SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL |
- Quick Read Covers Revealed!
- Burn, baby, burn! Creating serial arsonist characters by L.A. Larkin
- Óskar Guðmundsson on A Story That Needed to Be Told
| Posted: 09 Nov 2021 01:05 AM PST THE READING AGENCY REVEALS QUICK READS COVERS AND HOW THOUSANDS OF FREE 'BUY ONE, GIFT ONE' BOOKS ARE SPREADING THE JOY OF READING  The Reading Agency has unveiled the eye-catching covers for the Quick Reads stories publishing on 14 April 2022, written by M.W. Craven, Paula Hawkins, Ayisha Malik, Santa Montefiore, Kate Mosse, Graham Norton, Lemn Sissay and Alex Wheatle. Forming part of the life-changing literacy programme tackling the UK's adult literacy crisis by helping less confident readers start reading, these eight, new short books will also be included in the World Book Night 2022 list. The Reading Agency has also shared the many ways in which the 36,000 copies of this year's Quick Reads titles donated as part of the 15th anniversary 'Buy One Gift One' campaign have reached those who struggle with reading or have limited access to books. From August to October, tens of thousands of free books were distributed to local authorities, libraries, prisons, adult learning organisations and community-based charities around the country. The 'Quick Reads' short stories by best-selling authors Louise Candlish, Katie Fforde, Peter James, Caitlin Moran, Oyinkan Braithwaite and Khurrum Rahman have been encouraging new readers at food banks, homeless shelters, literacy classes, refugee groups as well as those in prison, to find the pleasure and benefits that come from reading. Karen Napier, CEO, The Reading Agency, said: 'Thanks to the support and generosity of our Quick Reads publishers and the close collaboration of our many partners, including the generous support of Jojo Moyes, tens of thousands of these transformative stories have been put directly into the hands of those who need them the most helping progress of our mission to break down barriers to reading, and spread the joy of books to new audiences.' 'Buy One, Gift One' This year's 'Buy One, Gift One' campaign helps The Reading Agency to get copies of these transformative books into the hands of those that need them most, particularly those who have experienced acute hardship throughout the pandemic. This year, thousands of free books are being distributed in partnership with libraries and other organisations who are providing frontline support, including homelessness charities, food banks, prisons, and Young Offender Institutions. Libraries in Newham, an east London borough facing significant problems in poverty and inequality, are gifting books to services supporting young people experiencing mental health issues and running functional skills courses. These include local Youth Zones, Newham Youth Offending Team, Supported Living, Adult Learning Services, the Newham Food Alliance and Colleges of Further Education. Councillor Charlene McLean, Deputy Mayor and Lead Member for Resident Participation and Engagement, Newham Council said: 'Here in Newham we are really excited to be gifting The Baby is Mine by Oyinkan Braithwaite, through our Adult Learning Service, Supported Living Schemes, Youth Zones and Youth Offending Teams. By gifting through these routes we aim to reach those adults and young people who would benefit most from a Quick Read, discovering, perhaps for the first time, a book that is accessible end engaging with no pressure to read it and no one judging their reading ability. We really hope that by gifting the right book, for the right person at the right time, our donations will help our selected residents to develop a love of reading and further improve their literacy skills.' Krystal Vittles, Head of Service Delivery, Suffolk Libraries, said: 'At Suffolk Libraries' we decided to gift from our static libraries as well as through our prison libraries to ensure these fantastic books made an impact, and hopefully spread a little joy. We also worked with our partners at Suffolk County Council to gift these books through local foodbanks as a gift for people who are experiencing tough times. We believe that reading, literacy and access to books is a fundamental human right and so we're always keen to be part of initiatives like this to spread the love of reading.' Oldham Libraries have distributed copies to the Oldham Council Emerging Communities Team, the Local Authority Asylum Support Liaison Officers, the Oldham Lifelong Learning Centre – who deliver literacy skills courses – and the Oldham Street Angels, who provide food, clothing, shelter and support to Oldham's homeless. Jacqueline Widdowson, Senior Library Officer, Oldham Libraries, said: 'We plan to work with our local homeless charity, The Street Angels. Many of Oldham's homeless people already use our libraries and are big readers. It will be nice to encourage both current and lapsed readers to enjoy the escapism and warmth of taking yourself outside of your current experience through reading.'  |
