Interviews, Sessions and Chats with Authors

Australian Crime Fiction Snapshot : Leah Giarratano

Karen — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 13:50:41 +1100

1. Your first book, Vodka Doesn't Freeze, was obviously hugely influenced by your day to day job experience. Will you be doing something similar with the second book?

Well, the first book really was a mental download of a lot of the horrible things I’ve seen in my ‘day job’ over the years. It was kind of my own therapy. I felt, witnessed, or watched other people experience pretty much everything that happened in Vodka. Voodoo Doll is also based upon real events from my time as a psychologist, but I want people to understand that I distort, intertwine and embellish the true crimes. I'd never want any of my past patients to open one of my books and recognise their suffering reproduced as entertainment in a novel.

Voodoo Doll explores the makings of a psychopath. When I first studied psychology I was fascinated by such people’s minds and always wanted to meet and interview a true psychopath – until I did. On a placement in a maximum security prison I met some of these men and realised I wanted to be as far from them as possible! Still, I guess I'm in some ways still intrigued by the development of their personality disorders, and that’s explored in the second novel.

As a therapist, I help my clients understand that emotionally processing traumatic experiences involves working through them repeatedly, in meticulous detail, and I think that’s what I do for myself when I write about these things.

2. What is it, do you think, that attracts so many readers to crime fiction?

Interesting question, isn’t it? I think many of us are drawn to the macabre or unusual, even if we don't particularly want to be. For some of us it may just be something like being unable to look away from an accident scene, even when we don't really want to see what’s inside. Maybe that’s a survival mechanism for humans – to pay close attention to novel experiences so that we can learn from them, perhaps to assist us in the future.

Some of us though, can't get enough of the thrill of danger and horror – at least experiencing it vicariously through fiction (there are those who are addicted to the real thing, but they’re another – interesting – kettle of fish). Maybe some of us read crime fiction because it takes us away to intriguing worlds we don't typically inhabit. But that doesn’t account for the readers who work in such fields – many emergency service workers, for instance, enjoy crime fiction. For me, there’s a satisfaction in reading a story that turns out the ‘right way’ – the baddie is caught and punished (hopefully horribly) in the end, and that’s often not the way it is in real life. Women, in particular, love crime fiction, and it’s interesting that they’re most likely to be the victims of crime. Maybe it gives a sense of power or control when we see our worst fears brought to life in print, and then vanquished by the end of the book.

I think a lot of crime fiction – the stuff I like anyway – also explores the psychology behind the crime. We want to know why – why would someone do that? How come there are people who could get to the point where they’d do such a thing? How can they be so different to me? But are they really so different? There is evidence that we are all capable of committing truly hideous acts. The Zimbardo prison experiment, Stanley Milgram’s studies on obedience to authority, Nazi Germany, show that under the right (or wrong) conditions we’re all capable of sadistic acts. Maybe we’re living vicariously through the baddies’ eyes in these books? A text by forensic psychiatrist, Robert A. Simon, titled Bad Men Do What Good Men Dream, argues that all of us have evil impulses, but most of us, fortunately, don't act upon them.

3. Do you read much Australian crime fiction? Can you give us a few standouts that you've read recently? What do you think of the current state of the Australian crime fiction scene?

I feel that subscribers to your website are more qualified to answer the last question. I go through spurts of reading fiction and then I'm submerged in work again, so I'm not as well read in crime fiction as lots of other crime authors. To be honest, sometimes I'm so saturated by the impact of actual crime, and have read so many police statements or texts on trauma, that I find myself reaching for a fantasy novel. I recently presented at a couple of writers’ festivals with Catherine Powell and Gabrielle Lord, and it was great to meet them.

4. What do you think could be done to better promote Australian authors either at home or abroad (or both)?

I'm still learning about this industry, so I don't really know yet. I guess media attention is the obvious answer, but to be attractive to the media we must be truly fascinating for some reason, not just have a book to sell. I think websites like yours, and the internet generally, can cross international borders and link like-minded people more easily than traditional media.

5. If your fictional character could meet any fictional character who would you like it to be and why?

Um, I don't think Jill Jackson’s had enough of dispatching paedophiles, so any fictional character with such predilections would be pretty satisfying. Other than that, I wouldn’t mind her spending some time with Jason Bourne. Maybe she’d let me hang around with them for a while?

Leah's first book VODKA DOESN'T FREEZE isn't an easy read - but those who are interested in the psychological aspects of being a victim and a perpretrator should find it fascinating. Her second book, is due soon. Having seen Leah a couple of times at last year's Melbourne Writers Festival - she is a festival guest must see. Her sessions are informative, fascinating and encouragingly accessible.

Australian Crime Fiction Snapshot: Alison Goodman

Karen — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 12:49:46 +1100

1. Your first book is labelled as "science fiction comedy thriller" and the second book KILLING THE RABBIT is a "comic thriller". Labels make many people's brains hurt (including mine). Did you have to use a different approach / what were the different aims behind both books?

