Interview With Author Pat Halford
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in Finland and am British. I have lived and worked in the Nordic region for over 22 years and I always wanted to write Nordic thrillers but in a staccato, fast-paced tone. I have written two books and self-published both of them. Tilda & Lærke, is a chase across the Danish islands, and it’s available in Kindle and paperback. The second, North to Akureyri, is an Icelandic techno-thriller set in 2028.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The latest book is Tilda & Lærke. I had just finished writing the Icelandic thriller, but was noodling on how to get it published. I was on a plane flying back from Denmark when I got the idea for a chase across Denmark involving a bunch of assassins who had settled down to suburban life after giving up their trade 25 years ago. The idea was that one of their former crew showed up and turned their lives upside down. I wanted to use the Danish phenomenon called “sort sol” where in the early evenings in Autumn, hundreds of thousands of starlings swarm over swamps in balletic patterns. I thought it would be interesting if a bunch of assassins suddenly converged and started swarming round each other.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m better at writing in a disciplined cadence, so I try to get up early, before work and just write. I don’t tend to plan much. I find I can get into a zone with my characters and situations, and then often the plot threads emerge out of that. I also try to read what I wrote in the evenings and then sometimes new ideas come to me in half-sleep. I wrote Tilda & Lærke in a 2.5 month sprint, but the Icelandic book took me a lot longer. I like to write about places I know. So I have worked in both Denmark and Iceland, so I try to bring some of that local knowledge into the story.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Over the years – Don Winslow, James Lee Burke, James Ellroy, Eric Van Lustbader, Robert Ludlum, Tim Dorsey, Cormac McCarthy, Stephen King, James Herbert.
What are you working on now?
I’m writing a sequel to Tilda & Lærke, also set in Denmark, and I started drafting a serial killer thriller set in the forests of Finland.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Well a friend of mine recently recommended Goodreads and it has been a revelation. There is so much inspiration there and good opportunities to develop a market for first-time authors. I just created a giveaway for Tilda & Lærke, for example.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
I ran into this chicken and egg problem where I could not get any interest from a Publisher because I was a first time author. Many said I needed an Agent, then I couldn’t find an Agent for similar reasons. It was a bit like trying to set up a bank account and being told you first need a reference from a Bank Manager. So I took the plunge and went with self-publishing on Amazon. First with an ebook, then with a paperback. That was a big learning experience. i designed my own cover with Canva.
I would say two pieces of advice stick out. First, you have a story…get it out there! And secondly, get a professional Editor. The editing was the toughest part of the process. I’ll do things differently next time.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Get your story out there.
Get a professional Editor.
Don’t listen to naysayers.
What are you reading now?
James Ellroy’s Widespread Panic, and a non-fiction book called The World For Sale.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I would like to continue to develop my writing in the Nordic noir genre. I have a backlog of ideas. But I need to get this Danish sequel complete. I would like to publish through a traditional Publisher, but we’ll see how that goes.
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?
Probably a bunch of James Lee Burke Robicheaux or Billy Bob Holland books. Aside from being great crime novels, I find the themes and prose hypnotic.
And maybe a book that explains how to desalinate sea water!
Author Websites and Profiles
Pat Halford’s Social Media Links