win and lose - because that is what it is really like out there. And whilst I want to satisfy my readers with a good story, I don't subscribe to the common writer point of view that there always has to be a perfect resolution.
And back to your question (finally, I do apologize), I think that books with realism issues are often highly successful simpy because readers don't know any different. When I read crime, I read it with the benefit of years of police experience, so I see all the realism problems. But I will always stick to getting the realism right in my stories, because I want my readers to have it straight. And, believe me, you can still write a good crime story without sacrificing realism.
Q: What are some of the unrealistic things you've read in other crime fiction novels? Despite that, were these books successful? Why do you think that is?
A: Ah, realism! Yes, one of my pet subjects with crime fiction. Since I read a lot of crime fiction, I do get to see unrealistic things with certain authors.
One of my favourite dislikes, especially since it occurs so regularly, is the character who pulls out a .38 revolver (the most popular handgun in history) and takes off the safety catch. They don't have safety catches! I carried a .38 every day of my police career - the long-barrelled version as a uniformed cop, and the short-barrelled verson as a detective. I think writers need to do their research really thoroughly before they put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). Another I've read recently by an Australian author (and a very successful one) was having a police squad in Sydney headed up by a "captain". Now, for American readers that would seem fine, but it is not a police rank in Australian police forces. It's either lazy research or a lack of concern about realistic detail - both unforgiveable in my book.
On a more structural note about plots, the fact that most crime novels always end up with a satisfactory resolution is also unrealistic. A lot of crime goes unsolved. Now, I do understand that readers want to see a resolution, but I don't think it is realistic to always have the perfect ending. Hence in my writing, the end of the book is a mixture of win and lose - because that is what it is really like out there. And whilst I want to satisfy my readers with a good story, I don't subscribe to the common writer point of view that there always has to be a perfect resolution.
And back to your question (finally, I do apologize), I think that books with realism issues are often highly successful simpy because readers don't know any different. When I read crime, I read it with the benefit of years of police experience, so I see all the realism problems. But I will always stick to getting the realism right in my stories, because I want my readers to have it straight. And, believe me, you can still write a good crime story without sacrificing realism.
#010(AMA)
Q: For aspiring writers who want to explore the field of crime fiction writing, what are some of the resources that would be considered a treasure for research purposes?
A: Great question for aspiring crime writers.
The best resource you can possibly get is a cop or ex-cop, because no one knows crime solving better. There are some online resources of this nature as well, if you don't have personal access to someone who is, or has been, in law enforcement.
Aside from this, there are a range of books available which cover all aspects of crime and crime solving. Despite my own experience, I have a whole range of resesarch books on my shelf covering all manner of topics - firearms, poisons, forensics, etc. I consult them regularly.
And, of course, in this day and age the Internet is the greatest research tool available - you can literally find anything (and some of it not very pleasant!).
So, if you're an aspiring crime writer, my advice would be to firstly think out a great story (because storytelling is really what it's all about - your readers have to enjoy the journey with you), and then secondly to do your research so that you get the details right.
Q: For aspiring writers who want to explore the field of crime fiction writing, what are some of the resources that would be considered a treasure for research purposes?
A: Great question for aspiring crime writers.
The best resource you can possibly get is a cop or ex-cop, because no one knows crime solving better. There are some online resources of this nature as well, if you don't have personal access to someone who is, or has been, in law enforcement.
Aside from this, there are a range of books available which cover all aspects of crime and crime solving. Despite my own experience, I have a whole range of resesarch books on my shelf covering all manner of topics - firearms, poisons, forensics, etc. I consult them regularly.
And, of course, in this day and age the Internet is the greatest research tool available - you can literally find anything (and some of it not very pleasant!).
So, if you're an aspiring crime writer, my advice would be to firstly think out a great story (because storytelling is really what it's all about - your readers have to enjoy the journey with you), and then secondly to do your research so that you get the details right.
#011(AMA)
Q: How would you describe the ending for your book, realistic, depressing, unsettling,....etc?
A: In a word, unfinished. Now I know that might sound weird, but as I've said in another answer, I'm not into "perfect" endings, because I don't see them as having any place in realistic crime writing. Real life doesn't generally have nice, neat closures, so nor does my fiction. At the end of Harry's World, some aspects of the story have resolution, but some don't. Now that's partly because there's a sequel, so some things need to remain unfinished, but it's also because I think that's a better reflection of life. Given that my first novel is the start of a series, I want the reader to finish the book by looking forward to the next instalment. Also, I don't write about some "happy" view of the world, rather I'm focused on the dark side. My endings will reflect this. Having said that, I do try and inject portions of human justice along the way: it's not all a dark, depressing ride, despite my subject material. I spent most of my police years working paedophilia and vice, so I want to tell people, through my fiction, what goes on in society. And that necessarily involves mixed endings.
Q: How would you describe the ending for your book, realistic, depressing, unsettling,....etc?
