A Little Time Travel with Mark Pryor

DEBORAH CROMBIE: Do you ever wish you could go back in time and have a word with the YOU of a few years ago? What great revelations would you impart? What wisdom have you acquired? (In my case, I have no doubt it would be "Write faster," no matter how far back in time I went, but I digress...) 

Today we are chuffed (I'm feeling very British, in honor of our guest) to have Mark Pryor, author of the Hugo Marston series. If you haven't had the privilege of meeting Mark before, he's English, but he works as a DA in Austin, Texas, and writes books featuring a Texan former FBI agent, set in Paris. And London. And Barcelona. As you will see. That's the latest book, out today, called The Reluctant Matador. To see just how much I like these books, take a careful look at the cover.

Then see what Mark Today would say to Mark a Few Years Ago.

MARK PRYOR:

Writer Peter De Vries, said: “I write when I’m inspired, and I see to it that I’m inspired at nine o’clock every morning.” As a man with a job, I’m not able to plug myself into scheduled inspiration so I find that it hits me at certain times. When I go for a walk, or sit in the hot tub. And when I swim.

The ideas I pay closest attention to often come when I’m swimming laps. Clips of Kafkaesque movies spooling through my head, coming out of nowhere. Honestly, I swim so slowly that my mind has to free itself otherwise it might die of boredom. Throw a rock into the pool and it’d reach the other end before I will. Anyway, and as an example, I had this one idea for a story where the guy swims laps like I do, but when he finishes and pulls off his goggles and unplugs his ears, he notices the lifeguard giving him a dirty look, and that his swim shorts are tattered and bleached almost white. He realizes with horror that an entire year has passed. He goes home and his wife is beside herself with joy but also anger and confusion, and doesn't believe he was just out swimming laps.

Weird, eh? Especially since I don't write supernatural things. Anyway, that's the way my mind works when I'm swimming: oddly. I bring it up because when Deborah Crombie offered me a coveted slot here at JRW, I pondered long and hard what to write about, and the answer came to me as I was swimming. So now you know, it’s gonna be weird.

In fact, it’s a touch more time travel, if you’ll indulge me. See, it's been almost three years since I was first published, four years since the first novel in the Hugo Marston series, The Bookseller, found a home. And so much has happened in that time. Not just the books, but the travel, the people I've met, the trousers I no longer fit into. It occurred to me, as I flapped my way up and down that pool, that it'd be awesome if the Me of pre-publication could chat with the Me of today. You know, ask a few questions, get some advice, that kind of thing. So that's what I'm doing. I've taken myself back to 2011, I thought it'd be fun for the Mark that didn't even have a publishing deal, just an agent and a hopeful heart, to talk to me now.

So, picture a weird time-bubble, a chamber of chronological confusion that's occupied by two people, both me--one from 2011, the other from today.

2011: Hi.

Now. Hello.

2011: This is weird.

Now: But kind of cool.

2011:  Sure is. Right, so I'm in 2011 and you're in 2015?

Now: Correct.

2011:  I don't suppose they actually have technology that lets you go back in time, do they?

Now: Don't be stupid.

2011:  Sorry. I had to ask, you are in the future, after all.

Now: Four years, not a hundred. Now, do you have any not-stupid questions?

2011:  Fine, yes. We're doing this so I assume my agent... our agent... found a home for The Bookseller.

Now: Correct. Actually, you got a three-book deal.

2011:  Holy cow, that's awesome! Who's the publisher?

Now: A new mystery imprint called Seventh Street Books, part of an existing publisher, Prometheus.

2011:  New imprint, eh? Bit of a risk we're taking there.

Now: For you, yes. Turns out extremely well, though. In four years they've taken on a dozen or so authors and had half that many nominations for major awards. They also partnered with Penguin Random House for distribution, which is huge.

2011:  Sounds impressive, although I don't know what that last sentence means.

Now: That they have huge distribution and Random House reps read and promote your books. Trust me, I didn't get it either, but this is a fantastic publishing house and you love it.

2011:  Okay, I'll believe you. Me. Whatever. Say, you mentioned their authors have won and been nominated for awards...

Now:  Not you.

2011:  Bugger. Are all three of those Hugo books out? 

Now: Actually, the fifth in the series has just been released. That's why we're doing this, to mark its release.

2011:  Whoa, really? Five books in three years? Did I lose my job or something?

Now: No, you just neglect your family.

2011: That doesn't sound like me...

Now: I'm kidding. Apparently your sense of humor develops over the next few years.

2011: Hilarious. So with book five out, they obviously extended the series beyond the three-book deal?

Now: You can count, well done! Yes, obviously. 

2011:  What's this new one called? And are the covers cool?

Now: The Reluctant Matador, it's set in Barcelona. The daughter of a friend of Hugo’s goes missing in Paris, and the trail leads him to Spain. And yes, they are, have a look at this one.

Here's a picture of the others. One of them is blue because it's a prequel, just so you know.

As well as these, you're already contracted for number six and all signs are positive for more to come.

2011:  Wow, and when I woke up this morning all I wanted was a deal for The Bookseller! Very cool. Do I still have my day job as a prosecutor?

