r/books • u/7Ddude AMA Author • Jun 28 '19
ama I'm Stu Turton, I wrote a time travelling, body hopping murder mystery novel called The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle (UK) / The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle (US). It was really fucking difficult. AMA
This is my debut novel. Before doing this I was a travel journalist. Before that I wrangled goats. I picked fruit. I sold books. I cleaned the toilets in a private airport. A dolphin nearly killed me once. Come to think about it, lots of things have nearly killed me once. @stu_turton
Proof: /img/vbo5c28x3q631.jpg
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u/Rosielaine61 Jun 28 '19
How did you keep track of the movements of each of your characters and the days? I’m imaging a huge board of some kind.
Also, what does your writing day look like and do you write in silence or do you need eg background music? So many questions!!!!!
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u/Obscure008 Jun 28 '19
I listened to the audio book of 7 1/2 deaths and loved it. However, there was an inconsistency I wondered about - I am unsure if it's in the printed book, so perhaps it's just an audiobook fluke.
The first referece is when the protagonist is in the groundskeepers cottage and gets the note warning about his gloves burning. Later, when he feels conflicted about what Anna's motivations might be, he says he doesn't care about anything she has done for him, including a reference to "burned socks" (perhaps it was just "socks").
Is there any significance to this (e.g. there was a draft that referenced socks that somehow made it’s way to the narrator), or merely a fluke in the narration?
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u/jellybean2010 Jun 28 '19
My book club read this for June and during our discussion, this was a huge debate between us. Any insight?
If places like Blackheath are created in part to solve unsolved crimes; how then do we know the correct answer is in fact - Felicity? Couldn't the story have any number of endings based on who and what the characters are/do in a particular loop? How do we know the crime has been correctly solved if variables change so drastically from loop to loop and the end verdict was not known prior?
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u/chopoffyourhead_ Jun 28 '19
Is there a novel you would recommend to someone who liked The Seven Deaths (besides your next one, when it'll be published)? Maybe something that you think shares a similar vibe?
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u/D18 Jun 28 '19
Hey Stu!
First off- My friends and I actually loved 7 1/2 Deaths so much that we started a monthly book club. Currently 7 1/2 Deaths is the only book rated 5/5 stars by every member. We meet this weekend and I need to suggest a book to the group. Any ideas?
I was also wondering if you had a favorite host? (Mine is Ravencourt. I loved all the plays he made despite his physical limitations.)
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u/m2pixie Jun 29 '19
Why was everyone's hair always spilling out of their caps? I listened to the audio version and heard that phrase so many times!!
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Jun 28 '19
We know that Aiden went to Blackheath voluntarily and that Anna was there because of her crime. I've loaned my copy and can't recall or check the name of the 3rd character also stuck in the loop but what I am very curious about is what crime he committed to end up there. Do you know this and if yes, will you share please?
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u/tummeh Jun 28 '19
Absolutely loved your book, listened to it on a whim as an audiobook and it's such a thrilling experience. Hope you don't mind me asking a few questions, but if you do feel free to just answer one.
Any plans (or hopes) to have The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle as a Netflix or steaming-website show? I feel like having each perspective as an episode (or couple of episodes) would be such a good fit for a steaming platform, where the first episode would be an hour long, and then the next inexplicably 5 minutes long when the viewer realises one of the first twists of the story, and then back to different time lengths.
Why did the US title have to be different, or more specifically what other title was it too similar that it had to change, and what were some other title ideas (if any)? To add to this, what is the 1/2 death? I feel like I'm stupid not understanding the US title properly.
What'd you have for lunch on the afternoon of the first day you began any kind of draft or note-taking or developing of what would become The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle? Did it almost kill you?
What's your favourite Black Mirror episode, and were you at all inspired by White Bear which has loosely similar themes?
I have a video pseudo-interview tomorrow where I have to record myself in a single take answering pre-recorded questions without knowing the questions in advance, I feel incredibly awkward and under-pressure on video. Any advice?