IT'S A CRIME! (OR A MYSTERY...)

Harrogate Crime Writing Festival Panel - Building on Success

Chaired by Peter Guttridge, this panel inlcuded Michael Robotham; Alex Barclay; Louise Welsh and John Rickards.

When asked about their "starting out" experience in crime fiction, all bar Robotham might be described as kindergarten authors, with Robotham having progressed from kindergarten in another school - that of ghost writing autobiographies. 

Welsh was kind enough to inform us that she'd outsold her £15k advance on her first novel (The Cutting Room).  Barclay's first novel (Darkhouse) had gone to auction and the "buzz" for her is receiving emails from readers.  Rickards (first novel Winter's End) philosophically pointed out that things are relative - when starting out, just getting an agent is great; then it's getting a publisher and then things move on...  And the second novel carries a risk that it will not match the success of the first.  Robotham, with his track record, had a different kind of pressure arising from "big expectations".  Publishers knew he could write and knew he could deliver a finished product.  But what amazed Robotham was that his first novel (The Suspect) was bought on the strength of the first 174 pages and at a stage when even he did not know the ending.  He was pleased that the novel repaid his advance.

The next stage...

Where Barclay considers that money has little impact on creativity, Robotham finds having a mortgage quite motivating.  For Welsh, money was not at the forefront of her mind when writing - she had fear about finishing and knowing the ending, although the obligation of having a publishing contract helped her to finish the book.  She stressed that she was lucky with her fist novel as the Guardian ran a feature on the "best first novels" that year, an article they had not done before and have not done since.  Including The Cutting Room brought her a lot of attention.  The pressure of a contract meant that Rickards had finished his second novel before the first was published.

Following the success of the first novel, Robotham was more terrified and felt more pressure on the second as it needed to be delivered in a year, noting that the first novel "may have been ten years in the making".  Barclay had not finished her second when Darkhouse came out and suddenly felt the impact of reviews.  She made a concerted effort to keep "writing for me" and is now relieved that she managed to exclude external factors.

Welsh's second novel was quite different to the first and expressed appreciation that Canongate had not asked for more of the same, noting again that she had been "lucky".  Rickards's third novel is due out next year following some delays.  He feels that this is now "almost a relaunch" for him.  Welsh added that the publishing business no longer nurtures writers, describing it as "cut throat".  Robotham noted that there was a time in the past when a successful first book "welded a reader on".  Now, that is not the case unless the reader sees your name on many books on the shelf.

On staying sane...

Barclay thinks it's the element of fear that keeps you sane, normal and not arrogant.  Rickards agreed with Barclay that the neurosis is with the writer and not the publisher.  Robotham doesn't believe authors who say they don't read their reviews.  Welsh's top tip for dealing with the risk of neurosis developing from reading reviews is to read them not individually, but in a big batch, allowing for a balanced approach.

On books published abroad & perks arising...

Welsh has been published in America and in another language.  Rickards's books have been published in translation and he said that he hopes they're good as he doesn't understand a word of them.  Robotham noted that he'd been discussing this with Craig Russell in Spain the previous week.  They'd talked about a "500 Euro deal" and decided that they should not laugh at Estovian translations.

It had never occurred to Welsh that she'd be published in translation.  But she considered it a "brilliant perk" to get to travel promoting her novels, albeit it's something that needs to be kept in check as she still needs to write.

Rickards has never spoken to a translator for his novels.  Barclay wondered how they deal with made up words, as she has some in her books, e.g. "randomer".  Robotham met his Spanish translator who kept apologising for her English...

On festival attendances...

Welsh was pleased to be invited and started out by attending "every festival that did not overlap with another".  She felt that she became part of a team and realised that the job is more than just sitting in a room and writing.  Then she cut back as she realised she'd never write another book otherwise.  Barclay now finds herself writing in more places, but like Welsh, she started out attending as much as possible and then cut back.  For Rickards festivals are short holidays and are fun.  He does not write in complete isolation as he types up in a pub.  He also finds writing on trains effective as he can't find any distractions.

Robotham noted that as ghostwriter for autobiographies including those of Rolf Harris, Lulu and Geri Halliwell he'd been hidden from publicity.  When he first saw his name on a book he thought it was a "massive mistake".  As for festivals - he spends time at home writing, so he finds beauty in getting out and talking to other writers and readers.

