Making a Killing: How to write a best-selling crime book

Three writers at different stages in their careers – Kathryn Fox, Hannah Kent and Jane Harper – talk to fellow author Jaye Ford about the trajectory of their literary careers and what made the difference to their publishing success.

Sydney-based Kathryn Fox is the award winning, internationally acclaimed author of seven novels in the Anya Crichton series. In 2015 she co-authored Private Sydney (Random House) with James Patterson, which became an instant bestseller.

Kathryn is currently developing the screenplay based on Helen Keller’s adult life as an activist, and working on a crime-based TV series project. A physician with a special interest in forensic medicine, Kathryn has become an advocate for victims of violence and firmly believes that stories increase both empathy and humanity, things society needs now more than ever. Info: http://kathrynfox.com/about/

Hannah Kent’s debut novel about the last woman to be executed in Iceland began life as a doctoral thesis and then became the international bestseller Burial Rites (2013: Picador; Little, Brown), translated into 28 languages. It won the ABIA Literary Fiction Book of the Year, the Indie Awards Debut Fiction Book of the Year and the Victorian Premier’s People’s Choice Award, amongst others. Burial Rites is currently being adapted to film by Lionsgate.

Hannah co-founded the Australian literary journal Kill Your Darlings, where she is currently publishing director. Her second novel, The Good People, is due out in October 2016. Info: http://hannahkentauthor.com/

Jane Harper is at the beginning of her literary career. She won the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for an Unpublished Manuscript in 2015 and, The Dry, her first novel, is being published by Pan Macmillan in June. Rights have already been sold to over twenty territories and it has been optioned for a film by Reese Witherspoon and Bruna Papandrea’s production company, Pacific Standard.

Catch up with Sue Turnbull’s review in Fairfax Media on 11 June 2016: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/the-dry-review-jane-harpers-hot-crime-debut-is-mythic-and-valiant-20160603-gpao6a.html

Jane has worked as a print journalist for thirteen years both in Australia and the UK. She lives in Melbourne and writes for the Herald Sun, amongst other publications. Info: http://janeharper.com.au/

Jaye Ford is an internationally published, award winning crime author. Her first thriller, Beyond Fear, won two Davitt Awards for Australian women crime writers (Best Debut & Readers’ Choice) and was the highest selling debut crime novel in Australia in 2011. Her fifth suspense novel, Darkest Place, was released in February. Her chilling stories are all set in the Hunter Valley of NSW, where Jaye lives. Info: http://jayefordauthor.com/

Venue: The Rising Sun Hotel (upstairs – no lift), cnr Raglan Street and Eastern Road, South Melbourne. Melways map 57 H2; free on-street parking after 6 pm; trams 1, 12 or 55 or St Kilda Road trams

Tickets: $10 Sisters in Crime and Writers Victoria members/concession; $15 non-members

Tickets not sold prior to the event will be available at the door for $12/$17

Dinner upstairs from 6.30pm (bookings not necessary); men or ‘brothers-in-law’ welcome

Bookings: https://howtomakeakilling.eventbrite.com

Sun Bookshop stall: members receive a 10% discount

Additional information: Carmel Shute 0412 569 356; admin@sistersincrime.org.au