Labels are definitely a double edged sword. I write across marketing genres which can make it difficult for marketing departments to label them, thus the mind-boggling triple and quadruple-barrelled categories. For instance, my novel Killing the Rabbit is a crime thriller but it also has a touch of speculative fiction thrown in, as well as some very dark comedy. It was published by Spectra, the speculative fiction imprint of Bantam Dell, which is a great imprint for the book. However, I recently received an email from a fan in the States who was worried that I was losing readers because he found Rabbit shelved in the Science Fiction section of his local bookshop when it should have been in Crime.

There were very different aims with my first two books. My debut novel, Singing the Dogstar Blues, was a young adult novel and so was written for a younger audience (although it also crossed over into an adult readership). Dogstar was the first full-length novel I had ever written and I was aiming to write a SF novel that blended a fast-paced plot with the depth of characterisation that I had always longed for but did not often find in SF books. In contrast, Killing the Rabbit is a very adult novel - more sexual content and quite a bit of graphic violence - and when I started to write it, I was ready to challenge myself more in terms of technique and style. The driving idea behind Rabbit - that women could resorb their own foetuses in the same way that rabbits and small mammals can - had been with me since I was twelve so it was also one of those novels that stalk a writer until they are written.

2. Being a teacher of creative writing, how do you see your students approaching "genre" writing these days?

Genre is a slippery sucker of a word. There are marketing genres such as Crime, Science Fiction, Romance, Fantasy. And then there are genre categories that describe the type of story structure you are working with such as quest, adventure, etc. The students that are keen on writing genre fiction tend to be very professional about their work, perhaps because they are rarely writing autobiographically and so are not as emotionally caught up in the action and characterisation. They are also very keen to workshop their writing to gauge reader response - there are certain story beats that need to be achieved in each story structure to create a satisfying read and a workshop environment is a great way to test these out. I have also found that genre writing students are more aware of writing for a reader, and more aware of the market at which they are aiming their work.

3. Do you read much Australian crime fiction? Can you give us a few standouts that you've read recently? What do you think of the current state of the Australian crime fiction scene?

I do read Australian crime fiction. I like Lindy Cameron's PI character Kit O'Malley, especially in Thicker than Water. I also enjoyed PD Martin's books about Aussie FBI agent Sophie Anderson.

The state of the Aussie crime fiction scene is very healthy - lots of good writing finding publishers. The market still seems a bit hesitant about choosing an Aussie crime fiction writer over a UK or US writer, but hopefully that will improve.

4. What do you think could be done to better promote Australian authors either at home or abroad (or both)?

In my own experience, being "on the ground' during the launch of a novel in an overseas market is very useful. I launched the US edition of Singing The Dogstar Blues at the Australian Consulate in New York and it definitely helped get the book into the market and, just as importantly, on the radar of the school and public librarians. I think a broader grant system for individual writers to take short promotional trips during the release of their work would be very helpful. I believe the Queensland government has such a fund. Perhaps the other states could take a leaf out of their book (sorry, terrible pun).

5. If your fictional character could meet any fictional character who would you like it to be and why?

I would like Joss, my fiesty young female protagonist in Singing the Dogstar Blues, to meet Dean from the TV show Supernatural. I think that, after they had clobbered each other a few times and exchanged smart-arse insults, they would make hot lurve. (Okay, another reason might be that I think Jensen Ackles, who plays Dean, is really hot....).

Make sure you follow up more about Alison's books at her website, plus remember that Alison, Liz Filleul and Dorothy Johnston will be in conversation with Lindy Cameron at the Sisters in Crime April gathering.

Australian Crime Fiction Snapshot: Brian Kavanagh

Karen — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:19:00 +1100

1. You are now the author of 3 series novels. What do you see as the likely reader's for your books.

As the books are classed as “cozy” I imagine that the reader base would largely be female, and to tell the truth that was the market I was aiming at. And from what reaction I’ve received, that policy seems to have paid off. Sorting through various online book groups etc., the readers of mystery novels of that genre seem almost predominately female. I don’t believe that this limits the reader to that sex: so long as a “cozy” is well written and the plot and characters are engaging, I don’t see why readers of either sex couldn’t enjoy it. I’m not entirely sure that I like the idea of the books being classed exclusively as “cozy”: I prefer to think of them as an “entertainment”. Cozy suggests tea parties and knitting, and my books are far from that scenario.

