For the second Sukkot indie week post we are traveling all the way across the pond to the U.K. to talk with Victoria Goldman, author of The Shanna Regan series of detective novels. Victoria is here representing self pub and has a lot of information both about publishing and the process of writing detective novels. Please note, original British spellings in her answers have been preserved. These are not typos. Our readers and interviewees are from across the globe and we love visiting with them!
BookishlyJewish: Crime fiction is new for us here on the Blog! Can you talk about what attracted you to this genre?
Victoria Goldman: I wanted to write crime fiction from a young age. I’m not sure exactly why, but maybe because I was always very inquisitive. I wanted to be a secret agent, or an explorer, or a detective. I grew up reading Enid Blyton’s Secret Seven and The Famous Five, before graduating to Agatha Christie and then Stephen King. My original career plan was to work in forensics. During the final year of my biomedical science BSc. degree (specialising in pharmacology, immunology and toxicology), I realised I loved writing so much that I couldn’t spend the rest of my life working in a lab. So I took an MSc. degree in science communication and became a health journalist and editor instead. I also copyedit and proofread fiction and non-fiction for UK publishers – including crime fiction.
BookishlyJewish: Do you always know the end of the book before you start? I imagine “pantsing” could be complicated for a whodunnit.
Victoria Goldman: I’m a planner and edit as I go along, but a lot of crime writers are pantsers and just start writing to see where they end up. I begin with a Why? or What? question, and then start plotting. As I develop the characters and do some background research, I plan and write the main plot points, such as big action scenes, reveal scenes and dialogue scenes, and fill in the gaps afterwards to link everything together. With both books, I didn’t know exactly who the killer was until I was further into the writing and everything slotted into place. Once I finish writing the book, I then go back and check/insert the red herrings and little clues – often I’ve already added some in but didn’t realise why at the time!
BookishlyJewish: How did you decide to self-publish? Were there any surprises along the way?
Victoria Goldman: Like many writers, I have a long publishing journey behind me. I never intended to self-publish. I wrote three books and submitted to agents. THE REDEEMER was the second book – a Jewish-flavoured crime novel with themes of revenge, redemption, Jewish identity and, in particular, antisemitism. In 2019, I was runner up in a big crime writing award for unpublished writers. I started submitting to agents and had a high ratio of full manuscript readings. Several agents said they loved my writing, but the book’s themes weren’t big enough for them. One agent said that she would love to read whatever I wrote next, if I didn’t get an agent for THE REDEEMER. A year later, I came back to her with what I call my ‘prison book’ (not Jewish themed). She was very excited and asked me to rewrite 1/3 of the book for her (around 30K words) before she would sign me. So I did, and then she changed her mind and said it wasn’t working for her.
UK crime writers and reviewers who had already read THE REDEEMER couldn’t understand why agents didn’t sign me. They urged me to get the book out there myself. After a lot of soul-searching and reading Jews Don’t Count by David Baddiel (an interesting British book, if you haven’t read it), I decided to take the plunge (and the gamble). I realised I needed to treat THE REDEEMER as any book with a publisher (and agent) by using my professional background in media and publishing. I hired a freelance structural editor, copyeditor, proofreader, and cover designer, to make sure my book could sit comfortably on a shelf alongside any other crime novel. It was a financial investment. There have been lots of surprises (and challenges), and I’m glad that I was brave enough to go ahead.
BookishlyJewish: I notice you are based in the U.K. Are your books available worldwide, and if so, in what formats? Is that complicated in any way?
Victoria Goldman: THE REDEEMER and THE ASSOCIATE ebooks are exclusive to Amazon Kindle (including KU) and are available worldwide. The paperbacks are available from Amazon worldwide, but also from other book retailers, including Barnes & Noble in the USA. A self-publisher can use a book distributor, such as IngramSpark, to ensure their books are available from non-Amazon retailers. This means my books can be ordered online from many book websites and bookstores (you just need the ISBN numbers). THE REDEEMER paperback is also available to borrow from 16 libraries in the UK, but I don’t think US libraries can order it in (I probably need to register somewhere for that).
