Deon Meyer is the author of the cop thrillers Dead Before Dying and Dead at Daybreak, first published in Afrikaans. Now translated, they show every sign of becoming an international success. His new novel, Heart of the Hunter (Hodder & Stoughton), ia about a man whose past is “littered with violence and death”, a past he is trying to avoid. But when his best friend is kidnapped, he has 72 hours to save his life, with the help of a mysterious computer disk. Meyer lives in Cape Town, where he works in website design.
Describe yourself in a sentence.
Hopefully, I’m like most of my characters – human, flawed, compassionate, passionate and three-dimensional.
Describe your book in a sentence.
If the man on the motorcycle being chased across the African sub-continent by the Intelligence Services, Military and Police is Umzingeli (The Hunter), they had better bring in all the reserves.
Describe your ideal reader.
Somebody who buys the book.
What was the originating idea for the book?
I travelled through most of sub-Saharan Africa on a motorcycle in the late Nineties, and it was a life-changing experience. I knew that one day I would write about the landscape, the people and the atmosphere.
Describe the process of writing and publishing the book. How long did it take?
Because I have a day job, my books take a little longer to finish than most. I usually take a break of about three months between books, and then start with research. The Internet has made this process a lot easier and shorter: for instance, choosing a firearm is now just a few clicks away, as opposed to finding an expert with the time and inclination to sit down and talk. Initial research is usually a two to three month process, although it doesn’t end until the book is finished. The writing takes about 15 months, during which I edit heavily as I go along. This means a shorter edit period at the end. My agent and editor provide ample feedback on the manuscript before the final draught. So, in all, about 18 to 24 months from start to finish.
Name some writers who have inspired you, and (briefly) tell us why or how.
I think we are influenced by every author we read, but obviously, some have a bigger influence than others. The writers I read at school perhaps had the biggest influence on me (perhaps because one is so impressionable then): Ed McBain, John D McDonald, John le Carré, Frederick Forsyth, Ted Allbeury, George Markstein and Brian Freemantle. Thinking about them now, I realise most of them had one thing in common – interesting, human characters. During the past decade, people like James Elroy, Pat Conroy, Michael Connelly, Lee Child and John Sandford have impressed.
What are you reading at the moment?
I’m busy with Irishman Joseph O’Connor’s amazing Inishowen, with John Katzenbach’s The Analyst next in line.
Do you write by hand, or use a typewriter or computer?
I use a computer, and regard Bill Gates as a major influence on my writing career.
What is the purpose of fiction?
Above all else, fiction is entertainment.