Wirral based Crime author, Margaret Murphy, has recently launched
her new novel, Now You See Me, and is excited at the prospect of developing
her character DCI Jeff Rickman still further in this his second outing. ‘This
sequel to The Dispossessed finds Rickman dealing with a great personal
trauma and the reintroduction into his life of his brother, who has lost
all memory of his life, past and present,’ Margaret explained. ‘Now
You See Me is also set in Liverpool, and concerns cyber-crime in which
a computer hacker unearths a horrific secret. The themes of identity and
loss are explored through Rickman’s brother, whose life is devastated
by his rootlessness, and the hacker, who uses the anonymity of the Internet
to manipulate their identity, and others’ perception of them.’
Murphy is the author of nine crime novels, including the highly acclaimed
Darkness Falls and Weaving Shadows featuring the beleaguered lawyer, Clara
Pascal. She hasn’t discounted returning to Clara at some point in
the future.
‘
All my novels had been stand-alones before I wrote Weaving Shadows as
the sequel to Darkness Falls,’ she says. ‘For me, crime is
about consequences – for the victim, the perpetrator, and those
touched by it. Crime shatters lives and shakes the trust of whole communities.
Writing a series has allowed me to follow characters in the aftermath
of terrible events as they try to make sense of the violence that has
torn their lives apart, even as they struggle to go on with the business
of living. It’s a terrific opportunity, and I’ve had lots
of positive feedback from readers, who enjoy the continuity, and develop
an affection for the principal characters.’
Margaret believes that one of the biggest problems facing authors today
is promotion and it was with this in mind that she formed Murder Squad,
a collective of seven authors who regularly tour the country. ‘Murder
Squad is the first collective of crime fiction authors. It was an idea
born from frustration – an editor told me that though I had received
excellent reviews, it didn’t translate into sales figures. Marketing
budgets are very tight, so forming a consortium seemed a sensible way
forward. I approached John Baker, Martin Edwards, Ann Cleeves, Cath Staincliffe
and Chaz Brenchley, whom I already knew through the Crime Writers Association,
and they warmed to the idea immediately. The Squad has gone from strength
to strength since its inception in 2000, with libraries and festivals
across the country eager to invite members for workshops and talks. Several
Murder Squad members have signed European and American contracts and Cath
Staincliffe followed up a contact set up by one of her colleagues on the
Squad which resulted in the creation of the highly successful ITV series
Blue Murder, starring Caroline Quentin.’
Margaret juggles a very busy writing life with many other commitments. ‘I’m
a tutor for the John Moores University MA in Writing and a volunteer worker
for Refugee Action in Liverpool, which came as a direct result of my research
into The Dispossessed. I’m also in discussion with BBC Radio Merseyside
about a regular writing feature.’
So what does a typical workday consist of? ‘There’s no such
thing a “typical” workday, but in the mornings I check my
email – almost obsessively at times. Murder Squad gets most of its
bookings via our website, so I can convince myself this is an important
managerial task, and not displacement activity! Most editorial work is
done by email, so I might be in communication with my agent, editor and
possibly a small press editor about anything from a new novel to a short
story submission.
Redrafting is a morning task; I’ll read over and correct the previous
day’s work, correcting and tweaking, before continuing with a new
section. I write longhand, chapter by chapter, then type up my notes every
few days, editing as I go.
‘
After that, I’ll write, take phone calls, follow up on publicity
ideas, design flyers for events – oh, and do the dreaded housework.
If I have an event in the following week or so, I’ll prepare that
in the afternoon. I usually break at about 5 p.m. and return to work after
dinner. My best creative time is the evening, when I know the phone won’t
ring, and I can create a warm, quiet environment in which to work. I’ll
often continue past midnight – with short breaks to stretch and
give my poor brain a rest. Channel-surfing is great for this because there’s
so much mindless programming on digital TV. The main thing for any writer
though is to be determined, dedicated, and persistent. Being rejected
by one publisher doesn’t mean that every one will send your manuscript
back,’ says Murphy. ‘Listen very carefully to any editorial
suggestions, even if they come with a rejection slip. Editors know their
markets and they can usually sum up what’s wrong with a book after
reading just a few pages!’
Margaret first went to university against her parent’s wishes. ‘In
my second year, Dad refused to sign the grant forms so I earned a living
first by charring and later by working as a park ranger on the Wirral,
taking guided walks.’.
Her first career was in teaching. After gaining a degree in Environmental Biology,
she taught science and biology in St Helens, Liverpool and the Wirral, first
as a biology teacher, and then later as head of the dyslexia unit in an independent
school. She started writing in earnest in 1990 after a serious illness, penning
three novels before having her work accepted. Margaret’s debut, Goodnight
My Angel, was published in 1996; among the first to explore the cyber-stalking,
it was short-listed for the First Blood Award.
Her novels are now published in the USA, and in translation in half-a-dozen European
countries. ‘Since giving up school teaching in 1998, I’ve gained
an MA in Writing, worked freelance for the Open College of the Arts, completed
the first year of a degree course in psychology and now tutor MA students at
Liverpool John Moores University.’ All of which proves that dedication
and determination bring their own rewards.
Top Tips
1. Read – different styles, different genres. You can’t hope to develop
your own style unless you read good writing.
2. Write every day – no excuses! Even a hundred words are better than none.
3. Analyse your favourite writer – how does s/he achieve what you are striving
for in your writing?
4. Learn - whether a grammatical nicety or a psychological insight, you should
be learning all the time.
5. Enjoy the editorial process – that’s when the real craft of writing
kicks in!
Margaret Murphy’s new novel, Now You See Me, is available from all good
bookshops from November 7th and from www.amazon.co.uk
For more information about
Margaret Murphy visit www.margaretmurphy.co.uk and
for more on Murder Squad visit www.murdersquad.com |