2. How did you originally develop Belinda- your central character?

Having decided that the market for my books was most likely female, it seemed sensible to create a female character that women could relate to. Setting her age at mid-twenties it allowed for character development as the series proceeded. Although, I didn’t set out to write a series: Capable of Murder was just conceived as a one off mystery. Also by making Belinda, the central character, an Australian who was working in England and on the point of returning to Australia, I felt that there would be some point of recognition for Australian women who have had the European experience. It also allowed for her to experience locations and events that were foreign to her, and to the reader, and as the settings for the books always have some historical background or point of reference, it allowed her character to explore the historical reality in a natural manner, and the reader would discover this also but through the eyes of Belinda, rather than having to wade through tediously presented facts, which is often the case in some books. Belinda herself is probably modelled on a combination of some of my friends over the years. Australian women who have been spirited and outgoing. Belinda’s character was aided by the discovery that one of the minor characters in the first book, Hazel Whitby an older, worldly wise and gregarious personality, demanded to be listened to and so she became Belinda’s partner in crime, so to speak.

3. How does the process of writing a series work for you. Are you plotting the next book, as you work on the current, or do you have a draw full of possible scenarios for your central character Belinda?

I don’t plot the next book, although I have few vague ideas for possible development. I do have a new book planned in which Belinda returns to Melbourne and is involved in a new mystery. While writing, my concentration is on that particular story so I don’t really think beyond that. At the moment I’m “hunting & gathering” for plot and character developments in the new book, tentatively titled, Small Vices Do Appear. There is a political background to the story.

4. Do you read much Australian crime fiction? Can you give us a few standouts that you've read recently? What do you think of the current state of the Australian crime fiction scene?

I have to admit, sadly, that I don’t read much Australian crime fiction. I have and do read, Peter Corris and Kerry Greenwood. My preference in mysteries is English writers and English settings. Agatha Christie has a lot to answer for!
Also, from what I can establish, most Australian crime fiction is of the ‘hard core’ variety, (I may be wrong about this) which personally I don’t find attractive these days. Put it down to my age: I find that these genres, hard core, police procedural, etc., have got into a rut. The writers spend more time telling us about the loves and hates of the investigating team than on the murder or mystery at hand. There is a welter of police procedural programming on television, so I don’t feel the need to read about it as well. And I don’t feel the need to know in detail how an autopsy is carried out: that also is bleeding from the TV screens.

My preference is having a crime committed and the resulting unravelling of the clues. Also, part of my not reading Australian crime fiction, relates to the next question.

5. What do you think could be done to better promote Australian authors either at home or abroad (or both)?

These days it seems that newspaper reviews of books, when they do bother to review them, is limited to PR handouts from the major publishers for their established writers. Journalists have little time to bother exploring the changing face of publishing. With the said publishers taking on fewer new writers and the growth of small on-line publishers taking risks on new authors there is a need for an outlet to bring local works to the reading public. On-line book groups do a certain amount in resolving this problem, but are limited to their members. Magazines, by and large, tend to review literary works, so there is a niche for commercial popular writing to be reviewed and promoted.

Libraries could also help: I’m aware of financial restrictions but it would be helpful if they were more active in purchasing and promoting Australian works: essentially they have a captive audience. Readers could also help: if they discover a new writer they can ask their library to purchase the book, thus making it and the author known to other readers.
So, to sum up: the media to be more open to local books, literary or otherwise. Maybe programmes or articles that are exclusively Australian orientated. Australian films are endorsed in the media (cinema attendances is another matter) as is the local music scene. Writing lacks that promotional back-up, yet the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2008 Year Book claims Australians spent $1.5 billion on books in recent years. How much of that money went on Australian works?

6. If your fictional character could meet any fictional character who would you like it to be and why?

I‘m not sure how to answer that question. Possibly Belinda to meet with Becky Sharp, if only because they are two young women from different period of time, but both faced adventures and stood on their own two feet, although Becky of course had a much more robust persona.

Australian Crime Fiction Snapshot: Daniel Hatadi

Karen — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 09:31:56 +1100

1. Daniel, I guess you're mostly a short story writer at the moment. What gives you the inspiration for your short stories, and how do you think the writing of them differs from the process of writing a novel.

I regularly trawl through local newspapers for crimes that tickle my brain and I keep these filed away in the bowels of my laptop. When I'm in the mood to write a short story, I flip through this archive and see if anything strikes my fancy. One idea, one crime, usually does. But that single idea isn't enough. I have this notion that all stories need at least two central ideas that rub against each other until the irritation brings up a pearl. My second idea usually comes more from everyday life, a simple detail that strikes a chord with me. If the detail is powerful enough, I don't need to take notes, it just stays with me. A recent life-snippet that I can't seem to get out of my head is something I saw on the train one weekend. Two scruffy looking teenagers with skateboards were having a suprisingly intelligent conversation. One of them shifted in his seat and I saw something written on his skateboard: "R.I.P. Jason". Not something I was expecting. Not sure what to do with it yet, but a skateboard epitaph ... that's beautiful.

Once I have a story idea, I let it percolate, but not for too long. See, a short story is like a fling: hormones are all over the place and you don't give a damn about the long term view. It's intense and exciting, because it's the thrill of something new. A short story is also a great place to experiment with different forms, or should I say positions? On the other hand, novels need a lot of fine tuning, a lot of details that accumulate over time into something longer and deeper. So a novel is more of a long term relationship. You have to work at it every day, in small increments, with upheavals every so often (if only relationships had second drafts). There are a lot of details and decisions that must be made to go into a novel, so many that a lot of them aren't very important, even if they all count. It's like getting to know someone: every layer has to reveal itself slowly.