| Burn, baby, burn! Creating serial arsonist characters by L.A. Larkin Posted: 09 Nov 2021 12:00 AM PST  Serial arsonists make great antagonists in crime fiction. There is something incredibly sinister about their modus operandi. The FBI defines serial arson as, "an offense committed by fire setters who set three or more fires with a significant cooling-off period between fires." But what motivates arsonists? What are their personality traits? And how can authors use this information to create fascinating and terrifying characters? I began researching arsonists when I was writing The Safe Place in which a serial killer uses fire to cover up his crimes. The story is set in Washington in a small country town threatened by wildfires. Jessie Lewis witnesses the killer lighting a house fire, just before she is knocked unconscious. She becomes his next target. The mystery at the centre of the book is the identity of the serial arsonist. The suspects display one or more of the six personality traits that profilers and psychologists attribute to serial arsonists. One of the most frequently referenced reports on the motivations of serial arsonists and their typical offender characteristics was undertaken by the Behavioral Science Unit of the FBI in 1980. They concluded that arsonists tend to crave power, adulation and even sexual thrills. They find fire beautiful and many love to watch it wreak its magnificent destruction. Often, they are loners who have been rejected by their community. But not always. Some of the most famous arsonists were popular, family men. The six generally recognised motivators are:
Revenge My central character, Jessie, is the main suspect. A former volunteer firefighter, she not only knows how to put out fires, she also knows how to start them and get away with it. Jessie is ostracised from her hometown and lives alone in the forest. Why she is ostracised has nothing to do with fire and everything to do with the domestic violence she suffered at the hands of her then boyfriend. This doesn't matter to the local sheriff who regards Jessie as a liar with an axe to grind. Revenge-based arsonists are, according to experts, usually adult males in blue-collar jobs, which means that Jessie is an unusual candidate. Another character in my thriller, Bill Moran, is an old man who lives in the forest surrounded by junk cars. He likes to climb on the roof of his cabin and watch the wildfires in the distance as they burn through the national park. It turns out that he, and another character, have motives for revenge. Excitement and craving hero worship These arsonists are the thrill-seeker who light wildfires and/or burn down occupied structures because it empowers them and gives them a high. In this group are firefighter arsonists. They set the fires, watch them burn and then race in to put them out, heroically saving people's lives. A well-known example of this was firefighter and arson investigator John Orr of California's Glendale Fire Department. In The Safe Place, Marcus Harstad, the fire chief and Jessie's abuser, is a narcissist who craves adulation. He has means, motive and opportunity. But he is not the only character in the book who craves adulation and recognition. Crime concealment The fires are lit to destroy physical evidence, or the identity of a victim. In my thriller, the arsonist initially sets out to make the housefires look like accidents. Then he uses fire to conceal the fact that one of the victims was shot dead before the blaze consumed them. However, bullets can survive fire. The killer then goes on to set fires that deliberately implicate Jessie. Ironically, the middle-aged sheriff, who is investigating the crimes, fits the profile of the older and wiser serial arsonist. They are often regarded as the most dangerous fire starters because as their confidence and experience grows, they set bigger and more dangerous fires. Vandalism These fires are usually lit by juveniles through boredom, rebellion, peer pressure, or are gang related. Children known to have started fires when they are young are likely to keep lighting them as adults. Profit There are plenty of news stories about people who set fire to their homes, businesses, or cars for the insurance money or for other financial reasons. They are often ordinary people driven by desperation or greed, who did not intend to kill anyone. Such plans can go horribly wrong. And because of their lack of skill at starting fires, they are usually caught. Extremism Extremists set fires to further political, social, or religious causes and may use bombs. They are likely to have done a lot of preparation and may well be prepared to die in the conflagration of their own making. One of my characters, a former FBI agent, and Jessie's only ally, was badly injured by a bomb blast and as a result she is terrified of fire. Profiles of serial arsonists are full of inspiring details that can help authors create credible, complex, and creepy arsonist characters. Fire can add drama, ramp up the tension, conceal evidence, frighten witnesses, and keep a reader glued to your book.  The Safe Place by L A Larkin (Bookouture) Out Now. Her heart pounds at the sound of footsteps outside her cabin in the woods. The snap of a twig tells her someone is close by. As she treads lightly towards the back door, she says a silent prayer—don't let him find me… Ever since Jessie Lewis reported her boyfriend, fire chief and local hero, for beating her, she's been an outcast from the small town of Eagle Falls. And when someone sets fire to a house in the woods, killing the entire Troyer family, the locals turn on her again, taking her very public argument with Paul Troyer as proof that she lit the match. Devastated that anyone could think her capable of murder, Jessie turns to Ruth. New in town, and an ex-FBI agent, Ruth could be the exact person Jessie needs to smoke out the murderer. But can she trust her with her life? Days later, another house linked to Jessie is set ablaze. Combing the ashes for answers, she catches sight of an inscription she hasn't seen since her childhood—since she lost someone very close to her. Is the killer is coming for her next? As local wildfires take hold of the town and everyone is evacuated, Jessie knows she must put herself in unthinkable danger to catch the killer. And when she does, will she have the strength to take them down first? More information about L A Larkin can be found on her website. You can also find her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter @lalarkinauthor and on Instagram.
