Choice interviews on the UK front

The other side of the pond’s been doing a nice job ferreting out great information from top authors. Tangled Web recently caught up with Lee Child when he was doing his UK tour for ONE SHOT and kept things closely focused on writing:

Elsewhere Child has talked about the process of writing, about whilst never outlining, how he looks for the trick, surprise or pivotal fact that will form the basis for the new book. A casual question about the irrigation booms in One Shot (introduced as Reacher travels through the Indiana farmlands, and playing a crucial role later in the book) brings forth an illuminating answer.

“It’s about how I write.’ says Child. “I’ve said I would only reveal this after I’d retired. When I worked in television, one of the really really bad shows that we did was Ready Steady Cook, or at least a precursor of it. In that show there was a competition between two celebrity or professional chefs to cook a meal out of random ingredients. So we would stuff the two refrigerators on the set with random ingredients. And the point of the competition was not only to cook the best meal, but to get points for using as many ingredients as possible. And that’s how I write. The first half or two thirds of the book, I just put in whatever I feel like. Then, when I get to that halfway point, then it becomes a competition with myself to use all that stuff in the last part of the book. And of course I have the luxury that if there is anything I can’t use, then I can just go back and erase it. You are out in the countryside. So you describe the surroundings, the circular irrigation booms. And then later on, in the big scene at the end you think, yeah I can use that. So it was certainly not premeditated. Something will always present itself as useful. And I’ve always worked like that.”

Over at SHOTS, Matt Craig caught up with Joan Brady (of BLEEDOUT fame) and inquired as to why she made the switch from literary to crime fiction:

In the acknowledgements section of Bleedout, you mention that you were inspired to write the novel, a thriller, by a run-in with South Hams District Council. It sounds like an interesting story in itself. Is it something you’d care to elaborate on?

The South Hams District Council sneaked through planning permission to install a shoe factory in a beautiful, one-time theatre adjoining my house (both buildings were listed). The noise was terrible. My house trembled to the touch; sawdust drifted down from the beam above my desk. I began building walls to protect myself. But noise was the least of my problems. The factory was also venting its unfiltered fumes from glues and solvents directly onto me: I developed a neurological disease as a direct result. The Council’s response? They tried to prosecute me for tearing out an old staircase to build the protecting walls, a crime that carried a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a £20,000 fine. They did nothing about the poison, which would have eventually put me in a wheelchair, until I gave up everything else to fight them.   

And what was it that drew you to a thriller, rather than something more sedately-paced?

This ridiculous battle went on for two and a half years and fifteen court appearances. I hadn’t had any idea before this what injustice does to a person. My reactions seemed way out of proportion, although found out since that they’re pretty standard in people who are cornered, especially people unjustly accused of crimes. All I thought about was blood and destruction. I kept watching Terminator. I wanted to kill people. I was too agitated to complete the literary novel I was working on, so a friend suggested I try a thriller instead. Bleedout was the result.

And then there’s man about town Ali Karim, who chatted with one of his favorite authors (and mine) George Pelecanos, asking about DRAMA CITY, why Laura Lippman was his guru about the female sex, and those stupid rumors that he’s been dropped:

I read in the Guardian a somewhat controversial review of Drama City: ‘Rumour is that Drama City will be his last novel for some time, as his US publishers want him to soft pedal on the social comment. Savour while you can.’ Is this true?

Not exactly, but there is a kernel of truth in it. Obviously I’m not a mega-selling writer, and my American publishers are asking why.

But your reviews show that your work is highly rated and your reputation in the genre is legendary. The New York Times gave Drama City a tremendous review! And prior to that, Hard Revolution made the best of 2004 lists all over the world!

Hey, I’m not bragging, but yes I’m widely reviewed. But Drama City didn’t make the bestseller lists despite the reviews, so I guess they’re scratching their heads wondering why. Is it the social content? Or what? In a way I agree with them because Americans on the most part don’t want to go there. And most people don’t want to talk about my black characters as they’re too pc. So I have to make a choice. Do I want make a 180 degree turn? Or do I want to keep on doing what I’m doing? I got a new contract with Little Brown, so I’m going to keep writing books, that’s what I do. There is concern out there, but I’m not going to stop what I do.

Hopefully that dampens the gossip down a little bit.