Questions from the Audience

The Work of an Editor

Rickards has part ripped up and rewritten all his first three novels.  Welsh was some 30,000 words into her first novel and with the second she discussed the idea with her publisher, and found that not much changed.  For her third, she met her publisher who asked her about the novel.  She said nothing and did not show the novel until the end.  Welsh did admit that she has had disputes, but that everyone has the same aim - the best possible book.  Robotham considers editors to be brilliant.  His American editors wanted to "dumb down" his first novel for the American market, taking out about 4.000 words.  On delivery of his second manuscript, his American editors did not want to change a thing, so he worried about what might have gone wrong.

Barclay had thought that editing might be like having school homework corrected, but found it was at a higher level along the lines of "Cut this 65 page description of a door and knob".  She agrees with all proposed changes, but thinks the method of delivery helps.  Her editor includes smileys in his emails and addresses her as "honey" etc., thus the changes are proposed in a "lovely fashion".

The Impact of Being in the Public Eye, (or, are you gathering more freaks and weirdos?)

Robotham included a George Bush joke in his first novel which has led to contacts from a certain sector.  He has a stalker as a result.  Rickards has had a couple of weird emails: one from someone trying to trace their relatives; another from an old American guy emailed as if a character in the book.  Barclay has received emails from a chap which contain a shot gun delivery of questions.  (Rickards thinks he may know him too...)  Welsh said that she has no website or public email address, describing herself as "not efficient".

For Robotham - Why did his second novel Lost become The Drowning Man?

Yes, it was because of a certain successful TV series from the States.

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Building on Success was an informative panel, with the authors generously relaying their experiences of what it is like to become a published author and how their worlds moved on from there.

Passing comments & memories from Harrogate - Andrew Taylor

Andrew and I met up in the lobby, or somewhere near, and then got into the lift with both of us getting out at the same floor.  We've met a few times before and swopped a few emails.  Chance for a conversation of sorts...

Ignoring the pleasantries and the personal, Andrew was pleased to announce a darling cast (I've got that "lovie" thing tonight) for the filming of The Roth trilogy, which has just begun.  It is to be called/entitled "Fallen Angel".  He mentioned Charles Dance, Emilia Fox and Sheila Hancock; but his new blog, (click on the blog link when you get there) will give you more.  And a stellar cast it is too.

Book/novel to TV is a risk and many prefer to take the money and run.  Creditable and well respected icons of the acting profession have made mistakes in the past on projects that looked good, but on release had them high on nudity and no acting skills, for example.  (We're all allowed mistakes, even well established actors.)  One that comes to mind is Helen Mirren in Caligula, pre-Jane Tennyson.  (Add Sir John Gielgud to that list - not that he was nude in Caligula, but he was in it.).

But with a cast that looks like this, how could Fallen Angel be anything less than really good, in anticipation:

• Charles Dance
• Emilia Fox
• Sheila Hancock
• Clare Holman
• Mark Benton
• Niamh Cusack
• Emma Fielding
• James D'Arcy
• Claudie Blakeley.

Andrew tells me the short series is scheduled to be screened on ITV early next year.  I think he said spring, but I cannot be sure - I'd just arrived and was still in a flap after 3 near misses on the motorway and sighting of a nasty accident on the other side of the central reservation.  I think Andrew suggested a drink was in order.  I countered with the suggestion of a tranquiliser.  Such was my state of affairs at the time.

I'm not sure where I stand on this - as I own The Roth Trilogy but haven't read it yet and I hate to see something on screen before I've read the book(s) - where it is my intention to read the book(s).

The Roth transfer to screen being great, I now stake my claim/weighted opinion.  I love The Lydmouth series and yet again say it would be excellent on TV.  As for the protag, Richard Thornhill, for any potential director of such a series that may be reading this, or others with influence, including casting directors - actor Dominic Mafham's your man.  In my eyes anyway.  And he can don a hat, making it credible and to the time period.  (I've not mentioned this to Andrew, at all, so I hope he's not put out.)

But, back to the author, Andrew Taylor.  He's been playing with his site, and started a blog, as I mentioned.  It all looks better than before and looks good for the future.  In addition to his blog, which is serious author stuff, he's also added a forum, which is yet to take off.  I say "yet" as I believe that many need to become aware of its existence.  It's all in an incubation period, but if you visit, you'll set off alarms and hit a switch and transform it into 100 watts. Just like Regent Street at Christmas.

