Stephen Leather through Chris Coles's eyes
Stephen Leather is an English writer, born in 1956 in Manchester, known worldwide for his high-packed action novels of crime, military and terrorism. But, in Thailand, he is mostly known for Private Dancer (2005) – a novel about love, betrayal and death -, and Confessions of A Bangkok Private Eye (2006) – a book written together with Warren Olson. In this interview he talks about his books, Thailand and Private Dancer.
Voicu Mihnea Simandan: You have written over twenty crime and military thrillers, but Private Dancer is a totally different genre. Where does Private Dancer stand in your collection of published work?
Stephen Leather: Like you say, it’s totally different, but it’s a story that I wanted to write. I wasn’t even sure of it would ever be published!
VMS: Private Dancer is narrated by several characters, each one with a different, distinct voice. I suppose that, for inspiration, you “interviewed” the expat community from Bangkok…
SL: Not really interviewed, I just sat and listened. Most of the stories came from a year-long stint sitting in Jools Bar in Soi Nana and in Voodoo in Nana Plaza.
VMS: Private Dancer is a well-documented book about the go go bar scene in Bangkok. How much research went into the book? How long did you actually spend “on location” in Thailand?
SL: I was in Thailand pretty much non-stop for about two years, and I would be hanging around the bars four or five nights a week. I wasn’t consciously doing research, it was more of a case of just soaking up the atmosphere.
VMS: Why do you think Private Dancer proved to be such a popular book in Thailand?
SL: Because most of the things that happen in the book happen to pretty much everyone who spends time in Thailand. And because the way it is written from different viewpoints, it comes close to explaining why things happen the way they do. And because of the multiple viewpoints it is a very balanced book.
VMS: Has Private Dancer increased sales of your other books in this part of the world?
SL: A bit. But I still sell far more thrillers in the UK and Australia than I do in Asia.
VMS: After making Private Dancer available for download for several years, you chose to self-publish it. Why not find a “traditional” publisher for it?
SL: My regular publisher, Hodder and Stoughton, has turned it down three times as they think it will conflict with the thrillers that they publish. Also you can make more money per book by self-publishing than you can through royalties.
VMS: What is your take on the Thailand-based books written by English-language writers?
SL: I tend not to read books by writers I’m in competition to avoid plagiarism issues!
VMS: What project are you working on right now? When will we see another book about Thailand authored by Stephen Leather?
SL: I’m writing a thriller involving my long-running undercover cop hero Spider Shepherd. I have recently finished a book called Bangkok Bob and the Missing Mormon that I will probably self-publish later this year.
VMS: You have spent a lot of time travelling all over the world. In comparison to other Asian countries you’ve visited, where does Thailand stand? What’s so special about Thailand?
SL: Thailand is a great place to be if you don’t have to work. If you are working, Hong Kong or Singapore are better. For tourism, you can’t beat Thailand.
VMS: When will you come back to Thailand?
SL: Not sure. I come and go!
VMS: Thank you for your time. I’m looking forward to reading you next Thailand-based book.
SL: Cool.
Mihnea Voicu Simandan
Bangkok, Thailand
July 28, 2010
I have a bookshop in Pattaya Thailand and Private Dancer is without doubt the best selling Thai related book as well as Stephens other novels, we do an exchange scheme so books are much cheaper than the stores selling new books and these books go out and in and out again and so on, it works well and gives more people chance to read the books where otherwise they may not be able to afford the brand new ones.