Val McDermid
Val McDermid
Val McDermidis a Scottish crime writer, best known for a series of suspense novels featuring Dr. Tony Hill...
NationalityScottish
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth4 June 1955
diminish people tv
A lot of reality TV is repellent, but that doesn't diminish the qualities of some of the people who take part. There are decent people in there who have no alternatives.
works
Walking by water frees your creativity. I don't know how it works - there's something about it that's liberating.
funny notion violent women
There is still a funny notion that women should not write violent fiction.
ended few quite
The thing is that quite a few of my books have ended up as they are because of conversations I've had over the years with forensic scientists.
best novel suspense
The contemporary crime novel is, at its best, a novel of character. That's where the suspense comes from.
condition news rage starting
The condition of rage is one in which I find myself starting my day - once I see the news headlines.
fear
Sometimes fear is used as a way to control.
ground men
On one hand, you've got 'decent' men, and on the other you've got neanderthal misogynist bawbags - and the middle ground is what's disappearing.
bit
It was a bit unimaginable when I began that I'd ever get to 25 books. But it was also unimaginable how much crime-writing would have changed.
If you don't make the best-seller list, if you don't get shortlisted for any prizes, it's goodbye.
ruth written
I said to Ruth Rendell, 'When you've written as many books as you have, it's easier.' She said, 'No dear, it gets harder'.
glad limited scottish sit
I don't think of myself as Scottish or lesbian when I sit down and write. I am glad I have broken out of that limited audience.
books fully ourselves
I don't think many of us launched ourselves into the world of writing books fully formed.
mitchell quite time
I did want to be Joni Mitchell for quite a long time.