How I Came to Write Deli Meat by guest author Tom Halford

Val Penny ♦ May 16, 2018 ♦ 1 Comment

I am delighted to host a visit from my friend and fellow crime writer, Tom Halford. His debut novel, Deli Meat is published by Crooked Cat Books on 17 September, 2018. Thank you for joining me here today, Tom.

I grew up on murder.

My parents love mysteries. My mom will read any crime novel she can get her hands on, and my dad enjoys true-crime stories. They both are big fans of shows like Foyle’s War, Midsomer Murders, and Rosemary & Thyme.

I’ve been writing since I was a kid, and I always wanted to write a novel that I could give to my parents. I wanted to say to them, “Here’s one just for you. Enjoy.”

So I guess you could say that my crime novel, Deli Meat, is their fault. There’s a twist, though. I’ve always been the type of son who can’t resist good-natured teasing with his parents. Deli Meat is a crime novel, but it also pokes fun at the genre.

Watching mysteries with my family was a big part of my teenage years. If it wasn’t Columbo, then Murder She Wrote would be on the TV in the family room. My brothers and I would sit around the screen guessing how Jessica Fletcher was going to catch the murderer. We loved how Columbo would befriend his suspect, walk away after a conversation, and then turn mid-stride to make a clever remark.

But something always stuck out to me while we watched. One of the characters had to die so we could have a bit of fun. As a teenager, that seemed odd, and if I’m being honest, it still seems a little strange.

In writing Deli Meat, I had no choice but to make fun of this and other peculiarities of the crime genre. It’s in my nature.

That’s really the story behind Deli Meat. It’s a novel written by someone who loves crime fiction but can’t stop himself from making a joke about it here and there.

My wife and I have two kids. They’re too young for the crime genre, but one day when they’re old enough, I hope that we can bond over stories in a similar way that I have with my parents.

Del i Meat is to be released on September 17th of 2018, and I’ve been thinking quite a bit about what my parents will think of my novel. I hold a PhD in English literature, but the truth is that my parents probably know the crime genre better than I do.

As I get closer to the publication date, I probably won’t say to my parents, “Here’s one just for you. Enjoy.”

I’m afraid that after they’ve read it, they might ask, “Why did you write that for me? That book was insane!”

I won’t lie. Deli Meat is a strange, cooky book, but I’ve worked hard to infuse as much suspense, mystery, and humour into the plot. I don’t know what my parents will l say, but I know that I wouldn’t have been able to write Deli Meat without them, and for that I’m grateful. 

About Tom Halford:

The author is a writer, a teacher, a dad, and a husband. One of Tom’s favourite things in the world is a delicious sandwich. This might sound crazy, but the inspiration behind Deli Meat is Tom’s love of the sub, the hero, the hoagie, the grinder, the classic lunch time meal, the sandwich.

Tom Halford