When it snows, it snows – meet Christoph Fischer and his hidden body

Hi Christoph, and welcome back to Stolen Moments! Last time you were here, it was to do a guest post related to your book In Search of a Revolution. Today, you are here because I’ve recently read your book “The Body in the Snow”. These are two very different books – one is set against the grim history of war in Finland in the 1940s, the other is a cosy mystery. What are your thoughts about writing in two such different genres?
It may be a little self-defeating to switch genres and make my loyal readers wait longer for a new historical novel, but I enjoy writing in different genres. I need it so that everything stays fresh and original. If I wrote the same genre back to back I fear the outcome might become formulaic and repetitive.
Is the writing process different when writing a historical versus a contemporary?
You have to do a lot more research for a historical novel, more ground and preparation work, although it is essential for all books to check your facts. On the other hand, I don’t plot too much in advance and keep the emphasis on the characters, who often challenge me by changing their minds, so, for me, the process itself remains similarly dynamic and flexible.
And speaking of the writing process, you are an extremely productive author – how long does it take you to write a book?
The impression of my productivity stems from the fact that I wrote seven novels before I published the first one, so I’m off to a head start compared to others.
From the first word to being published, so far the minimum time needed has been seven months. I can write a first draft within about three weeks, with several re-writes then needed before I feel confident to send it off to beta-readers. Including their feedback more re-writes follow, then two back and forth with my editor, then formatting and a last edit. I started “Ludwika” in May 2015 and published it in December the same year.
In contrast, my next novel, “African August” was written in 2010 and has been re-written, dismissed, brought back to life and re-edited several times. It’s an adventure story and doesn’t quite fit into my portfolio, but I believe in the story, so it will be published as part of a charity box set – hopefully by the end of the year, which makes it almost 6 years from first word to being published.
I must say I was quite surprised when I read the blurb for The Body in the Snow. How long have you known you wanted to write a whodunit?
I’ve been reading a lot of crime fiction when I was young, from Enid Blyton to Agatha Christie. When I met my partner, who is a complete fan of mysteries, I was introduced to the Martin Beck series and was (initially) forced to watch “Midsummer Murders” and “Death in Paradise”. My partner is annoyingly brilliant at spotting who did it and that got me into the mind-set of the writer rather than consumer of whodunits. In 2012 I had the idea for the setting and I’ve been working on the book ever since, with changing confidence that I could pull it off.
I imagine that when writing a mystery, plotting becomes crucial. Would you agree?
Plotting is more important in a mystery, that is true, but I’m not a great plotter during the first draft. I had four or five ideas of who should have done it and started writing the novel with all possibilities open until the story demanded that I closed one avenue off after the other, until I was left with the last two. I went back to re-write the book, ironing out the now inconsistent parts of the story and around the 90% mark decided on the culprit. I went back to the beginning again and finished.
Writing while not knowing for sure whodunit, helped to keep the mystery for me and avoid a “writing-by-numbers”. If I didn’t know, then it would be more difficult for readers to figure it out, I reckoned. In any case, writing cosy mysteries allows for more colourful characters and more emphasis on their backgrounds.
Your main character is Bebe Bollinger, a self-centred, vain, has-been diva who desperately wants to make a come-back. It could have been very tragic, but instead Bebe is a vibrant (if at times enervating) woman with no intention of giving up on life. Is she purely a figment of your imagination, or have you been inspired by people you know?
Some mannerisms and characteristics are stolen from real life people or celebrities, but these individuals then all didn’t fit the specific idea that evolved in my head. Having worked for an airline and the British Film Institute, I’ve come across enough Diva behaviour to write a village hall full of such characters.
I must admit to laughing out loud at the notion of re-igniting your career by partnering with dear Engelbert in the Eurovision contest. Seriously, what did you think of “Love will set you free”? (As a Swede, I am tempted to holler “Euphoria” instead)
I thought the song was sweet, although not a hit, probably disadvantaged by the positioning at the start of the competition. It’s more an album filler than a chart topper and would never win the “Melodiefestivalen” the way “Euphoria” did.
But I’m admittedly never one to pick the winner. I had “Euphoria” nowhere near my Top Ten that year, whereas I regarded “Hero”, “Popular” and “La Voix” as top contenders…
I happen to know you’re one of those nice people who openly admit to being a Eurovision fan. So which are your top three favourite Eurovision songs?
Amongst the massive amount of music classics that the contest produced I have to go with “Waterloo”, “A little Peace” and “Save Your Kisses for Me”. (Anna: And I just have to add that Ein Bisschen Frieden is a big favourite of mine. )
However, as I’m always one for the underdog, of the non-winning songs I would like to mention songs that I in fact listen to far more often: “Karleken Ar” by Jill Johnson, “Sata Salamaa” by Vicky (Virve) Rosti and “Amsterdam” by Maggie MacNeal.
Back to your book: The Body in the Snow has three strong female characters living as uncomfortable neighbours in a little hamlet – and a somewhat hen-pecked man, Ian. How do you feel about him?
