No, not Inspector Morse, but the St Hilda’s Crime Fiction Writing Weekend with the theme of Bad Apples – Crime fiction’s enemies and anti-heroes.
In all my sixteen plus years of writing thrillers, this was my first time at this high quality and fun weekend. It’s been going for 33 years!
The original Victorian building was impressive and the modern additions carefully blended in. Not too sure about the imposing block of the Garden Room, though. The gardens are magnificent and overlook the River Cherwell.
Our conference took place in the airy and modern Jacqueline du Pré Music Building where Blackwells ran the conference bookshop. I bagged a copy of Slow Horses Mick Herron’s latest, Clown Town, and he signed it for me.)
The Jacqueline du Pré Music Building (and me)
The dramatic opening featured a reconstruction of James Bond and his antagonists by Vaseem Khan as Blofeld and Abir Mukherjee as Bond. Obviously fast friends, they exchanged hilarious, occasionally risqué banter while giving us insights into Bond-age (my term!) over the years.
What makes anti-heroes and villains?
Over the weekend, we learnt that they are not all they seem to be. Sometimes, they redeem themselves, other times they are good turned bad. Many are a blend, sometimes acting in a heroic way, other times leaving chaos behind them and walking away uncaring.
Writing ambiguous characters is more fun than straight good or bad ones. Often the ‘goodie’ such as John le Carré’s Smiley and his antagonist, Karla, display common characteristics. their morals and ethics are not always straightforward.
Are we not entertained? (Apologies to Maximus Decimus Meridius)
Then there’s the business of whether or not we root for anti-heroes and villains. Does the talented Mr Ripley engage or repel us? And does he do it all the time? Should we want him to win? One theme emerged – whether villains or anti-heroes, they are often charming, manipulative and intelligent. And we’re fascinated by them.
(Reminds me of Caius Tellus in my Aurelia Roma Nova thrillers or Apollodorus in the Carina strand.)
Guest of honour was Andrew Taylor who told us the gory story of the Moat Farm Murder in 1903, with a sinister villain in the shape of sexual predator, swindler and murderer Samuel Herbert Dougal. Apparently, he was a charmer…
Hosted by St Hilda’s, the conference was put together by Sarah Hilary and talented team: Jean Buchanan, Mick Herron, Jane Casey, Jake Kerridge, Carolyn Kirby and Abir Mukherjee.
Alison with programme chair Sarah Hilary
And I must mention the food…
I love an English breakfast – that goes almost without saying – but the two evening dinners, especially Saturday were delicious. And all within excellent company and a joyous atmosphere.
Andrew Taylor in character during the Murder Mystery
St Hilda’s College
Part of the University of Oxford and founded in 1893, it remained a women’s college until 2008. The last single-sex college in the university, St Hilda’s now has almost equal numbers of men and women at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. More here: https://www.st-hildas.ox.ac.uk/
Alison Morton is the author of Roma Nova thrillers – INCEPTIO, CARINA (novella), PERFIDITAS, SUCCESSIO, AURELIA, NEXUS (novella), INSURRECTIO and RETALIO, and ROMA NOVA EXTRA, a collection of short stories. JULIA PRIMA and EXSILIUM, set in the late 4th century, tell the story of Roma Nova’s foundation. Audiobooks are available for four of the series. Double Identity, Double Pursuit and Double Stakes form a new contemporary thriller series. A new collection of Roma Nova short stories, HEROICA, is now out.
Find out more about Roma Nova, its origins, stories and heroines and taste world the latest contemporary thriller Double Identity… Download ‘Welcome to Alison Morton’s Thriller Worlds’, a FREE eBook, as a thank you gift when you sign up to Alison’s monthly email update. As a result, you’ll be among the first to know about news and book progress before everybody else, and take part in giveaways.
Wish I could have been there as well 🙁
A very intense weekend, stunning but enjoyable.