– Thanks for the kind comments, and the opportunity to communicate with you and you readers. Books are like children — I love them all equally, so I don’t have a favourite. But some of my books do have a special significance in terms of my writing career: Dead Before Dying was the book that attracted the attention of my incredible agent Isobel Dixon, and turned me into a translated author for the first time. Devil’s Peak was written as part of my studies for a masters degree in Creative Writing under the guidance of the superlative Marlene van Niekerk, and I learned so much in the process. Blood Safari was the first time I attempted a full novel in (for me) the difficult first person point of view. Thirteen Hours won the Barry Award in the USA …
When you start outlining a new book, does it start with a setting, a crime, an issue you want to discuss or maybe a coversation overheard at the grocery store? In short, what triggers you to start a new book?
– It’s complicated. Every book obviously has an origin. In my case, usually two ideas that come together to trigger the creative process. But because I never outline a novel, that is just the starting point. Every bit of research shapes and changes the story and the characters, so ideas keep multiplying. The writing process itself — an exploration and discovery of all the various ideas — then further influences the final product. Furthermore, every book has a different origin in terms of the trigger ideas. They have been newspaper articles, dreams, conversations, meditation, music, a single, wordless sight during a Karoo night …
In my opinion your novels are exceptionally strong reads and a way to get a know a country which is rapidly changing. Is that an deliberate agenda of yours to comment on South Africa post apartheid?
– Thank you. No, my only deliberate agenda is to try and write the kind of novel of would have enjoyed to read myself (because I am the only reader I know). The rest just sort of happens by chance.
Can you please recommend our readers a good book to read?
– My favourite book of the past year has been Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch.
Best wishes
Deon Meyer
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