Now: Oh yes. Thanks to all the student debt you racked up in law school, otherwise you could leech off our wife and stay home to write.

2011:  Hey, that's your debt, too. How're the kids, by the way?

Now: Fine. Cute. Wanna see a picture?

2011:  Yes, but this is gonna be weird.

Now: Like this whole conversation isn't? Here you go:

Let's get back on topic, we're here to talk about your books. 

2011:  Oh, right. But first, can you tell me who won the Superbowl each of the last three years, and maybe the Kentucky Derby winners? We could get rid of those loans...

Now: No, it's not allowed.

2011:  Meanie. So have I met anyone cool, like at conferences and stuff?

Now: Oh, wow, yes. Loads of cool people. Did you know this interview stems from meeting Deborah Crombie in West Texas?

2011:  Get out! The Deborah Crombie??

Now: None other. She's about the sweetest person you'd ever meet, and she's a fan of our books. 

2011:  That's amazing. We have a fan!

Now: Hush, we have at least five. Anyway, you've eaten barbecue and shot AR-15s with Philip Kerr, hung out with Laura Lipmann, Megan Abbott, Julia Spencer-Fleming, and loads more. That's one thing I wanted to tell you: this writing gig, the people who do it are so unbelievably friendly. Genuinely nice. It's not a club you've found yourself in, it's more like a family. But one without all the drama and conflict, and that one uncle who gets hammered and snores on the couch.

2011:  I love to hear that, I can't wait to meet them all.

Now: What else do you want to know?

2011:  Hmmm. Have I done anything stupid?

Now: Plenty when it comes to life in general but as far books, nothing too bad yet. Although I will say, when you attend Bouchercon in Albany next year, go easy on the whiskey. Those events are known for their boozing but meeting so many of those amazing authors is already intoxicating, so tread easy. That's all I'll say.

2011:  Fair enough. Hey, who won the 2014 World Cup?

Now: You're going to bet on it, aren't you?

2011:  Maybe. Just tell me it wasn't Germany.

Now: Hush. We're running out of time, what else? Book related, please.

2011:  Am I working on the Hugo series exclusively?

Now: No, actually, I'm very excited about a new stand-alone that comes out in September. It's called Hollow Man and is about an Englishman who's a prosecutor here in Austin.

2011:  Wait, it's an autobiography?

Now: Just listen. He's also a musician and a sociopath, but not one of those stabby ones, he actually tries to hide that part of him and live a normal life. It can't be an autobiography because we both know you’re tone deaf, and cry when you watch those videos of soldiers coming home to their kids, so it's clearly fiction. Anyway, his name is Dominic and he finds himself desperately short of money so he hatches a plan to steal a car from a slum lord, knowing there's a load of cash in it.

2011:  Hey, that's a true story! 

Now: Yep. But in our version things go horribly wrong and Dominic then has a decision to make: either go back to being the meek musician and risk getting caught, or let his true nature come out to play.

2011:  Oh, I like it.

Now: Good, because you have to write it. But I agree, I think it turns out pretty well. Here's the cover.

Anything else?

2011:  Nothing springs to mind.

Now: Well, it's been fun. And hey, do a little more exercise will you? I keep getting injured playing soccer and I think it’s because you’re a little, you know, pudgy.

2011:  Hey! I don't have time to exercise, writing all those books.

Now: You find time to eat, chubby, so go work out. You'll thank you. Now, if that's it, I'm off.

2011:  Parting words of wisdom?

Now: Sure. Enjoy the ride. It's a blast. Don't fret over sales and rankings, even though I know you will. But you can't control them, so just have fun with it all. Getting published really is a dream come true and I don't want me missing out on the joy because you're worrying about silly stuff.

2011:  Got it, I can't wait. And thanks for stopping by, I can't think of anything else to ask you. Oh, wait, can you tell me who wins the NCAA basketball finals next year? I promise, you can trust me.... Hello?

DEBS: Now if I can just have a word with Mark Future. Keep writing those Hugo books!  And for those of you who haven't met Hugo Marston, Mark is giving away three Hugo books to readers who say they'd like a book in the comments. His three (adorable) kids will each pick a winner from those who put their names in the hat.

Mark grew up in Hertfordshire, England, and now lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife and three young children. 

Here's more about The Reluctant Matador: A nineteen-year-old aspiring model has disappeared in Paris. Her father, Bart Denum, turns to his old friend Hugo Marston for help. Marston, the security chief at the American Embassy, makes some inquiries and quickly realizes something is amiss: Bart’s daughter was not a model, but rather a dancer at a seedy strip club. And she headed to Barcelona with some guy she met at the club.

With his friend and former CIA agent, Tom Green, Marston heads for Barcelona. The two sleuths identify the man last seen with the girl, break into his house, and encounter a shocking scene: Bart Denum, standing over the dead and battered body of their mysterious stranger. Though Bart protests his innocence, under the damning circumstances, Spanish authorities arrest him for murder.

The two American investigators are faced with their biggest challenge ever: find the real killer, prove Bart’s innocence, and locate his missing daughter—without getting killed along the way.