2. How is the novel going. What do you think are the biggest problems in "writing the great Australian crime fiction novel" from somebody who is still working through the process.

After burying my first novel with a virtual shovel (again, in the bowels of my laptop), the second novel has been with me for something over a year now. I'm probably shooting myself in the foot for attempting it, but my plan is to mix horror with crime, as well as throw in some 1920s Sydney for good measure. One problem I find as an Australian writer is that most of the material on forensics and police procedure is from an American perspective. Our laws are pretty different, especially in terms of guns, so anyone setting a story in the Australian crime and police world really needs to do their research.

Me, I'm lazy. I get around it all by avoiding writing about police and forensics altogether. But then I'm much more interested in the criminals, what makes them tick, how to show they are still human and not black-and-white villains, those kind of issues.

3. Do you read much Australian crime fiction? Can you give us a few standouts that you've read recently? What do you think of the current state of the Australian crime fiction scene?

I'm in the strange position of having not read fiction at all for a number of years, since university. It's only in the last three years that I decided to get into writing and of course had to delve back into reading. Not that I didn't want to, I missed it greatly. Seeing as I only read at the most one novel a week, I've mixed it up by reading a lot of contemporary works, a handful of classics, and another handful of Australian crime fiction. Peter Corris, Peter Temple, Leigh Redhead, and Katherine Howell have all provided an excellent introduction for me, but there are so many more authors I want to read. Three years into this and I still haven't read any Gabrielle Lord or Gary Disher or even Arthur Upfield.

Lack of experience aside, as far as I can tell, Australian crime fiction is getting bigger, better and badder, and especially with Peter Temple's recent awards, it's getting set to be as much a part of the world's consciousness as our films, actors and musicians have become.

4. What do you think could be done to better promote Australian authors either at home or abroad (or both)?

I'd like to see Aussie authors having more of an online presence. A regular blog, a profile or two on one of the social networks, or even a web site would be great. Readers by nature are drawn to words and what bigger collection of words is there aside from the internet? Why can't I go to any Australian author's website and pore through summaries of novels or blurb or review snippets?

Aside from the internet side of things, I think Australian authors should keep doing what they're doing, writing damned good novels set in Australia. I'd much rather see us all adding to the body of Australian crime literature than setting stories in countries that may sell better.

5. If your fictional characters could meet any fictional character who would you like it to be and why?

The first novel I wrote was about a young private investigator in training, known as Danny Hawaii. Although there haven't been any books written about him that I know of, I'd love for Danny to meet Ace Ventura. I think he'd give him a run for his money in terms of two dimensionality and a fetish for jokes involving poo.

Two dimensional poo. Now there's a concept.

Australian Crime Fiction Snapshot: Felicity Young

Karen — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 09:39:53 +1100

1. How much does the location where you set your books matter to you?
2. You've written one book with a male and one with a female central protagonist. Do you have to approach the story development differently when you do that / which was the easiest in development and why?

Character and place are closely related in my first two books, so I may as well answer these questions together.

At the time of writing my first book, A CERTAIN MALICE, my family and I had lived in our small country town for about thirteen years. Before living there we lived in a city suburb and before that I lived in rural England. To me the move to country Australia from the city was almost like moving abroad all over again. Everything was so different, so exciting, we felt like pioneers. No rubbish collection, no streetlights, no piped water or sewerage. We had brushes with bikie gangs who cropped marijuana in the bush behind our place, a mysterious death on our property — and plenty of other things that I still can't talk about in order to protect the guilty!

We met some amazing people, had some incredible adventures and all the while I was able to observe like an outsider looking in — all great writing fodder. The result was ACM, a mixed up concoction of truth, fiction, embellishment and pure imagination. A small country town usually has a cop attached to it and I've never come across any other than males, (although of course female country cops do exist) so my protagonist was male, simple as that, and he was an outsider.

I remember being very disappointed with the male protagonists in the books I’d been reading up to the writing of A CERTAIN MALICE. These characters were larger than life, tall, handsome and a bit too good to be true. I developed Cam as a reaction to this. He is a bad shot and he has burn scars on his face, which make him superficially unattractive. He also has a variety of strengths, failings and idiosyncrasies; in other words I think he is a real man, who I like to think would appeal to male and female readers equally. In many ways when I developed Cam, I was the observer again; looking in and exploring the unfamiliar territory of the male psyche, which I thoroughly enjoyed doing.

My credo is to finish one book and get straight into the next one. When I first started writing AN EASEFUL DEATH I had no idea that ACM would get published. I didn't think it would be wise to keep going with the same thing so I deliberately set out to make it as different as possible — female cop, city location. Funnily enough, I found my female protagonist, Stevie Hooper, initially more of a challenge to create.