Andrew's a wonderful man as well as a great writer. 

Check out the Lydmouth series, my favourite.  But don't ignore the rest.  I have a friend who loved The Roth Trilogy and is yet to start on Lydmouth.  And then, there's "Richard & Judy" - they make friends in a big way and recommended "The American Boy" (UK) / "An Unpardonable Crime" (US).

It all helps and it was a long time coming, in my opinon.  Andrew Taylor is a staggeringly good writer.  The end of "A Stain on the Silence" - his recent stand alone - was excellent, as I told him in the lift, or somewhere near...

The next post...

... tomorrow night or on the weekend will be about the panel on "Building on Success".

Chaired by Peter Guttridge, the authors on the panel included:

• Michael Robotham
• Alex Barclay
• Louise Welsh
• John Rickards.

They all had many wonderful stories to tell about the publishing arena and what it's like being a new crime fiction author, from more than one angle...

Harrogate Crime Festival 2006 - Kate Atkinson and a plea for some pampering...

Kate Atkinson proved to be a bit of a quirky personality in interview and provided a challenge for Peter Guttridge.  Ask a closed question; get a closed answer.  Ask an open question and Atkinson can find her way, very quickly, to a closed answer.  Then comes a pause...  Everyone's eagerness to fill a silent gap varies.  But Atkinson did come back and expand on her answers.  And then Guttridge put his foot on the throttle (his tongue really) ...  It was hugely entertaining and Atkinson is a terrific personality with so much to impart.

Before I continue, let me warn you that my notes were sparse - a product of the heat, the speed of the interview and the fact that I was quickly hanging onto every next word.  (Hence a shorter post tonight.)  But there is one excellent quote from Atkinson that I wrote down (verbatim) and I'm sure that women will relate to it.

Why crime?  Atkinson said she reads a lot and likes a mystery that gets solved.  She likes writing that, but she never set out to make a move to crime fiction.  When writing Case Histories, as soon as she had a detective (Jackson Brodie) enter the fray, she knew her novel was a crime novel.

I think her turbo charged pronouncement of the afternoon - that will please many - came when she stated that she thinks it's a bigger accolade to be a crime novelist than to be a literary novelist.

Atkinson described Case Histories as a "book with an odd genesis", where the characters had been back stories for another novel she was writing.  They became bigger and bigger and then she put them in one book.

As for her Jackson, Atkinson does not believe that it is possible to satisfactorily write the voice of another gender.  Interestingly, she said was an only child with no sons and had not seen a boy grow up.  But now she has a grandson, she and her daughter sometimes look at one another and say "He's a boy".

For characterisation, Atkinson started with cars "as all men love cars".  She relies on her son-in-law for information about cars.  She describes the person/character, male or female, and her son-in-law immediately tells her which car they'd drive.

Atkinson described her creation Jackson as "...more like a woman than a man, but with manly attributes."  Both author and Jackson listen to country music.  (Perhaps they could start a club with Mark Billingham and his creation, Tom Thorne?)

For those who loved Case Histories, Atkinson is intending to write more with Jackson Brodie and in different circumstances.

Perhaps Atkinson's move into crime fiction follows the foundations set in her youth.  She said she loved fairy tales as a child, where, as a heroine, you would battle injustice in the world and restore it.

Asked for the perfect novel, Atkinson listed many.

Questioned about reviews, her reactions to them and what she thinks about reviewing in general, she proclaimed that literary reviewing is unfair in this country, having too may sub- and hidden agendas.  "Crime fiction is more straightforward", she said.

For an idea of the quirky parts, Atkinson divulged that sees her books as shapes.  When asked what shape she had in mind for Case Histories, she rapidly replied "rectangular".

And now for the big quote.  A running theme for Atkinson's interview was the difference between men and women and what life is like for a woman.  The gem of the interview for me was this: "Sexism has not gone in this country; it's just hidden".  I'm sure many women will relate to that.  As for publishing, Atkinson thinks it is "an arena for women to be.  Almost made for women.  A private thing you write in secret.  A private thing you read in secret."

Atkinson admitted that she does not respond well to criticism, but added that "Some people make suggestions and... they're not always wrong".

