Interview with Bill Fitzhugh http://www.billfitzhugh.com/

Bill Fitzhugh writes very funny mysteries. They are very solid, well thought out books. He’s won awards for them, including a Lefty Award for Fender Benders. So read what’s on Bill’s mind and then go and pick up one of his books, you’ll be glad you did.

The pictures of Bill are used by permission from the man himself.

1) Humor plays a big part of your books. Is Humor important to you in life as well?

Yes. It's the only way I can find to cope with the insanity that is our life here in the 21st Century where the purported leader of the free world says things like, "More and more of our imports come from overseas." Additionally, humor beats the amount of liquor I'd have to consume to deal with this.

2) The hitmen (and woman) in Pest Control are all pretty interesting people. Do you think that real hitmen are likely to be interesting?

I suspect some are and some aren't. Of course there are hitmen and then there are hitmen. The guy who gets hired to kill a prominent world figure seems more likely to be interesting than the guy who gets $200 and a used color TV to kill a philandering husband. But I could be wrong, people can surprise you.

3) You have a real knack for writing characters that are real assholes. Where did this insight come from?

There are so many different makes and models out there to use as a guide, a great many of which have been thrown in the path of my life. I just keep my eyes open and report what I see.

4) Is this also part of the reason you put certain issues in the books? In your books you manage to bring up some social problems without being preachy. Like health care and insurance in Cross Dressing.

The two are related certainly but I don't put issues in the books because there are assholes out there. It's the other way around. These issues are in the world because there are assholes out there. I can't imagine why one would write a book and not SAY SOMETHING about the world we live in. I mean what would be the point? Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good story for its own sake but why not talk about something while telling the story? There is usually a good issue within reach of any crime that's been committed.

I think I talked more about health care and insurance in Heart Seizure than in Cross Dressing (where I was busy discussing the implications of American hyper-consumerism and the Catholic Church's criminal attempts to sweep the child rape and other child sexual abuse cases under the rug). I like to try to leave readers with something to think about, to argue about. I probably even try to piss people off (which ain't real good for sales, I guess). But as Terry Southern said, "When they're no longer surprised or astonished or engaged by what you say, the ball game is over. If they find it repulsive or outlandish or disgusting that's all right, or if they love it, that's all right. But if they just shrug it off, it's time to retire."

I don't wanna retire. I want to surprise and astonish and engage and repulse and disgust if at all possible. I have read plenty of 'crime/mystery fiction' that's strictly about solving a murder, and perhaps revealing more inane quirks of the popular protagonist of the series. They aren't ABOUT anything. If I want a story that's about nothing more than that I can tune in Murder She Wrote or Law & Order (though they are frequently also ABOUT something.)

5) What kind of things do you do when you aren't writing your next book?

I didn't know I had the choice to do something else... I gotta call my agent. But seriously folks, my hobby is music. I've been collecting records since 6th grade. I have a studio with my record collection and I spend time at night out there listening to all kinds of music. I also love to cook. I walk the dogs. I go to live music now and then - Going to hear the Drive By Truckers at the Troubadour on Friday...

6)Is it gratifying to get reader reactions? Is it kind of motivating when you know the readers "get it" ?

I prefer someone who asks about the book more than someone who just says they read it. And I don't care if the reaction is negative -- though I prefer positive. (See the Terry Southern quote above.) And yes, readers who 'get it' are preferred. But some of my favorite interactions with readers are with those who challenge me on my points. I had some serious catholics send emails about Cross Dressing, condemning or at least questioning my POV. GREAT! They're engaged. I made my arguement and either converted them or got them to see my point. Other than selling the film rights for a ton of sweaty cash, is there some other reason to write?

7) Speaking of film rights, I know that youve optioned some of your books to Hollywood.

Actually I sold (not optioned) the film rights to Pest Control (Warner Brothers) and Cross Dressing (Universal).

7a) Is any thing happening on that front, or is it a "in production" kind of thing?

The phrase you're looking for is 'in development' or 'development hell' -- the fate of the majority of 'projects' in Hollywood. The vast majority of 'properties' bought by studios are never produced. So far, mine are among those. Pest Control was moved to the back burner after 9/11. The book's portrayal of NYC as a place so nasty and dangerous that it can be used as a weapon against bad guys doesn't pitch real good at the moment. Tom Shadyac's company has looked at probably a dozen different drafts of screenplays for Cross Dressing but 'it's not ready yet' is the current explanation.

8) While reading Cross Dressing I pictured George Cloony in the lead. Also I could see Steve Buscemi in Pest Control. If you were allowed to cast the movies from your work, who would you choose?

