#philate

[haliotis94]

Postal prusiana de 1922

[mulhollandbooks]

Grift Magazine interviews Lawrence Block

Grift: With Hit Me, you focus much more on Keller’s philately than in previous books, using it to really drive large parts of the plot. Was there a conscious thought that you had brought readers along enough with the previous books that they would be ready for this full immersion?

Block: I haven’t had a conscious thought in years, John. It just seemed logical that stamps would become more and more of his life. Unconsciously, I was surely aware of the positive reception the books have been getting among philatelists, and the absence of objections to the stamp stuff from others. But I don’t know to what extent that was a factor.

Grift: I must admit, I had little knowledge or interest in stamp collecting before reading the Keller books, but now I’m at least intrigued. Is recruiting people to the hobby a fringe benefit to the series (or a detriment, as now you may have more competition for stamps)?

Block: Some readers have reported a return to a childhood passion for stamps after making Keller’s acquaintance, and like every collector, I’m happy to see our ranks increase. (I don’t think anybody worries about competition.) What has struck me is the overlap of stamp collectors and crime fiction fans. Who knew?