Stephanie Merritt, MJ Carter on historical fiction: ‘It was brilliant to make stuff up!’
What kind of characters are you drawn to?
I wanted to create a character who was quite reticent and cool because I’m not, my instincts are always to blab and blurt. I like that in a character, to have all that subtext, I think that’s the most interesting to read. The hardboiled loner with the wound, I do very much like that, especially in a detective. They have to be an outsider and fallible but not too morally compromised.
I am looking forward to reading some MJ Carter – like The Strangler Vine – because – in part – I am ‘the hardboiled loner with the wound’ she alludes to.
from Stowe Boyd http://www.stoweboyd.com/post/152067576427
