Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a Swedish crime fiction author – and I moved from the looong, dark and cold winters of my home land to the sunny shores of Australia nineteen years ago.
But I still have Scandi Noir flowing through my veins and I write dark crime fiction novels set in my adopted home town Sydney.
My novels are in a series and contain mostly Australian characters, with some Scandinavian exceptions.
I write books in both Swedish and English and they are available world-wide.
I have written three books that were recently published: ‘GAME’ – a police procedural thriller, has received great reviews from readers. ‘Skuggspel’ – the Swedish edition of ‘GAME’ – was recently listed as #1 Best Seller in Swedish Language Fiction on Amazon.com. And ‘Borta’ – is a Swedish edition of the second novel in my series.
Series: DS Morgan Callaghan.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I write my books in Swedish first, and I then translate them myself to English. So the latest book I wrote was ‘GAME’ in English.
I am inspired by everything that has happened to me in life; things I’ve seen and people I’ve met. I also eavesdrop on conversations around me in public – fragments of a conversation can get stuck in my mind and then turn up somewhere in my books… But mostly I am inspired by places in Sydney and I picture the scenes in my books that take place there. I also do a lot of research of real life murderers, police procedures and forensic data.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I crave solitude when I write – I cannot write with people around me. And I need a lot of coffee.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I started reading real life murder stories when I was about seven-eight years old -I found them in my grandmother’s lifestyle magazines!
I also started reading books by Agatha Christie at the same age, and I think these built the base of my interest in crime fiction.
What are you working on now?
I am currently writing the follow-up novel to ‘GAME’ in English – it is already available in Swedish. I do my own translations as I’m fluent in both languages. It’s like writing the book all over again; the English and Swedish languages are so different, I have to come up with new ways of expressing the characters.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I like Goodreads for many reasons.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you have something within you that tells you to write; do it, and see what comes out of you. Then leave it for a while, come back and read it later, and if you’re not a 100% happy with it – rewrite it. Repeat. That’s the base. Also; say your characters’ words out loud to see if it sounds authentic.
– There are many layers to writing, but it’s a personal journey and it’s different for everyone I think.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I heard a friend’s mother tell my friend when I was little: “It’s not worth doing unless you do it perfectly” – and it stuck with me.
What are you reading now?
I don’t read when I write; my mind is fully occupied with what I’m creating and I can’t allow it to go out on other adventures… But I have a list of books that I want to read when I’ve finished writing the book I’m working on now – on the top of this list is the latest novel by Swedish author Ake Edwardsson.
What’s next for you as a writer?
When I’ve finished writing the follow-up novel to ‘GAME’ in English, I will concentrate on seeing it off into the world. Then I will take a break/holiday before I contemplate the next book in the series.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Never End by Ake Edwardsson, Postmortem by Patricia Cornwell, Sidetracked by Henning Mankell and The Devil of Nanking by Mo Hayder.
A.C. Efverman’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile