‘CREATIVITY GIVES YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO TIME TRAVEL’

Crime writer Patricia Cornwell has sold more than 100m books. On the publication of her latest novel, she talks to books editor Joanne Finney about what’s inspired her – and shares some good news for Kay Scarpetta fans

Crime writer Patricia Cornwell talks about what inspires her

From flying helicopters to scuba diving, crime writer Patricia Cornwell is as much of an action woman as her much-loved heroine, forensic pathologist Dr Kay Scarpetta. Cornwell relishes hands-on research and for her latest book Spin, which tells the story of NASA pilot and cybercrime investigator Captain Calli Chase, she learned how to spacewalk, flew in a zero-gravity simulator and worked with record-breaking astronaut Peggy Whitson.

Cornwell, 64, grew up in North Carolina and her southern accent is still strong. Her childhood wasn’t easy: her father left home when she was five and, due to her mother’s chronic depression, Cornwell spent time in foster care. After graduating with a degree in English, she became a journalist for a local paper, the only female reporter on the crime beat. She later worked for six years in the chief medical examiner’s office in Virginia, where she observed thousands of autopsies; everything she learned there she used to create Scarpetta.

Cornwell is married to Staci Gruber, a Harvard neuroscientist, and they live in Boston with their dog.

Four years ago, I burned out.

I’d done my 24th Scarpetta book and I wanted to quit. If you do the math, I’ve written a book a year since I was 21 years old: it hangs over my head all the time, it takes over my whole life.

I thought I might do screenwriting and was asked if I’d be interested in creating a female James Bond.

I thought, ‘I’m interested in it now!’ That got me to thinking: if I was going to create a female character today utilising all the technology available, where would I go? My first thought was NASA. I was inspired by identical twin sister scientists Christine and Celeste Belcastro, who I met on a research trip to NASA in 2002. When I tried to reconnect, I found out that Celeste had died of cancer. Christine told me that one day she had been walking between buildings at NASA’S research centre and as she opened the glass door, she saw her reflection and it looked like her sister coming out to greet her like she used to do. I was so moved by that, and the connection they had, that I wanted to explore it.

Writing was always just something I did, from the time I was old enough to hold a crayon.

It’s what I did to escape. There was a lot of unhappiness at home, so I’d go off in my imagination. Your creativity gives you the opportunity to time travel.

My childhood has everything to do with what I write about.

I learned about fear when I was little and about being controlled by someone who wasn’t kind, like when I was in foster care. It made it possible for me to have a very rich interior life and tell stories that touch many people because lots of us have been through these things. I’m glad I started out the hard way – that’s when you learn the most about human nature and about empathy.

The only way we have any idea of who we might be is through stories and that’s why they’re so important. They are our road map to who we might be, what we should aspire to.

I wrote three books that no one wanted while I worked at a morgue.

I kept being told nobody wants to read about laboratories or morgues. And a woman who does it? No, thank you!

A huge turning point was winning The John Creasey Memorial Award*.

It was presented to me by Princess Margaret and I was so scared, I almost couldn’t walk up to receive it. Very quickly, life changed dramatically. I was amazed and thrilled, but it was scary, too. I didn’t know how to manage everything. Huge numbers of people would come to my signings, four or five thousand. Sometimes it was all I could do not to burst into tears when I walked into a bookstore for a signing.

I think my interest in psychopathic characters is because I’m so horrified by this behaviour.

I wonder what it is in human nature that makes people capable of this sort of thing. When I got the police beat as a young reporter, that was my first exposure to crime – I was stunned by it. I believe if I understand it better, I might be safe.

People think of me as fearless, but all the things that should scare me do.

I take violence and accidents very seriously. I worked in the chief medical examiner’s office for six years and I’ve seen thousands of autopsies, so I’m very aware of the fragility of life.

I do take risks but not silly ones; I never fly a helicopter without an instructor with me and I don’t ride motorcycles any more.

Your partner should be your go-to person: that’s what Staci is to me.

We’ve been married 15 years and she’s still the one I most enjoy spending time with. That’s not to say we don’t have periods that are better than others, but she never tries to interfere with what I need to do, and I don’t interfere in what she needs to do. What we always say is that we should make each other better.

I haven’t told anyone yet, but I’m working on another Kay Scarpetta book.

I want to see what she’d do in this world we’re in right now! I’m hoping it will be out by the end of 2021.  Spin (Thomas & Mercer) by Patricia Cornwell is out 12 January