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Interview with R.M.F Brown, author of Death to Love

Tell us about your new book.

It  is called Death To Love. It’s a crime novel set in 1960s West Germany.

Now, I know what you’re thinking, another crime novel about a world-weary detective who is drunk, divorced, and only does his job because he can’t do anything else. And he has enough demons to make Hell short staffed. In many respects this is true, but unlike most detectives whose demons seem to spring from diaper trouble when they were young, the protagonist of this novel really does have a dark past. For, you see, he was a policeman in the German army during WW2, and may or may not have done questionable things. Plus, the book deals with themes in West Germany at the time i.e a society confronting it’s dark past. It’s niche and in my view, provides an alternative to the usual fare.

So it falls into the crime genre?

Crime, although it can fit in the thriller genre as well.

Are you done with this character or are there going to be further Jens Falkenberg novels?

I’m happy to say that there will be further Jens Falkenburg novels. Initially, my plan was to await feedback, and if sales were good i.e more than one copy sold, I would write a sequel. I’ve decided to press ahead with further sequels regardless of sales level. I’m working on the maxim that popular wisdom is a euphemism for crass stupidity. The public are going to get these sequels regardless of demand!

In that case, you’d better tell us what kind of readers you expect it to appeal to.

It will appeal to lovers of crime, and because of it’s settings, to people with an interest in German history. I hope. Hopefully, it will appeal to the German market, but since I can’t translate into German, and since they’ve probably never heard of it, I’m not holding out much hope!

Did you have to do lots of research for Death to Love?

I didn’t have to do a lot of research for the novel as I’ve done a lot of German history at university, have travelled to Germany many a time, and have an interest in the country. When you’re surrounded by the richness of German heritage,these stories tend to write themselves. Furthermore, for your non UK readers, the UK has an obsession with Nazi Germany and German history, because of the war. We’re constantly bombarded (no pun intended) with various documentaries on the Third Reich, so much so, that even the man in the street knows his German history. In other words, research was at a minimal.

How long did it take to write?

It took two months to write, and I’m amazed I finished it. It’s not easy to write a book when your neighbours are knocking down houses, lawnmowers are constantly parked outside your window, and you’ve got bills to pay. Society can be unkind to men of letters!

So were noisy neighbours the greatest challenge to your creative process?

It’s a universal constant that just when you’re in the middle of something important, the phone will ring… And it will be a bloody call centre trying to sell you something you have no interest in. That happened a lot. Other writers talk of the difficulties of plot, and characters, and writers’ block. I yearn for the days when my problems will be as simple as that!

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m a student of history, a smooth and generous person, envied by men, beloved by women. I have a quiet air of power about me that can cow people into obedience. Then there is the real me, the white, mid twenties geek who talks like Dirty Harry and walk like Debbie Harry. I like Star Wars and Star Trek, but you already knew that.

Have you got a blog?

No, but I do have a twitter account (@RMFBrown).

Where can readers buy Death to Love?

They can buy it at Amazon kindle store.

What’s next?

A sequel to Death to Love, or a western, or a horror novel about killer bees attacking London. I’m spoilt for choice. Or I may have to get a ‘proper’ job!

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  1. Pingback: Interview with RMF Brown, author of A Rat’s War | Indie Author Land

  2. Pingback: Interview with RMF Brown, author of The Painter of Guernica | Indie Author Land

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