Atkinson is not a shy retiring violet.  She recounted that she was at Heathrow last year and saw someone looking at Case Histories, so she said "Buy that... I'm the author and I'll sign it for you."

If you get the chance, do listen to Kate Atkinson when she's next interviewed or attending an event.  She is very interesting.

And don't ever say they don't spoil you at Harrogate - Atkinson's next novel in what is to be a "Brodie series", One Good Turn (A Jolly Murder Mystery) - was available days ahead of the publishing date and you could get it signed.

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Talking of spoiling, here's my pampering plea.  I've picked up on a few comments about the "could be greatly improved" quality of the hotel used this year, elsewhere on the net.  (That was polite.)  I also shared some comments with many others who stayed at the hotel, when there.  I found a running theme - "All that money spent on refurbishment and no aircon?"  (That wasn't the only comment, but this is not the place.)

Then last night, I came home and checked out the news on the BBC's website and found this article about the Royal Welsh Show in Builth Wells that included this picture:

Pampered or what?

We could have done with some of that at Harrogate.

A lot of it, in fact.  Then it would have been even more enjoyable, less health threatening and less frustrating...

Good luck to the prize specimens at the Royal Welsh.  Poor things - their numbers are up and their time is limited, unless they're good breeders.  At least the crime fiction contingent lives for another year and another forthcoming festival...

The Harrogate Crime Writing Festival 2006

Sorry, forgot to mention - more posts on specific events will follow over the next two weeks.

And that idiosyncratic Ms Weinman, who confesses an awful lot, "outed" me - partially anyway.

As a crime fiction reader, if you haven't checked out her blog before - it's time you did. 

Harrogate Crime Writing Festival - The New Blood Panel (Saturday morning)

Continuing along, just like last year, all future posts on Harrogate events will follow in reverse chronological order.

The New Blood Panel maintained a tradition - Val McDermid, a great supporter of new writers chaired the event and got a lot and the best out of a cracking panel of authors: Dreda Say Mitchell; Cathi Unsworth; Clare Sambrook; Allan Guthrie.

Essentially, following the "write about what you know" theme, panel members' disclosures indicated that they are experts in the fields in which they choose to write.

Dreda Say Mitchell's family was from Grenada and she grew up on an East London housing estate.  She chooses to write about people who live on the margins of society.  Mitchell was successful in the education system she entered in the 60s, but was very aware that others, especially boys were not and continue in that vein.  The boys around her grew up to be men that had a high risk of entering the world of crime and she simply had to write about that.  This is what led to her interest in crime fiction.

Mitchell's protagonist, "school boy" is a small time drug dealer who knows he has seven days to get out and start afresh.  She'd had a friend in a similar position who knew that if he didn't get out of the cycle he was in, it would just be more prison and longer sentences.  Mitchell emphasised that it is not easy to get out of criminality.  She noted that although she has dark humour running throughout her novel, some situations of violence are also quite brutal.  She sought to bring an authentic flavour to her dialogue, something she described as "outlaw language".

Mitchell's route to the published form was an initial attendance at a course run at The Groucho Club by Maggie Hamand.  Hamand went on to set up a publishing company, Maia Press, and she asked Mitchell to submit something for an anthology.  Following submission, Mitchell received a call to say Hamand wanted to publish the novel.

Mitchell did not think she was writing crime fiction as she wrote, but was advised to market her novel as such.  She's pleased to be able to say something about society and to raise questions in the minds of her readers.

Mitchell was in a school that did have many black children.  There, she became aware of a "hierarchy" in the English language, where black kids did not feature high on the list and so she chose to give them a voice and to make it realistic.  The voice in her novel is "very direct".

So where next?  Mitchell is working on a trilogy with the council housing estate as the springboard for the series, rather than one protagonist.  Her second novel is music related.

Cathi Unsworth had a career in music journalism and was very happy with it until she was the victim of a failed magazine with some time on her hands.  She'd read a Derek Raymond novel and thought that crime fiction was a way of looking at society and its ills.  So she started writing, describing her first labour of love (aka novel) as a task that took about ten years.  Unsworth wanted to talk about, and hence expose our "nasties under the carpet", particularly violence against women and children.

