Interview with Steve Hamilton

I'd like to thank Steve Hamilton for agreeing to answer a few questions about The Lock Artist:

1. What kind of research did you do for The Lock Artist and what was the most interesting thing that you learned?


I worked with a really good expert for the lockpicking and combination lock stuff – he’s somebody I had known from corresponding over earlier books. For the safecracking, though, that’s a whole world of its own and I tried to seek out a real safecracker. I ended up finding Dave McOmie, one of the best in the world. He’s not a criminal, mind you. He’s a legitimate safe technician who flies all over the world opening up problematic safes. The most interesting thing I learned was that there really are no great criminal safecrackers right now. The main reason? It’s too hard to practice. Dave gets to open a different safe every day, but a would-be criminal just can’t get that experience!


2. Have you ever picked a lock yourself and what did you think of the experience?

I have tried it, and in fact, when I was working on the book, I had a practice lock sitting right by the computer and I’d play around with it whenever I was just sitting there. It’s a good way to keep the front of your mind busy while the back of your mind is coming up with what happens next in the story. It really is an amazing feeling, when you finally get those pins just right and the whole thing turns at once. It made me start to appreciate what that feeling would mean to young Michael.

3.How did you decide to do this book as a stand alone novel?

Well, I had done seven books in the Alex McKnight series, and then one standalone about a probation officer (Night Work). That first standalone did okay, not great, so any normal sane person would have gone back to the series. But I just had this crazy idea about a young safecracker in my head, and I couldn’t get rid of it. So I decided to just follow the thread and see where it went. I had no idea it would take so long to get there. At times, I honestly thought it was a huge mistake, and I ended up turning in the book like a year and a half late. I can look back at it now and realize it was all worth it, I guess, but it was a tough trip.

4. How are things looking with the movie adaptation?

Announcement coming any day now. Until then, I’m sworn to secrecy! (But in the meantime, thing about how challenging that script is going to be. Thirty years ago, you’d have a lot of voice over – you know, close up on Michael’s face, then we hear his thoughts in his head. Right now, that would probably feel like a cheat. But are you actually going to go two hours straight without ever hearing his voice? It’s gonna be interesting…)

5. What are you currently working on?

Die A Stranger, the next McKnight book, comes out in July 2012. Actually, that’s already done, so right now I’m working on one more McKnight book, and then after that, I’ll definitely do something different! (Possibly a sequel to The Lock Artist? Maybe. It depends a little on the status of the movie thing…)


Thanks again to Steve Hamilton for the interview. Be sure to check out The Lock Artist as well as his Alex McKnight series if you haven't already. I really hope there is a movie because this book would make a great one. I vote for Rosario Dawson and Lizzy Caplan as two of the female leads. What do you think?

As always feel free to comment, drop me a line at jeffsemonis at yahoo.com, or find me on twitter @jeffsbookcase