A: In a word, unfinished. Now I know that might sound weird, but as I've said in another answer, I'm not into "perfect" endings, because I don't see them as having any place in realistic crime writing. Real life doesn't generally have nice, neat closures, so nor does my fiction. At the end of Harry's World, some aspects of the story have resolution, but some don't. Now that's partly because there's a sequel, so some things need to remain unfinished, but it's also because I think that's a better reflection of life. Given that my first novel is the start of a series, I want the reader to finish the book by looking forward to the next instalment. Also, I don't write about some "happy" view of the world, rather I'm focused on the dark side. My endings will reflect this. Having said that, I do try and inject portions of human justice along the way: it's not all a dark, depressing ride, despite my subject material. I spent most of my police years working paedophilia and vice, so I want to tell people, through my fiction, what goes on in society. And that necessarily involves mixed endings.
#012(AMA)
Q: Did you pursue that particular genre because it is what you have experience in or was it because you genuinely enjoy it?
A: The whole "write what you know" issue, yeah.
When I started playing around with writing, I didn't set out to write crime fiction. But as I studied writing more, and I increasingly read crime widely, it seemed a natural pace to start. Given my police and corruption experience, I do have a lot of stories to tell - all those professional years have given me a huge wealth of ideas both for characters and plots. I'm very fortunate in that regard as a writer.
What I have found, more and more as I get into writing crime, is that it is a wonderful avenue to not only tell a story, but also to make social comment. All of the hard-boiled and noir crime authors I really admire have made an art form of this - story plus social comment. I love it.
Having said this, I also have a deep-seated love of the dystopian genre, and I really want to write something in that realm.
Q: Did you pursue that particular genre because it is what you have experience in or was it because you genuinely enjoy it?
A: The whole "write what you know" issue, yeah.
When I started playing around with writing, I didn't set out to write crime fiction. But as I studied writing more, and I increasingly read crime widely, it seemed a natural pace to start. Given my police and corruption experience, I do have a lot of stories to tell - all those professional years have given me a huge wealth of ideas both for characters and plots. I'm very fortunate in that regard as a writer.
What I have found, more and more as I get into writing crime, is that it is a wonderful avenue to not only tell a story, but also to make social comment. All of the hard-boiled and noir crime authors I really admire have made an art form of this - story plus social comment. I love it.
Having said this, I also have a deep-seated love of the dystopian genre, and I really want to write something in that realm.
#013(AMA)
Q: In your opinion, what are the elements that make up a good crime fiction?
A: I'm going to limit my list to 4 items: story, character, realism, and social comment.
Story is vital because you have to engage your reader so that they keep reading to the end. Some crime writing is predominantly about story (or plot) - the traditional mystery crime novels and the police procedurals are examples of this.
For me personally, being in the hard-boiled school of crime writing, the characterisation is the most important of these 4 elements. I place more importance on drawing my characters than I do on creating any intricate mystery to be solved. You still need story, of course, to bring your readers along with you, but my aim is to get readers to love my main characters, and then want to follow them, with the plot line being secondary. And to me great characters need to be flawed as human beings. I refuse to create "perfect" people in my writing, because they simply don't exist in the real world.
Which brings me to realism. As I've touched on in a previous answer, good crime writing needs to be realistic, to me anyway. The events in the story need to be actually possible in real life. Now you can depict events in a gritty and explicit way, as I do, or you may opt to be more genteel and understated. However, whichever your approach as a writer, the event needs to be realistic. For example, having a single police detective out there solving all aspects of a crime is not realistic: that's not how policing works.
The other aspect of realism is in the detail. For example, and as I answered earlier, you don't have a character taking the safety catch off when using a .38 revolver, because they don't have safety catches. Writers need to do their research. Sure, some readers won't pick up on a mistake like this, but some will. And this detracts from the reading experience.
Finally, social commentary. For me, writing is centrally connected to making comment about society and our human existence. The fiction that makes the most impression on me is that which weaves social comment into the story and the characters. You need to be careful not to go too heavy, otherwise it comes across as a rant, and readers tend not to like that. The comment doesn't have to subtle, but it should be succinct.
Q: In your opinion, what are the elements that make up a good crime fiction?
A: I'm going to limit my list to 4 items: story, character, realism, and social comment.
Story is vital because you have to engage your reader so that they keep reading to the end. Some crime writing is predominantly about story (or plot) - the traditional mystery crime novels and the police procedurals are examples of this.
For me personally, being in the hard-boiled school of crime writing, the characterisation is the most important of these 4 elements. I place more importance on drawing my characters than I do on creating any intricate mystery to be solved. You still need story, of course, to bring your readers along with you, but my aim is to get readers to love my main characters, and then want to follow them, with the plot line being secondary. And to me great characters need to be flawed as human beings. I refuse to create "perfect" people in my writing, because they simply don't exist in the real world.
Which brings me to realism. As I've touched on in a previous answer, good crime writing needs to be realistic, to me anyway. The events in the story need to be actually possible in real life. Now you can depict events in a gritty and explicit way, as I do, or you may opt to be more genteel and understated. However, whichever your approach as a writer, the event needs to be realistic. For example, having a single police detective out there solving all aspects of a crime is not realistic: that's not how policing works.
The other aspect of realism is in the detail. For example, and as I answered earlier, you don't have a character taking the safety catch off when using a .38 revolver, because they don't have safety catches. Writers need to do their research. Sure, some readers won't pick up on a mistake like this, but some will. And this detracts from the reading experience.
Finally, social commentary. For me, writing is centrally connected to making comment about society and our human existence. The fiction that makes the most impression on me is that which weaves social comment into the story and the characters. You need to be careful not to go too heavy, otherwise it comes across as a rant, and readers tend not to like that. The comment doesn't have to subtle, but it should be succinct.
