Leading Australian crime fiction novelist Chris Hammer is coming to Castle Hill Library to talk about his enthralling new novel The Valley. You may know him from his internationally bestselling Martin Scarsden series, or from his prize-winning Ivan and Nell series.
Ahead of his show, we asked Chris a few questions about his brand-new book, his writing process, outback noir, and so much more.
The climate crisis becomes imbricated in your crime fiction and underpins the hysteria and panic of the unsolved crimes. The scorching landscapes of Riversend and Finnigans Gap, the redevelopment of Port Sliver, and the volatile wetlands of the Murray River becomes the locus of your crime narratives. Was it an intentional decision to draw on the national fear that the bush is changing, or did it happen unintentionally?
A bit of both. Setting is an important part of my books. The plots develop and change as I write, but I always have the landscape in my mind right from the very beginning of the process. This helps shape my language, the characters and their motivations, the atmosphere of the book, as well as its themes.
Whilst outback noir is a burgeoning subgenre, there is nothing new about setting crime fiction in the bush (e.g. stories of bushrangers, escaped convicts, crimes during the gold rush). Where do you see the future of outback noir heading as the climate catastrophe worsens?
I think the genre will continue to evolve and expand, addressing a number of issues, not just climate change. But environmental issues will continue to play a central role, at least in some works.
Where is your new book The Valley set? Why have you chosen to set the story there?
It's set in a fictional location, based very loosely on the Araluen valley south of Braidwood, with elements of Captains Flat, Majors Creek and Braidwood, plus some of the more dramatic elements of the Blue Mountains. It's an idyllic place, very serene, but with a dark past and troubling undercurrents.
Each of your novels becomes more elaborate and complex. Your last book The Seven switches from past to present, alternates between perspectives, and incorporates letters, diary entries, and newspaper articles. What can be expected of your upcoming novel The Valley?
Structurally, The Valley has more in common with The Seven and The Tilt than the Martin Scarsden books. Once again, there are three timelines with their own point-of-view characters, but this time they overlap far more.
You have said before that you don't struggle with work-life-writing balance like many other writers because you came to writing fiction later in your life. You have also said that your experience as a print journalist gave you the discipline to write frequently, even when you don't feel inspired. What does a day of writing typically look like for you? How long is the process of writing a novel? How do your ideas come to you?
I've been producing a book a year since 2018, so each book takes about a year to write. I start on a new book while waiting for the publication of the previous one. I do my creative writing in the morning, but I run out of steam by about lunchtime. I can still work in the afternoons and evenings, but on admin etc, or editing. I'm not sure where my ideas come from. I typically don't base my story lines on real-life events, and I certainly don't base my characters on real people.
As a self-proclaimed [seat of the] "pantser" you write the plot as you go, rather than plan ahead every twist and turn. What are some positives to this style of writing?
It makes it more fun and interesting for me – and if I find the writing enjoyable, then hopefully the reader will enjoy it as well. Also, it helps keep the plot fresh – if I don't know what's going to happen, or only have a vague idea, then the reader is unlikely to guess the resolution of the multiple plot lines.
If you were stuck in a remote outback town and there was a murderer on the loose, what secondary character from any of your novels would you want to be with and why? E.g. Trevor Topsoil, Zelda Forshaw, Liam Blonde, or Tycho Buchanan…
Morris Montifore. A man with a gun and the authority to use it. And the skill, knowledge and experience in catching killers.
To read Chris' bestsellers, visit one of The Hills Shire libraries or browse the library catalogue at www.thehills.nsw.gov.au/library
Tickets are $10 per person.
When: September 30 July 6:30pm to 7:30pm
Where: Castle Hill Library, 14 Pennant St, Castle Hill
