What I usually do is hoard money - I accumulate as much as possible in the fear of not having enough to pay tax. Mark Billingham accumulatefearhoard Change image and share on social
I moved from acting to stand-up because castings are just about what you look like. It doesn't matter if you can act or not. In comedy, no one cares what you look like. Mark Billingham actcarecasting Change image and share on social
Crime fiction has always been what I wanted to read, so when I sat down to write my first book, it was naturally the way that I was going to go. Mark Billingham bookcrimefiction Change image and share on social
There are a number of writers who believe it is their duty to throw as many curve balls at the reader as possible. To twist and twist again. These are the Chubby Checkers of crime fiction and, while I admire the craft, I think that it can actually work against genuine suspense. Mark Billingham admireballchecker share on social
Ian Rankin's Rebus is the king of modern British crime fiction. He is dour, determined, and constantly falls foul of his seniors. For all this, we root for him. He is eminently loveable, a quixotic hero moving through the darker half of a Jekyll and Hyde Edinburgh. Mark Billingham britishconstantlycrime share on social
I've never read an ebook. Print every time. Mark Billingham ebookhaveprint Change image and share on social
When you think of a great twist or a red herring or a way of misdirecting the reader, it is good, but you know that they are just tricks at the end of the day, and the way to keep interest is to write characters that people care about. Mark Billingham carecharacterday share on social
I'm a city boy. I grew up in a big city, in Birmingham, and I want to write about a city. It's much richer tapestry for me than green fields. Fields and wild life make me feel ill. I don't like - I don't want to write about that stuff. Mark Billingham bigbirminghamboy share on social
A reader's own imagination is a far more powerful form of CGI than anything any movie can provide because it's unique. In your own imagination, you can enter all sorts of worlds, and they are unique to you because no other reader will interpret a book the same way. Mark Billingham bookcgienter share on social
I believe that if writers want their readers to care about a character, they have to care themselves. I have to root for a detective who screws up as much as Thorne does, who shares my birthday, my North London stomping ground, and my love of country music, both alt and cheesy. Mark Billingham altbirthdaycare share on social