Welcome to Tony Forder’s interview. This page is an archive of his Crime Fiction Addict interview from August 6th 2023.
At school, were you good at English ?
English was my favourite and best subject at school. I was a voracious reader and always enjoyed writing.
How are you publishing your book, indie, traditional or both?
My first eight books were released by a publisher, but following a disagreement over my future path I decided to go on my own. Over time I have reacquired the copyright to each of those original eight books and republished them under my own imprint, Spare Nib Books.
Are your books standalone or a series?
I have written two standalone novels, two books in an action-adventure series, two books in a new crime series, and I’m currently working on book #11 of my main crime series featuring DI Jimmy Bliss.
How long do you spend on research before starting a book?
The amount of research I do depends on the storyline and locations. I have a police advisor for all my procedural research, but for the sake of authenticity I do far more research than I ever use. Better to have too much and leave 90% of it inside my head, I think. Over the years I’ve consulted with the National Crime Agency, the Met, and the RAF. I’ve carried out research on human taxidermy, embalming, firearms and explosives, organised crime, the Roswell incident, plus the awful practices of things like necklacing, beheading, and death by a thousand cuts. I’ve also had to learn more trivial information such as using a metal detector.
Do you proofread/edit your own books or do you get someone else to do it?
I edit my own work first using a tool called ProWriting Aid, which is good for grammar and the overuse of certain words. I also employ an editor and have three beta readers who provide feedback and pick me up on timeline errors, plot holes, and as many typos as possible. I think it’s almost impossible for an author to proofread their own work properly because our brains see what we’re expecting to see, so I rely on my editor and beta readers and my ARC readers to pick errors out for me.
What is the hardest thing about writing a book?
For me the hardest part about writing a book is detaching myself from it. As the author you know every little detail by the time the book is done, so I find it impossible to assess it as a reader. Have I made the bad guy(s) too obvious? Have I achieved the right balance of storyline and character? Have I injected the right amount of pace at the right time? As the writer you can’t not know what’s coming next once you’ve finished the book, so looking at it with fresh eyes is something I’ve never been able to do.
Who are your favourite writers?
My first favourite writer was, oddly enough, Charles Dickens. I read A Christmas Carol at an early age, after which I devoured his other works. My first favourite modern day writer, though, was Stephen King. I read similar books by Dean Koontz, James Herbert, Peter Straub and the like, but King was always the one who did it for me. For a short period of time, Thomas Harris was my next favourite, but I went off him part way through Hannibal. My next – and current – favourite was Michael Connelly, creator of my favourite detective, Harry Bosch.
For your own reading, do you prefer ebooks or paperbooks?
For my own reading I prefer a good old-fashioned hardback. After that it has to be paperback. I’ve never read an entire ebook, and never listened to an audible version. I suppose there will come a time when I may be forced into reading ebooks, but for now my preference will always be the physical book.
Do you think the cover plays an important part of buying a book?
I think a good cover is essential. If it attracts the eye then it may just attract enough interest from a casual observer to read the blurb. I also think it’s a psychological advantage, because something in us recognises a visually appealing appearance as a positive thing and we’re more likely to be accepting of it.
How can readers discover more about you and your work?
The best way to discover more about my work is to visit my main links site, from which you can choose my website, my Amazon Author page, my Crime Writers Association page, and many more. Check it out here: https://linktr.ee/TonyJForder