Interview with Stephen Booth
by Jon Jordan
Stephen's Web Site

Jon:  For people who haven't seen your books yet, how would you describe them?

Stephen: I'm writing a series about a young police detective duo, Ben Cooper and Diane Fry, set in the Peak District area of Derbyshire, England. I consider these to be character-driven novels, although there is a traditional 'whodunit' element, and the setting is very important to me in providing atmosphere. The mood tends to be fairly dark, as I explore the secret lives of ordinary people who are driven to a point where they are capable of committing a violent crime. But there is humour, too, in the interplay between some of my fictional Derbyshire police officers.

Jon:  Did you start with the idea of a series? If so, why?

Stephen: It was during the writing of the first book, 'Black Dog', that I realized I had a potential series. I discovered there was far more I wanted to say about the main characters than I could possibly fit into one book, and ideas for future stories just kept popping into my head. This was very lucky, as my publishers wanted a two-book deal and asked for a synopsis of the sequel during the auction for 'Black Dog'. I already knew the direction of that second book and produced the synopsis for it overnight. I even had the title ready.

Jon:  Are you anything like Cooper? Or for that matter, Fry?

Stephen: Since my characters are born out of my imagination, they must all have something of me in them, I think. For example, Ben Cooper is a country boy and Diane Fry is a city girl, and they have contrasting viewpoints. I'm a country dweller myself now, but I was raised in cities, so I've seen both viewpoints.

Jon:  Does research play a big part of your writing?

Stephen: I research certain specific subjects for each book. For example, for the next one I've done research into Polish customs and World War Two aircraft. But one of the most important aspects is the location research. When I'm describing a place, I want it to be a real place, so I take a lot of trouble finding the right locations for the scenes in my books.

Jon:  Why did you pick the locations you use?

Stephen: The Peak District is a beautiful area, but it has a lot of inherent tensions and conflicts. It was the UK's first national park and it attracts nearly 30 million visitors a year - making it the second most visited national park in the world. Yet it is a small area and much of it is populated in small towns, villages and farms, where the local people face a constant influx of visitors and everything that goes with them, like traffic and crime. There are big cities nearby, and there is always that old antagonism between the villagers and 'incomers' from the city. Some of the remoter areas are favourite places for dumping murder victims, and people die in all sorts of mysterious ways out there. I also love the vast store of history (all 2,000 years of it), legends and folklore that is there in the Peak District for a writer to call on. And there is even an irresistible symbolism for me in the fact that the Peak District is divided into two contrasting geological areas called the White Peak and the Dark Peak. Good and evil, of course.

Jon:  Do you write full time? If not, what else do you do?

Stephen: I'm a full-time writer now, having given up the day job as a newspaper journalist earlier this year. This is not the same as writing full time, as I spend a lot of my time on promotion, including events such as conventions, book festivals, signings, talks - and interviews.

Jon:  And you really breed goats?

Stephen: Yes! Well, I did for many years, but am left now with just three non-breeding pet goats. I was also a judge and am still very well-known in the UK among goat breeders. I'm president of one of the national breed societies.

Jon:  Black Dog is your first published novel. Were you surprised by the response to it?

Stephen: Very surprised. In fact, I've continued to be surprised almost every week for the last 18 months! When I finished the second book, 'Dancing with the Virgins', I really didn't know if it was any good, because I was too close to it by the end to be able to see it properly. So I was completely amazed when it was nominated for the Macallan Gold Dagger, the UK's top crime writing award, for best novel of the year. I still haven't come to terms with that one.

Jon:  Who do you like to read?

Stephen: When I have time, I try to catch up on the latest books from people like Reginald Hill, Minette Walters, Laurie King and Michael Connelly. But I also like to read some of the most promising new authors as they come along.

Jon:  Do you think it's important sales wise, to be selling in the US as well as the UK?

