A chat with Paul Cleave: NZ author sailing with Cunard for the Literature Festival at Sea voyage

Cunard's Queen Elizabeth cruise liner. Photo / Getty Images

Cunard’s inaugural Literature Festival at Sea voyage, in partnership with Dymocks, will set sail on December 11. This unique themed cruise will host a plethora of literary talents, including award-winning New Zealand author Paul Cleave. Here, the crime fiction writer speaks to Travel about cruises, Kindles and Christchurch’s dark underbelly.

How does your work as an author relate to travel?

I’ve been a published author since 2006 and, in that time, I’ve released 13 novels – and recently a TV show, too. The books have been translated into 20-something languages and sold a bunch of copies, which has given me the opportunity to travel to places I never thought I would have. By the end of the year, I’ll have visited almost 70 countries, gotten sunburned in some, frozen in others and met a ton of really cool people.

Award-winning New Zealand crime novelist Paul Cleave.

What inspired you to become an author?

It wasn’t so much that one thing inspired me – it’s more that it’s what I wanted to do, ever since being a kid. My parents were always avid readers and I grew up the same way – mostly, I guess, because I’m old enough for my childhood to have predated Xboxes and Netflix. Sure, writers inspire me now – and one of the best parts of the job is becoming friends with writers, those whom I used to and still admire. The other best part is most writers are pretty generous when it comes to buying drinks.

Many of your novels are based in Christchurch. What is it about the city that influences your creativity?

It’s a pretty dark city – one of those places that looks like it was designed to be on a postcard, but it really does have a dark underbelly. That makes it perfect for a crime novel as you get to show both the good and bad of a location, the same way you do with a character. Of course, logistically it’s helpful because I can time out character interactions – I know how long it takes from A to B and I can describe it to you. I like to try and bring people into my version of Christchurch, show them a good time and hope they’ll come back.

Where are Christchurch’s best literary hangouts?

The central library is only a few years old and very beautiful. But for me, when I think of literary hangouts, I think bars, like that bar in Oxford in the UK where Tolkien and C.S. Lewis hung out. I went there with an author buddy of mine years ago – was pretty cool. If we have something like that here, I either can’t think of it right now or they’re keeping it secret from me.

Turanga Christchurch City Library at night. Photo / Karen Gorsuch

Are there any secret spots you know of in Christchurch that visitors would adore?

There are certainly spots here that I love. We have some decent beaches and some beautiful gardens and lots of great running tracks – those things appeal to me, though these days I’m mostly chained to my desk trying to finish the new book. It’s that classic thing of not knowing your city terribly well – I was born and raised here and I’ve lived overseas on and off and still spend a few months every year travelling for work, and always know I’d never want to live anywhere else. I’ll be one of those guys who dies a few kilometres away from where he was born – hopefully with plenty of years in between the two. Whenever a friend visits from overseas who hasn’t been here before, and wants me to show them around, I freeze because I have no idea where to start.

What are you most looking forward to about the Cunard Literature Festival at Sea?

Right off the bat, I’d say one of the drawcards for me is I’ve never been on a cruise ship before. The closest I’ve come to that is watching Captain Stubing in his short shorts trying to keep mayhem from breaking loose on the Love Boat. I have heard many great things about the experience of sailing on a Cunard Queen and I love new experiences because, as a writer, you’re always looking for new material and other ways to think. But the main reason is I love being on stage and chatting to audiences. And I am expecting a ship full of like-minded literature enthusiasts celebrating the written word.

The Queen Elizabeth cruise liner by Cunard. Photo / Supplied

If you could take only one book onboard a cruise ship to read at sea, what would you pack? And why?

Tough question. First of all, I travel with a Kindle … so already one book is 100 books. 2022 was the year I had to start making the font bigger on things or holding books further away so I can read. It’s kind of an impossible question because I’d take with me whatever was just next in the reading pile – of which there are many. I guess in honour of heading to Australia, I’d read something from Michael Robotham as I’m behind on his, or Jack Heath – if he has a new one coming out.

Will you be using the Cunard voyage as inspiration for any of your upcoming novels?

I’ve seen movies set on cruise ships, from romance to disaster movies, and I’ve read thrillers set on them too. Cruise ships are a fantastic location for stories. I’m hoping I can wander the decks and look around and start to get a feel for a story, for sure. You never know when those ideas are going to hit you but, man, when they do, it’s the best thing in the world.

Details

For more information on Cunard’s Literature Festival at Sea voyage, see cunard.com/en-au/cruise-types/event-cruises/australian-literature-festival

To see Paul Cleave’s work and website, visit paulcleave.com