>>>
>>> THERE
>>> THERE ARE WRIT4@ERS IN CRIM FICTION THESE DAYS. IN MAINE THERE IS NO QUESTION
ONE OF THE FINEST IS JERRY
BOYLE.
HE PUBLISHED HIS 15 CRIME
NOVEL.
IT IS CALLED RANDOM ACT.
HE IS4@ WITH US PICNICS ARE
COMING IN.
NICE TO HAVE YOU BACK.
>> TAKES HER HAVING ME.
>> 15.
THAT IS A LOT OF WORK.
>> IT SEEMS 4@LIKE IT.
15 STORIES OVER 20 YEARS.
IT DOESN'T SEEM 4@SO ARDUOUS.
>> A REALLY4@ GREAT IDEA ABOUT
EVERY 15 MONTHS IS WHAT YOU
HAVE TO COME 4@UP WITH TO PROVI
THE FRAMEWORK FOR A NOVEL.
>> MORE OR LESS.
THE GREAT IDEA IS ONE THAT
SERVICES.
IF YOU CAN'T 4@DO THAT, YOU ARE
IN THE WRONG BUSINESS.
>> YOUR NEWSPAPER REPORTER
JACKIE LIVES 4@IN MAINE AND GET
INVOLVED IN SOME SORT OF 4@BAD
STUFF AND 4@COMES TO THE AID OF
PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT BEING
TREATED WELL BY THE BAD GUYS.
HOW MUCH OF YOU IS 4@IN JACK?
YOU WERE A NEWSPAPER REPORTER.
>> I 4@WAS.
HE WAS THE REPORTER 4@I WISH I
COULD HAVE BEEN IF IT WERE
LEGAL.>> HE TAKES 4@LIBERTIES
DOESN'T HE.
>> THERE 4@IS POLITICAL.4@
I HAVE REPORTER, A JOURNALIST
FRIEND TO THINK HE IS THE
ESSENCE OF THE TRADE.
HE JUST HAS THE LUXURY OF
TAKING IT A LITTLE FURTHER THAN
PEOPLE WHO DID IT 4@FROM DAY-TO-
DAY.
>> HE LIVES IN A SMALL TOWN,
RURAL, 4@CENTRAL MAINE. 4@
WHAT IS THE BASIC STORY THAT 4@
GETS ROLLING.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE US THE
WHOLE THOUGHT.
WHERE DOES IT BEGIN WITH RANDY
MAC?
>> HE WILL DO A CHORE.
REPORTERS DO CHORES.
HE WILL REPLACE THE TOILET IN 4@
HIS HOUSE.4@
WE HAVE BEEN FACED WITH THAT.
SOME OF US HAVE.
HE GOES TO A BIG BOX STORE.
EARLY DECEMBER.
HE MEETS A WOMAN IN THE PARKING
LOT4@ IN PASSING.
SHE WANTS TO CHAT.
HE IS IN A HURRY.
HE IS4@ IN A 4@SCHEDULE.
HE DOESN'T BRUSH HER OFF.
HE DOESN'T ENGAGE.
HE GOES INTO THE STORE.
HE GETS HIS TOILET.
HE IS WILLING THE COURT DOWN
THE AISLE.
HE HEAR SCREAMING.
HE AND 4@OTHER PEOPLE RUN TOWAR
THE SOUND, THE DESTINATION,
SOURCE OF THE SCREAMING.
HE SEES A MAN STANDING THERE. 4@
HE HAS SMASHED 4@4@A PERSON IN
HEAD WITH A HATCHET.
HE IS NOT RUNNING AWAY.
HE IS 4@STANDING AND RAVING.
JACK LOOKS DOWN4@ AND IT IS THE
WOMAN HE CHOSE NOT TO ENGAGE
WITHIN THE PARKING LOT.
>> THAT OUGHT TO HOOK A READER.
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT THESE DAYS,
ANYTIME ACTUALLY FOR A WRITER
TO REALLY GRAB 4@THAT READER IN
THE OPENING PAGES?
IS 4@THAT TO YOU ABSOLUTELY
CRUCIAL TO WHAT YOU'RE TRYING
TO DO?
>> YES.
IT IS CRUCIAL.
MORE AND MORE I THINK OF IT. 4@@
WHEN I SIT DOWN TO BEGIN A BOOK
I LOOK BACK AT EARLIER NOVELS.
THEY KIND OF MOVED INTO IT
SLOWLY.
I THINK THAT WA4@S A STYLE FOR
DIFFERENT TIME.
PEOPLE EXPECT TO BE HOOKED
RIGHT AWAY.
THEY HAVE MORE DISTRACTIONS.
MORE ALTERNATIVES TO READING
THAT BOOK. 4@
I THINK I ALSO DON'T TAKE 4@FOR
MORE ALTERNATIVES TO READING THAT BOOK. 4@ I THINK I ALSO DON'T TAKE 4@FOR@
GRANTED THAT THEY WILL READ
THEM.
4@ I WANT TO SET THE HOOK AS FAST
AS POSSIBLE.
ONCE THE PAGES 4@START TURNING,
LET THEM 4@SPIT THE HOOK OUT.
>> YOU HAVE ANOTHER PROTAGONIST
LET THEM 4@SPIT THE HOOK OUT. >> YOU HAVE ANOTHER PROTAGONIST@ YOU HAVE WRITTEN 3 4@4@BOOKS AB
CROSSFIRE, ABOUT BRANDON, A 4@
YOUNG POLICE OFFICER.
WHAT ARE YOU ALLOWED TO DO AS A
WRITER?
HOW CAN YOU STRETCH MUSCLES
WRITING ABOUT BRANDON IN AN
URBAN SETTING THAT YOU CAN'T DO
WITH JACK IN A 4@RURAL SETTING.
>> HE IS LIKE ME, HANDSOME,
COURAGEOUS, ALL THESE THINGS.
WE ARE IN THE SAME TRADE.
I ALWAYS FELT I 4@WAS MOONLIGHTG
, WRITING ABOUT 4@VIC MORROW.
I WANTED TO 4@WRITE 4@ABOUT A
YOUNGER CHARACTER.
I WANTED TO WRITE FOR A YOUNGER
AUDIENCE AND IN THE THIRD
PERSON.
IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A BIG
DISTINCT4@ION.
I HAVE WRITTEN 4@SEVERAL NOVELS
ABOUT THE CAMARO ALL IN THIS
FIRST PERSON.
I USED TO SAY4@ LIKE I HAD A GO
PRO ON HIS HEAD.
IF HE DIDN'T SEE IT 4@I COULDN'
SEE IT EITHER.
THE LUXURY OF THE THIRD 4@PERSO
THE LIBERTY OF IT.
IS THAT I CAN 4@GO ANYWHERE.
I CAN BE IN THE CRIMINALS HAD.
I CAN BE IN THE VICTIM'S HEADS.
I CAN BE IN HIS GIRLFRIENDS
HEAD WHEN HE IS NOT THERE.
SO, SUDDENLY, THE ABILITY TO
DEVELOP CHARACTERS IS VERY
DIFFERENT.
SO I WANTED TO DO THAT.
I ALSO 4@WANTED TO WRITE URBAN.
I WANTED TO WRITE PORTLAND, A
POLICE PROCEDURAL.
POLICE OFFICERS, IN 4@THIS CASE
IT IS ABOUT A POLICE SHOOTING.
SOMETHING I WANTED TO EXPLORE.
>> THERE IS 4@4@NO QUESTION.4@4
ALL OF YOUR