BookishlyJewish: The Redeemer features a Jewish community in an English town. Is there a real life inspiration?
Victoria Goldman: I created a fictional version of where I live in Hertfordshire. Locals usually recognise the community and (renamed) local buildings and amenities, including the Jewish cemetery. Our synagogue comes under the auspices of ‘United Synagogue’, which is mainstream Modern Orthodox but unique to the UK. United Synagogue members are diverse – some keep fully kosher and all of the Shabbat laws (Shomer Shabbat), whereas others don’t keep any Jewish practices at all, and most members lie somewhere in-between. Jewish identity is central to our community, and the synagogue is a hive of activity, from services to Jewish learning and social activities for all age groups. I wanted to focus on a ‘normal’ Jewish community in Britain – not the Hassidic communities, which are often represented in fiction or the media in an extreme or negative light. THE ASSOCIATE follows the main character of THE REDEEMER but is set in gritty East London, in a creepy old Reform synagogue that’s used as an interfaith community centre, surrounded by youth crime and the refugee crisis.
BookishlyJewish: What has been the public response to your books?
Victoria Goldman: The response has been amazing – beyond my expectations – and I now have readers all over the world, especially in the USA. I never expected anyone to find my books! THE REDEEMER was shortlisted for Best Debut Crime Novel of 2022 in the Crime Fiction Lover Awards, and I was chosen as an October 2022 read for the Bloody Scotland Book Club (Bloody Scotland is a big crime festival in Scotland every September). In the USA, a Jewish Journal reviewer wrote, ‘Faye Kellerman: Behold your British counterpart,’ which was lovely!
BookishlyJewish: What are you hoping readers take away from your books?
Victoria Goldman: Through my books, I explore (British) Jewish identity, diversity, culture, heritage and racism (antisemitism). THE ASSOCIATE has a background of interfaith projects, mainly Jewish-Muslim charity work, highlighting that most British Jews and Muslims actually get on very well – many people seem to think we hate each other, due to negativity in the media. Most of my readers are crime fiction fans who aren’t Jewish and say that they have learnt a lot about Judaism, more than through non-fiction or the media. I don’t call my books ‘Jewish books’. Instead, I call them crime fiction with a Jewish flavour.
BookishlyJewish: Do you have any future planned books? Will you continue the Shanna Regan detective series or branch into something new?
Victoria Goldman: So far, there are two books in the series – THE REDEEMER and THE ASSOCIATE – and readers are hoping for more! THE ASSOCIATE can also be read as a standalone, if people haven’t read The Redeemer first. My plan is to write a third book, and that’s percolating in my head at the moment. In the meantime, I’ve gone back to my prison book (mentioned above) and will decide what to do with it once I’ve finished editing it back into shape.
BookishlyJewish: Any words of advice for writers just starting out, or veteran writers considering self pub?
Victoria Goldman: Go for it … and do it with passion. Treat your self-published book as a book with a publisher. This involves investment (time, money…) but I think it’s important to hire freelance editors and a cover designer if you can (within your budget) because readers will notice the difference. You want your book to look as professional as possible. Some people see my books and ask, ‘Are these really self-published?’
BookishlyJewish: I always end by asking if you have a favorite Jewish book
Victoria Goldman: Dare I admit that I don’t read very much specifically Jewish fiction (or non-fiction)? I’m an avid crime fiction reader, and loved Julia Dahl’s Rebekah Roberts series. I also love the Maus books – such a clever (and graphic!) way to portray the true horrors of the Holocaust. Plus, above I’ve mentioned Jews Don’t Count by David Baddiel – the US equivalent is People Love Dead Jews by Dara Horn, which I still need to read.
Victoria’s Bio: VICTORIA GOLDMAN is a freelance journalist, editor, proofreader and author. She was given an honourable mention for The Redeemer in the Capital Crime/DHH Literary Agency New Voices Award 2019. The Redeemer was shortlisted for Best Debut Crime Novel of 2022 in the Crime Fiction Lover Awards. Victoria lives in Hertfordshire, England.