Not at home in the city myself, I had to force myself to come down to Perth more often, tramped the streets, started plotting (the old E. Perth Power station was a huge inspiration) and looking at the place through the eyes of Stevie Hooper. That was my first problem. I love Perth, but found I was unable to feel as intimate with it as I am with the country. I solved this problem by making Stevie a country girl who has lived in the city for years, but still has those feelings of alienation. In her heart she will always feel an outsider, a bit like Cam, a bit like me.

But that is where the similarity with me ends (although she is impatient and untidy, but we won’t go there) and that was where the difficulty started, there seemed to be so many directions I could go with her. But that was then. I am now writing my third Stevie Hooper book and feel I now know her like a best friend, and even a best friend can still surprise you.

3. Do you read much Australian crime fiction? Can you give us a few standouts that you've read recently? What do you think of the current state of the Australian crime fiction scene?

I probably read more UK crime fiction, only because there is more of it around. Of the Australian authors, I am a great admirer of Gabrielle Lord; I enjoy Garry Disher and have Peter Temple’s BROKEN SHORE in my bookcase waiting to be read. I love Barry Maitland’s Kathy and Brock novels, having collected and read every one in the series.

My most recent Australian read was Cathy Cole’s PRIVATE DICKS AND FEISTY CHICKS. This is a standout to me, although it is non-fiction. With people like Cathy writing on the state of Australian Crime fiction I can’t see how the genre can go anywhere but up. Her book (originally a PHD thesis) must serve as a vindication to all of us avid crime readers and writers that Crime novels can be literary, they can be informing and they can provide valuable social commentary.

4. What do you think could be done to better promote Australian authors either at home or abroad (or both)?

That’s a difficult one; not being a marketing expert I can only comment on how I see it. The general reading public seems to buy according to fads (a couple of years ago I was told by an agent that she very much liked my work, but I’d have a lot more chance at getting it published if I was a cookbook-writing cricketer) and I’m hoping that books such as THE BROKEN SHORE and DIAMOND DOVE by Adrian Hyland (which I’ve also yet to read) might be the start of a new enthusiasm for Australian crime novels abroad. The promotion of books in largely seems to be in the hands of the publisher. The smaller the publisher, the less money they seem to have to spend on marketing and promotion. Also a smaller publisher is unlikely to get overseas distribution of their books. The new government have allocated extra funds to the Arts, so hopefully the publishing industry will benefit from this.

5. If your fictional character could meet any fictional character who would you like it to be and why?

The character that springs to my mind for this question is a gifted child I introduce in my new book (April release), HARUM SCARUM. Emma Breightling spends a lot of time in her own fantasy world, concocting stories from the world of traditional children’s literature. I can imagine her gazing into her garden pond and seeing herself frolic in the water with Tom from THE WATERBABIES. A passage in the book describes her wanting to live in Neverland with PeterPan and Wendy. Fancying herself as some kind of girl hero she’d probably also want to join in with the mystery and adventures of THE RAILWAY CHILDREN and THE FAMOUS FIVE.

Australian Crime Fiction Snapshot: Hazel Edwards

Karen — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 17:08:00 +1100

1. Given you have a large audience in YA and children's books how do you craft a mystery for a YA audience / what do you think you need to consider in doing that?

Often it’s the setting like Antarctica (Antarctica’s Frozen Chosen) or the outback (Outback Ferals) which attracts, and plotting a mystery or a crime, enables me to have variety in my participant-observation research, so the subject is fresh for me as well as the reader. I like to visit locations, so I can absorb the local language, conflicts and potential for something going wrong, but my major interest is the dilemma for my protagonist.

Writing for YA means considering the sleuth’s age, so, despite my readership of 13-18, my young eco-scientist Kyle had to be 21 because of Antarctic requirements for expeditioners. Generally I’ll have a sleuth about a year older than the readership, as in ‘Fake ID” which actually revolves around cyber family history sleuthing, Zoe is 14 and on the day of her Gran’s funeral she discovers her grandmother had fake ID for years. I researched with the genealogists from the State Trustees who track beneficiaries in intestate cases where no wills are left. They are magnificent sleuths and loved helping me because all their other clients are dead.I have had thousands of hits on my web site for Fake ID, but unfortunately not all were looking for my book!

Usually I have a strong male and a strong female as my sleuths, but with complementary skills. I’m really fond of my entrepreneurial Rogue Vogue Coco character who sells bush lingerie at night markets and challenges Aboriginal stereotypes. Feisty females and sensitive, active but thoughtful males make good combinations for story dynamics in a mystery.

2. Your comment about the fine line between mystery and crime, and your preference for motivation rather than violence is very interesting - what do you see as that fine line and how does that affect your writing?

I don’t know much about guns, post-mortems, forensics or police procedures, but I‘m fascinated by deviant or original thinkers and questions of amorality.

