London now has its own John Grisham. Mark Billingham More Quotes by Mark Billingham More Quotes From Mark Billingham Life isn’t fair. Fair is somewhere you go to ride the dodgems and win a goldfish. (from Rush of Blood) Mark Billingham goldfish winning blood Cormoran Strike is an amazing creation and I can't wait for his next outing. Strike is so instantly compelling that it's hard to believe this is a debut novel. I hope there are plenty more Cormoran Strike adventures to come. A beautifully written debut novel introducing one of the most unique and compelling detectives I've come across in years. Mark Billingham unique adventure believe If you're looking for an author who can deliver high-octane thrills every time and a character who is NOT to be messed with, you've found them. Zoë Sharp and Charlie Fox both kick ass. Mark Billingham kick-ass foxes character There are a number of writers who believe it is their duty to throw as many curve balls at the reader as possible. To twist and twist again. These are the Chubby Checkers of crime fiction and, while I admire the craft, I think that it can actually work against genuine suspense. Mark Billingham think duty work believe I bought an insurance policy covering the inheritance tax my kids will have to pay when we die, which I thought was a good bit of forward thinking. And I always know I'm going to have enough for tax because I make sure I keep it back in my business account. Mark Billingham die good business thinking Whenever people ask where I get my sick and twisted ideas from, I reply, 'Just open your eyes.' Mark Billingham eyes sick people ideas The day a character becomes predictable is the day a writer should think about moving on - because the reader certainly will. Mark Billingham day think moving-on character There have been some brilliant and very successful standalone books that work in themselves and also seem to refresh a series. Anyone who writes a series lives in fear of it becoming stale, so you do whatever you can to keep it fresh - although it does feel a bit nerve-racking to write outside of your comfort zone. Mark Billingham feel you fear work I've always slightly preferred Spade to Marlowe, probably just because I thought Hammett was cooler than Chandler. He was leftwing, his name shortened to Dash rather than Ray, and he didn't smoke a pipe or like cats. Mark Billingham cats name thought smoke I moved from acting to stand-up because castings are just about what you look like. It doesn't matter if you can act or not. In comedy, no one cares what you look like. Mark Billingham look you comedy matter When I began to write, I was surprised at how little London had been used in crime fiction. Places such as Edinburgh or Oxford or L.A. seemed to have stronger identities. Mark Billingham how stronger crime london Part of the reason why Scandinavian crime has been so popular is the landscape. It is just so strong and alien. Although without taking anything away, you should probably also never discount the fact that blood does look particularly good against snow. Mark Billingham good look you strong Crime is the biggest genre in libraries and in bookshops, and it is hugely varied. Mark Billingham libraries biggest genre crime While the subject matter of my novels could not be further removed from the stuff I used to trot out at the Comedy Store, the delivery of the material employs many of the same techniques. Mark Billingham same delivery comedy matter Whether your audience is in a sweaty basement club or nestled in a favourite armchair, good money has been paid, and attention has got to be grabbed if you are not to be heckled off the stage or find your novel discarded in favour of the latest volume of 'Fifty Shades of Whatever.' Mark Billingham good you money attention The fact is that most crime novels contain a good many punchlines. They are just rather darker than the ones you might hear in a comedy club. Mark Billingham good you crime comedy Having worked as both comedian and crime writer, the one thing I know is that both involve the delivery of a performance. Mark Billingham performance know delivery crime I am trying to give the best performance possible in 400 pages. I want readers to be scared; I want them to be moved. Entertainment doesn't necessarily mean something trivial, but it does mean people wanting to get to the end of a book. Mark Billingham i-am best book people I often wonder, with my hand on my heart, if 'The Dying Hours' was made into the biggest movie franchise in history, would I pick up my pen again? Wouldn't I be happier spending the rest of my life travelling around with my wife? Mark Billingham wife heart life history You throw the kitchen sink at your early books. You put everything in there. It's like when you meet a new girlfriend or boyfriend, you tell them all your best stories. By the time you have been married for 10 years, they are crying, 'Shut up!' Mark Billingham best you kitchen time
