Khanh Ho is writing the first Vietnamese American Detective Fiction ever. Why? Because being the first is a power trip. Like what you read? Share, comment, subscribe.
It is with much regret that I inform you that my villain is getting, as they say in LA, “some work done”: face lift, tummy tuck, chin implant. For good measure, he’s getting stuff that doesn’t count as plastic surgery: dye job and botox and maybe even a colon cleanse. It’s going to shave 10 years off him.
This is a long way of saying that I had an original plan for my serial killer. He was going to be handsome, single, confident, established. Like many men of a certain sort in Los Angeles, he would be a perpetually youngish early forties but with a virile quality. Strong jaw. Distinguished salt and pepper good looks. The kind of guy who drives a 700 series BMW and dates Russian models. I wrote him up and this is absolutely true—everybody envisioned this guy:
But now I have to make him younger…because he needs to be a bit more insecure. He’s living off of Daddy’s money. And even though he projects an image of stability and wealth, none of it is his. In fact, his father thoroughly dominates him. There is some talk that he is even getting beaten by his old man…though none of this occurs in plain view.
So I’m shopping for reputable plastic surgeons. My serial killer is going under the knife. I think he’s going to have to come out like the progeny of Matt Damon and Jude Law, conceived during a memorable long weekend in Palm Springs. God: why do we live in such a youth-obsessed culture?
Khanh – I think the antagonist’s character is at the very least as important as the protagonist. He has to be believable and I think that’s especially true for serial killers. Far too many of them are ‘cardboard cutouts’ with no personality and no credibility. I think readers really need to understand why a serial killer would think that it’s OK/necessary/important to commit multiple murders. So I’m glad you’re re-thinking the kind of person your ‘bad guy’ is.
So true, Margot. The antagonist is easily ignored. Perhaps that is why it took me a while to start thinking of him…but, you’re right: he is the source of any mystery’s obsession. The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I’ve met a few people now–uptight people who only read high literature–who tell me that I’m writing some sick stuff…that my serial killer is twisted and there’s something wrong with me…
I take that as a high compliment.
🙂