Elka was kind enough to humour me by answering a few questions about her writing......
Is the
writing full time? If not, what’s the day job?
As well as
writing suspense and mysteries for adults, I work part time as an editor and
write and illustrate kids' picture books.
Can you give
us a quick biography of yourself?
Elka Ray is a
Canadian author and illustrator who lives in Central Vietnam.
Do you have a
typical writing schedule?
I usually start
work at 8 a.m., after my kids go to school, and work through lunch until 3.30
or 4 p.m., when I go for a swim in the ocean.
When you have
an idea and you sit down to construct your story – do you know what the end result is
roughly going to look like? Are you a plotter, or do you make it up as you go
along?
While I've
learned to plan my novels chapter-by-chapter, things change along the way. I'll
go through most of Draft One convinced X is the culprit only to learn that Y
did it.
Is it a
different process writing a short story as opposed to a novel?
With a novel
there's always that moment of blind panic. It's like being given a huge pile of
scraps and spare parts, no instructions, and told to build a motorized vehicle.
I’ve
just finished and enjoyed Saigon Dark, how long from conception to completion
did it take? Was it a
smooth process (if you can remember) or were there many bumps in the road along
the way?
Thank you. It
took about a year to write, with much of that time spent revising. As the title
suggests, the story has some dark moments, involving grief, lies, and betrayal.
Writing was emotional as the story grew from the death of my first child. I
wanted to explore the irrationality of grief - and how pretending to be fine is
self-defeating. In her despair, the main character, Lily, makes an irrational
and morally questionable choice that forces her to live a lie.
Did it end up
being the book you anticipated at the start of the process?
I think so but
who knows? I've heard many people describe the same past event in contradictory
ways. We edit our memories to fit our current beliefs.
From the bit
of research I’ve
done, you had an earlier book – Hanoi Jane published in 2012, a collection of
short stories in 2016 – What You Don’t Know and next year a new book - Divorce is Murder drops. Oh and you
also write (and illustrate?) books for children. Do you favour one of your
books over than the other? Which would you press into the hands of a new
reader?
Readers who like
thought-provoking suspense should try Saigon Dark. Those looking for a mystery
that's light and funny will prefer my upcoming mystery Divorce is Murder.
The kids' books
are all about Vietnam - where I live with my family.
Your next
book seems to break with tradition, with a setting of British Columbia, is it
an area you are familiar with? I believe you hail from Canada (albeit via the
UK)?
Divorce is
Murder is set in Victoria, British Columbia, where I grew up. Vancouver Island
is beautiful, quiet and pristine, making it the perfect setting for some
mayhem.
Your adult
books all seem to have elements of murder or at least mystery at the heart of
them, though I’ve
seen a description of your debut, Hanoi Jane as “a fine mix of mystery and chick lit.” I don’t think Saigon Dark could be any further from
chick lit. Do you see yourself as a crime writer per se? Were you ever tempted
to go the chick lit route with your fiction?
I
write two types of crime: domestic suspense/noir and lighter, funnier
mysteries. Divorce is Murder is somewhat chick litty, although the term makes
me cringe, evoking dilemmas about as deep as a powder compact. The story
involves a Chinese-Canadian divorce lawyer, Toby Wong, who seeks to clear a
client charged with the murder of his nasty estranged wife, who bullied Toby as
a teenager.
Whether
I'm writing darker, heavier noir or light suspense, I'm exploring wrong-doing.
If no one's behaving badly, there's no story.
Do you
anticipate more Canadian based work in future, or will you be heading back to
the familiar territory of Vietnam and South East Asia? I sense there’s a strong connection with Vietnam
from you. How long have you lived there?
Seventh Street,
the publisher of Divorce is Murder, is angling for a series, which would mean
more Toby Wong books set on Vancouver Island. I hope that pans out. A short
story set in Thailand, titled One Hit Wonder, will come out in the anthology A
Time for Violence in early 2019. I've lived in Vietnam for over two decades, so
more stories set in Southeast Asia are inevitable.
What’s been the most satisfying moment of
your writing career so far?
I'm excited
about Divorce is Murder. But I'm always excited about the next book.
