Friday 20th is the first full day at Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival and it started with Stav Sherez, the winner of this year's novel of the year, interviewing an incredibly talented writer, Denise Mina. They were introduced by Lee Child, not that he really needed to, as these two talented people could do that themselves. This was a terrific hour of discussion and of knowledge gained that would benefit any potential writer.
Denise’s book that was short listed this year was The Long Drop which is ‘true crime’ and she re-created the dialogue of those involved with the serial killer Peter Manuel during and before his trial. She portrays the dark side of Glasgow and in a juxtaposition to it we have Stav’s story. It is a futuristic one which I have yet to read. Ian Rankin has described it as ‘Silence of the Lambs for the Internet age’. Michelle had read it and when she refreshed her memory on the blurb on the back cover, she immediately said ‘fantastic’.
The topics ranged from when did crime become an acceptable genre? How did it progress from an low class interest and when did a crime book cease to be ‘elicit?’ The importance of narrative and representation and then there was the subject of ‘Narrative Therapy’.
Comment too was in the social context with a direct reference to the time that we are in, social work and care, mid-life crisis and empathy for the generation. Throw into this mix effects of the Scottish Referendum, the continuing saga of Brexit and an American President who could be more prudent. It was also said that fiction is a better way of delivering a social message than non-fiction. I agree with that.
Finally when it come to why write or not. Denise said that the writer should consider themselves ‘to be a lucky pig’ to have that opportunity. It is a lonely job, but there is always the socializing afterwards!
Then after a reader had commented upon a flaw in Denise’s ‘End of the Wasp Season’ I was acquainted with ‘plot holes’.
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