#014(AMA)
Q: In your opinion, who are the best crime novelists of our time and what sets them apart from others?
A: This is really subjective since there are many different types of crime fiction, and one's favorite authors will largely depend on what sub-genre you prefer.
I've got two particular types of crime fiction I'm especially keen on: the first is the hard-boiled and/or noir school, and the second is crime fiction written by cops or ex-cops. On this note, I have a project on my website called "Cops Writing Crime" where I've so far collected over 100 cops and ex-cops who have written crime fiction - check it out if you want to discover cops who have turned author. I love the realism that these writers bring to their work. Recent reads from this group which have stood out for me are Bruce Robert Coffin (US ex-cop) and Clare Mackintosh (UK ex-cop). These two are very differnet writing styles, but both brillaintly capture the intricacies of policing as well as showing a great understanding of criminal psychology.
Most of my crime fiction reading, though, is in the hard-boiled and noir area, and I've been discovering some great talents in the indie publishing scene, especially by reading anthology magazines such as Switchblade, Pulp Modern, Econoclash Review, and Broadswords and Blasters. If you want to try short story samples to get a taste of different authors, this is the way to go. So for current writers in the hard-boiled and noir school who really have taken my interest recently, I could write a pretty long list, but the following is a great start: Preston Lang, Alec Cizak, Scotch Rutherford, Todd Robinson, J.D.Graves, Travis Richardson, Ken Bruen, and Jason Starr.
Q: In your opinion, who are the best crime novelists of our time and what sets them apart from others?
A: This is really subjective since there are many different types of crime fiction, and one's favorite authors will largely depend on what sub-genre you prefer.
I've got two particular types of crime fiction I'm especially keen on: the first is the hard-boiled and/or noir school, and the second is crime fiction written by cops or ex-cops. On this note, I have a project on my website called "Cops Writing Crime" where I've so far collected over 100 cops and ex-cops who have written crime fiction - check it out if you want to discover cops who have turned author. I love the realism that these writers bring to their work. Recent reads from this group which have stood out for me are Bruce Robert Coffin (US ex-cop) and Clare Mackintosh (UK ex-cop). These two are very differnet writing styles, but both brillaintly capture the intricacies of policing as well as showing a great understanding of criminal psychology.
Most of my crime fiction reading, though, is in the hard-boiled and noir area, and I've been discovering some great talents in the indie publishing scene, especially by reading anthology magazines such as Switchblade, Pulp Modern, Econoclash Review, and Broadswords and Blasters. If you want to try short story samples to get a taste of different authors, this is the way to go. So for current writers in the hard-boiled and noir school who really have taken my interest recently, I could write a pretty long list, but the following is a great start: Preston Lang, Alec Cizak, Scotch Rutherford, Todd Robinson, J.D.Graves, Travis Richardson, Ken Bruen, and Jason Starr.
#015(AMA)
Q: Did you start writing after you left the police force or was it something you've pursued for a long time?
A: I left the police force in 1999 and went into corruption investigations and then workplace investigations. And I still do some investigative work these days as I'm a licenced PI and consultant for workplace investigations (this work pays the bills!). So my writing, which started in earnest around 2008 or so, certainly was well after I'd left the police. But those police years and then more recent professional work has given me a huge range of experiences to use in crafting my fiction. I do wish now that I'd started writing a lot earlier, but that's life! I'm into it now, and will be writing for the rest of my life. My goal is to be able to make a living out of being an author, although realistically that will be several years away I suspect.
Q: Did you start writing after you left the police force or was it something you've pursued for a long time?
A: I left the police force in 1999 and went into corruption investigations and then workplace investigations. And I still do some investigative work these days as I'm a licenced PI and consultant for workplace investigations (this work pays the bills!). So my writing, which started in earnest around 2008 or so, certainly was well after I'd left the police. But those police years and then more recent professional work has given me a huge range of experiences to use in crafting my fiction. I do wish now that I'd started writing a lot earlier, but that's life! I'm into it now, and will be writing for the rest of my life. My goal is to be able to make a living out of being an author, although realistically that will be several years away I suspect.
#016(AMA)
Q: In your opinion, what makes a good criminal character? Can such a character be likeable or do all criminals portrayed in crime fiction need to be villans?
A: I do think characters need to have some mixture of aspects as this makes them more believable. Having said that, when you're writing crime, which inherently involves some clash between good and bad, I personally think you do need to ensure that your "bad" characters do not start to elicit sympathy from the reader. They can certainly have some more laudable personal traits given to them, but they do need to be overall the villains. For example, in my current manuscript, Harry's Quest, I have a paedophile who is (as you would expect) utterly despicable, but then he also has a huge, tender compassion for his aging mother. So this gives him a non-villain quality in that regard, whilst at the same time the reader is never going to start to empathize with him, because he also does appalling acts in the story.
Q: In your opinion, what makes a good criminal character? Can such a character be likeable or do all criminals portrayed in crime fiction need to be villans?