Any
unpublished gems in your bottom drawer?
Unpublished,
yes. Gems? I doubt it.
Any advice
for prospective authors out there?
If you feel the
need to invent stories, keep at it. Writing is a craft - like wood-working. You
need good ideas but more than that, it takes grunt work: sawing, hammering,
sanding.
What’s the best thing about writing?
That moment when
a new story takes hold and you can't not write it.
The worst?
While rejection
is never fun, it gets easier. If someone dislikes one of my stories I figure
'oh well, maybe you'll like the next one'. But even if you don't - someone else
will.
I often compare
writing to wood-working. Let's say I built a cabinet. Maybe you're looking for
a table. Or else you're in the market for a cabinet but prefer antiques, while
mine's modern. By not buying my cabinet you're not saying I'm a bad
wood-worker, or - more importantly - that I'm a crap person. I think many new
writers take rejection very personally.
What are the
last five books you’ve read?
Under A Dark Sky
- Lori Rader-Day (now reading)
Tangerine -
Christine Mangan
The Wych Elm -
Tana French
Then She Was
Gone - Lisa Jewell
In a Dark, Dark
Wood - Ruth Ware
Who do you
read and enjoy?
As the above
list reveals, I read a lot of suspense. Many of today's best crime writers are
women, including Tana French, Belinda Bauer, Sabine Durrant, Jane Harper, and
Megan Abbott.
Is there any
one book you wish you had written?
Scott Smith's A
Simple Plan. A couple of guys find a bag of cash in a wrecked plane and do the
wrong thing. Scott Smith - wherever you are - please stop writing screenplays
and write another novel.
Favourite
activity when not working or writing?
I love being in
the ocean.
What’s the last film you watched that
rocked you?
TV addict or
not? What’s the
must watch show in the Ray household?
I rarely watch
movies or TV but am secretly and severely addicted to true crime podcasts.
Below, in no particular order, is a list of ones I recommend:
Australia
The Teacher's
Pet
Phoebe's Fall
Trace
Canada
Someone Knows
Something, especially Seasons 1 & 5
Missing &
Murdered: Who Killed Alberta Williams?
USA
Serial, Season 1
Up and Vanished
Norway
Death in Ice
Valley
In a couple
of years’ time.....
I hope to be as
happy as I am now.
Col, Elka Ray's writing schedule sounds like a full day's job, which, of course, writing is for those who have made a career of it. I also liked her definition of a novel, woodworking, though I myself liken writing to plumbing, going at the keyboard with a plunger. I'd like to read SAIGON DARK for I have read fine things about the book on social media (not counting your own review which I just read). I have been intrigued by Vietnam ever since I read Anthony Grey's 800-page historical fiction SAIGON published in 1982.
ReplyDeletePrashant, I think you could do a lot worse than reading Saigon Dark. I think I read the Grey book many years ago, It was a bit of a house brick as I dimly recall.
DeleteIt was a door-stopper. I like Anthony Grey's writing as he brings his experiences as a British journalist to his historical fiction.
DeleteI might still have the book in my tubs, as I was loathe to part with any of my "Vietnam" books.
DeleteReally interesting interview, for which thanks, both. I give lots of credit for writing different sorts of novels, both lighter and darker. And I know all about working writing in to a family life. Wishing you success.
ReplyDeleteMargot, thanks. Glad you enjoyed the interview.
DeleteInteresting stuff: Thank you, Ms Ray.
ReplyDeleteScott Smith's second novel, The Ruins, was published in 2006. I confess it's still sitting on my shelf unread. Like Ms Ray, I adore A Simple Plan, and I'm irrationally nervous of being disappointed by the later novel!
I must read A Simple Plan soon, I loved the film. I looked up The Ruins, but it doesn't particularly appeal to me.
DeleteCol – Thanks for posting this interview. Her lighter stuff sounds good to me. And I am keeping that list of podcasts.
ReplyDeleteElgin, I think in the new year I'll give a couple of podcasts a listen. I've not tried any yet.
DeleteAll of these books sound interesting. I like Elka Ray's outlook.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you can find something of hers to try!
Delete