Ending My Life of Crime (Fiction)

 Mending your ways – If you had to stop your life of crime (writing) what other types of books would you like to write?

A very late Brenda Chapman here answering this week's question. The weeks are flying by so quickly that I'm losing track!

I tried once to write a novel that was not a murder mystery. I didn't make it through the first chapter without a body showing up. So I'd only likely succeed in being forced to stop writing crime fiction with the removal of my computer.

It would be interesting to write a literary novel. One with a unique voice that would get shortlisted for all the awards... Giller, Booker ... all the prestigious ones. I'm not certain what the topic would be or even how to pull off the story, but it would be a good challenge.

I started my career writing short stories. Granted they were mysteries, but I sometimes think about trying my hand at writing a short story that isn't a crime story. I know I could do this because my first published work was an article in Canadian Living magazine that was about my daughters growing up in a large city as opposed to a small town where I was raised. I worried they were losing out on an appreciation for nature and the land. That story garnered me my first contract and payment ($300) and came out in 2001. I have the article framed on the wall next to my desk.

Now the reason I've lost track of time is that I'm working on a video project. I'm the Crime Writers of Canada Director for Ottawa and Eastern Ontario this year. With Covid and shut downs, there isn't much I can do for the author members in my region so I came up with the idea of interviewing those that want to be interviewed and posting the videos on the CWC site. You can check them out on this Youtube channel, starting with Vicki Delany's interview. Vicki is a cozy mystery writer of some reknown. Vicki actually interviews me in the second video which will be out this Thursday (Nov. 26). I have several more lined up and each involves some research, and of course, the taping.

Have a good week, everyone.

www.brendachapman.ca

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