Deborah’s Comments (group member since Jan 27, 2014)

Deborah’s comments from the Ask Rhys Bowen, Deborah Crombie, and Charles Todd! group.

Rhys wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "How do you write-in a quiet place, music on, a public place?"

RHYS: I have to have silence. No music for me. And I usually write at my desk, so that I can focus and have all my re..."

DEBS: I can't write with music or television on, more's the pity. I think it would be lovely to write to music, but I find it too distracting. I do, however, like "white noise" writing in coffee shops and cafes. Somehow that hum of activity seems stimulating rather than distracting. I usually write at home, so that, like Rhys, I have all my notes and research materials at hand. But sometimes a coffee shop session can get me through a rough patch or just give me a boost.

Julie wrote: "For Deborah, I love the Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James books! Do you have any plans to branch out into non series fiction or even another series with new protagonists? Also, I would like to ask if yo..."

Hi Julie! So far, the series has kept me busy. Since I get to explore new characters--and often new settings-- in each book, I haven't felt a need to write anything outside of the series. I won't say "never", but for the moment I'm very content to stay with Duncan, Gemma, and the rest of the cast.

As for the house, I love it, too, even though it only exists in my imagination. I have not worked out how I'm going to keep the family in it, however, so that's a bit of a cliffhanger!

Hal wrote: "For anyone who knows, why is Scotland Yard called Scotland Yard if it is in England?"

Hal, the original headquarters of the Metropolitan Police was in a "yard" (in the British sense) near the Thames in London called Scotland Yard. When the Metropolitan Police headquarters moved from that location, the police force retained the association with the original location.

Hal wrote: "For anyone who knows, why is Scotland Yard called Scotland Yard if it is in England?"

Hal, the original headquarters of the Metropolitan Police was in a "yard" (in the British sense) near the Thames in London called Scotland Yard. When the Metropolitan Police headquarters moved from that location, the police force retained the association with the original location.

Yvonne wrote: "For all the authors - what is your latest book? When is the next one to be published? I have read most of all of your books and thank you for many hours of reading delight."

Yvonne, the latest Duncan and Gemma book is The Sound of Broken Glass, which will be published in trade paperback on February 25th. The next book (#16) To Dwell in Darkness, will be out September 23rd this year. So glad you enjoy the books!

Ellen wrote: "Thanks for the recommendation .. I will definitely read it.. I am always on the lookout for another good author of British (and all mysteries taking place in other locales) mysteries.. have you eve..."

I LOVE the Chris Fowler's Bryant and May books! One of my favorite series, although I am a book or two behind. It's hard to keep up when there is so much good writing out there.

Laura wrote: "For Ms. Crombie -

I discovered your books through Goodreads and have passed them along to several of my friends who have loved them as well. The characters in the Gemma/Duncan series have grown ..."

Hi Laura! I love Goodreads! And there's nothing more fun than discovering a new (to you) author that already has a number of books in the series. As for a plan, I'm usually thinking at least two books ahead as far as events in the lives of the main characters. I could never have predicted, however, when I wrote A Share in Death, where they would be fifteen books later. That's one of the things that has kept the series so interesting for me.

And the maps, yes--I adore the maps. They are done by a fabulous illustrator in New York named Laura Maestro, and we have such fun working on them together. And by that I mean she reads the manuscript, then I send her photos and annotated maps of the setting. She then creates her wonderful map, which I get to review before it goes to print. I'm only sorry that maps didn't start until the sixth book in the series, and that there is no map for the eighth book, And Justice There is None, which is one of my favorites.

rose wrote: "Just a Comment

Debs - I love Gemma and Duncan.....I love how you meld their personal lives into their work lives, it really makes the book....

You have the talent of making your readers feel like..."

Thanks, Rose! The new book, To Dwell in Darkness, will be out in September, so you don't have quite that long to wait!

Duncan and Gemma--and the kids and Doug and Melody and Andy--feel very real to me, too. One of the problems I've found with a long-running series like this is that the recurring cast of characters is always growing, and as much as I like them all, I can't get every one in every book. Very frustrating!

I won't apologize for the cliffhanger ending of Broken Glass--I knew from the beginning how the book would end, and it was great fun to write. I do promise that things will be resolved. Eventually... :-)

Karen wrote: "Deborah Crombie, I just love everyone of your books and anxiously await for each new book! As soon as I finish the book, I am ready for the next.

As Carol states you do a remarkable job using the ..."

Thanks, Karen! I lived in the Scotland and England not long after the time you spent there--late 70s and early 80s. When my Scottish ex-husband and I moved back to the US, I missed England terribly. Writing that first novel was a way of putting myself there in my head, and that has been true of every book since. One of the perks of the job, of course, is that now I get to spend a good bit of time in the UK. Two of the more recent books, Where Memories Lie and Necessary as Blood, I actually finished while staying in London. That was a great experience.

Gary wrote: "I have read all of the Deborah Crombie's books and like them very much. It is very rare for a mystery book series to be centered on a (mostly) happy family. The only other one in the books I have b..."

Hi Gary! Thanks so much for your comments. I will look up the series you mentioned because I'm not familiar with it.

The murder of Duncan's wife, Vic, is solved at the end of Dreaming of the Bones.

But as for the air force bases, that's an idea that's been bouncing around in my head for a couple of years now. I just haven't found the right story. Hmmm. Thinking....

Barb wrote: "For Deborah Crombie: I love all your books. Your characters are so genuine and have current and real life issues. I especially like how you take a different location for each of your books and educ..."

Hi Barb! Interesting question. I'm a real magpie. Something catches my interest and I just have to write a book about it--and it's usually something I know absolutely nothing about, like Scotch or rowing or narrowboats, and that can get me in big trouble... But for me the learning process is at least half the fun of writing a novel, and I try very hard to get things right.

Barb wrote: "For Deborah Crombie: I love all your books. Your characters are so genuine and have current and real life issues. I especially like how you take a different location for each of your books and educ..."

Carol wrote: "My question, mostly for Ms. Crombie: you do a really good job in dialog using the language of contemporary England. I lived there a while and admire your proficiency at this. Do you take notes or u..."

Carol, thanks!I do sometimes take notes when I read or hear an expression that surprises me. But mostly I spend time in the UK, read British books, and watch British TV. All those things keep my ear sharp, I hope!