I'm terrible at this. George Cloony is welcome to take the lead in any of my stories. Steve Buscemi can be in them all as well, though he's a tougher sell as the leading man in a big budget film. There are too many good actors out there for me to start naming names but, okay, if you're gonna twist my arm... In Cross Dressing: Cloony as Dan Steele and Sandra Bullock as Sister Peg.

9) I know your website has a list of your favorite movies on it. (http://www.billfitzhugh.com/odds.html ) Are there any movies you think are underrated that people should see?

Yes and by the way the list on my website is nowhere near complete. Those were the movies I thought of when I made the list. I think a lot of those movies are underrated. 'True Romance' is a good example of a great movie that's not on the list and I think is very underrated.

10) Was it fun researching Fender Benders in Nashville?

Not bad but it wasn't a day at Magic Mountain. Lots of driving around writing descriptions of physical places. Visiting with my various friends there was nice. It's not very relaxing, I'm always in a hurry to get it done and get to the next thing.

11) What changes did you need to make when you switched the location for Fender Benders from LA to Nashville?

None. I never did any work on the story as if set in LA. It was just one of the possibilities I toyed with since the singer could have been a rocker or hip hopper or rapper. I think the biggest difference would have been less fried food.

12) Do you ever short cut the research? It seems as though your books are so well researched that you really do the work. It really shows in the writing.

I try not to short cut but sometimes I catch myself being lazy. I'll be writing something, say a scene in a hospital. Well I've been to hospitals in my life. Surely I remember enough about them to write a good scene. And I'll write it and it will be flat but okay. Then I'll get my butt up and go to a hospital and see and smell and hear things I never would have remembered and that reminds me that I have to go out in the world and see, smell, and touch stuff in order to write about it better.

13) Let me ask about conventions a bit. What are your favorite and least favorite parts of going to them?

Post 9/11, I don't like the actual travel so much anymore. But after spending the better part of a year sitting in a room typing, it's fun to get out and see people. In the short time I've been going to them (2 LCCs, and 4 Bouchercons) I've made some friends and I like talking shop with other writers. The poker games -- when we manage to get them together -- are fun. Meeting fans is always nice.

14) What’s the strangest experience you’ve had with a fan?

I've never had any real strange experience with a fan. More than once I've done book signings where there was an oddball in the audience who asked bizarre, off-the-wall questions and who obviously knew nothing about the books. But these are just folks who forgot their medication and who just happened to be in the store when they saw people gathering and thought it might be fun to join in.

15) Do you have any characters that you’ve written about that you might want to use again?

I keep toying with the idea of a follow up to Pest Control but since I've already sold the film rights to these characters I wouldn't be able to do that (sell film rights) again, so that mitigates against writing the book. Arty in The Organ Grinders is my favorite character but I'm not sure what story he might be in. My protagonist for Radio Activity might well be my first recurring protagonist. I can envision a series of classic rock radio murder mysteries...

16) How would you describe a perfect weekend?

The first weekend I don't have to spend writing this current book.

17) If they did a Big Brother TV show with mystery authors, would you be interested in doing it?

Big Brother? No. Survivor? Maybe. Mystery authors on Emeril Live? Yes.

18)Are you a trend setter, or a trend follower?

I should hope I'm a trend avoider.

19) Can you tell us anything about your next book?

Radio Activity is a comic murder mystery set in a small radio market in Mississippi. One-time radio big shot Captain Jack Carter has ended up in McRae, MS after a long fall from grace. Then he disappears completely. Rick Shannon gets hired to take his job. Rick inherits Captain Jack's abode (the station-owned apartment) and all of the stuff Captain Jack left behind, which includes a vast record and tape collection. Among the tapes, Rick finds one that may hold all the clues to Captain Jack's disappearance. Being new in a town where he doesn't know anyone, Rick decides to investigate. He adopts the name Buddy Miles for his PI persona and starts poking his nose in places where he shouldn't ought to...

20) Have you thought about maybe releasing a soundtrack with it? If you did, what would be on it?

The soundtrack for Radio Activity would include all sorts of great stuff, mainly MY idea of what constitutes 'classic rock' -- primarily music from between 1967 and 1977. Traffic, Manasas, Joni Mitchell, Allman Brothers, Todd Rundgren, CSN(&Y), Dave Mason, Joe Cocker, Van Morrison, the Band, Leon Russell, Bonnie and Delany, Fleetwood Mac before Buckingham and Nicks joined, the Buckingham-Nicks record so many people don't know about, Chicago (I & II), BS&T, early Buffett, John Prine, Randy Newman, Joan Armatrading, and all of the obvious artists like (Stones, Beatles, CCR, Pink Floyd, Skynyrd, etc., but NOT the songs you always hear, only the 'deep cuts' off the albums -- e.g., Simple Man, but not Free Bird...)

21)What's the one thing that is always in your refrigerator?

Cold air.