publishers and 30 agents (Grisham
ended up self publishing)
$1.2 billion worth of
books last year, most of
which was non-fi ction
to Nielsen Book Scan, the country's
biggest book survey). That adds up
to about 400,000 books, more than
half of which came from just 4000 ti-
tles. So what does it take to make the
lucky 1 percent?
Moss is Australia's number one crime
writer and the creator of glamorous
private investigator Makkede "Mak"
Vanderwaal. Her fi rst Mak book,
Hit, was published when she was 25.
Now 36, Moss will release her fi fth
title, Siren, in October this year. Her
books are published in 10 languages
and 15 countries, including the USA,
Canada, Germany, Romania, Japan
and Brazil.
tend to write in the afternoons and
evenings. "I go through periods
of prolifi c writing, alternated with
periods of research or `ruminat-
ing'. Months of apparent inactivity
with my writing while frustrating
ods of good, prolifi c work for me,
so I have learned not to judge those
inactive periods with too much
negativity." For her, the toughest
part of writing is beginning: "It's
excruciating, but once I'm in the
story it unfolds quickly. It is like an
alternate universe: I cry writing trag-
edy, laugh in lighter scenes, and the
moments of violence and terror
frighten even me."
and entering short story competi-
tions, and she recommends aspiring
writers join a writers' group. "This
will help you to hone your actual writ-
ing as well as put you in touch with
potential publishing opportunities."
To research her novels, Moss earned
her Private Investigator's License,
toured the FBI Academy in Quantico,
spent time in morgues, squad cars
and prisons, the Hare Psychopathy
Lab and criminology conferences
worldwide. She has been set on fi re
(by a Hollywood stunt company) and
deliberately choked unconscious (by
a professional fi ghter). Away from
her books, Moss rides a 900cc Tri-
umph Scramber motorbike and keeps
snakes (pythons).