Simon Hall

BBC Crime Correspondent Simon Hall launched his book Death Pictures in the Central Library.

We were lucky enough to catch up with Simon and ask him some questions about the new book.

Library: Hello Simon, thanks for agreeing to be interviewed for our website. Here goes with the first question. Did you write short stories before launching yourself into your first novel?

No is the simple answer. A more complicated and more honest response would be a sort of yes - I used to invent all sorts of stories in my head, starting from childhood age and going on to this day - and I wonder if it's that which led me to being a journalist, and then writing. I find imagination and storytelling utterly captivating. Now, instead of just inventing them, I write them down too. And by a bizarre turn of fate, some have become books.

Library: How did you find your “voice” as a writer? Did you try different styles before you found the right one for you?

I never consciously tried different styles. I just thought I'd have a go at writing, and out it came. I think I've learnt a great deal, just from the two books published, about how to write, what styles work in certain situations, and what don't. And I definitely think I've become more confident about how I write, less afraid of difficult areas of life and people's characters. And that's important, because they're often the most interesting things to write about.

Library: Where do your characters come from? Are they based loosely on people you have met in real life? Do you have pictures of them in your head?

All my characters I can see in my head. They've become like friends. It's common for me to start having a mental conversation with Dan or Dirty El about a story, or Adam about a crime. I know exactly what they look like, and how they'll react in most situations, although they do occasionally surprise me. In Death Pictures for example, Adam does something that took me aback. Regarding where they come from, I don't base them on anyone I know, but I do steal bits of people, whether it's physical appearance, quirks or mannerisms.

Library: Do you think you would have started writing novels if you had not become a crime correspondent?

Probably not. I think what works well about the books is the insight I can give into the life of a TV reporter, and only my job has allowed me to do that. The books work on the simple premise that the tasks of journalist and detective are, at a basic level, very similar - ask the right questions to get to the hidden truth. It's that which allows Dan to successfully make the cross over from crime reporter to crime fighter - whilst still reporting on what he's up to!

Library: Congratulations on your third book being snapped up by Accent Press. Now that your writing career is maturing, do you look back at “A popular murder” (your first novel) and wish you could change any parts of it?

Yes and no. It's a fair marker of where I was at that stage of my writing and stands as such. I think it's a decent book, which shows potential, and I was lucky enough that people around me told me so and urged me to keep going. If I came back to it now, it would be totally different - as it should be, given that every time I write, I learn. Rewriting it is something I may yet do. If the series becomes popular, and people want to know how Dan and Adam met, I could rework it. It's something I'd have to think hard about. I really haven't decided on that yet.

Library: How do you manage two careers? Especially as being a crime correspondent is not exactly a 9 to 5 sort of job.

With some difficulty! The BBC job can be very demanding, requiring long days. But I've got into the habit of getting up early and writing for a couple of hours before I go to work. It's my most productive time, when my mind is fresh. Weekends help too. Combine those and I can usually put in at least 15 to 20 hours a week. It's remarkable how quickly that adds up to make a book. Enjoying it helps immensely. I think I'd see it very differently if I thought it was a chore.

Library: Finally, have you covered any real life cases that you think would stretch the credibility of your readers? i.e can truth really be stranger than fiction?

Many. It's absolutely true that reality can be odder than fiction. Look at the grounding of the Napoli for example, the thousands who descended on Devon to scavenge her cargo, and people wheeling BMW motorbikes away up the beach. If I'd have written that, I'd have been ridiculed!

Library: Good luck with “The death pictures”. We’re all looking forward to the launch on the 28 February.

As am I, although I must confess with a few nerves! It feels like a very big thing. And thank you too for your kind words and great support. I hope you enjoy the book. Writing is still very much a hobby for me, and what makes it all worthwhile is when people tell me how much they like my stories and the insight I've given them into the life of both TV reporter and detective. Long may it continue!

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