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.

Hatadi, Daniel

Karen — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 12:21:02 +1000

About the Author

Daniel Hatadi has been a musician, a petrol station attendant, and a software engineer in the poker machine industry. All great fuel for a career as a writer of crime fiction. Driven by the urge to corrupt his own name, Daniel decided to write a PI novel.

Author's Website & Links

http://www.danielhatadi.com/

Bibliography

Loving The Law

Is Daniel Hatadi one of your favourite authors?

Submitted by Karen on Tue, 18/09/2007 - 1:26pm.

Technorati Tags: