James McKenna, crime writer, talks about winemaking and sheep farming. What do you think about when you undertake a mundane task?

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books. crime thriller, crime fiction, crime thrillers, enjoy reading, good read, James McKenna

This week, l am back thinning and parting the vines. I came across a small bird’s nest that was empty and abandoned. It was in the way of growing grapes so I almost threw it aside but fortunately I hesitated. Next day it contained three tiny eggs. The lesson was, never act in haste. Working in the vineyard gives both mind and physical exercise, the physical being so important for someone who spends many hours sitting at a computer. In addition, the contrast has been most welcome too as I have been working intensively with my proof reader and editor as we prepare my latest crime fiction title: The Unwanted, by James McKenna for publication on 10th June.

Rhythmic and repetitive work often gives a writer the opportunity to think creatively and ponder last minute detail changes for The Unwanted. It also allows time to consider the plot for my new thriller, Global Raider, which is already bubbling along nicely. I only wish I can say the same for this year’s vintage which has suffering from the extra cold weather experienced over winter.

This week, alongside being James McKenna crime author, I became James McKenna wine producer as I went to see the wine technologist who tests the wine as it matures. I have to say, there was a lot of head scratching and ‘umming’ and ‘aaahing’ this time and I was dispatched to buy a special type of bacteria which will aid the maturation process. I am waiting with my fingers crossed. However I am reminded that last year I moaned like crazy about the wine at this point and it proved to be a winner. We have even sold a number of cases to very satisfied customers, who fortunately, return for more.

Another crime writer who is also juggling two professions is James Oswald who is both sheep farmer and crime writer and was featured in a great article run by The Daily Telegraph which outlined his very practical 5.30 morning start and which still requires him to do readings and book signings.

James Oswald, is a self-publishing phenomenon and his first title, Natural Causes and the follow up, The Book of Souls, sold 350,000 copies which were downloaded to Kindles, Nooks etc. How wonderful therefore that this success meant that all the best publishing companies took serious interest. As a consequence, James Oswald had people fighting over the rights to his next book. Ah, this is the stuff dreams are made of and helps working round the vines progress more quickly!

It was Penguin who managed to scoop James up when the book went to auction. In fact six other countries also took him on when they bought the rights. Not only this but he found he was on the Debut Dagger Award shortlist which is a prize awarded by the Crime Writers’ Association.

James admits that it’s his farming work which helps him write, the monotony of doing something practical frees up the brain to think about other more creative things. So James McKenna, crime writer and wine maker really is in good company.

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James McKenna combines Google Glass with a new crime fiction title. Will you read the next crime fiction thriller, The Unwanted on Google Glass?

Besides writing crime fiction my favourite occupations are messing in the vineyard and people watching. However, I am also totally fascinated by new gadgets and one that has really caught my attention is Google Glass. This last week while I have been walking the streets of London I have been mulling over some ideas about just how this new technology might be incorporated into James McKenna’s next crime fiction title.

I shouldn’t be thinking about this really as we are working all out to publish The Unwanted in June and I feel a little disloyal to be immediately planning the next crime fiction thriller in the James McKenna series. Of course I have made no decisions yet but I have been pondering.

For those who know nothing about Google Glass let me just explain a little about it. Google have developed a pair of glasses which are basically a wearable computer. The display is mounted on the right side of your head and the whole idea is that Google wanted to develop a ‘mass market ubiquitous computer’. So what you have basically is just like any smart phone but is commanded by voice and is wearable. This means you can deal with text message alerts and emails without having to reach for your phone when you are out and about.

The voice commands make it all so easy but right now the frames do not allow for prescription lenses yet Google, as one might imagine, are working on this. Just think, in the future one might go to an optician, to be fitted for a computer!

So I have in mind a detective who makes use of Google Glass to catch his villains and I shall be watching carefully to see what developments follow on in the next few months. I have no idea whether as a crime fiction writer I can pull this off but I am certainly willing to give it some thought as I observe London’s population.

At the moment so many people are paranoid about the privacy issues Google Glass might ignite and in effect I was interested in this when I wrote my crime thriller, The Unseen, a few years back and tackled the subject of psychotic subliminal induction.

However all the geeks think we are all worrying unnecessarily, well, in my opinion that remains to be seen. There has been a significant backlash to the Google Glass phenomenon and maybe some assumptions regarding privacy might be misguided, we shall have to wait and see (which is nearly a joke, but not quite). Google have apparently made limitations in its design to deal with these potential issues and fears.

Users are saying that Google Glass is currently a bit of a tease as at the moment it is still not perfect and some consumers say it is rather a mixed bag in its current form. Yes, you can respond to text and mail simply by using head movements and voice and it’s good for navigation information when you are making a journey on foot but the battery life is short and the screen is hard to see in bright light. Users keep saying they are wishing for more and you can bet Google will deliver.

Just think of the apps a detective would want on their Google Glass, immediate forensic capability, bringing up criminal records, tracking criminals and so on. My next crime fiction detective could be a superhero; I wonder whether Google have considered a super power app. I may well suggest it.

Further Reading

http://techcrunch.com/2013/05/31/google-wont-approve-glass-apps-that-recognize-peoples-faces-for-now/

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What did Hannibal Lecter do before he became infamous? James McKenna reviews the latest crime fiction TV series featuring this famous crime icon

This new TV series charts the early relationship between the well-known psychiatrist and his patient, a young FBI criminal profiler, who struggles with his ability to empathize with serial killers; sounds tantalising doesn’t it?

