James Bond, Rock & Roll and Hugh Hefner: An Interview with Thriller Writer Raymond Benson

We caught up with thriller writer Raymond Benson and found out some very interesting things about him! Like, did you know he is a music composer and a stage director as well as a thriller writer?!


Question: Using the Twitter method of answering (140 characters or less) tell us what kind of novels you write?

The kind that makes readers scream, “Oh my God! I MUST go immediately to Amazon.com, write a 5-star review, and buy more by this same author!” (I would hope.)


Question: What is your favorite James Bond movie and why?

“From Russia With Love”—it has a plot faithful to Ian Fleming, a more-serious-than-usual tone, a great cast including Sean Connery at his best, and is a timely example of a Cold War thriller.


Question: Where is your favorite online community and what brought you there?

Since the entire world is online, I’d have to say… the entire world. I was born there, so I guess that makes me a member of the club. But seriously, I use Facebook and MySpace extensively, and have my own website at www.raymondbenson.com.

Question: What is it about your books that you feel appeals to women readers?

Three of my original thrillers feature female protagonists, which just happened that way by coincidence. I would like to think that all the others (James Bond, the rock ‘n’ roll thrillers, etc.) would appeal to any gender—female, male, and undecided.


Question: Using the Twitter method of answering tell us what other occupations or hobbies you have?

Musician, film historian and college instructor, former computer game designer, and former theatre director.

Question: If you could interview any author (living or not) who would it be and why?

Here’s three-- Ian Fleming, for obvious reasons, as I walked in his footsteps, so to speak; Stanley Kubrick, because he’s my favorite film director AND an author in that he wrote or co-wrote his own screenplays; and Harold Pinter, my favorite playwright.

Question: Name 5 people in your top MySpace friends –

Barack Obama, Hugh Hefner, Ennio Morricone, Max Benson, Robert Wyatt

Question: Using the Twitter method of answering tell us about your next book?

It’s METAL GEAR SOLID 2—SONS OF LIBERTY, a novelization of a popular videogame; the first one is nominated for a Scribe Award as Best Gaming Adaptation Novel of 2008.


Question: What type of fan mail do you get?

The best and the worst. Wouldn’t have it any other way.

Question: What kind of online games to play?

Figuring out new layouts when Facebook or MySpace decide to change them, and occasional movie trivia time-wasters; generally I don’t have time to play games like I once did.


Question: Name three songs currently on your playlist.

“Shakin’ All Over” by Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin; “Africa” by Amadou & Mariam; and “Beautiful as the Moon, Terrible as an Army With Banners” by Henry Cow. (I don’t listen to much mainstream music.)

Question: Of all the books you’ve written, what do you feel has been the one with the most unique way to murder someone?

My current rock ‘n’ roll thriller, DARK SIDE OF THE MORGUE, features a torture and attempted murder involving an overdose of salvia divinorum, a highly potent psychedelic herb.


You can find out more about Raymond on his website at- http://raymondbenson.com/
You've got to stop by and see all the interesting things Raymond does! He is quite the Renaissance man!

Thanks Raymond for sharing some time with us!