Once thinking "Reservoir Dogs" to be a cool movie, she now thinks it glamorises violence, making it a "laugh".  However, she hilariously said that her protagonist is based on Quentin Tarantino, if he'd been English, and is a cross between Jonathon Ross and a young Michael Portillo.

A friend of Unsworth once asked her if she'd met any psychopaths.  Their discussion highlighted that the qualities of a psychopath make them very good in various professions, with Unsworth citing politicians and some in the music industry.

Unsworth believes that crime fiction is the best genre in which to say something about society's cause and effects, and to ask "why can't we be happy and satisfied?"

Unsworth recognised that a part of her voice in fiction was her own experience as a victim of violence.  Writing was alchemy for her and she looked into herself for the rage necessary for her novel.  But also, she acknowledged that part of her novel is a love letter to parts of London - the parts of London she loves.

Where next?  A novel set between the present day and 1977 examining how people were in the past and what they have become.  (Unsworth likes "punk" by the way and admires Johnny Rotten because he said it was great to be different.

Clare Sambrook recounted a background I could relate to - I'd guess we are about the same age.  She grew up in the shadows of the Moors murders with very protective parents; then in her teens, the Yorkshire Ripper was at large and eventually caught; by the time she arrived at Cambridge university, the Cambridge rapist was no more, but she moved into his shadow.  Sambrook lived in a house she described as having "not many consumer goods but loads of books" and in an environment where it was "Pass the 11+, or what else!?"  She is curious about how some suffer so much in life but come through it to live such good lives and how others differ.  For some, she said, it's a tragedy if they think the nanny is about to quit...

Sambrook has a first novel that she said she'd written about nine times, by the time it was finished.  Her inspiration came from Ladbroke Grove, where she lived.  Firstly, she was sort of mugged by a youth with a stammer - she couldn't understand what he was saying and kept asking him to repeat himself.  Eventually, she got the gist - he was saying something along the lines of "Give us your money".  As a result she started to learn karate and then she went on a karate school bus trip.  On return, Sambrook woke up to comments from the children about the fact that one child was missing from the bus.  To her horror, the adults were too embarrassed to do anything about it and the journey continued.  To her multiple horror, and as a journalist, Sambrook heard some great words coming from the children and sat there taking notes.  (The child was fine, by the way.  He/she had been picked up at the destination by relatives.)

Working patterns between her and her freelance partner meant that they suddenly had four months in which she could take the opportunity to write a novel.  "The time is now."  She described her first attempt as "pitiful" and re-did it - that nine times, eventually.  She believes that someone was looking for the get out clause that is "leave early on a Friday" and grabbed a manuscript from the pile, entitled "Yabadabadoo", thinking it would certainly "be shit".  He got a bum deal on his planned night out, but kept on reading and Sambrook got lucky.  "Yabadabadoo" became "Hide and Seek".

At the time of writing Hide and Seek, Sambrook read Elmore Leonard for something completely "unrelated" that would not influence her writing.  She emphasised that there's no detective story in Hide and Seek; it's about Harry's attempts to re-balance his world.

When it comes to "voice", Sambrook has solidified memories of life as an 8/9 year old as that was when her mother died.  She so feared that she would forget her mother that her memories of that time became "seared" in her mind and are alive with her today.  But the voice of Harry is not her own voice from her childhood.  Sambrook did extensive research amongst the youth of Ladbroke Grove for her novel.

What next?  Sambrook is writing a second novel, slowly, she said.  Watch her space.

Allan Guthrie grew up in Orkney where crime was not rife.  Not rife at all.  Even recently, he noted that the local rag's major crime story related to the moving of a plant pot, with the local chief of police making the announcement.  (Perhaps a little tongue in cheek on the details there, but who knows?)  Guthrie then moved to the city of Manchester for music school.  He was a bookseller at a chain store for some years and thought he'd "give it a shot" after being introduced to crime fiction there.  As a result, and it was a long time becoming a result, his first published novel Two Way Split made the shelves.  It was actually his third novel that was published.  Guthrie was on the point of giving up and considering another career, as he'd amassed "several hundred rejections" for his first three novels.  But then he entered the debut dagger and was shortlisted...

Guthrie has a psychotic pianist turned armed robber as his protagonist, based on an old Post Office robbery.  As an individual, he said he finds it difficult to take society's figures of authority seriously and that he chooses not to write about them.  He writes from the point of view of victims or criminals and is interested in abnormal psychology.

