Crime fiction author Chris Hammer to appear at Temora Library event

Temora is set to host a special Q&A with superstar crime author and former prolific Australian journalist Chris Hammer.

The town’s library invited Mr Hammer to be the guest author at One Book, One Temora on 21 March.

His latest mystery, The Valley, is the featured book that he will be talking about and answering questions on.

Mr Hammer said he was looking forward to his trip to Temora, spending time there, and speaking to people.

“It’s a great initiative, getting a town together around a book, around a library … When I have a new book come out, and I go around and promote it, there’s a limit to what I can talk about – it’s a new book, it’s crime fiction, and you don’t want to give away spoilers,” he said.

“Hopefully, most people have read the book, and so you can sort of get into more depth and delve into it a bit more without, you know, that hesitation about giving away spoilers.

“There’s a lot to like about it, and I’m quite flattered to have been chosen.”

After spending the past few weeks buried in writing, Mr Hammer is also looking forward to exploring the Riverina countryside that features in so many of his mysteries.

“Right now, I’m just buried in writing – writing, writing, writing all the time. It’s going to be nice to get out and see a few people, get out into the countryside, get a few fresh ideas.”

The Canberra-based author’s books are known for their evocative sense of place, with several of his novels set in the Riverina.

When asked what it is about the small Australian towns that made a rich setting for crime fiction, he said the rural setting fascinated him.

“There’s something that just appeals to me about the small Australian country town. A small community lends itself to a crime plot.”

He said his wife sometimes asked if he could set his next book on a Greek island, so they had an excuse to live there for a while, but he said he was still drawn to small Australian country towns.

“I have spent a lot of time in America, and I was a foreign correspondent, so I’ve reported from all around the world,” he said.

“So potentially, I could write a spy-espionage type thriller, but for some reason, that just doesn’t appeal to me as much.”

His three decades of experience as a journalist has immensely influenced his writing and storytelling approaches, and there are some pros and cons to this.

“One major advantage is that it demystifies writing. Many aspiring authors wait for inspiration, and when they hit a roadblock, they often feel they can’t continue,” he said.

“As a journalist, you can’t simply call your editor and say, ‘I’m not feeling inspired, so I won’t file today.

“Like journalism, there are days when you don’t feel like writing, but once you get started, ideas and words begin to flow. I believe inspiration comes from the act of writing, rather than the other way around.”

He said another advantage was getting used to being edited, learning not to be precious about work, and becoming less defensive.

“I also worked in TV for a while, which helped me develop an ear for dialogue, as I often quoted people or listened back to interviews,” he said.

“However, much of journalism isn’t about storytelling but simply reciting facts — the most important fact comes first, followed by the next most important, and so on.

“Journalism often relies on cliche language that’s effective for conveying a message quickly but doesn’t work in storytelling. In fiction, you need a different type of language to craft a narrative.”

As one of the most borrowed authors in the Riverina Regional Library network, Chris is also popular worldwide. His first book, Scrublands, was made into a TV series.

“It’s kind of magic, seeing what you’ve made up in your head … and you put it down on paper, and then to see it on the screen.”

Chris Hammer is appearing at Temora Library on Friday 21 March, at 6 pm. For more information or tickets, visit the events page of the Riverina Regional Library website. Bookings close today.