Thanks
for agreeing to take part in this interview.
Firstly,
please could you tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m
Ruth Dugdall, a Felixstowe based crime novelist. I have three
published novels, all of them set in Suffolk. 'The James Version' is
a historical fiction based on the murder of Maria Marten in the Red
Barn, Polstead.
'The
woman before me' and 'The sacrificial man' are modern psychological
thrillers, and the central character is a probation officer, drawing
on my own previous career.
As
I have spent most of my working life with criminals,
it is natural that my novels are `crime`
though I am far more interested in motivation and the psychology of
crime than simply uncovering `who dunnit`. This is why all of my
novels start after the crime has been committed and the criminal
caught; they are concerned with why the crime happened and the
frailty of humanity.
Have
you ever feel that your subject is too dark or worrying to write
about?
I
am drawn to the darker side of humanity, and always have been.
Several
years ago I came across the story of Armin Meiwes, a German who had
advertised on the Internet for a willing victim whom he could kill.
This story fascinated me, and I wanted to know more about why Meiwes
had placed such an advert but also about the `willing victim`, Bend
Jurgen Brundes.
My
research led me to other cases where people have met on the Internet
and then chosen to die together, in suicide pacts.
Why
would someone choose to die with a practical stranger?
The
Sacrificial Man is about a man named Smith who advertises on the
Internet for a woman to help him to die. It is also about Alice, who
responds to the advert and assists Smith.
My
work as a probation officer taught me that every action, even the
most heinous or bizarre, has a story behind it which can place the
act in some sort of context.
I
decided to write a novel that could explore some of the questions
cases like Meiwes and other Internet suicide pacts can raise.
I
think that answers your question about `is there any subject that
would be too dark for me to write about`. The answer is no.
How
did you go from being a Probation Officer to being a published
author?
It
took me a long time to find a publisher, and it came about because I
entered a competition.
The
Woman Before Me won the 'Debut Dagger' in 2005, which was a watershed
moment for me. Until then I’d thought of writing as a hobby – I’d
self-published my first novel (The James Version) but was still
working as a Probation Officer. The Dagger gave me the confidence to
resign and dedicate myself to writing full-time.
The
day after the Dagger awards I signed with a top agent and the novel
was going to be submitted to six major publishing houses. I thought I
had made it…
But
that would have been just too easy. 'The Woman Before Me' didn’t
get picked up by the major publishers. They worried that it was “not
commercial enough”, and that it didn’t fit neatly enough into the
“crime novel” box. It went into the bottom drawer and I started
to write my third novel, 'The Sacrificial Man'. I have to tell you,
this was all pretty soul-destroying and I was really beginning to
wonder if I was just kidding myself and I should just go back to
work.
Then,
in the summer of 2009, I saw the Luke Bitmead bursary advertised in
Writer’s News. It seemed perfect for 'The Woman Before Me'. The
bursary aims to promote and publish a new writer each year, and was
set up in memory of Luke Bitmead, a talented writer who sadly
committed suicide.
When
I won the award in October 2009 I cried through much of the ceremony,
knowing that I would finally see my novel in print. So, after waiting
nearly five years, I finally achieved my goal!
As
a Felixstowe based writer, you must have been very excited to hear
about the first Felixstowe Book Festival taking place! What impact do
you think that the book festival will have on the town?
I
am hugely excited about the Book Festival! I think Felixstowe has
something of an image problem, and it wouldn’t be the obvious place
for a Literary Festival, but it’s time the town stepped into the
light. There are many people who love books here, and I’ve been
both surprised and thrilled at the turnout to the author events held
by the local library.
When
Meg (the festival) organiser first told me her plan I thought it was
ambitious, and when I look at the programme I see that her ambition
has been realised. Such a rich feast of events, with something for
everyone. I applaud her tenacity and vision and strongly home that
Felixstowe folk get behind this event so it can become a yearly one
in the town. The success of Art on the Prom shows what we can
achieve, so come on people, buy a ticket and get blown away by
everything the festival weekend has to offer!
Has
Felixstowe made many appearances in your writing?
'The
Woman Before Me' is set in Felixstowe, with many recognisable places
described – including the Palace Cinema, and The Grosvenor, haunts
of mine. Also, Rose gets a job in a local hotel. Did I mention that
my parents own a guesthouse in the town…?
To
say my work draws on what I know is an understatement. Probably more
accurate is that it reveals a part of my soul.
Many
of the authors have never been to Felixstowe before, could you
recommend a few things to do or places to visit while they're in
town?
We
have a great beach – much better than other Suffolk coastal towns!
You can actually swim and build sandcastles. We even have donkeys. The
Spa Gardens are lovely, and nearby is the brand new Fludyer ArmsHotel, where you could sit and enjoy the view from the terrace.
Visitors
will be very much involved with all of the events, but if there is
time to take a walk to the Ferry, running alongside the Links golfcourse and passing the Martello Towers. The café down there does a
mean breakfast and if you’re lucky, you may spot a seal.
Ruth
will be appearing on the 'Deadlier than the male', panel which features herself, Sophie Hannah and Michelle Spring discussing women and crime
writing. The event will take place at The Orwell hotel on Sunday 16th
June between 2 – 3pm.
Tickets
can be purchased here.
No comments:
Post a Comment