Guthrie said his "voice" comes from rage and that it helps him to get angry at the computer screen when he's writing.  With a style of "hard boiled", his prose his pared down.

What next?  No series characters for Guthrie; he has the reappearance of cameos in the future.  One of the main characters comes through in the third novel from the first, with "ultra violence" and something "Jacobean" about the proceedings.

...

When questions opened there was one about the impact of public exposure on becoming a published author.  Guthrie: "the more you do it the better it gets".  Unsworth - previously to her first public reading for her novel, her last had been at the school assembly.  Sambrook - she's been shouted at for loose ends.

...

This was a great panel hour with the authors making enthusiastic and open contributions.  I'm sure many, who couldn't be there will love to learn of their backgrounds and experience.  Some were already resident on my periphery of new authors/books to buy, others were not.  It's a testament to their input that I bought so many books after the event, and had them signed, and that I look forward to reading all of them.  Author personalities were so strong in this panel that I simply had to buy the books.  My thanks to all for a wonderful hour.

Harrogate's Crime Writing Festival 2006 - a few points of interest

Firstly, it was a cracking festival again this year, much enjoyed by all I imagine.  (It certainly looked like it!)  The enthusiasm appears to grow with each year.  As a measure of how enjoyable it is to be there for the weekend, let me tell you that I had a smile on my face all the way home.  It's incredible fun.

Secondly, Val McDermid won the Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award for The Torment of Others, which she said she hadn't expected and was therefore "gobsmacked".  Congratulations to Val.

Further posts will follow over the next few days, but I'm sorry to say that coverage this year will not be as detailed as last year.  It was exceptionally hot.  All sorts of implements were commandeered as fans within the audiences.  As such, it was hard enough to stay conscious and listen in the events, let alone take detailed notes - but I did manage it for a few events.  There will also be a delay on posting the few pictures that I took, as my camera and PC have become estranged, with the software no longer recognising the camera.  (Any ideas anyone?)

My Highlights

I'd promised myself that I'd only be buying two books at the festival.  However, following the New Blood panel (and the "crime novel of the year award" interviews with the short listed authors) I bought six books I hadn't planned on.  Dreda Say Mitchell, Clare Sambrook, Cathi Unsworth, Allan Guthrie and Lindsay Ashford were all very interesting in their own ways, so the books just had to be bought there and then...  More on New Blood in a later post.

Peter Guttridge conducted a very entertaining interview with Kate Atkinson, which was also a challenge, which made it even more entertaining.  For me, Atkinson was a "riot" and had some very interesting things to say.

Peter popped up again chairing the Building on Success panel, but then he is head and shoulders above the rest.  Alex Barclay, John Rickards, Michael Robotham and Louise Welsh gave great insights into the publishing industry in recounting their own experiences.  More on that one later too. 

And speaking of Alex Barclay, I later had a wonderful chat with her at the bar.  I admitted to her that I'd previously made a somewhat oblique reference to her novel Darkhouse on this blog.  She exclaimed "Oh, I saw that!"  Apparently, the post gave her quite a laugh.  Barclay is an approachable and effervescent Irish lady, and Darkhouse has now made great headway travelling up my TBR pile.

Simon Brett's stage version of Foul Play was again a great laugh, with Mark Billingham and Stella Duffy providing more of their superb and unique performances.  This year, based on Agatha Christie's work, and using the tardis approach to time management, transporting us back in time for the evening, it was oh-so-wonderfully politically incorrect!  Laura Wilson, as one of the investigators, was excellent and game for a laugh in class war scenarios and "up the duff" insights.  The other investigator, Australian author Shane Maloney stood his ground well when reminded that his country was a nation of colonials and convicts.  A little bit more later, on that one, too...

The soothing voice of Paul Blezard directed the panel members for The Gritty City - that was another great panel session with Margaret Murphy, Denise Mina, Chris Simms and Paul Charles.  It was interesting to get a feel for how the authors get a feel for the cities they choose to write about. 

It was good to catch up with Denise at the book signing and have a laugh with her about an inadvertent "spot on" comment about pregnancy that I made in 2003 on a writing course she taught with Val at Ty Newydd.  And finally, I did get to congratulate Denise on starting her family... 

