DERVLA McTIERNAN
The best-selling Australian author has changed it up with her new novel set in the US
Was it liberating to take a new tack with setting and character?
Yes! It’s always a free, exciting time when I start a new book, but working without any series constraints was something I really enjoyed. And I’ve always wanted to set a book in Maine. I lived and worked there for a summer when I was a student, and I have some very strong memories. Can readers expect this to be a permanent change? I would like to write series books again. As a reader I’ve always loved a great series. There’s nothing quite like returning to well-loved characters, particularly if it’s a true series, where the characters change and grow over a number of books. But some stories need less space to be told and there’s something very exciting about coming to a fresh new page with every option open to you. To be determined, I think!
What made you love writing?
I started writing seriously (meaning, with intent) in 2014, and the moment I started I knew I would never stop, whether I was published or not. It was just the thing that had been missing, up to that point, and once I found it I was never going to let it go.
What’s the best book you’ve read?
Lisey’s Story, by Stephen King.
Who is the author you most admire?
Stephen King. I think he’s a genius, but also that he is so fearless with his writing. He’s just pure, unbridled creativity, and he makes me want to be braver and to have more fun as a writer.
A book that had a pivotal impact on your life? All of them! Books have been at the centre of my life since I was a small girl and they always will be. Tana French is always inspiring as a writer and, recently, The Silent Wife by Karin Slaughter absolutely knocked my socks off. It was a masterclass and a wake-up call for me to aim higher.
Is there a book you couldn’t finish? So many! These days I don’t bother to read on if I’m not enjoying a book. I just put it aside, guilt free.
A book you wish you had read but haven’t got to? I have lots of books I think I should read, but the truth is, if I really wanted to read them, I probably would have by now.
The book you are most proud to have written? I don’t know if proud is the right word. I feel great affection for my books. I see their flaws but I love them all the same. They’re like old friends, or little ambassadors that go out all over the world and find new friends for me.
What book do you re-read? I re-read Stephen King (his series starting with The Outsider is excellent).
What books are on your bedside table? City on Fire, by Don Winslow, which I’m re-reading because we have an in-conversation coming up. He’s a fabulous writer and storyteller, so it’s a joy to re-read. Also Atomic Habits, by James Clear.
What are you writing next?
I’m working on my next novel right now, and I’m having a lot of first draft fun. It’s a bit too soon to talk about it, I’m afraid.
The Murder Rule by Dervla McTiernan, HarperCollins, $33