Ask the Author: Emma Salisbury
Answered Questions (8)
Emma Salisbury
Hi Joy, thanks for your question! You are correct, I am writing at the moment and really putting Coupland through his paces. The third novel in the DS Coupland series is due out in November. I'm really pleased you are enjoying the series. Regards, Emma
Emma Salisbury
Hi there! Great questions, they really got me thinking about the process I use. I was born in Salford, so my earliest influences relating to accent, culture, colloquialisms stem from there and I found when I first started writing that all my work had a particularly northern voice. Now I'd be really interested from your viewpoint here - how relevant is that voice? Do you think it encourages/discourages the reader? Maybe this is something I should explore further. Anyway, the 'rule' that you should write about what you know is spot on, and I could no more write about Downton Abbey type aristocrats than I could American GIs during WW2. I do believe that familiarity with the area and the people you are writing about, is vital. In terms of frame of mind, when I have my Salford hat on (which I'm wearing again now as I'm working on the third DS Coupland novel) I feel a raw, vital energy, Coupland is as honest as the day is long and his honesty gets him into trouble on a regular basis. He's a no nonsense guy, belt and braces without a political bone in his body. I often listen to James or Oasis tracks when I'm writing as in my view they convey much of the energy about the city. Also, I write this series in the third person, which enables me to tell the victims' story, which is important to me as I am very interested in why crimes were committed rather than just who.
When we moved to Scotland I felt that I didn't have the right to tackle a novel set here and I certainly didn't feel I knew enough about the everyday culture of folk in Edinburgh. Then I started working with socially excluded young men(ex-offenders) and everything changed. In the most part these men were trying so hard to rehabilitate but found the system worked against them. I could go on forever on this topic as it makes me so mad but suffice to say Davy Johnson was born. The Edinburgh he inhabits is as far removed from the shortbread tin image as you can get, but it's a real throbbing underbelly with its own values that provides a network for those forgotten by the mainstream. It's an angry series, fighting against daily injustices meted down from an establishment meant to care. The main characters are intrinsically moral, and provide much needed support for each other. I used to work for an Edinburgh housing association and the properties I visited provide much of the setting. It's written in the first person because this is very much Davy's view of the world around him and I wanted it to be visceral, with nothing held back. To stop scenes being too graphic Davy simply doesn't 'see' them. I'm not a football fan in any shape or form but I do like to play The Proclaimers, particularly Sunshine on Leith, to get me in the right mind frame. Ironically, when I'm writing this series I have a stronger need for justice than the Salford series.
With regard to your last question, without putting any spoilers in, the Edinburgh plots could probably transfer into the Salford series but I don't think Davy would be able to tackle the crimes in Salford. For example in Fragile Cord, the police are required to prepare a report to the coroner and he wouldn't be able to do that, and in relation to incident outside the wine bar and the shooting in A Place of Safety, I think it would more than likely have sparked a turf war...
When we moved to Scotland I felt that I didn't have the right to tackle a novel set here and I certainly didn't feel I knew enough about the everyday culture of folk in Edinburgh. Then I started working with socially excluded young men(ex-offenders) and everything changed. In the most part these men were trying so hard to rehabilitate but found the system worked against them. I could go on forever on this topic as it makes me so mad but suffice to say Davy Johnson was born. The Edinburgh he inhabits is as far removed from the shortbread tin image as you can get, but it's a real throbbing underbelly with its own values that provides a network for those forgotten by the mainstream. It's an angry series, fighting against daily injustices meted down from an establishment meant to care. The main characters are intrinsically moral, and provide much needed support for each other. I used to work for an Edinburgh housing association and the properties I visited provide much of the setting. It's written in the first person because this is very much Davy's view of the world around him and I wanted it to be visceral, with nothing held back. To stop scenes being too graphic Davy simply doesn't 'see' them. I'm not a football fan in any shape or form but I do like to play The Proclaimers, particularly Sunshine on Leith, to get me in the right mind frame. Ironically, when I'm writing this series I have a stronger need for justice than the Salford series.
With regard to your last question, without putting any spoilers in, the Edinburgh plots could probably transfer into the Salford series but I don't think Davy would be able to tackle the crimes in Salford. For example in Fragile Cord, the police are required to prepare a report to the coroner and he wouldn't be able to do that, and in relation to incident outside the wine bar and the shooting in A Place of Safety, I think it would more than likely have sparked a turf war...
Emma Salisbury
Partly around a factual event, partly an overheard conversation...
Emma Salisbury
Jeezo, I can't answer that honestly! Let's just say I have worked with some colourful people during my career...you don't need to make it up, just read the papers, it's out there...
Emma Salisbury
I am preparing for the release of A PLACE OF SAFETY, which is the follow up to FRAGILE CORD, my police procedural set in Salford. It will be available from Amazon from 1 November.
I'm currently writing the second book (no title yet!) in my Edinburgh crime series, the follow up to TRUTH LIES WAITING, with local anti hero Davy Johnson returning to help a troubled crime lord.
I'm currently writing the second book (no title yet!) in my Edinburgh crime series, the follow up to TRUTH LIES WAITING, with local anti hero Davy Johnson returning to help a troubled crime lord.
Emma Salisbury
Keep at it and don't stop! It's a long journey, I've been writing for eight years now but the first couple of years I realise now I was learning the ropes.
Emma Salisbury
When you get feedback from someone that says they felt the same way about something you'd written about...
Emma Salisbury
I've been lucky in that I don't really get it. What I mean is that I only sit down to write when I've got something to say so the rest of the time I'll be doing the laundry or grocery shopping or whatever else I need to do and if something comes into my head I'll try to jot it down quickly!
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