Denise is a very interesting author - her books can depict such bleak and awful circumstances, and yet the author herself is jam packed with cutting humour, keen observation of human life and form, and empathy.  The latter two characteristics are major building blocks for her well respected and acclaimed novels.  I'd guess the first is what keeps her sane.  (Denise, if you do happen to read this, it was good to see you and catch up after all that time.)

On Saturday afternoon Frances Fyfield conducted an excellent interview with P D James.  She was sure to emphasise at the start that P D James is not just a prolific author, but also someone whose life in public service should be recognised and remembered.  She brought out all the best in P D James, as an author, and as a woman whose life has inspired and motivated her writing career.  P D James was wonderfully open and direct and left the room with a well deserved and respectful standing ovation.  More later...

In the panel entitled "What's wrong with popular fiction?" a lively debate ensued.  Ian Rankin made a couple of hilarious observations - one about poor book marketing and another about his input into the recent Guardian summer holiday reading recommendation list (he was honest - some others perhaps not so, he felt).  Robert Goddard made an excellent and insightful comment about The Sunday Times's "Review" magazine's book review section.  Mo Hayder indulged with cracking comments about her research and a funny story about a reader's feedback, delivered personally...

In A Foreign Perspective Paul Johnston was wonderfully acerbic and dry in his delivery when drawing out the details of how each author gets the setting right when dealing with a country not of their own birth or domicile.  Mark Mills, Barbara Nadel, Craig Russell and Robert Wilson were enlightening with their disclosures.  As some of you know already, I love Wilson's Falcon series.  It was good to meet him at the signing and later in the bar.  His book publicity photographs have him looking a tad stern.  But I found him excellently approachable and as sweet as a jelly bean.  Mark Mills delivered fascinating facts that led to Amagansett (that later became The Whalebone House in paperback).  Barbara Nadel and Craig Russell both have unique settings for British authors - Turkey and Germany respectively - and both know their countries of setting extremely well.

The Late Night Quiz Show - what can I say?  It's so much fun and a favourite of mine.  "My team" entered the hall and couldn't find a spare table.  Panic, panic!  Someone said "Speak to Jane", so I did.  Jane is Jane Gregory of literary agent fame, festival organiser and party animal extraordinaire.  When I said we'd run out of tables she said "Sit at the side and demand the sheets from Mark Billingham when he arrives".  We did and then we didn't.  Jane came back to our huddled group against the wall and kindly directed us to a newly free table.  We made a team of four (fluctuating in number until the night and the time) but then Jane popped back again with another two people to make a full contingent of six.  It was all so last minute that we just had to name the team lastminute.con!  The bottom score was 12, the winning score 79, so at 61 we were proud.  Chris proved yet again that he's tops on theme tunes and the other Chris, who occasionally comments on here, was excellent on authors and their publishers amongst many other things.  The extra two, I'm sorry I've forgotten your names already, were also excellent.  Lastly, Kat doesn't miss a thing, if she can help it.  My thanks to all of you.  I'm pleased to note that I was told my "competitive spirit" did not prove to be too overbearing for the team.  But that author Mark Mills is naughty - he was on the next table and tried to look at our answer sheet at one point.  No. No. No.  It was folded or hidden after that.

The quiz is so much fun.  This year "costumes" had comperes Mark Billingham and Val McDermid in gold lurex jacket and formal penguin outfit respectively.

The 2006 winning team was based around the Crimesquad website, with last year's winners the "vodka shots" team, based on the Shots Mag team relegated to second place.  Simon Kernick did well.  Last year derided for his lack of ability for recognising a picture of his own head; this year he was on the winning team.  Strategic "quiz team placement" methinks...

Lastly - crime goes academic - the seriousness of crime fiction is often debated.  Ian Rankin is on record as saying that he hopes it will make it into the educational sphere and this year, at Harrogate, he observed that it is, with students contacting him for answers to questions...  The panel on What's Wrong with Popular Fiction ventured into the same territory, but with a different angle.  Kat, who joined our quiz team, is an academic with a research project that is based on crime fiction.  At her request, I say no more at this stage.  She wants to wait until her website is launched so that I can provide the necessary link when I impart the details. I feel that readers of this blog may be able to help her, so please return in the future to see what her research is all about.

