Growing up in 1970s London, theater seemed the coolest thing for an aspiring writer and I thought I wanted to be a playwright. Oddly that’s about the only form I’ve never actually tried. I started writing poems at university and was encouraged by one of my teachers, and that’s what I did instead, branching into short stories after a bit. I was very happy doing that, but I had a kind of theoretical idea that I needed to write a novel if I was going to take myself seriously as a writer. I spent years on one failed project after another. I’d given up trying when I started writing what I thought was going to be another short story that took an unexpected turn - and before I knew it I was deep into what became my first novel, The Horned Man. It took only abut six months to write and unlike my previous efforts was a pure joy to work on. Nothing has come quite so easily since then, but I still get huge pleasure from the process.
For me, what I find so chilling about Murdaugh is that he could appear to be everyone’s best friend - people love the man - and yet he could be so callous deep down. It goes back to what you mentioned earlier, that even though people knew he was guilty of the financial crimes if nothing else, they forgave him. He seems like such a nice guy and yet he had no trouble ripping off his clients - people really in need! And if he can be so pleasant on the outside yet evil on the inside, it forces one to ask how many others like him are out there.
I was thinking about this subject earlier today, when I saw on the news that a man was convicted of murdering his brother & his brother’s family, setting their house on fire, then coming home and setting his own on fire (with his wife and kids inside) to make it look like the entire family was targeted. The prosecutors said he committed the crimes because he was jealous of his brother’s financial success. I consider that pretty evil, but it doesn’t feel as downright creepy and frightening as Murdaugh’s crimes.
Do you ever see yourself working on another nonfiction or true-crime book? You certainly have a talent for the genre!
Will you be going on tour for the book, or attending any literary events to promote it?
I know you’ve got plans for today (Wednesday, 5/20) but before we wrap up, is there anything you’d like to talk about that we haven’t brought up yet?
I had published short stories in magazines, won some prizes, and one thing led to another. It helped that I was living in London, working part time in publishing and generally taking part in the literary scene, but the magazine publications were the main thing, and I’d stacked up a lot of rejection slips before those came about. The book got positive reviews and my UK editor showed it to Ted Solotaroff, then a renowned US editor, who bought it for Harper and Row (and changed the title!)
I’ve mostly been doing podcasts and radio interviews but I will be going to the Charleston Festival later this year, which I’m very much looking forward to.
Will do! I’m hoping it will in the next week or two.
I think you’ve covered all the bases with these extremely interesting questions. I’ll will certainly post if I think of anything that hasn’t come up, and will answer any more questions this evening. Thank you all so much - it has been a real pleasure to participate!
I got a call from my agent while I was on the beach on vacation with my family. It was a total surprise and very surreal!
That had to be amazing!
Thank you so much for being here, James, it’s been a fascinating conversation and you’ve been very generous with your time. I’m looking forward to your next publication (although I have a feeling that as more people get wind of THE FAMILY MAN, you’re going to be very busy!) Take care, and thanks again!
James just got in touch. His article about Becky Hill has just been published in the New Yorker. I’ve got an account, but it might be behind a paywall. Here it is: