Ruthie
06-11-2008, 08:09 PM
We were a select gathering. So select, in actual fact, it felt as though we were seated in someone’s living room (albeit with rather more piles of books than perhaps one would be used to seeing in such a setting) and Ms King had been invited around for a neighbourly cup of tea and perhaps a piece of Mrs Hudson’s best Madeira cake. We were in fact 20, and though in fairly formal rows we were all so close to the two authors on display that there was a lovely informality. This feeling had started when the host for the evening appeared bringing a bottle of red wine – how utterly civilised. I mentally commended Ms King on the treatment of her readers, but then a collective sigh went up when we realised that we were only to be offered water. A welcome thought, none the less, as the weather had turned hot, and Heffers was a little airless.
We were to have been entertained by three crime writers – Laurie R King (why else would I be writing this, eh?), Jane Furniss who writes books set in 1st century Roman Yorkshire, and Ruth Dudley Edwards who has written a number of satirical mysteries. Unfortunately Ruth was unable to attend. While Jane’s explanations of her writing processes were very interesting, I’ll just concentrate on Ms King here.
The “interviewer” started with some general questions which led on to a discussion about the relationship between an author and her editor. Ms King explained that Kate, her editor, is the only person trusted to read her 1st drafts which, whilst fairly well developed, she compared to a lengthy outline. It would certainly be easier to make changes at this stage of the process than later. Unusually for an editor Ms King’s is prepared to read many drafts of a book. A gem to be cherished, clearly.
The Art of Detection was a result of Kate the treasure/ editor’s suggestion that Ms King combine Martinelli and Russell in a story. Even now Ms King’s face takes on a look of horror (worth seeing!) at the thought. She dismissed it out of hand, originally, but then found the device of the manuscript that both Sherlockians and Russellians could accept; ACD had been in San Francisco at about the right time, and so was Russell! Ms King also pointed out that two of her Sherlockian friends are included in the book.
We also had a discussion about villains (the importance for an author to at least understand the motivation in order that the chap/ chapess wasn’t condemned to being 2 dimensional, and also the balance necessary when there are two or three characters fighting for law and order, or what ever equivalent is pertinent) and the influence of location (Touchstone grew out of Ms King’s desire to include Cornwall and explore why someone would want to live in a place with few people at the very end of a country. Ah, how times have changed. Now there’s a queuing system to get into the county.)
And one of our number enquired whether the trunk Russell so thoughtfully packed in the 90s meant that Ms King had already planned her series. If only!. No, it had been a nod to those who write Holmes pastiches and who justify their ownership of a “new” manuscript by explaining it had been in a box sent from the bank, or some such.
Undoubtedly the most rewarding part of writing the Russell books is portraying the relationship between her and Holmes, especially when they lock horns. And, my oh my Ms King, why ever would it be so very important for you that Russell should win their arguments!
But even though there were so few of us, and we failed to offer you any excitement in the form of fan-club t-shirts, sock personalities or even stalking you to the ladies toilet, we on our part had a lovely evening. And as we teach our children to say “Thank you for coming”.
And look, I’m sorry. :o
I didn’t take any photos. You’ll have to imagine a bookshop with Ms King sitting and talking.
Surely that can’t be too hard?
Ruthie
We were to have been entertained by three crime writers – Laurie R King (why else would I be writing this, eh?), Jane Furniss who writes books set in 1st century Roman Yorkshire, and Ruth Dudley Edwards who has written a number of satirical mysteries. Unfortunately Ruth was unable to attend. While Jane’s explanations of her writing processes were very interesting, I’ll just concentrate on Ms King here.
The “interviewer” started with some general questions which led on to a discussion about the relationship between an author and her editor. Ms King explained that Kate, her editor, is the only person trusted to read her 1st drafts which, whilst fairly well developed, she compared to a lengthy outline. It would certainly be easier to make changes at this stage of the process than later. Unusually for an editor Ms King’s is prepared to read many drafts of a book. A gem to be cherished, clearly.
The Art of Detection was a result of Kate the treasure/ editor’s suggestion that Ms King combine Martinelli and Russell in a story. Even now Ms King’s face takes on a look of horror (worth seeing!) at the thought. She dismissed it out of hand, originally, but then found the device of the manuscript that both Sherlockians and Russellians could accept; ACD had been in San Francisco at about the right time, and so was Russell! Ms King also pointed out that two of her Sherlockian friends are included in the book.
We also had a discussion about villains (the importance for an author to at least understand the motivation in order that the chap/ chapess wasn’t condemned to being 2 dimensional, and also the balance necessary when there are two or three characters fighting for law and order, or what ever equivalent is pertinent) and the influence of location (Touchstone grew out of Ms King’s desire to include Cornwall and explore why someone would want to live in a place with few people at the very end of a country. Ah, how times have changed. Now there’s a queuing system to get into the county.)
And one of our number enquired whether the trunk Russell so thoughtfully packed in the 90s meant that Ms King had already planned her series. If only!. No, it had been a nod to those who write Holmes pastiches and who justify their ownership of a “new” manuscript by explaining it had been in a box sent from the bank, or some such.
Undoubtedly the most rewarding part of writing the Russell books is portraying the relationship between her and Holmes, especially when they lock horns. And, my oh my Ms King, why ever would it be so very important for you that Russell should win their arguments!
But even though there were so few of us, and we failed to offer you any excitement in the form of fan-club t-shirts, sock personalities or even stalking you to the ladies toilet, we on our part had a lovely evening. And as we teach our children to say “Thank you for coming”.
And look, I’m sorry. :o
I didn’t take any photos. You’ll have to imagine a bookshop with Ms King sitting and talking.
Surely that can’t be too hard?
Ruthie