A: I do think characters need to have some mixture of aspects as this makes them more believable. Having said that, when you're writing crime, which inherently involves some clash between good and bad, I personally think you do need to ensure that your "bad" characters do not start to elicit sympathy from the reader. They can certainly have some more laudable personal traits given to them, but they do need to be overall the villains. For example, in my current manuscript, Harry's Quest, I have a paedophile who is (as you would expect) utterly despicable, but then he also has a huge, tender compassion for his aging mother. So this gives him a non-villain quality in that regard, whilst at the same time the reader is never going to start to empathize with him, because he also does appalling acts in the story.
#017(AMA)
Q: If you had the power to interview any fictional character from any of the crime fiction genre, who would it be and what would you ask them?
A: Wow, tough one! I'm going for PI Lew Archer (from Ross Macdonald). And I'd ask Archer to nominate his favourite of all the femmes fatales that he dealt with in his PI career. I've only read about half of Macdonald's Archer novels (there are over 20 of them), but there are some amazingly memorable femmes fatales! Macdonald draws characters wonderfully.
Q: If you had the power to interview any fictional character from any of the crime fiction genre, who would it be and what would you ask them?
A: Wow, tough one! I'm going for PI Lew Archer (from Ross Macdonald). And I'd ask Archer to nominate his favourite of all the femmes fatales that he dealt with in his PI career. I've only read about half of Macdonald's Archer novels (there are over 20 of them), but there are some amazingly memorable femmes fatales! Macdonald draws characters wonderfully.
#018(AMA)
Q: You mention your protagonist had his own demons, is that often true in real life in regards to police work?
A: I think it certainly can be the case, and I guess may often be a factor in people wanting to become police officers in the first place. For me, whilst there was no one single factor that made me want to be a cop, I certainly did find that being able to (sometimes) get justice for those people who had been victimized was a driving motivator for me to do police work. And it is certainly one of the reasons I did child abuse/paedophilia work for so long - kids are the least able in society to look after themselves, so locking up child molesters was the most satisfying portion (about 6 years), of my whole career. I'm not sure I'd class it as dealing with my own demons, as such, but my childhood was far from peachy (and I know I'm no orphan on that score). So, I had a very strong hatred of injustice and power abuse (including bullying) when I was a young man, so I think there was an element of that in my becoming a cop and then enjoying the work. I should add that I still have that strong hatred, reinforced by over 30 years of professional experience. And you'll see that come out in my protagonist Harry.
Q: You mention your protagonist had his own demons, is that often true in real life in regards to police work?
A: I think it certainly can be the case, and I guess may often be a factor in people wanting to become police officers in the first place. For me, whilst there was no one single factor that made me want to be a cop, I certainly did find that being able to (sometimes) get justice for those people who had been victimized was a driving motivator for me to do police work. And it is certainly one of the reasons I did child abuse/paedophilia work for so long - kids are the least able in society to look after themselves, so locking up child molesters was the most satisfying portion (about 6 years), of my whole career. I'm not sure I'd class it as dealing with my own demons, as such, but my childhood was far from peachy (and I know I'm no orphan on that score). So, I had a very strong hatred of injustice and power abuse (including bullying) when I was a young man, so I think there was an element of that in my becoming a cop and then enjoying the work. I should add that I still have that strong hatred, reinforced by over 30 years of professional experience. And you'll see that come out in my protagonist Harry.
#019(AMA)
Q: As a former detective/law enforcement officer are you sought out as a consultant by other writers who want to make their stories more realistic?
A: Yes, I have been. Other authors I know personally in Sydney have asked my advice along the way, or asked me to read sections of their work to look at the policing aspects. I've also had writers contact me through my website to ask for advice. And I'm always happy to help out if I can.
Q: As a former detective/law enforcement officer are you sought out as a consultant by other writers who want to make their stories more realistic?
A: Yes, I have been. Other authors I know personally in Sydney have asked my advice along the way, or asked me to read sections of their work to look at the policing aspects. I've also had writers contact me through my website to ask for advice. And I'm always happy to help out if I can.
#020(AMA)
Q: Have you ever felt pressured to write more books that exceeded the success of this one after you received your award as an author?
A: Pressure to write more books is not an issue for me, as I want to write for the rest of my life. But I do subject myself to pressure with self-imposed schedules and deadlines. I find that ensures steady progress on the writing side, as it is very easy to get distracted and for other parts of life to interrupt. Also, when you have to do other work to make a living, it does take some discipline to write as well. So st the moment, I am doing final edits to the manuscript for Harry's Quest, which is the sequel novel to Harry's World. I'm also writing a number of short stories for submisison to magazine anthologies, and I have started a novella, The Scent of the Wattle, based on my experiences as a detective investigating paedophilia, which is where I spent most of my time.
Q: Have you ever felt pressured to write more books that exceeded the success of this one after you received your award as an author?
A: Pressure to write more books is not an issue for me, as I want to write for the rest of my life. But I do subject myself to pressure with self-imposed schedules and deadlines. I find that ensures steady progress on the writing side, as it is very easy to get distracted and for other parts of life to interrupt. Also, when you have to do other work to make a living, it does take some discipline to write as well. So st the moment, I am doing final edits to the manuscript for Harry's Quest, which is the sequel novel to Harry's World. I'm also writing a number of short stories for submisison to magazine anthologies, and I have started a novella, The Scent of the Wattle, based on my experiences as a detective investigating paedophilia, which is where I spent most of my time.
