Northwest Book Talk host Patty Grasher talks with Corbin Muck, author of High Water Heavy, a hard-boiled mystery set in 1948 Portland, Oregon.
Corbin shares what drew him to this pivotal period in Portland history, how extensive research helped shape the world of the novel, and how two very different private investigators became the center of the story. He also talks about the craft of writing mysteries and why getting out to book fairs and becoming a “writer in public” has become an important part of his writing life.
IN THIS CONVERSATION:
• Why Corbin chose 1948 Portland as the setting for High Water Heavy
• Researching Portland history, sometimes block by block
• Creating two very different private investigators
• Plotting a mystery while still leaving room for discovery
• Using red herrings without leaving loose ends
• Learning from hard-boiled writers Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett
• Knowing when a scene or chapter simply isn’t working
• Why book fairs have helped Corbin become a “writer in public”
Find out more and listen to more author conversations at NorthwestBookTalk.com.