How would you describe the character of Hannibal Lecter
He first emerged in the book, Red Dragon by Thomas Harris and then in the film Man Hunter which starred Brian Cox in the key role. Mark Billingham crime author, feels Brian Cox is the ultimate embodiment of this character. He admitted in an interview that he didn’t much like the tics and foibles Antony Hopkins imbued the character with in the 1991 film Silence of the Lambs. So what’s his future? Well, in this instance we need to ask what is his past?

I sometimes cast the film version as I am writing
For those of us who appreciate the subtleties of crime fiction in written form, in many ways if you have read a book first it is always challenging to watch a director’s interpretation of your own imagination. As I am doing the final edits of my new novel The Unwanted I mentally cast the film and have one or two ideas of who I would like to have as director! It’s a bit of fantasy I indulge in and what is left if we cannot dream?

A new series created by Bryan Fuller
So, right now we are just about to experience another take on this tremendously powerful crime icon when a new TV series explores what happens to Lecter before Red Dragon. This TV series is the prequel, as it were, and it quite fascinating. It has been created by Bryan Fuller for NBC and stars Hugh Dancy, Mads Mikkelsen and Caroline Dhavernas .
The FBI agent Will Graham begins his relationship with Lecter as the anti-hero is recruited by the FBI to solve a particular conundrum. Both Hugh Dancey and Mads Mikkelsen make an interesting choice to expand the fragment of narrative that first appeared in Red Dragon.

Hannibal the cannibal
The director of this new television series knows the audience understands just how prescient this story is and enjoys playing with the audience’s knowledge when Lecter says: ‘I look forward to having you and your wife for dinner.’ This is a line that follows on the heels of a discovery that the killer being tracked is a cannibal so the director cuts to Hannibal eating a meal. It’s fun and delivered with a spoonful of comic relish.

Of course television viewers know where this is all leading to and sometimes in crime fiction it is fun for an author to lead readers by the nose and then have a surprise lurking at the end.

Some people prefer reading crime fiction to watching it
This series is certainly extremely well made and has very high production values. You can see that lots of money has been poured into the series but if I have any criticism it is that we are almost rushed through to a resolution as everything has to happen within 60 minutes – you see there are some pleasures left when actually reading crime fiction rather than just watching it!
Mormon churches have complained in Utah.

The other thing is that our FBI agent is psychic and in a way that is his ‘get out of jail free card’ which is used maybe a little too conveniently. However, saying that it does give the opportunity for the audience to relive the crimes committed in full gory Technicolor and anyone with a weak disposition may want to give this series a miss. In fact the series has been pulled in Utah for exactly this reason. The one question you have to know is if the FBI agent is all knowing and all seeing how is it he gets into a cannibal’s car and even has dinner with him? Oh well, perhaps I am being picky as overall it is going to be a great series if you can suspend your disbelief at times.
If TV is not what you do as summer approaches then why not read my new book, out in June, The Unwanted. Ideal to keep you company on the beach.

See you next time.

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James McKenna ranges over Margaret Thatcher’s Reputation, crime fiction titles and red wine

Having watched the furore regarding the death of the UK’s ex-prime minister, as a writer I have been fascinated to see how this figure’s reputation has morphed into something which would have shocked many if they had been able to take a glimpse of the future back in the 1980s.

I have to confess, James McKenna, author, rather than James McKenna curious citizen, has been mulling over an idea for a future tale using these events as a backdrop. It put me in mind of the television series called The Devil’s Whore when an assassination attempt was being made in 17th century Britain at the time of Crowell’s inauguration/coronation (call it what you will) as Lord Protector.

In fact, there seemed to be so much ill feeling fermented at the time of Margaret Thatcher’s death that I was thinking what a brilliant plot driver this unrest could be. Plenty of opportunities arose to blame acts of violence and general thuggery on protestors, when really other agencies might be at work, as in my new book The Unwanted released in two weeks. With by elections and the assent of UKIP there seems to be a renewal of interest in politics. But how long before lethargic disinterest returns?

The only problem with this train of thought as I finish the very final editing of The Unwanted is that I am already plotting for my next book, Global Raider. Any concrete plot ideas attached to the Thatcher outcry will have to wait, and possibly forever, which is a pity!

Meanwhile life continues, besides eating, breathing, thinking and dreaming crime fiction, this week in Portugal we are still celebrating the welcome return of sunshine. I was beginning to think sunshine hours had been cut, along with everything else that has been slashed by Portugal’s austerity measures.

To turn the focus of my cultural and political microscope and zoom in even further, the grape vines are now in full growth with beautiful lime green leaves unfurling and tiny grapes already clustered, a clear indicator that this year’s vintage preparations are well and truly underway.

Last year we managed to design a brilliant wine label which showed the house and I would so love to paste up bottles with special promotional labels for my new novel but the problem is: who would buy a bottle of wine called The Unwanted? Joke.

Global Raider, about a high tech weapon capable of striking any place on earth wouldn’t really gel with a title such as Murder between the Vine Leaves even though it sounds like a great holiday read. However, after Global Raider I have a plot revolving around bank fraud in club Med. Now that could certainly have some vines. So if you have any ideas regarding crime fiction titles, murder and vineyards I would be fascinated to hear them!

Meanwhile should you wish to buy any of the titles going under the James McKenna brand then you will find copies of The Uncounted and The Unseen crime fiction thrillers on Amazon. And don’t forget out in two weeks, The Unwanted. I have to say if postage wasn’t so prohibitive we would love to send a bottle of wine with every copy sold but we have yet to discover a way of circumventing the costs. Such a shame as it’s a very luscious and complex red wine described as a reserva. A glass or two would lubricate the plot very nicely.

Anyway, back to the James McKenna book factory before a trip to London.

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