#021(AMA)
Q: Do you get negative reviews too? If so, how do you deal with such criticisms?
A: Oh, yes. And I have to say the first time you read one, it hurts. But you very quickly have to get used to it, and grow a thick skin. The bottom line is that no matter what you write, you will never be to everyone's taste, and that's perfectly fine. I'm fortunate to have had far more positive reviews than negative ones, and I hope it stays that way. I don't mind so much if a negative review is polite, even though critical. It's the online nasty ones which generally can't even be readily identified - and I've had a couple of horrible ones. My personal approach with reviews, and I regulalrly do them as I read on average a book a week, is that if I like the book, then I'll sing its praises. If I don't like it so much, I will not actually say much at all. If I'm rating it on Amazon or Goodreads, then I will give it the star rating I think it deserves, but I won't as a rule engage in overly negative criticism. Something about treating others like you'd like to treated, I think.
Q: Do you get negative reviews too? If so, how do you deal with such criticisms?
A: Oh, yes. And I have to say the first time you read one, it hurts. But you very quickly have to get used to it, and grow a thick skin. The bottom line is that no matter what you write, you will never be to everyone's taste, and that's perfectly fine. I'm fortunate to have had far more positive reviews than negative ones, and I hope it stays that way. I don't mind so much if a negative review is polite, even though critical. It's the online nasty ones which generally can't even be readily identified - and I've had a couple of horrible ones. My personal approach with reviews, and I regulalrly do them as I read on average a book a week, is that if I like the book, then I'll sing its praises. If I don't like it so much, I will not actually say much at all. If I'm rating it on Amazon or Goodreads, then I will give it the star rating I think it deserves, but I won't as a rule engage in overly negative criticism. Something about treating others like you'd like to treated, I think.
#022(AMA)
Q: Among the awards you’ve received as an author, what are you proudest of?
A: Well, I was pretty happy with each of the awards, but I think winning the category as "Outstanding Mystery" from the Independent Author Network was my proudest one.
I will also say that whilst awards are great to win, as they provide recognition of your work, the best reward is to have a reader tell me how much they enjoyed the book, and will I please hurry up and finish the next one. That's special.
Q: Among the awards you’ve received as an author, what are you proudest of?
A: Well, I was pretty happy with each of the awards, but I think winning the category as "Outstanding Mystery" from the Independent Author Network was my proudest one.
I will also say that whilst awards are great to win, as they provide recognition of your work, the best reward is to have a reader tell me how much they enjoyed the book, and will I please hurry up and finish the next one. That's special.
#023(AMA)
Q: What is the message you want to send your readers through your book besides engaging their minds and entertaining them?
A: Yes, I'm right into social commentary in writing and storytelling. As I said in a previous answer, for me it is one of the four most important aspects of good crime fiction.
Given my professional background, in policing and corruption investigations, the main message I want to get across to readers is to show them what actually goes on in our society, and to try and provide some illustration of the mentality/psychology of the people who commit these crimes and corrupt practices. I'm especially interested in exposing corruption, since this often occurs at the so-called respectable levels of society. And in my experience, a lot of people in positions of power are far from respectable.
Q: What is the message you want to send your readers through your book besides engaging their minds and entertaining them?
A: Yes, I'm right into social commentary in writing and storytelling. As I said in a previous answer, for me it is one of the four most important aspects of good crime fiction.
Given my professional background, in policing and corruption investigations, the main message I want to get across to readers is to show them what actually goes on in our society, and to try and provide some illustration of the mentality/psychology of the people who commit these crimes and corrupt practices. I'm especially interested in exposing corruption, since this often occurs at the so-called respectable levels of society. And in my experience, a lot of people in positions of power are far from respectable.
#024(AMA)
Q: Do you write all the time or only when you feel like it?
A: One of the biggest problem for authors starting out, I think. For my first book, Harry's World, I wrote it over 5 years, during which time I was working full-time for nearly all of it. That made for serious limitations on my creative writing, not so much because of not having time in the evenings and weekends, but because I find that you really need to be in the right headspace to produce creatively. And coming home from a stressful work day didn't leave me feeling at all creative. So Harry's World was mainly written on weekends. Since then, I've tried to discipline myself with sitting down for a writing session at least 4 times a week - and I do a weekly schedule of all the author things I want to achieve for the week. Whilst I still do consulting work periodically, I do generally stick to the 4 times. And I find that the more I write, the easier it becomes, the words just seem to flow more easily. Even if it's only grabbing 20 or 30 minutes on the particular day, I find I can often still produce 500+ words, and this all adds up. My advice would be to try and write as close to every day as possible, even if it is only for a brief time. For me, at least, this really seems to produce momentum. There will still be times when those words simply don't flow, and whilst that used to really frustrate me, I now deal with it by going off and attending to other tasks on my weekly schedule, such as research editing, etc.
Q: Do you write all the time or only when you feel like it?