Consistent viewpoint without betraying the ‘twist’ is a challenge, such as in ‘Stalker’ where I wrote alternately from the viewpoint of the stalkee( Lily, the 17 year old radio presenter) and the stalker, who is actually female, not male as most assume until the end.

I’ve experimented with male viewpoint via Kyle in ‘Antarctica’s Frozen Chosen’ and in the ‘Outback Ferals’ sequel. Since I’m not a 21 year old blokeⁱ, that required listening and some trialling with ‘blokey’ readers. I always run my story past ‘experts’ in the field ( e.g. chopper pilot) for technical checks and my son who works in Darwin helped with the ‘pandemic’ scientific research for ‘Outback Ferals’

Often I prefer to give my ‘sleuth’ an ethical dilemma, such as in ‘Duty Free’ where the mother may be asking the daughter to smuggle ‘ideas’ via a formula, but for altruistic pacifist reasons. My ‘Kyle’ has to say no to his mates during a possible mutiny, and also resolve ‘spying’ on housemates in his Darwin sharehouse.

Media manipulation interests me and I’ve utilised my atypical , Nordic eco-terrorist Nick in the Antarctic and whether the end justifies the means, becomes an issue.

I also enjoy creating eccentric secondary characters like A.N.Zac who enable me to satirise events such as Reality TV or government bureaucracy.

Recently I’ve started writing short adult crime, and my ‘Making a Killing at the Pokies’ is also a satirical look at addiction via the irritant philosopher Ghost of Monies Lost who morphs from the Info pokies button.

3. Do you read much Australian crime fiction? Can you give us a few standouts that you've read recently? What do you think of the current state of the Australian crime fiction scene?

Increasingly I’m attracted to short crime collections. Enjoy Kerry Greenwood’s Phryne character and her period settings. Goldie Alexander’s culinary murders (Unkind Cut, Unjust Desserts) explore the poison/food link in a realistic bayside setting.

4. What do you think could be done to better promote Australian authors either at home or abroad (or both)?

Authors are intellectual property which can be even more valuable, long term, than land. Often their use of local settings making the inhabitants view their surroundings with more pride. Publicise the locales which writers have used. Instead of a pub crawl, encourage Tourist authorities to have a literary walk to author significant sites.

More mainstream reviewing. More podcasts.More radio interviews. More panels at low key festivals as well as the big literary ones, but get double value by broadcasting later.

More anthologies of short crime, which are also available in the latest audio formats as many ‘read’ only in their cars or when travelling.

Often writers are categorised by genre. I’m known as the children’s author of ‘There’s a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Eating Cake’ and some people find it unacceptable that I might also write crime. So maybe there could be more promoting of cross-genre writers, as the skills are the same.

The Genre Flash has been a brilliant way to pr crime titles and I;m reading my way through some of them now.

5. If your fictional character could meet any fictional character who would you like it to be and why?

Mid-book, I actually interviewed my Kyle expeditioner to see how he’d like the story to finish. Maybe he could meet my as yet undeveloped, next, adult female sleuth who will be a funeral/wedding celebrant. They could both complain about their author-parent.

Hazel is a well known local author with a large list of excellent books for a range of readers, for more please visit her website (particularly if you're looking for Young Adult literature).

Australian Crime Fiction Snapshot: Jason Nahrung

Karen — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 09:18:58 +1100

1. Your first novel THE DARKNESS WITHIN is a supernatural thriller which you have said was developed between yourself and your partner while you were both living in different states. How did you actually go about that process - was the novel drafted then or was it just the development of the idea? What triggered the idea of a battle between magical powers, set in Sydney?

Mil was living in Melbourne and I was in Brisbane. Mil sent me a scene just for something to do while we were apart. The story progressed organically from there, with the two of us continuing the story scene by scene, without any planning at all. When we got to the conclusion, the story was about 40,000 words long. A couple of years later, when we were both in Brisbane, I took the story to a workshop and decided it was worth polishing into a serious novel. Originally, we never bothered to site the story, although it had a Melbourne feel to it. I anchored it in Sydney because I wanted it to fit into my Australian vampire setting that I'm using for other stories in development.

2. Your female character - Emily - is very strong. Did you develop most of her character traits, or were you heavily influenced by Mil?

Emily was one of Mil's creations, but we both wrote scenes involving all the characters. When I expanded the original I changed a number of the characters to improve the story. Emily went from a gun-toting PI's secretary to a far less confident, wannabe photographer, for instance.

3. Do you read much Australian crime fiction? Can you give us a few standouts that you've read recently? What do you think of the current state of the Australian crime fiction scene?

My main interest is in speculative fiction, but there is a strong crossover between that and crime. The most recent Australian crime fiction I've read, using a fairly loose definition, is the excellent thriller Killing the Rabbit by Alison Goodman and also a new title from Pulp Fiction Press, The Opposite of Life, by Narrelle M Harris, about a string of vampiric murders in Melbourne.