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| Óskar Guðmundsson on A Story That Needed to Be Told Posted: 08 Nov 2021 10:00 PM PST
 An encounter with a childhood friend after a gap of many years was the spark that behind Óskar Guðmundsson's The Commandments, his first novel to appear in English, published by niche translated fiction outfit Corylus Books. Powerful themes run through the book, which addresses the highly sensitive issue of the abuse of boys by a number of clergymen over many years. "In Iceland this debate about abuse within the Church has always been a painful one, and it has been carefully largely kept out of sight," Óskar said. "This is the most challenging subject I have taken on so far and it didn't take me long to realise how tough this was going to be." Meeting up with someone who had been part of the same youth group in their early teens was a shock, as this man had led a deeply troubled life, due in large part to having been abused by a priest who arranged and accompanied groups of young people on trips out of Reykjavík. "I was fortunate to escape one of the bad apples of the Church. I must have sensed that something wasn't right, and the priest's approaches rang alarm bells in my head. I stopped taking part, but in spite of my warnings, my friend stayed. We lost touch and it was many years later that I met him again. By then he was a terribly damaged individual, and told me the whole story." That story formed the basis of The Commandments, and although the characters and events are from my imagination and the setting has been moved to the north of Iceland, his account of what happened to him is at the centre of the story. "I've asked myself again and again if I could have done more back then to protest him from all this. I felt this was a story that needed to be told, with its themes of broken trust, forgiveness and hatred, and to describe how this abuse starts from small beginnings and grows to wreck lives." Early in the writing of the book, Óskar took the decision to locate the events in and around the town of Akureyri in northern Iceland, a place for which he has a great fondness. It's not a big place by European or US standards, a community of just under 20,000 people, but it forms the largest settlement in the country outside the capital region of Reykjavík. Akureyri is also surrounded by smaller communities, such as the coastal village of Grenivík where the first brutal murder in the story comes to light. When The Commandments was published in Iceland, it didn't escape notice, not least because the Glerá Church at the centre of Akureyri is one of the key locations in the story. "This is very sensitive subject matter in Iceland, and I had a request from the priest at the Glerá Church to pay him a visit, and it was very obvious that he and his colleague were extremely disturbed by the book and its themes. In particular they were concerned in case I had some particular person in mind connected to the church. We had a very long conversation and I was able to assure them that while the underlying themes are very real, the events and the persons portrayed in the book are drawn purely from my imagination," he said. "It has been a challenge to write this story, but this is a story I felt needed to be told."   On a Sunday morning in 1995, Anton, a nineteen year old boy, meets a priest in front of a church. The young man was never seen again. Twenty years later, under the midnight sun, a pastor is found brutally murdered in his church in a small fishing village north of the city of Akureyri, close to the Arctic Circle. When detective inspector Salka starts working on the case a deacon is found crucified in his home in Akureyri. The murderer leaves a message on both crime scenes and Salka realises that the killer is seeking revenge but she also fears that the lives of some other people in the church society are in danger. The two cases take an unexpected turn when Salka discovers a connection between the killings and events that took place two decades earlier. Former police officer Salka Steinsdóttir finds herself pitched into the toughest investigation of her life, just as she is back in the tranquil north of Iceland to recover from a personal trauma. The victim is someone she had pursued earlier in her career – and had never been able to pin down. Now a killer has taken the law into their own hands and meted out brutal retribution for ancient crimes. Salka is faced with tracking down the murderer of a stalwart of the church and the community, a man whose dark reputation stretches deep into the past, and even into the police team tasked with solving the case. As the killer prepares to strike again, Salka and her team search for the band of old friends who could be either killers or victims – or both.   |
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