Meet USA Today bestselling crime author Rachel Amphlett. Before penning captivating tales of spies, detectives, and assassins, Rachel led a diverse life that saw her take on roles as varied as a TV and film extra, a radio presenter, freelance producer for the BBC, and an editorial assistant in publishing.
Now with over thirty novels under her belt Rachel has firmly established herself as a luminary in the realm of crime writing. Her immersive series include the Detective Kay Hunter series, Dan Taylor spy novel series, Eva Delcourt thrillers, and a collection of standalone novels.
We got the opportunity to ask Rachel some questions surrounding her background, writing process, future works, and discover the secrets behind her compelling narratives.
Can you tell us about your background and how it influenced you wanting to be a writer?
I started writing my own stories when I was about seven or eight years old, but decided I wanted to play lead guitar in bands when I was a teenager and pursued that path after leaving school at sixteen. It wasn’t until I’d moved out to Australia from the UK in my early 30s that I started getting the itch to return to writing, but I think having something to do creatively was always very important to me.
Do you have any early literary influences that inspired you to become a writer?
Like many crime writers, I started off with Enid Blyton’s Famous Five series, but my grandad gave me his copy of Jack Higgins’ The Eagle Has Landed when I was 11 years old, and that’s what really got me into the crime thriller genre.
Do you have any specific rituals or habits that help you in your writing routine?
I try to write in the mornings wherever possible – that habit stems from when I first started out and wrote on my commute into work in Brisbane between 2011–2017.
I used to get on the train, open the laptop and start writing before the train pulled out from the station. Half an hour later when the train arrived at Central station, I’d have anything from 250–750 words before I then started work. After work, maybe twice a week, I’d walk to the State Library and write there for an hour, then catch a train home and start the “business” end of writing – all the marketing and admin that comes with being an indie author. That’s how I started writing and publishing three books a year.
When I became a full-time author in 2017 I knew it was imperative that I kept that morning routine going in order to stay focused (I’m very easily distracted!). Sure, there are times when it doesn’t work out, but I don’t give myself a hard time over it – I just try to write more the next day.
How do you approach character development in your stories?
Often, the opening chapter of a new story will pop into my head fully formed – it’s like remembering a scene from a movie so all I do is write down what I’m seeing.
So, sometimes, that includes the character as well – it’s like meeting someone for the first time so the development comes naturally as the story progresses.
I don’t plot or do character sketches before sitting down to write – I find out more about the character as they meet other characters, react to situations or their environment.
How has your writing style evolved over the course of your career?
I’ve never been one to assume that because I’ve been publishing regularly for over a decade that I know everything there is about writing. I’m constantly learning and invested in some brilliant writing craft courses a few years ago – I review the content and my notes every now and again as a refresher, and then it’s just a case of keep writing, keep practising the craft.
I also read outside of my genre, so not everything I read is crime/mystery. That’s a great way to grow as a writer, as was returning to writing short stories – I think the key is to keep trying different things and experiment from time to time. I’d get bored otherwise!
What role does research play in crafting your stories? How do you go about conducting research for your books?
I’ll often do research as I go along if it’s a quick fact check, or I’ll put a note in the manuscript such as “check if there’s a one-way system along this road” so I keep up my writing momentum.
If I’m researching a completely new idea that’s been going around in my head for a while, such as a new series or setting, then I’ll spend some time before starting to write the book doing research just so I don’t have to disrupt the writing flow too much.
Then there are occasions when I’m researching for one story only to have that research send me down a rabbit hole that ends up with another new idea popping into my head.
That’s how I ended up becoming accidentally qualified as a private investigator – I wanted to find out how that differed from normal policing here in the UK, and found a course online that reiterated some of what I already knew from writing police procedurals but also filled in the knowledge gaps I had. I did a quiz halfway through it that turned out to be part one of a two-part examination process. I figured I made it halfway through so I took the final exam and became qualified.
Now I just have to find time to write the original story idea that sent me down that particular rabbit hole!
What have been some of the challenges you faced when writing your books?
The biggest challenges have been the life rolls we all experience from time to time – the big ones that throw your routine out of the window for days, weeks, sometimes months at a time.
In those situations, I’m learning to do my best not to worry too much that I’m not writing, trusting that when I can, I will. It’s been hard in the past to get that morning routine up and running again, but it helps that I’m determined by nature so even if I only manage 200 words, I still show up with the intention to write.
Your book Hangman’s Gap is coming out in June, what can we expect from this next book?
I’m so excited that I finally got around to writing the Australian-based crime thriller I’ve been wanting to write since living in the northern suburbs of Brisbane. I love the open spaces that stretch west beyond the Sunshine Coast hinterland, so I created a fictional town, Hangman’s Gap, and went off exploring!
I’m introducing a new character to readers, Detective Blake Harknell, whose own background is cloaked in mystery while he becomes embroiled in an active murder investigation.
As with all of my stories, I had no idea how it would turn out but it was a lot of fun to write and I’m planning to write more Australian-based stories to sit alongside this and my short story, Something in the Air. It’s fun writing about Queensland, a place that still feels like home.
With so many books under your belt, how do you keep your writing fresh and innovative?
It’s simply due to my constant love of learning and exploring – I absorb everything around me, and have always had a heightened sense of curiosity since I was a kid, so I don’t imagine that stopping any time soon ☺
Are there new genres or themes you’re eager to explore in the future?
I’m always finding new things to learn about and there is so much to absorb with regard to social issues, political themes, breakthroughs in forensic science and more that I rarely find myself without a few ideas going around in my head. It’s just a case of which one shouts loudest gets written first, so watch this space…
Is there anything you would do differently for future books?
I’ll let you know when I get there
What advice would you give to aspiring writers trying to get published?
Read the contract – and that goes for indie/hybrid authors dealing with retailers and distributors as well. Understand copyright (in fact, invest in a copy of The Copyright Handbook by Nolo Press) and if you get stuck, invest in professional advice.
Are there specific writing habits or techniques that you believe contribute to success?
Write regularly, at the same time if you can, because the brain is a muscle that needs to be trained. It’s just like going to the gym – the first 4-6 weeks are the hardest while that habit develops but after that, it gets easier. Even if you only manage 100-200 words at that set time, it’s still more than you started with that day.
Any final thoughts or messages you’d like to share with your readers?
You can find out more about me and my stories at www.rachelamphlett.com, and receive two free short stories when you join my Reader Group (you can unsubscribe at any time).
My podcast Case Files: short crime fiction stories is available on all major streaming platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more. Details here: www.shortcrimestories.com.
Final thoughts
We extend our thanks to Rachel Amphlett for the insight into her creative process and wish her all the luck for her upcoming releases. To find out more about Rachel or dive into one of her brilliant series, check out her website and keep an eye out for her next book coming out in June 2024, Hangman’s Gap.