It was good meet up with people I met last year (or before, in another world) and to make new contacts.  That's what a festival like this means - shared interests and the resultant networking, as well as direct access to authors.

I think 2006 was a vintage year.  My thanks to Mark Billingham for the excellent programme and execution, as he was Programme Director for 2006.

The Quiz is also used as a time for acknowledgements and this year the programming committee sees three changes due to those moving on.  We were told that publisher Maria Rejt and Jane Bradish Ellames had confirmed their end of life in the Programming Committee.  In making the announcements, Val highlighted that the original idea for the Crime Writing Festival, as attached to the main Harrogate Festival, had come from Jane Bradish Ellames.  Jane is more familiar to many attending as she has had a more public profile, donning the roving "for questions" microphone within the audience during events and making the introductory announcements. 

Also, Mark Billingham relinquishes his role to Natasha Cooper for 2007.

Next year the Festival runs from 19 to 22 July and special guests include Lee Child and Joanne Harris.

Chocolat anyone?  Or should that be crime?  Now that's a mystery.  Has Joanne Harris swapped her general/literary tube ticket for the crime fiction line?  East to West, crime is best...

You'll have to be there to find out.  Onwards and upwards again...

The Harrogate Crime Writing Festival

It's too hot and humid to sleep, let alone iron my clothes, so I thought I'd make a post.

In about six hours I'll be heading off to Harrogate for the Crime Fiction Festival.  I saw on the Festival website earlier that the Ian Rankin and P D James interviews are already sold out.  All the other events still have places, so if you're in the vicinity this weekend, or happy to make a trip, there may be an event for you!

Although life is a tad frenetic at the moment, I aim to start posting about the weekend and its events later on Sunday, when I return home.

The line up is superb and the short, but extremely successful history of the Festival is something to behold.  I simply couldn't be anywhere else this coming weekend, other than for life threatening reasons, or that damn lemon car letting me down again.  Last year, the alternator packed in on the way home, some 160 miles away.  Thanks to the AA, I made it back to base.  This year, I've got everything possible crossed and a contingency plan that runs the gamut of "small problem" to "major down time" - i.e. in all circumstances call the AA again. ASAP. 

So, back on Sunday to start the report...

"Why do you blog?" interviews

My thanks to York based, UK crime fiction author John Baker as he's just posted up my "interview" on his blog.

John selected a sample of fellow bloggers and asked the following questions:

• Why do you blog?
• Which author and/or book has most influenced you?
• Which three blogs do you most visit?
• Why do you read fiction?
• What makes you laugh?

I am not the first to be featured, so please scroll down to see the others - you may find something you'll like.  (You'll also find a funny joke about George Bush and a school visit...)

You can find an online review of one of John's books, White Skin Man here.

Women's Fiction Festival - good for those writing and seeking a publisher perhaps?

Now that the wasp and I have parted company, I can make that post. 

The Second Annual International Women's Fiction Festival is entitled "Women's Fiction Festival 2006 - MURDER and MAYHEM in MATERA".  It takes place in Matera, Italy over the period of September 20th to 23rd and promises "one of the most unique writers' conferences ever" and declares that it has a "full slate of editors and agents, who will be making appointments".  Publishers present include: Harlequin Enterprises; Kensington Publishing; Warner Books; Transita Publishing; Bitter Lemon Press; Random House Germany; Moments Verlag; Sperling & Kupfer; Instar Publishing.  Agents present include: Helen Breitwieser of Cornerstone Agency and Jane Gregory of Gregory & Company.

A full list of events can be found here, entitled "temporary programme".  One delightful event title can be found on Wednesday 20 September - "The Care and Feeding of Editors".  On the Thursday, within the "Briefings for Thriller Writers" session you can find out "How to Disappear Abroad".  From 9.30pm on the Saturday night you can attend a "Wine and Murder Party".  Briefings also include writing historical crime; fiction in translation; military intelligence; crime scenes and the Mafia.

The site notes the registration fees as 220 Euros with discounts available to RWA, WFF, CWA, and Sisters in Crime members, but also promises that prices will increase after 30 June.  Now there's a mystery to get to the bottom of!

This looks like a well organised event aimed at women writers and focused on crime fiction, with experts from all the relevant professions in attendance.  Matera is a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its "sassi" or cave dwellings, inhabited since the Paleolithic era.