I think he is the classic decent Welsh bloke who aims to do the right thing, has a big, community-driven heart and unfortunately is married to a difficult woman. I have a lot of sympathy for him and his predicament. In an environment of three head-strong women he finds it difficult to create an atmosphere of harmony and peace which is all he really wants.
Will Bebe Bollinger be back in a future book?
Definitely. I have a lot of ideas, just not enough time to produce the next title as quickly as I would like. Bebe has a career to chase, maybe Eurovision 2013, maybe as singer on a cruise ship, maybe solving another mystery in her hamlet in Wales?
Other than Bebe, what are you working on at present?
I’m organising a series of local Book Fairs and Literary Festivals at the moment, so I’m glad I wrote the forthcoming “African August” before all of this started. It’s an adventure story about a lawyer who quits society to seek adventure and cheap living in Africa, without quite knowing what he let himself in for. It is based on some experiences I had when travelling the continent as cabin crew and the naïve ideas I had when first setting foot into the jungle.
I’m also about to finish the sequel to my psychological thriller “The Healer”, working title “The Sanctuary on Cayman Brac”. Arpan, the healer, now lives in the Caribbean, where the story is set. Some unfinished business and lose ends from the first book are set to disturb his peace. The book also features some characters from my other thriller, “The Gamblers” to give them a sort of sequel as well.
Thank you for stopping by, Christoph, and good luck with all your projects. Personally, I feel somewhat exhausted just reading about all this so I will now curl up in my sofa with a  cup of tea. And for those curious to hear what I thought about The Body in the Snow, read on!
About the book:
Fading celebrity Bebe Bollinger is on the wrong side of fifty and dreaming of a return to the limelight. When a TV show offers the chance of a comeback, Bebe grabs it with both hands – not even a lazy agent, her embarrassing daughter, irritating neighbours or a catastrophic snowfall will derail her moment of glory. But when a body is found in her sleepy Welsh hamlet, scandal threatens.
My thoughts
Snow is a bummer. At least, that is something Bebe Bollinger and her neighbours Dora, Ian & Christine agree on. That’s pretty much the only thing they agree on, seeing as Bebe considers Dora somewhat vulgar and Christine an OCD maniac who is a royal pain in the nether parts. Ian, however, she likes – plus it is handy to be on good terms with the single man in the remote Welsh hamlet in which they all live.
Why Bebe Bollinger, famous ex-artist who desperately wants to revive her career, is living out in the back of beyond is a bit unclear. Maybe it is easier to be not-so-famous when living in a place where no one cares if you’re famous. After all, Christine mostly cares about parking and will go to great lengths to ensure her undisciplined neighbours don’t park on the road. And Dora is an odd fish (as per Bebe) who seems to genuinely enjoy living close to nature and is far more interested in birds than in Bebe.
And there, dear peeps, you have the central cast in Christoph Fischer’s latest book, The Body in the Snow. Further colourful additions include Bebe’s VERY loud and demanding daughter, said daughter’s boyfriend, and the future murder victim. While not wanting to give too much away, let’s just say that the obvious reasons for offing the victim turn out to be not so obvious, and suddenly Bebe herself is involved in the murder investigation centred round the corpse found in the snow.
Bebe is a vibrant person whose main interest in life is herself – and her flagging career. Not exactly the most introspective of people, she is blind to her own pushiness and endearingly vulnerable beneath her diva façade. Burdened with the daughter from hell, an ineffectual agent and the insight that she is getting old, Bebe is determined not to give up on life or her ambition to yet again become a household name. The author has done a great job in creating a character who is potentially dislikeable and still making her likeable – precisely because she is so human, warts and all.
The mystery as such trundles along, but is rather secondary, IMO, to the story surrounding Bebe. As a classic crime story, The Body in the Snow could have done with some more pace. As a cosy read on a rainy Sunday afternoon, this is a book that makes you feel just that: cosy. And as to Bebe – well, I for one hope to have the pleasure of her company in future books. After all, ladies like her don’t grow on trees, neither in the real world nor in the fictional one!
And, obviously, by now you’ll be jumping up and down in your eagerness to buy The Body in the Snow – which you can do by following this link.
About the author
Christoph Fischer was born in Germany, near the Austrian border, as the son of a Sudeten-German father and a Bavarian mother. Not a full local in the eyes and ears of his peers, he developed an ambiguous sense of belonging and moved to Hamburg in pursuit of his studies and to lead a life of literary indulgence. In 1993 he moved to the UK and now lives in Llandeilo in West Wales. He and his partner have several Labradoodles to complete their family.
For more info about Christoph and his many books – both historical and contemporary – drop by on his various “social media” homes.
Website: http://www.christophfischerbooks.com/
Blog: http://writerchristophfischer.wordpress.com/
Amazon: http://ow.ly/BtveY
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CFFBooks
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WriterChristophFischer?ref=hl