A: One of the biggest problem for authors starting out, I think. For my first book, Harry's World, I wrote it over 5 years, during which time I was working full-time for nearly all of it. That made for serious limitations on my creative writing, not so much because of not having time in the evenings and weekends, but because I find that you really need to be in the right headspace to produce creatively. And coming home from a stressful work day didn't leave me feeling at all creative. So Harry's World was mainly written on weekends. Since then, I've tried to discipline myself with sitting down for a writing session at least 4 times a week - and I do a weekly schedule of all the author things I want to achieve for the week. Whilst I still do consulting work periodically, I do generally stick to the 4 times. And I find that the more I write, the easier it becomes, the words just seem to flow more easily. Even if it's only grabbing 20 or 30 minutes on the particular day, I find I can often still produce 500+ words, and this all adds up. My advice would be to try and write as close to every day as possible, even if it is only for a brief time. For me, at least, this really seems to produce momentum. There will still be times when those words simply don't flow, and whilst that used to really frustrate me, I now deal with it by going off and attending to other tasks on my weekly schedule, such as research editing, etc.
#025(AMA)
Q: What is the best feedback you have received so far from your readers?
A: I've been fortunate to get mainly positive feedback. If I had to pick the "best", then I'd go with those readers who said that they really grew to like Harry, my flawed hero, and wanted to see what happened to him in the next book.
Q: What is the best feedback you have received so far from your readers?
A: I've been fortunate to get mainly positive feedback. If I had to pick the "best", then I'd go with those readers who said that they really grew to like Harry, my flawed hero, and wanted to see what happened to him in the next book.
#026(AMA)
Q: How did you go about finding the right publisher for you? Did your experience in the police force gave your work extra authenticity?
A: I'm self-published, and I always intended to take this path. There were two reasons for this decision. The first was that I didn't want to spend ages trying different publishers and getting a string of rejections - an experience I have heard from other author friends - and then having to self-publish anyway. In Australia, especially, it is very difficult to get a publishing contract. However, the more important reason for choosing self-publishing was editorial control. I write gritty and realistic crime, which includes violence and paedophilia. I also like to include some fairly steamy sex scenes (of the consensual variety!). I have no doubt at all that an editor at any publishing house in Australia (where they are pretty conservative and very politically correct) would have demanded that entire scenes be removed from my book. And that would not work for me. I write because I want to tell stories, and I want to be able to write how I want to write. So my sequel novel, Harry's Quest, will also be self-published, later in 2018.
Q: How did you go about finding the right publisher for you? Did your experience in the police force gave your work extra authenticity?
A: I'm self-published, and I always intended to take this path. There were two reasons for this decision. The first was that I didn't want to spend ages trying different publishers and getting a string of rejections - an experience I have heard from other author friends - and then having to self-publish anyway. In Australia, especially, it is very difficult to get a publishing contract. However, the more important reason for choosing self-publishing was editorial control. I write gritty and realistic crime, which includes violence and paedophilia. I also like to include some fairly steamy sex scenes (of the consensual variety!). I have no doubt at all that an editor at any publishing house in Australia (where they are pretty conservative and very politically correct) would have demanded that entire scenes be removed from my book. And that would not work for me. I write because I want to tell stories, and I want to be able to write how I want to write. So my sequel novel, Harry's Quest, will also be self-published, later in 2018.
#027(AMA)
Q: Which did you find more difficult to write a book’s beginning, middle or end and why?
A: My Harry's World is a novel, but split into five episodes. So there is one over-arching story, but five separate sub-plots. I did this (and am doing it again in the sequel, Harry's Quest) in order to be able to have Harry working on various crime/corruption cases, and so showing readers a range of what happens in society (part of my motivation for writing). At the same time, he has his own "case" to pursue, the rape and death of his little girl, Orla. At this stage, there will be three Harry novels. Harry's World sets his scene, Harry's Quest has him starting his hunt for vengeance, and the third novel (working name Harry's Grail) will see him resolve his hunt. I may well do further Harry books after that, but I'll see how I feel after the trilogy. So, in terms of your question, my overall novel structure doesn't have the three act framework, although it's fair to say each episode does, more or less. To finally answer you (sorry, I digressed), the middle is definitely the hardest for me. I don't go in for any detailed planning beforehand, although I have an overall idea of where I want things to go. I do like to let it develop as I write. But for the structure, I always know at the outset how I'm going to start, and what I want the ending to look like. But that middle can be challenging, especially as that is where storytelling can bog down.
Q: Which did you find more difficult to write a book’s beginning, middle or end and why?
A: My Harry's World is a novel, but split into five episodes. So there is one over-arching story, but five separate sub-plots. I did this (and am doing it again in the sequel, Harry's Quest) in order to be able to have Harry working on various crime/corruption cases, and so showing readers a range of what happens in society (part of my motivation for writing). At the same time, he has his own "case" to pursue, the rape and death of his little girl, Orla. At this stage, there will be three Harry novels. Harry's World sets his scene, Harry's Quest has him starting his hunt for vengeance, and the third novel (working name Harry's Grail) will see him resolve his hunt. I may well do further Harry books after that, but I'll see how I feel after the trilogy. So, in terms of your question, my overall novel structure doesn't have the three act framework, although it's fair to say each episode does, more or less. To finally answer you (sorry, I digressed), the middle is definitely the hardest for me. I don't go in for any detailed planning beforehand, although I have an overall idea of where I want things to go. I do like to let it develop as I write. But for the structure, I always know at the outset how I'm going to start, and what I want the ending to look like. But that middle can be challenging, especially as that is where storytelling can bog down.
#028(AMA)
Q: Do you create your characters before you start writing your novel or do you create them as you write?
