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The Martha's Vineyard Times is a weekly publication.
December 30 - January 5, 2004 Edition
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IN PRINT December 30, 2004 There is no new In Print story this week. Mystery writing duo share secrets December 16, 2004 By Gail Craig Genial collaborators William Tapply and Philip Craig. Photo by Ralph Stewart Authors Phil Craig and Bill Tapply had been friends for about 10 years before they first came up with the idea to co-author a book. When Phil’s first book was released, Bill, already an established author, wrote a brief endorsement for the book cover. Though he was always cautious of writing such recommendations, he said that the first thing he read was that, “This guy was going fishing. I liked fishing, so I kept reading. I liked what I read so I wrote a blurb for the book.” Phil then read and enjoyed one of Bill’s novels. Over the next year, they bumped into each other at various mystery writer conferences and from this, a friendship slowly evolved. It was somewhere in the mid 1990’s that they first discussed a collaboration of their main characters, J.W. Jackson, a Vineyard sleuth, and Brady Coyne, a Boston lawyer, but it wasn’t until a few years later that the project actually began. In 2002, their first joint effort, “First Light,” was released. This week, their second novel, “Second Sight,” hit the bookstore shelves and I was able to sit down with the authors at Phil’s home, in between local book signings. A natural collaboration When asked how this collaboration began, both men agreed that it evolved naturally. Both authors had made references to each other’s characters in previous books. Bill described it succinctly by stating that “in a sense, they inhabit each others worlds, so it is not a stretch for the readers” to have the two characters join forces. In both collaborations, the titles were the first things agreed upon. The writers then came up with a very general idea of what the books would be about. From there, they would discuss their options, volleying ideas off of each other. The actual writing process was made easier by modern technology. Phil wrote the first chapter and promptly e-mailed it to Bill. Bill then wrote the next chapter, e-mailing it back to Phil upon completion. According to Bill, neither author would really think much about it while the book was in the other person’s domain. Conflicts between the two were few. From the beginning, the two friends agreed that, while subject matter or story details were open to discussion, interfering with one another’s writing style was not an option. That decision, and the fact that they get along so well, made the collaborations easier. According to Phil, they “write without the kind of tension that can happen when egos get involved”. And if disagreements did arise, the person with the strongest point of view or opinion usually won out. Each author is objective enough to see where the other view may enhance the storyline. Timing and criticism The biggest obstacle the men faced was that of timing or chronology. Getting the time sequences down clearly was not an easy task, each author having to track their individual character within the timeline of the story. A frequent issue was where in the timeline to pick up each subsequent chapter. Should Bill pick up where Phil left off in the previous chapter or where he himself had left off two chapters earlier? How does one author meld a boring day for his character with an action-packed day for the other character? This was often resolved with a simple sentence or two outlining their day, such as “I spent Wednesday at the beach thinking about what I had learned.” With a brief allusion to the time schedule, the authors could then move on with their individual accounts, until the two stories meld into one. As is often the case, both men agree that their harshest, and best, critics, are their wives, Shirley Craig and Vicki Stiefel. Both men gave the completed stories to their spouses for suggestions and both women were “dispassionate in their criticism, which we’re glad to have. They take no prisoners.” The women were able to point out discrepancies in the timelines, or areas where the plot needed a little boost. Their input undoubtedly helped produce a better final product. “Second Sight” is an enjoyable novel set on Martha’s Vineyard. It takes place in the post 9/11 timeframe with a plot that includes what Phil refers to as a “super extravaganza,” celebrities, mysticism, tension, and mystery. Both men agree that this second time around was easier than the first, that they were able to avoid some of their original mistakes, and that the final product is better than the first. They are now plotting their next joint venture, tentatively named “Third Strike.” As Phil elaborated on some of his ideas for the third installment, Bill turned to me and said, “See, this is how it works. I’ve never heard any of this before.” Whether or not there will even be a third installment is up in the air. As with any good mystery, we, the readers, will have to wait and see.Put in box as sidebar About the authors Phil Craig is the author of 18 novels. His next J.W. Jackson novel has already been completed and will be released next spring. He is Professor Emeritus at Wheelock College and one heck of a grandfather. He lives in Edgartown with his wife, Shirley Prada Craig. Bill Tapply is the author of more than 30 books, 24 of them novels. He is currently revising his next Brady Coyne novel, “Nervous Water,” which is due out in June, 2005. He has also started another series, with different characters, set in Maine. The first installment, “Bitch Creek,” is already available. He writes for a number of outdoor magazines and is a contributing editor with Field & Stream. He lives in Hancock, N.H. with the author Vicki Stiefel, his wife.

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