4. What do you think could be done to better promote Australian authors either at home or abroad (or both)?

It is a shame that the mainstream press don't more actively promote homegrown writers, especially genre writers. I suspect that's a bias that will be hard to overthrow. In Queensland we are lucky to have an active writers centre and also a department in the State Government that are pursuing ways of exposing writers to wider audiences. Things like trade delegations and opportunities for writers and publishers, and readers, to mingle are always useful. Even web-based meetings, like those run last year for Canberra's Conflux convention, help to expose writers to potential readers.

5. If your fictional character could meet any fictional character who would you like it to be and why?

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, because they could bond over having a crush on a sensitive new age vampire. And then go kick butt.

Australian Crime Fiction Snapshot: Matthew Freeman

Karen — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:59:52 +1100

1. Your first book has a brewery executive going missing, and Joe Abbott is called in to look for him. Is this a subtle dig at executives / at breweries / or do you get most of your ideas from your local

Joe Abbott is cynical about most things, so it was natural he would have a go at big business. But it wasn't a conscious idea by me to have a dig at breweries.

2. Why do you think so much of Australian Crime fiction has a comedic element to it?

Australians like thumbing their nose at everything so it's only right we don't take crime fiction all that seriously. Australian crime fiction should be about what we do between drinks.

3. Do you read much Australian crime fiction? Can you give us a few standouts that you've read recently? What do you think of the current state of the Australian crime fiction scene?

I actually read American crime the most, particularly Kaminsky, Ellroy and Kinky Friedman. But in Australia I really like Robert G Barrett and Dave Warner. And Peter Temple, of course. His books flow effortlessly.

4. What do you think could be done to better promote Australian authors either at home or abroad (or both)?

I think Australian books have to be available where the punters are - supermarkets, TABs, wherever. I think access is more the point, not promotion. Word of mouth is often the best promotion of all.

5. If your fictional character could meet any fictional character who would you like it to be and why?

I would love Joe Abbott to meet Jim Rockford. Jimbo is the coolest of all time! Frankly, they have a lot in common.

Matthew's first book Beer Money is available now via Zeus Publications.

Australian Crime Fiction Snapshot: P D Martin

Karen — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 12:34:39 +1100

1. Your books have an Australian central character, but they are set in the US. What were the reasons behind that, and what complications does that bring to the writing process.

My first book, Body Count, was conceived during a nightmare. In that dream I was kind of me, but also obviously an official member of law enforcement. I created Sophie based loosely on the dream and decided she’d be a profiler because psychology and what makes people tick has always interested me and I knew it would be something I’d love writing about. Once I’d decided on her occupation, I started my research and discovered that it was the US and specifically the FBI that really took behavioural analysis to the next step as a law enforcement tool (Australia only has three profilers). It was obvious to me then that the book had to be set in the US and that Sophie had to work for the FBI. But I’d always envisaged her as Australian, and I just didn’t feel right changing that element of her character. So I made her an Aussie working in America.

The main challenge or complication it brings is researching locations and making sure the American dialogue is realistic. I have been to the States on several occasions and I have quite a few American friends, but it’s still not the same as living there. For example, in my first book Sophie visits Tucson, Arizona and I mention oak trees – but apparently you don’t get oak trees in Tucson, Arizona! Oops.

2. Your character has some extra-sensory ability. How did you go about developing that component of her (and for that matter everything about her) overall characterisation?

Sophie’s “gift” is also largely based on the dream. In the dream I was investigating the deaths of three friends at the hands of a serial killer, but the weird thing is that I kept waking up from the nightmare then going back to sleep and re-entering the dream in the same spot. Later that day, I discovered a friend of mine had died and his time of death was estimated to be the exact time of my dream. When I thought about this years later, it gave me the idea of making my main character experience dreams and waking visions that came true or that were somehow related to cases. When I was developing the psychic component, I wanted to make sure that it played a back seat to the real investigative and psychological profiling work, so in some ways developing this aspect was more about not developing it too much…if you know what I mean.

As a character, I find Sophie very easy to write and so the characterisation has been quite easy. However, I usually fill out a character questionnaire for all my leading characters to make sure I really have a sense of them before I start writing. I also cut out pictures from magazines of people who resemble my image of the character and keep them near my computer while I’m writing.

3. Do you read much Australian crime fiction? Can you give us a few standouts that you've read recently? What do you think of the current state of the Australian crime fiction scene?

At the moment I don’t read much crime fiction at all, Australian or otherwise! Juggling writing, my research and being a mum doesn’t leave me time for reading. In the past 12 months I’ve only read three fiction books – two Janet Evanovich novels and Lindy Cameron’s Redback. Lindy is an Aussie writer and she’s written crime fiction in the past, but Redback is a spy thriller. In some ways I find it nice NOT to read crime fiction – to take a break from the genre, especially given the limited time I have for reading. I did find Redback extremely enjoyable and a great, fast read, definitely one I’d recommend.

