Whom You Know: Awesome Authors: Mover and Shaker Charles Kipps on Crystal Death

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Awesome Authors: Mover and Shaker Charles Kipps on Crystal Death

Charles Kipps

This Awesome Authors interview is sponsored by BB Jewels, one of our favorite jewelers! Check out this necklace: http://www.whomyouknow.com/2010/10/rock-your-body-with-bb-jewels-of.html & BB Jewels is on Shop with Peachy: http://www.whomyouknow.com/p/shop-with-peachy.html

We highly recommended Hell's Kitchen Homicide:
http://www.whomyouknow.com/2010/12/read-this-hells-kitchen-homicide-by.html

& Crystal Death:
http://www.whomyouknow.com/2011/01/read-this-crystal-death-by-charles.html

Charles Kipps is a Mover and Shaker:
http://www.whomyouknow.com/2011/01/movers-and-shakers-charles-kipps-author.html

Peachy Deegan had even more questions for Charles Kipps after reading Crystal Death, and we are thrilled to kick off our new column "Awesome Authors" with Mover and Shaker Charles Kipps. Peachy Deegan interviewed Charles Kipps for Whom You Know.

Peachy Deegan: Where did you learn so much about the diamond industry?

Charles Kipps: A Detective from Midtown North Precinct introduced me to a diamond dealer who works in the Diamond District on 47th Street. I then met various other people in the diamond industry and visited several companies whose business is diamonds. Everyone was extremely helpful. It was fascinating research.

How do you do your research to spin such a gripping tale?

In the case of Crystal Death, the research was twofold. As I said, I spent a great deal of time on 47th Street. And, as I always do when working on a cop television show or book, I checked in often with NYPD Detectives and others in law enforcement.

When you write a book such as Hell’s Kitchen Homicide or Crystal Death, where do you start and how does it evolve? Is there a specific process and how do you keep everything straight?

I start with the two most important parts of any mystery: the beginning and the end. Once I’ve set up the story, I turn my attention to the ending. Now that I have these two important bookends, I can find my way from point A to point B. To keep everything straight, I use a calendar to track Conor’s days and nights.

How does the editing process work? How many edits do you go through?

Writing is rewriting. I usually try to write as much as I can before I go back and edit. Otherwise, I get caught in a loop on chapter one and don’t get to chapter two for a week. As far as how many edits? Too many to count. Even though Hell’s Kitchen Homicide and Crystal Death are already published, I’m still editing both of them in my head.

What was easiest and most challenging about writing Crystal Death compared to Hell’s Kitchen Homicide?

The easiest? While writing Hell’s Kitchen Homicide, I spent a year getting to know Conor Bard so, in Crystal Death, I had a character I knew quite a bit about. The most challenging? Making sure that Crystal Death could stand alone as a novel and yet, at the same time, be a continuation of Hell’s Kitchen Homicide.

What restaurant is Uccelli based on?

It’s not based on any particular place, rather it’s a composite of many upscale Italian restaurants in Manhattan.

Are the Scorpions a real group and if not did you base them on something that does exist?

The Directorate of Special Operations -- known as the Scorpions -- was a special law enforcement unit in South Africa from 2001 until 2008, when they were merged with the South African Police.

What is Conor going to do next?

A woman visiting the city on vacation has been found murdered on 45th Street, just off Broadway. The Commissioner isn’t happy. Neither is the Mayor. After all, Times Square has been systematically turned into a destination for tourists. But don’t worry, Conor Bard is on the case.

Will his music career ever take off?

If this were the 70s, Conor would already have a recording contract with one of the many independent record labels of the era. Unfortunately, it’s the 2010s, a time in which major labels rule and there are few, if any, independents. Plus, it’s not so much about the music anymore -- it’s more about how many Facebook fans an artist can attract. But Conor hasn’t given up so who knows what might happen.

Why does Conor feel that only the mundane seems real?

Because it’s true. When something incredible happens, it seems surreal because incredible things don’t happen everyday. Mundane things do.

Anything else we should know?

Crystal Death was chosen by Kirkus as one of the best mysteries of 2010!

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