Stephen: Of course. The US is a much bigger market than the UK, and it isn't easy for British authors to break into it these days. I'm very lucky that I have a great agent who has worked in the USA, and also a great US publisher (Scribner), who have helped me to be successful there.

Jon:  Do you get input on artwork for the covers?

Stephen: Both my UK and US publishers do ask my opinion. But I tend to regard the cover designs as part of the marketing expertise of the publishers, who know what works best in their own market (or should do).

Jon:  Now that you are published, with a third coming soon, do you get asked to blurb books for other people?

Stephen: I'm in two minds about this practice. Although I've benefited from the generous blurbs given me by writers like Reginald Hill and Val McDermid, I think being asked to do it could put you in a difficult position, especially if it's for a book by a writer you know personally. Anyway, I haven't been asked to do it yet, so the problem may not arise!

Jon:  What kind of editorial input do you get? Are the titles what you originally intended? Any plot point changes suggested?

Stephen: All the titles so far have been my own, and I choose them carefully. But the books do go through various stages, and both my agent and my editor will suggest plot changes to me. I'm perfectly happy with this, as I know they're both on my side and want to make each book as good as it possibly can be.

Jon:  Do you enjoy meeting the readers?

Stephen: It's a great pleasure, and I enjoy every moment of it. Writing is a solitary business, and it's wonderful to be able to talk to the readers and get their response to the books. I'm always interested in what readers have to say, because they are such a vital part of the process. I also like to thank them for buying my books!

Jon:  What is your impression of the mystery community? Other writers, readers, book sellers?

Stephen: I've found them an incredibly friendly, helpful and supportive bunch of people. It was quite a surprise to me how willing a lot of the big-name, successful authors were to help someone new to the business. Many book sellers are themselves avid readers and fans. And, of course, the readers are wonderful!

Jon:  Any chance of you coming to the states for a signing tour?

Stephen: I'm in the US for Bouchercon in Washington DC at the beginning of November, and afterwards I'll be signing in New York City, Richmond Va and Blacksburg Va. So that's a sort of 'mini' East Coast tour, I guess. I hope to be back in the US some time next year to visit some more cities.

Jon:  I've always been curious where authors get the names they use? Do you scour newspapers? Go through old classmates names?

Stephen: With some of the main characters, the name just comes into my head with the character and seems to fit naturally. Where possible, though, I like to use local names that are common in the area I'm writing about. So if I need to find a name, I sometimes hang around in village churchyards looking at the names on gravestones! For a very minor character, I might just pick a name out of a newspaper or a phone directory.

Jon:  What kinds of movies do you like? And..... best Bond?

Stephen: Something moody and dark, which makes you think a bit. 'Blade Runner' springs to mind. The Best Bond? Sean Connery (are there any others?)

Jon:  How do you relax?

Stephen: Walking is my main relaxation and exercise. I walk a lot in the hills of the Peak District.

Jon:  Is there anything about Stephen Booth that would surprise people?

Stephen: The goats usually surprise people, but they're starting to get pretty well known now!

Jon:  Are you an organized person? And, either way, how does it affect your writing?

Stephen: When I still had the day job, I really had to be very disciplined about the writing, because I had very limited time to do it in. Since I took to writing full-time, I've found it difficult adjusting to having no structure to my day. I hope this will work out with time, but just now I find I'm easily distracted.

Jon:  Any thing you can tell us about the next book?

Stephen: The background of the next book, 'Blood on the Tongue', involves a tight-knit community of Polish immigrants and their descendants. Many Poles fought alongside Britain during World War Two and settled here at the end of the war. Their story ties in with one of the aircraft wrecks which have ended up on the Dark Peak hills of Derbyshire over the years. This book is set in the depths of a snowy winter, and opens with a couple of bodies found in unusual circumstances. But DC Ben Cooper gets distracted from the job in hand by a Canadian visitor, which drives Diane Fry nuts.

Jon:  And..... What is the one thing always in the Booth refrigerator?

Stephen: Mayonnaise. Oh, and goat's milk.