Interview with crime thriller author Val Penny
Writer of "Hunter's Revenge", the new Hunter Wilson Edinburgh police procedural (now out and available from Amazon).
Today I welcome the dynamic and popular crime author, Val Penny, onto my blog to talk about her life in writing, and her new DI Hunter Wilson book. [You’ll have the chance to read my full review of Hunter’s Revenge next week.]
So here we go with the interview:
Thank you so much for inviting me onto your blog today, Jacquie. I am delighted to have a chance to tell you and your readers about Hunter’s Revenge, the new novel in my series of DI Hunter Wilson Thrillers.
What made you decide to start writing novels?
I have been writing and telling stories all my life. When I was a child, I used to make up stories for my little sister after our Mum put the light out and told us to go to sleep. Later, I wrote documents, contracts, and courses as part of my job, but my time was well accounted for, so I did not create any fiction.
However, I took early retirement when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, and there were times when I suffered severe side effects from my treatment. I could not go out, spend time with friends or indulge in many of my favourite hobbies, but watching daytime television got very old very fast, so I turned to reading. It was the only thing I had the energy to do and could do safely.
What inspired you to write crime fiction and set your series in Edinburgh?
I have to admit that the genre of book that I enjoy most to read is crime fiction, so I decided to write what I like to read. Before I set the DI Hunter Wilson series in Edinburgh, I did debate making up a town like Peter Robinson did for his crime series. However, I know Edinburgh well and it is a city many people have visited or want to visit. It is also quite a small city, but cosmopolitan and it has everything in it that I needed, so Edinburgh is Hunter’s home.
The book has some dark humour within it as well as some pretty brutal murders, how did you manage to combine to two without it sounding forced and was it intentional to combine both and yet keep a gritty feel?
Aah yes, well that was intentional. I enjoy humour and especially dark humour. I think you need that to lift a crime novel from the darkness.
How do you get into the mindset of your characters to write both the murderer and the police solving the case?
I drafted biographies for each of my main characters and that allowed me to get to know them well before I started writing the novel.
Did you have to research for the police procedures? If so, how easy, or difficult was this to do and then to translate it into a fictional story?
Yes. I am lucky to have a friend who is a retired detective chief inspector and another who is a CSI. They were most helpful in guiding me in the right direction, Of course, I may have strayed for dramatic effect and any errors are mine.
How do you get your inspiration?
I get inspiration from many different places. Overhearing a snatch of a conversation in a restaurant, hearing a story from a friend or from the evening news. I always have a notebook with me to jot down my thoughts.
There are several books in this series now, do you have more planned or what’s next in your writing career?
I certainly plan to write more books in the Hunter series. I have a second series now where Jane Renwick is the main character. I am writing the second book in that series now.
You write a blog and keep a social media presence, as well as writing books. From an author’s perspective, how does this benefit both you and your readers?
I like to keep in touch with my readers and to hear from them through my website, blog and social media. It is always lovely to keep in touch.
When can readers expect your next novel?
I particularly enjoyed writing Hunter’s Revenge and hope that your readers will enjoy the novel too. SpellBound plan that the next novel in this series, Hunter’s Force, will appear early in 2023. It will take place just after the unification of the regional police forces to form Police Scotland. I’ll let your readers know more about that in due course!
What genres do you like to read and what are you reading just now?
I read many crime fiction novels, but also women’s fiction, historical novels and nonfiction. I have just finished reading My Extra Life by Maggie Cobbett, a nonfiction book of her 20 year career as a TV and film extra. Now I am reading a historical novel, The Third Daughter, by Fiona Forsyth.
Thank you for inviting me to your blog today. It is always nice to speak to you.
And thank you, Val! Hunter’s Revenge is out now, published by SpellBound Books on November 30.