Dark Side Of The Morgue by Raymond Benson
Contributing editor Mark Combes chats with Raymond Benson about his upcoming thriller DARK SIDE OF THE MORGUE.
You've written several stand alone novels, yet Spike makes a comeback in DARK SIDE OF THE MORGUE. What about him makes you want to keep going with him? Why a series now?
Spike Berenger and his Rockin' Security team are such fun characters that they cry out to rock on! The whole idea of doing books with play-on-rock-album-titles lends itself to a series as well. Of course, there's no guarantee that the books will continue--it all depends on sales, blah blah blah--but sure, I'd like to keep them going. I'm able to put a lot of *me* into the books, because I'm a musician and longtime rock music aficionado. Spike's tastes in music are pretty much the same as mine.
DARK SIDE OF THE MORGUE is a thriller, but isn't it true there's a lot of humor in it?
Yes, the tongue is firmly in cheek. Not only do I have fun with the book titles (A HARD DAY'S DEATH, DARK SIDE OF THE MORGUE), but instead of a "Table of Contents" I have a "Track Listing," and instead of "Acknowledgments" I have "Liner Notes." Real rock stars make cameo appearances, and all the characters throw around rock trivia in the dialogue. In the new book there's even a fictional family tree diagram of rock musicians at the front (a la the underground "Canterbury" school of progressive music that was big in the 70s). Anyone who's into this stuff will get a kick out of it. But readers who aren't into music will enjoy the story and characters.
You've written several stand alone novels, yet Spike makes a comeback in DARK SIDE OF THE MORGUE. What about him makes you want to keep going with him? Why a series now?Spike Berenger and his Rockin' Security team are such fun characters that they cry out to rock on! The whole idea of doing books with play-on-rock-album-titles lends itself to a series as well. Of course, there's no guarantee that the books will continue--it all depends on sales, blah blah blah--but sure, I'd like to keep them going. I'm able to put a lot of *me* into the books, because I'm a musician and longtime rock music aficionado. Spike's tastes in music are pretty much the same as mine.
DARK SIDE OF THE MORGUE is a thriller, but isn't it true there's a lot of humor in it?
Yes, the tongue is firmly in cheek. Not only do I have fun with the book titles (A HARD DAY'S DEATH, DARK SIDE OF THE MORGUE), but instead of a "Table of Contents" I have a "Track Listing," and instead of "Acknowledgments" I have "Liner Notes." Real rock stars make cameo appearances, and all the characters throw around rock trivia in the dialogue. In the new book there's even a fictional family tree diagram of rock musicians at the front (a la the underground "Canterbury" school of progressive music that was big in the 70s). Anyone who's into this stuff will get a kick out of it. But readers who aren't into music will enjoy the story and characters.
Tell me a little about setting in your work. You've lived all over the country, from Austin, Texas to the Big Apple. How do you settle on where to set you stories?
They say "write what you know," correct? Looking back, I've pretty much set all my original works in places where I've lived or at least visited enough times to be able to write about. The James Bond novels (written between 1996-2002), of course, are set in faraway exotic lands. However, I did make a point to travel to almost all of my Bond locations, do the research, walk in 007's footsteps, taste the food, smell the smells, watch the people, and sleep in the hotels (Alas, I didn't get a chance to bed the women nor did I have much desire to get into fights with foreign baddies.) As for Spike, the first book took place in New York, where he's based, but the new novel is set in Chicago, where I live now. If there's a third book, I'm sure the setting will be a different city.
Speaking of James Bond, an anthology of your 007 work, THE UNION TRILOGY, came out in the fall of 2008. Will there be more?
Yes, Pegasus Books will publish a second omnibus in June 2010 containing the Bond novels and short stories that weren't in the first volume.
You're truly are a renaissance man - you write music, direct, and teach film history on a college level, too! Please compare and contrast the skills required for all of these against writing. That is, is it harder to write music or is it harder to write novels - or computer games for that matter? Is directing a stage production like "directing" your characters in your fiction?
Everything I learned as a theatre major I apply to writing. My directing professor, the late great Francis Hodge, taught me how to communicate to an audience--whether that be on stage, with music, or with writing. Analysis of character and style was also drummed into my head. It's all second nature now. As for what is more difficult--I can't really answer that. Every project has its own challenges.
You've been lucky to make a living - or at least, at times, supplement your living - by working in the arts, either writing, or directing or acting. That's quite inspirational - especially for us just starting out in the writing biz. There had to be lots of ups and downs along the way - how did you keep going?
There will continue to be ups and downs. It's never easy, but I've kept at it for more than two decades. I suppose that's the answer. If there's simply nothing else you'd rather do, or nothing else you can do--then you must keep at it. I wouldn't have it any other way.
Contributing editor Mark Combes
is an avid sailor and Scuba diver and travels extensively in the
Caribbean pursuing his passions. He works in book publishing and
RUNNING WRECKED is his first novel.
They say "write what you know," correct? Looking back, I've pretty much set all my original works in places where I've lived or at least visited enough times to be able to write about. The James Bond novels (written between 1996-2002), of course, are set in faraway exotic lands. However, I did make a point to travel to almost all of my Bond locations, do the research, walk in 007's footsteps, taste the food, smell the smells, watch the people, and sleep in the hotels (Alas, I didn't get a chance to bed the women nor did I have much desire to get into fights with foreign baddies.) As for Spike, the first book took place in New York, where he's based, but the new novel is set in Chicago, where I live now. If there's a third book, I'm sure the setting will be a different city.Speaking of James Bond, an anthology of your 007 work, THE UNION TRILOGY, came out in the fall of 2008. Will there be more?
Yes, Pegasus Books will publish a second omnibus in June 2010 containing the Bond novels and short stories that weren't in the first volume.
You're truly are a renaissance man - you write music, direct, and teach film history on a college level, too! Please compare and contrast the skills required for all of these against writing. That is, is it harder to write music or is it harder to write novels - or computer games for that matter? Is directing a stage production like "directing" your characters in your fiction?
Everything I learned as a theatre major I apply to writing. My directing professor, the late great Francis Hodge, taught me how to communicate to an audience--whether that be on stage, with music, or with writing. Analysis of character and style was also drummed into my head. It's all second nature now. As for what is more difficult--I can't really answer that. Every project has its own challenges.
You've been lucky to make a living - or at least, at times, supplement your living - by working in the arts, either writing, or directing or acting. That's quite inspirational - especially for us just starting out in the writing biz. There had to be lots of ups and downs along the way - how did you keep going?
There will continue to be ups and downs. It's never easy, but I've kept at it for more than two decades. I suppose that's the answer. If there's simply nothing else you'd rather do, or nothing else you can do--then you must keep at it. I wouldn't have it any other way.
Contributing editor Mark Combes
is an avid sailor and Scuba diver and travels extensively in the
Caribbean pursuing his passions. He works in book publishing and
RUNNING WRECKED is his first novel.ThrillerFest
ITW's annual celebration of the thriller world is the largest event of its kind, a meeting place for authors, readers, budding writers, and publishing industry professionals.
For 2010, we’ll be back in the heart of New York in July with the ThrillerFest conference including CraftFest and AgentFest.
ThrillerFest V will be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City.
The dates will be July 7-10, 2010. Watch this space for important conference and hotel registration information.
- ThrillerFest
- CraftFest
- AgentFest
- Latest News
- Special Guests
- Schedule
- Programming
- Attending ITW Members
- Prices
- Registration
- ThrillerFest Sponsors
- Thriller Awards
- Press
- Contact ThrillerFest
Support Independent Bookstores