I think the Australian crime fiction scene suffers a little bit from the big name American and English writers because most readers tend to pick up the latest Ian Rankin or Karin Slaughter or Kathy Reichs, etc., rather than trying an Aussie they haven’t heard of before. This makes it hard for Aussie authors to get established and to make a living out of their writing. At the same time, Aussie publishers are bringing out new Aussie authors and promoting us, which is great and we’re getting published and recognised overseas too.

4. What do you think could be done to better promote Australian authors either at home or abroad (or both)?

I’d love to know the magic spell for this one! I’m not really sure what the best way to promote Aussie authors is…maybe we need to extend the “Made in Australia” campaign to include books! I certainly think booksellers can help us by recommending Australian books or comparing Aussie authors to some better-known international talents and making the consumers more aware of the Aussie contingent. I do like it when you go into a bookstore and they have a section for Australian fiction, but I think it’s important that you can then also find that author’s work in the genre section too. A lot of bookstores also have recommendations and small reviews – it’d be great if they did more of these for Australian books and for their local authors. When I go into the bookstores near me they always seem shocked to discover that “PD Martin” is a local.

In terms of promoting Aussie authors abroad, that’s a tough one. Crime fiction is a popular genre but it’s also very competitive, with lots of writers competing for publication and then sales both here and overseas. In fact, in the US some authors actually pay to advertise their books in magazines and the publicity role is becoming blurry – who’s responsible: author, agent or publisher? That market’s already tightening, so I’m not sure how we can push Aussie authors. Like I said, give me the magic spell and I’ll recite it every night before I go to bed!

5. If your fictional character could meet any fictional character who would you like it to be and why?

Well, a lot of my readers complain that Sophie’s not having much success in the relationship department so I want to pick someone who I think would be a good match for her, but I just can’t think of anyone that’s perfect. I’ll stick with the Aussies and say maybe Scarecrow from Matthew Reilly’s books. But I’m open to suggestions! Tell me who I should match her up with at info@pdmartin.com.au.

P D Martin's Latest book Fan Mail was released in February

Australian Crime Fiction Snapshot: Peter Klein

Karen — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:09:12 +1100

1. Your first book - Punter's Luck is set between the world's of horse racing and high finance. Do you think this is a rich vein of Australian life, yet to be tapped for Crime Fiction?

I think it is in Australia. In the UK and the US Dick Francis and a few others have had this genre to themselves for decades.

Racing and crime make great bed partners. I know - I've seen my share over a lifetime's racing! The racing industry seems to attract a lot of 'colourful characters' and Australia is regarded as one of the major racing centres in the world, attracting a lot of overseas players. There is no shortage of plots or characters to write about. The market is limited to the writer's experience in the industry. Traditionally, you would probably be an ex jockey or horse trainer to have had the knowledge to write about it.

2. You have written non-fiction prior to Punter's Luck. How does the process of non-fiction and fiction writing vary for you, and what are the best bits of both sides?

I find writing fiction a lot harder than non fiction. With fiction you've got to remember to be consistent with your characters. Otherwise the shy blonde you wrote about in chapter 3 suddenly develops into a dynamic brunette in chapter 6. Or worse, you've left them hanging by a fingernail and forgotten to rescue them off that cliff… But you also have to remember to keep the tension going, keep alive several threads of plots and sub plots and above all, never let your main characters solve problems without some hardship or failure.

Non fiction can be a bit dry - as you are really reporting the facts in a lot of cases. Bit like writing a long report. Once I've got all the data, done all my research, It's really just a matter of spitting it out.

Having done both, I think I'd now prefer to stick with fiction. It allows you to let your imagination run riot.

3. Do you read much Australian crime fiction? Can you give us a few standouts that you've read recently? What do you think of the current state of the Australian crime fiction scene?

Yes I like reading Australian crime. There's so much international crap out there with cardboard characters that I don't want to read about or be part of. I like reading about our culture and our cities and it's great when you get a local writer who is skilful at catching all that. J R Carroll, Shane Maloney, Peter Corris and Peter Temple are good examples. Our bookshops are dominated by 'name' overseas crime writers, but that doesn't mean they are any better than the locals.

4. What do you think could be done to better promote Australian authors either at home or abroad (or both)?

Perhaps more coverage for new up and coming writers in the major newspaper reviews. Even when you are published, you've really got to fight for publicity amongst all the other authors and titles released each month. Increasingly, publishing houses and retail chains just won't take risks on unproven authors. That makes it very difficult for aspiring writers to break into the market.

5. If your fictional character could meet any fictional character who would you like it to be and why?

One of my characters is Punter, a professional gambler who plays the amateur detective. If he could meet up with Dick Francis' character Sid Hailey, they could probably solve all the problems in the universe!

Peter's first book - set in the Australian horse racing world is Punter's Luck - find out more via the link.