A: A mixture of both. My main characters are determined before I write each episode, because my storyline hangs off them. However, minor characters will often only arise as I'm writing, because I don't plan everything in detail first.
Q: Do you create your characters before you start writing your novel or do you create them as you write?
A: A mixture of both. My main characters are determined before I write each episode, because my storyline hangs off them. However, minor characters will often only arise as I'm writing, because I don't plan everything in detail first.
#029(AMA)
Q: Any tips on how to come up with interesting titles that would attract readers?
A: Great question, as I think titles (as well as covers) are really important in grabbing the attention of potential readers. Personally, I think two factors are most important. Firstly, a short title. Long book titles tend to turn me off straightaway, plus they tend to look messy on the book cover and book spine (which is important when they are in bookshops and you're hoping that browsing readers will pick them up). Secondly, a strong tease or clue as to what the book is about. So my title, Harry's World, is clearly succinct, and I hope the prospective reader will want to find out who Harry is and what his world is like. With the sequel, Harry's Quest, I want to attract readers to the actual quest, hoping they will want to join Harry on it. So that's your title, and don't forget the back cover blurb - so important as that's the first thing a potential reader does - turns the book over a reads the blurb. You need to try and grab their attention and pique their interest. You can see the front and back covers of Harry's World at the top of this AMA, so that's what I'm talking about. Whilst I'm self-published, I did pay a professional designer to do my cover, following the concepts I wanted. He did a great job, worth every dollar, and I have had a lot of very good feedback on the cover work and the overall appearance of the book.
Q: Any tips on how to come up with interesting titles that would attract readers?
A: Great question, as I think titles (as well as covers) are really important in grabbing the attention of potential readers. Personally, I think two factors are most important. Firstly, a short title. Long book titles tend to turn me off straightaway, plus they tend to look messy on the book cover and book spine (which is important when they are in bookshops and you're hoping that browsing readers will pick them up). Secondly, a strong tease or clue as to what the book is about. So my title, Harry's World, is clearly succinct, and I hope the prospective reader will want to find out who Harry is and what his world is like. With the sequel, Harry's Quest, I want to attract readers to the actual quest, hoping they will want to join Harry on it. So that's your title, and don't forget the back cover blurb - so important as that's the first thing a potential reader does - turns the book over a reads the blurb. You need to try and grab their attention and pique their interest. You can see the front and back covers of Harry's World at the top of this AMA, so that's what I'm talking about. Whilst I'm self-published, I did pay a professional designer to do my cover, following the concepts I wanted. He did a great job, worth every dollar, and I have had a lot of very good feedback on the cover work and the overall appearance of the book.
#030(AMA)
Q: How do you come up with interesting character names?
A: This is really one of the most fun parts of creating a fictional world, I think. I have a number of methods, and then some names are quite random instead. My main protagonist is Harry Kenmare - both deliberate choices. Harry, as I wanted a strong male name, and Kenmare is the town in Ireland where some of my ancestors come from, and I've created Harry with a similar genealogy to my own - Australian from a predominantly Irish background. Sometimes I pick names simply because I love the sound of them - Sandrine and Petra, for example, as well as my twin protagonists, Tanya and Sasha. Often for my despicable characters, I'll use names which lend to their despicability, with the meanings of the words. So, Porcia Savage as one of my villains - pig-like and savage. And she is, believe me! The trick here is to find descriptive words which can also double as names, although in this day and age with the making up of names all the time, a lot of things you can probably get away with. Although do bear in mind when your characters are supposed to be born - I do often consult the lists of popular names for given years, to see what was fashionable when a character was born - for example, having a female character born in the 1950s and called Sunray or Khloe is not very plausible. If I'm creating a character with a foreign name, then I always check online for surnames in that language, and again I may look up what some of the foreign names actually mean, and then use them if appropriate for what I need.
Q: How do you come up with interesting character names?
A: This is really one of the most fun parts of creating a fictional world, I think. I have a number of methods, and then some names are quite random instead. My main protagonist is Harry Kenmare - both deliberate choices. Harry, as I wanted a strong male name, and Kenmare is the town in Ireland where some of my ancestors come from, and I've created Harry with a similar genealogy to my own - Australian from a predominantly Irish background. Sometimes I pick names simply because I love the sound of them - Sandrine and Petra, for example, as well as my twin protagonists, Tanya and Sasha. Often for my despicable characters, I'll use names which lend to their despicability, with the meanings of the words. So, Porcia Savage as one of my villains - pig-like and savage. And she is, believe me! The trick here is to find descriptive words which can also double as names, although in this day and age with the making up of names all the time, a lot of things you can probably get away with. Although do bear in mind when your characters are supposed to be born - I do often consult the lists of popular names for given years, to see what was fashionable when a character was born - for example, having a female character born in the 1950s and called Sunray or Khloe is not very plausible. If I'm creating a character with a foreign name, then I always check online for surnames in that language, and again I may look up what some of the foreign names actually mean, and then use them if appropriate for what I need.
#031(AMA)
Q: Did you find it more challenging to write Harry’s World or to write the subsequent novel?
