Finn Bell's Blog

Attention: My first 3 books have now been re-titled, re-edited and re-covered. ‘Dead Lemons’ is now titled ‘The Killing Ground’, ‘Pancake Money’ is titled ‘One Last Kill’ and The Easter Make Believers is titled ‘Good Hot Hate.’ Fair warning. Carry on.

Last year I won the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best First Novel (for 'Dead Lemons') while 'Pancake Money' my 2nd book also made finalist. 'Dead Lemons' has now made finalist in the Eric Hoffer Horizon Award and won the 2018 ELIT Gold Medal for Best Mystery while 'Pancake Money' won a Silver Medal in the 2018 Independent Publishers Awards for Best Mystery / Thriller E book. (There, all done. Let's not make a thing of it).

(Links: http://www.hofferaward.com/First-Hori..., http://www.elitawards.com/2018_result..., http://www.independentpublisher.com/a...)

A while ago a reader sent me this question: “If you could summarize your book in one sentence what would it be?” It’s not the first time.

I often get questions along these lines. Questions about the underlying principle or message behind my books. Is there a theme? What are you trying to say? (I’m ignoring the obvious indication that I need to be a better writer. So . . .)

The deeper answer - which I formed long before I started writing - is timeless, complex and layered and can be most clearly expressed as:

I don’t know. I mostly just do stuff.

(This answer, if I’m being honest, possibly applies to more than just writing.)

I’d really like it to be something more impressive but the problem with the truth is that it is. So there.

I couldn’t really tell you why I write, or why I write the things I do. (I could make up something better, but since that’s what writing stories already mostly is I won’t.)

Instead I set out to find an answer (or at least the next best thing). The search was involved and without boundaries. It took time. Today I feel like I’ve come as close as my limited abilities will allow. My answer, if it is out there, is caught somewhere between the following.

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

Exhibit C:

If I ever do better I’ll let you know.

DEAD LEMONS

Available on Amazon, iBooks,

Kobo and Barnes & Noble now.

I really mean it. 

Congratulations to all the authors of all 10 books long listed for the 2017 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel. Read more here: https://thespinoff.co.nz/books/15-06-2017/making-a-killing-the-best-new-zealand-crime-novels-revealed/

Very happy to say that today my first book 'Dead Lemons' officially has it's Best Seller label charting at Number 1 on Amazon in International Mystery & Crime Books. A big thank you to all my readers.

For those who have asked about new releases I'm happy to announce that I will be publishing 2 more books this year - due out May and October. (For those who are consequently also concerned about the workload - fear not - I have also bought a cushion for my chair). To find out more go here: http://www.finnbellbooks.com/

Turns out I’m not entirely human (I’ve had my suspicions for some time). I recently found out that I have some Neanderthal DNA in the mix – some people still do apparently. There’s no specific benefits to having them as they mostly only try to annoy you (through – in my case – funny to severe allergic reactions to almost everything everywhere) and also make you constantly crave fried chicken (has to be true – I’m sure). It’s nice to think, at least, that some 30 000 odd years ago some relative (human or otherwise) took what must have been a pretty big chance on love.

My reading history is a whole smattering of random books over the years (and growing up is still ongoing over here) but I’d have to say the following authors hit me hard when I was younger (in no particular order): Terry Pratchett, Neal Asher, Jim Dodge, and Stephen King.

In my day job I’ve worked in Night Shelters, Charities, Hospitals and Prisons (and various interesting neighborhoods where I got repeat business from the same above client group). Over the years people have told me absolutely amazing things (spanning the human condition from wondrous to grotesque). After a while some of those things started following me home – writing became a way of making sense of it. Eventually that writing coalesced into my first book Dead Lemons.

Unlikely, because none of them are mine and none of them are made up. It’s going to sound crazy (especially when you read my books) but thus far everything I’ve put in my stories has been done (usually to someone un-consenting) somewhere in the world. (See my answer to the previous question for context

How important is marketing and social media for you?

I’m only starting out but it’s a big part of my approach so far – Facebook, twitter and website – I have them all (inserting shameless plug: Please visit www.finnbellbooks.com ). So they will either be lauded as being behind my stellar success or pointed at as part of my abject failure. We’ll see.

Don’t really know if I have any accrued wisdom worth sharing that smarter people don’t already know. Why do I write? I write because it helps me (to at least try) to be a better person. I write what I know, about the things I’ve seen, the people I’ve met.I write because it helps me hold on to some things and helps me let go of others. This all works for me. Whether that will make for good books (that other people get something out of) I don’t know.

I’m currently re-reading ‘Fup’ by Jim Dodge. (If you haven’t yet you really should and if you have it’s probably time again.)

I’ve recently released 'Dead Lemons' and 'Pancake Money' at the same time. I’m now working on my third due for release April(ish) 2017.

Turns out I’m not entirely human (I’ve had my suspicions for some time). I recently found out that I have some Neanderthal DNA in the mix – some people still do apparently. There’s no specific benefits to having them as they mostly only try to annoy you (through – in my case – funny to severe allergic reactions to almost everything everywhere) and also make you constantly crave fried chicken (has to be true – I’m sure). It’s nice to think, at least, that some 30 000 odd years ago some relative (human or otherwise) took what must have been a pretty big chance on love.

My reading history is a whole smattering of random books over the years (and growing up is still ongoing over here) but I’d have to say the following authors hit me hard when I was younger (in no particular order): Terry Pratchett, Neal Asher, Jim Dodge, and Stephen King.

In my day job I’ve worked in Night Shelters, Charities, Hospitals and Prisons (and various interesting neighborhoods where I got repeat business from the same above client group). Over the years people have told me absolutely amazing things (spanning the human condition from wondrous to grotesque). After a while some of those things started following me home – writing became a way of making sense of it. Eventually that writing coalesced into my first book Dead Lemons.

Unlikely, because none of them are mine and none of them are made up. It’s going to sound crazy (especially when you read my books) but thus far everything I’ve put in my stories has been done (usually to someone un-consenting) somewhere in the world. (See my answer to the previous question for context).

I have a day job so I fit in writing as and when I can (which is mostly all over the place). That hasn’t really changed. If I could choose I’d write in the early morning though. I don’t write faster then but I feel like I write better.

I’m only starting out but it’s a big part of my approach so far – Facebook, twitter and website – I have them all (inserting shameless plug: Please visit www.finnbellbooks.com ). So they will either be lauded as being behind my stellar success or pointed at as part of my abject failure. We’ll see.

Don’t really know if I have any accrued wisdom worth sharing that smarter people don’t already know. Why do I write? I write because it helps me (to at least try) to be a better person. I write what I know, about the things I’ve seen, the people I’ve met.I write because it helps me hold on to some things and helps me let go of others. This all works for me. Whether that will make for good books (that other people get something out of) I don’t know.

I’m currently re-reading ‘Fup’ by Jim Dodge. (If you haven’t yet you really should and if you have it’s probably time again.)

I’ve recently released 'Dead Lemons' and 'Pancake Money' in The Far South Series at the same time. I’m now working on my third due for release April(ish) 2017.