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Harrogate Crime Writing Festival

Mark Lawson reports from the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival, with Kate Atkinson on Jackson Brodie, Ruth Rendell and Jeanette Winterson on their relationship, and Val McDermid.

With Mark Lawson, who reports from this year's Harrogate Crime Writing Festival.

Ruth Rendell and Jeanette Winterson discuss their friendship, which began when Winterson was a house-sitter for Rendell in 1986. The writers also discuss crime plots, exercise regimes and mammoth book signing sessions.

Kate Atkinson turned to crime-writing with Case Histories, which has become a TV series with Jason Isaacs playing private investigator Jackson Brodie. Atkinson reveals her reluctance to call herself a crime-writer and why she often comes up with titles before stories.

For the second year running Denise Mina received the Novel of the Year award. But there were times when she feared her winning book wouldn't be published. Mina discusses rewriting her book in a weekend.

Val McDermid, Erin Kelly, David Mark, Steve Mosby and Nicci French - husband and wife duo Nicci Gerrard and Sean French - discuss debut writers and JK Rowling's The Cuckoo's Calling, writers' block and tweeting, pure evil and taking inspiration from real life events.

In front of an audience, Stuart MacBride, Catriona McPherson, Manda Scott and Cathi Unsworth reflect on how crime novels of the future could change, in the light of new technology and online developments.

Producer Claire Bartleet.

Available now

30 minutes

Main image: Ruth Rendell and Jeanette Winterson

Main image taken at the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival, courtesy of photographer Fenris Oswin

Authors

No Man's Nightingale by is published by Hutchinson
The Daylight Gate by is published by Hammer聽
Life After Life by聽聽is published by聽Doubleday聽
Gods and Beasts by is published by Orion

DISCUSSION 1

Cross and Burn by is published by聽Little, Brown
The Burning Air by is published by Hodder
Original Skin by is published by Quercus
Dark Room by is published by Orion
Waiting for Wednesday by is published by Michael Joseph

DISCUSSION 2

Close to the Bone by is published by Harper聽
Dandy Gilver and a Deadly Measure of Brimstone by is published by聽Hodder & Stoughton
Boudica: Dreaming The Eagle by is published by Bantam聽
Weirdo by is published by聽Serpent's Tail聽聽聽

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Mark Lawson
Interviewed Guest Ruth Rendell
Interviewed Guest Jeanette Winterson
Interviewed Guest Kate Atkinson
Interviewed Guest Denise Mina
Interviewed Guest Val McDermid
Interviewed Guest Erin Kelly
Interviewed Guest David Mark
Interviewed Guest Steve Mosby
Interviewed Guest Nicci Gerrard
Interviewed Guest Sean French
Interviewed Guest Stuart MacBride
Interviewed Guest Catriona McPherson
Interviewed Guest Manda Scott
Interviewed Guest Cathi Unsworth
Producer Claire Bartleet

Broadcast

  • Mon 26 Aug 2013 19:15

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