Nickie's Ten Questions to Anne Perry

Anne Perry is the author of a number of detective stories, set in Victorian England. She has several series, the one with Inspector Monk and the one with Inspector Pitt. Anne was so kind as to answer some of my questions.

1) When did you realise you wanted to be a writer?
I have never seriously wanted any other career than writing.

2) Did it take you long to get published?
Yes, it took me many years to be published. It took me a long time to become 'an over-night success'!

3) Can you describe how you felt when you saw your first published book in the stores?
When I saw my first published book in a store, it was an American edition, in a Canadian shop (the US published long before the UK). I saw somebody buy one and that was a marvellous moment - suddenly I was 'real'.

4) Were you agented when this first book got published?
Yes.

5) What was the general reaction to this book?
I don't know the general reaction, since I live in the UK, but the whole series, beginning in 1979 and now 25 books, is still in print, plus the other series.

6) Why did you especially choose Victorian London as the setting of most of your novels?
I didn't especially chose Victorian London. The first book was set there, so with the same characters, the rest followed on.

7) Do your readers show a preference for a certain series of books?
Yes, some express a preference, but many readers are happy with both.

8) How long do you hope to continue with your Monk and Pitt books?
I will continue with Pitt and Monk as long as people are interested, but there will be other books, with different characters and settings.

9) How do you deal with criticism?
Favorable criticism of course, I welcome, but adverse criticism I get sensitive about, especially when it is made by someone who has skipped through the story and missed the point!

10) Do you also read the work of others? And if so, which ones?
Yes, I read the works of other authors, and I like something as different from my own genre as possible, eg Michael Connelly, Jeffery Deaver and Jonathan Kellerman.