FINALIST Shelf Unbound: You’ve written dozens of novels, both crime and science fiction. How has your writing evolved since you began? David Grace: I’ve sharpened my craft in the basics of writing fiction: character development, plot structure, narrative and dialog. In my more recent books I always work to introduce emotional plot issues and events into my stories. Earlier in my career I would decide that I wanted to write a “chase” book or a serial killer book or whatever sort of plot I picked and then I’d figure out what kind of a story that fit that plot type. Now, I start with the personality of the hero and the challenges I want him to have to deal with and then I craft the story around that character and those issues. I think that leads to more rounded characters and more interesting stories. For what it’s worth, my favorites are The Concrete Kiss, Death Never Sleeps, Death Never Lies, Death Doesn’t Care, Shooting Crows At Dawn, True Faith and this book, The Wrong Side Of A Gun. Shelf Unbound: How did you develop your main character,
Deputy U.S. Marshal Virgil Quinn? Grace: I always start planning a book with an idea of what kind of person the protagonist is. What is his life all about? What is his personality? What is his character? I want to be able to predict what he would do in any situation. Think about the character Andy Sipowitz in NYPD Blue. If you asked anyone who was a fan of that show what Sipowitz would have done if X happened or Y happened they could tell you what his response would be. He’s three-dimensional and unique. I want to create characters whose personalities don’t leave any question about how they would react in a difficult situation. As I do for all of my principal characters, I wrote a bio for Virgil Quinn, when and where he was born, where he went to school, when he got married, etc. in order to try to understand him better. I can’t begin plotting a story until I understand the personalities of the principal characters. But I also have to know a little bit about the kinds of challenges the character will face and how I will want the character to react to them. That gives me a guide to what kind of
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