One question I'm often asked (obviously by readers who haven't read my work yet) is whether I prefer to set my stories in places I know or in places I've never set foot. It's an interesting question, and one that deserves a full answer...so here goes.
As an Australian now living in Brittany, I find myself setting most of my fiction these day - almost instinctively - around my new home. That's quite a dramatic change considering the differences between the state of Queensland and the ancient Duchy of Brittany. The move from my home in Brisbane to my wife's in Brittany was made for a number of reasons, and none of them have anything to do with my writing, not directly in any case. Nonetheless, Brittany leaves an indelible mark on my writing, and I like to think that one day, my writing will leave its mark on Brittany. Within easy walking distance of my village, there are marshes, a mediaeval mound once used as a lookout, and an abandoned windmill. A short drive away, you'll find dolmens, the ruins of a castle, a sea cave inhabited by a korrigan, and German bunkers built during WWII...to see all this, find me on Instagram! There are misty mornings over the marshland here and stormy nights with waves crashing against the granite coast. You'll not be surprised to know all this provides endless inspiration (or awen to stick with the Celtic theme) for a writer of mystery, suspense, and horror. Added to this is the fact that for me as a writer, it's important to actually go and sit in the place a story is set, at least very now and then. One of my unpublished short mysteries featuring Oscar Tremont is set in a nearby river port (La Roche-Bernard) and the picturesque setting plays an important role in the plot.
So there you go. Not every story I'm working on and plan to write is set in Brittany, but most of them are, and when you read them you'll know there's nothing arbitrary about the setting. I'll be taking you on a guided tour of this ancient land, with its dramatic landscapes, its history, its legends, its superstitions, and you might even learn a word of two of its language too! Kenavo!
3 comments:
It seems like quite a cultural change. Do you find the Australian and French artistic sensibilities ever at a clash, or is inspiration just something universal(perhaps just subject to nuance)?
I love it when writers set stories in the regions where they live. vbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb (Oops, sorry, my rescue cat Yura walked over the keyboard)
These stories stand out with their authenticty, they refreshingly different and they feel real.
Thank you both for your comments. It is quite a big cultural change, although Brittany is probably less of a shock in some ways than other parts of France. It's difficult to say exactly in terms of different artistic sensibilities because most of my contact with writers is online and with fellow English speakers. That said, I read French books and watch French TV and there are some big differences. In terms of the mystery genre, for example, and this will sound stereotypical...but it's true, a British (or American or Australian) mystery drama will have a mystery at the heart of the story whereas French mystery dramas tend to focus on sexual or hierarchical tension between police officers at the expense of a well-developed plot. The acting is also generally more theatrical (sometimes almost to point of being "ham") and thus less convincing. There is a huge emphasis of style over matter here. Like I said, when it comes to Brittany specifically, it's not to the same extent as the more broadly known Parisian-French culture...more down-to-earth and practical here.
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