A: Overall the greater challenge was for Harry's World, the first book. It was all new to me and the prospect of actually writing a novel is quite daunting. For the sequel, Harry's Quest, it is easier in many ways because I have already done the process once, and so I know I can do it - those self-doubts that were there during the first novel's production have gone. There are, however, challenges as well, especially being a sequel. You have to be very conscious of continuity from, and consistency with, the first book, especially in relation to characters with their traits, behaviours and histories. I compiled a compendium from Harry's World, listing all the main features about characters and events, and then I refer to that constantly as I am editing Harry's Quest.
Q: Did you find it more challenging to write Harry’s World or to write the subsequent novel?
A: Overall the greater challenge was for Harry's World, the first book. It was all new to me and the prospect of actually writing a novel is quite daunting. For the sequel, Harry's Quest, it is easier in many ways because I have already done the process once, and so I know I can do it - those self-doubts that were there during the first novel's production have gone. There are, however, challenges as well, especially being a sequel. You have to be very conscious of continuity from, and consistency with, the first book, especially in relation to characters with their traits, behaviours and histories. I compiled a compendium from Harry's World, listing all the main features about characters and events, and then I refer to that constantly as I am editing Harry's Quest.
#032(AMA)
Q: Are you working on a new book featuring Harry? Do you have an idea of how many more stories you would like to write about him?
A: Yes, the sequel, Harry's Quest, is in its editing stages at the moment. I'm hoping to launch it around October 2018. There will definitely be a third Harry book, as I already have that one loosely planned. It will round out the main storyline which has been running through World and Quest. Whether I write any more Harry books after that is something I haven't yet decided. I'll see how I feel after the third book. I have also written a number of short stories about Harry, and these are written in the first person, instead of the third person used in the novels. This has been a lot of fun. I'm now planning to publish a book of the short stories, possibly next year (2019).
Q: Are you working on a new book featuring Harry? Do you have an idea of how many more stories you would like to write about him?
A: Yes, the sequel, Harry's Quest, is in its editing stages at the moment. I'm hoping to launch it around October 2018. There will definitely be a third Harry book, as I already have that one loosely planned. It will round out the main storyline which has been running through World and Quest. Whether I write any more Harry books after that is something I haven't yet decided. I'll see how I feel after the third book. I have also written a number of short stories about Harry, and these are written in the first person, instead of the third person used in the novels. This has been a lot of fun. I'm now planning to publish a book of the short stories, possibly next year (2019).
#033(AMA)
Q: Do you ever get too attached to your story so much that you have a hard time ending it?
A: I didn't find any problems here, as I always intended that there would be at least two more Harry novels. So in that sense, I haven't had to face an "ending" as such yet. I may, of course, have these feelings when I get to the end of the third novel. If I'm too attached to Harry's exploits at that stage, then that might settle my decision to continue with more Harry novels (see previous answer).
I will add that writing Harry short stories for magazines with strict word limits has certainly left me having to chop out material from the first draft to which I was very attached. Short story writing to word limits is a very good method for learning discipline around both succinct story telling and also word editing. I strongly recommend it for all writers.
Q: Do you ever get too attached to your story so much that you have a hard time ending it?
A: I didn't find any problems here, as I always intended that there would be at least two more Harry novels. So in that sense, I haven't had to face an "ending" as such yet. I may, of course, have these feelings when I get to the end of the third novel. If I'm too attached to Harry's exploits at that stage, then that might settle my decision to continue with more Harry novels (see previous answer).
I will add that writing Harry short stories for magazines with strict word limits has certainly left me having to chop out material from the first draft to which I was very attached. Short story writing to word limits is a very good method for learning discipline around both succinct story telling and also word editing. I strongly recommend it for all writers.
#034(AMA)
Q: Can you share something about Harry’s world that isn’t in the blurb?
A: Love the question! Okay, so you read the blurb and get a feel for the flawed, old school PI, which is Harry. What you don't get is his personal history and main motivating force, which is the rape and muder of his little daughter, Orla, about ten years previously. This does come out in the first few pages of the novel as we meet Harry. Another thing? Harry loves flowers, probably not what you'd expect from his sort of character. And you'll find regular flower and tree descriptions in the book. I did that delibrately, as I wanted firstly to add an unexpected and more gentle character trait to Harry, but also secondly to add some colour and beauty within the stories, to contrast with the darkness and grittiness.
Q: Can you share something about Harry’s world that isn’t in the blurb?
A: Love the question! Okay, so you read the blurb and get a feel for the flawed, old school PI, which is Harry. What you don't get is his personal history and main motivating force, which is the rape and muder of his little daughter, Orla, about ten years previously. This does come out in the first few pages of the novel as we meet Harry. Another thing? Harry loves flowers, probably not what you'd expect from his sort of character. And you'll find regular flower and tree descriptions in the book. I did that delibrately, as I wanted firstly to add an unexpected and more gentle character trait to Harry, but also secondly to add some colour and beauty within the stories, to contrast with the darkness and grittiness.
"Yep, me being PI Harry Kenmare, I'd take on pretty well any client (paedophiles and rapists need not apply) as long as they were paying well. Shit, I'd even take on a case for a politician or a banker, at an inflated rate of course."
- From the Harry short story, "White Powder, Black Leather, Grey Badges", in Harry Kenmare, PI - At Your Service (p.29)
- From the Harry short story, "White Powder, Black Leather, Grey Badges", in Harry Kenmare, PI - At Your Service (p.29)