Pat McIntosh

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Interview

What other writers do you admire?

Dorothy Dunnet, Georgette Heyer, Terry Pratchett. In the crime genre, Janet Evanovitch, Lindsay Davies, Elizabeth Peters

Is there a particular book or author that inspired you to be a writer?

I've been writing since I was seven, so it was probably Angus MacVicar!

Which books are you reading at the moment?

Research material for No 8

Other than writing, what other jobs or professions have you undertaken or considered?

Been a librarian, a receptionist for an alternative therapy centre, taught geology and palaeontology, tutored for the Open University . . .

Which genre (or sub-genre, even) of crime novel would you say you write in?

Historical Crime-- Medieval Mysteries!

What type of crime novels do you like to read? Do you usually prefer series or standalone?

Historical crime, definitely. Humorous, some police procedural. I do prefer series, because of the possibility of the characters developing over time.

What is the best advice you could give to a future writer?

Write, and keep writing. Every day. It doesn't matter what. Oh, yes, and join a good supportive club.

Why did you choose to write in this genre?

Well, there was this competition . . .

What do you want your readers to get out of the book?

An interest in Medieval Scotland, and how different a place it was from England or Europe at the same time.

Do you stick to a strict routine when you write?

Chance would be a fine thing.

What excites you most about the crime fiction genre?

In crime fiction, you can put things right, you can express moral values which aren't very fashionable in other genres just now, you can make absolutely certain the villains get their just deserts. Or not, if you prefer it that way.

How much research do you have to do in order to write your books?

Lots and lots. Trouble is eventually I have to leave the research and start writing.

What makes for an intersting leading character?

Conflict.

Do you have a clear structure or plot development when you are writing or are you sometimes surprised by who the killer turns out to be?

Well, I start with the corpse, often with a clear image. Once I've worked out who it is, how they died, and why, I expand the field to find out who might have killed them and how it was done. Once I"ve got that straight in my mind I set Gil loose on the facts and walk him through finding out what I know. On the way he finds out a whole lot I didn't know as well, which often changes things. In two books we have found the killer was someone different; in one the designated second corpse refused to stay dead and I had to kill off someone else instead.

Do you have trouble letting go of your characters when you have finished a book?

The advantage of a series is that they come back. MInor characters can come back too. Great fun!


What fascinates you in writing about the criminal side of life?

The difference between murder, which seems to be something which almost anyone is capable of in the wrong circumstances, and the wider sorts of crime which need a specifically criminal attitude of mind.


What do you consider is the most important element in your writing?

The words. Always, the words. I choose them with care (whether Scots or English) and balance the sounds they make in my head before I leave the sentence.

When you are writing what do you consider the most important element of crime writing?

Suspense

Characterisation or plot, which do you think is more important?

Characterisation, because if you get the characters right the plot should evolve from the way they interact.

Which character from your books do you most identify with?

Gil's sister Kate. I'm very fond of Gil but have no wish to take him to bed, which rules out identifying with Alys, and Kate strikes me as a woman of sense (something I've always wanted to be.)

View the whole Gilbert Cunningham series.