Since he starting writing at the tender age of 12, Ron Base has explored the art of storytelling in just about every way – from journalist and magazine writer to screenplay writer and author.
He now has more than two dozen novels under his belt, with no signs of slowing down.
We caught up with the 75-year-old Miltonian to discuss the recent passing of his co-author Prudence Emery, the release of their third instalment in the Priscilla Tempest series and his thoughts on storytelling in general.
Condolences on the recent passing of your Priscilla Tempest series co-author Prudence Emery? What will you remember most fondly about your collaborations with her?
Prudence was an absolute delight to work with. We go back many years to when she was a well-known unit publicist and I was a journalist visiting her movie sets, so we always had lots of war stories to trade back and forth. I will miss our conversations; I will dearly miss her.
Prudence’s passing comes on the heels of the release of the latest Priscilla Tempest release, Princess at the Savoy. Without giving too much away, what can fans expect in terms of her character development and the expansion of her world? Tease us a little.
Princess of the Savoy once again finds our plucky heroine up to her lovely neck in trouble. With the Iconic Savoy Hotel and Swinging London in 1968 as a background, Priscilla comes up against an evil Italian prince, a threatening American gangster, an amorous member of the royal family and a plot to overthrow British democracy that could get her killed. Can Priscilla save democracy? Shhh.. please don’t tell anyone.
Fans can get deeply invested in characters in a novel series. What’s the key to maintaining and nurturing that reader loyalty?
I learned very quickly writing the Sanibel Sunset Detective mysteries that readers want their hero or heroine to come often. No doubt readers desire a likable hero, but most of all they want a new book at least once a year. So if you plan to write a detective novel, roll up your sleeves and get to work on a series.
Of all the historic places to write about, what intrigued you at the Savoy?
I would never in a million years have thought about setting a novel at the Savoy Hotel if it wasn’t for Prudence. For five years in the late ‘60s, she headed the press office of the world’s most famous hotels and thus was a font of knowledge about its behind-the-scenes life. Totally fascinating… she seemed to know everyone who was anyone. It struck me that this unique setting might make the basis for a mystery novel. Pru agreed and off we went together on what has been an amazing journey.
What’s the biggest challenge of co-authoring a novel?
The biggest challenge for me was overcoming my hesitation about collaborating with someone 3,000 miles away who I hadn’t seen for many years. Writers write alone. I certainly had all my life. How was a collaboration going to work? My fears turned out to be totally unfounded. Collaborating with Pru was a total joy.
Any quirky rituals you have before starting a new novel or working through a creative block?
The quirkiest ritual I follow is simply the act of sitting down first thing each morning with a cup of coffee and writing. I’ve been doing this for so long it has become second nature. It’s also about the only thing that I can do at all well. My one quirk has served me pretty well and gotten my through a lifetime.
Any plans to revisit Milton in one of your future stories?
Halton region is so fascinating to write about as it comes to terms with a myriad of challenges in the 21 st Century. Those four locally-set Milton Mysteries, featuring former RCMP officer Jean Whitlock, allowed me to write with a bit more edge, which I found exciting. The Savoy novels have overwhelmed everything else for the past three years, but I may bring Jean back at a later date.
You held a wide variety of writing-related jobs in your pre-author life. Is there anything you draw on from those earlier days that makes you a better fiction writer today, even in a subtle or hard to quantify way?
My hope is that a lifetime of writing has all added up to making me a better writer. Although I was never particularly successful, I have found ironically enough that the experience of writing screenplays has been as helpful as anything. In scripts, there must be conflict in every scene, and every scene must move the plot forward, and keep the reader guessing as to what will happen next. I’ve tried to bring those elements to my novels.
What’s the most memorable piece of advice you ever received about the art of storytelling?
Two pieces of advice have stuck with me over the years. The first comes from British novelist John Le Carre: “The cat sat on the mat is not a story; the cat sat on the dog’s mat is the beginning of an exciting story.” Second comes from John Braine, also a British author: “Always write as if the action of your novel were taking place before your eyes on a brightly lit stage.” Keep those two pieces of advice in mind and you won’t go wrong – well, not too wrong.
What’s next for Ron Base?
I’m not sure what the future holds. The unexpected death of my dear friend Pru leaves the Savoy novels up in the air. However, for now, I’m preoccupied with finishing the fourth novel in the series. So we will see.