Malcolm Kempt spent 17 years as a criminal lawyer in the remote Canadian Arctic before trading the courtroom for full-time writing. His journey from law to literature led to his critically acclaimed debut crime novel, A Gift Before Dying.

In this episode, Malcolm shares how isolation in one of the world’s harshest landscapes shaped his atmospheric storytelling, why he chose to write crime over horror despite his love for the genre, and the unconventional path that led him from a $500 ice cream trailer to a two-book deal with Penguin Random House. He opens up about his "waste books" writing method, the importance of deep focus in a distracted world, and why aspiring authors should put down their phones and pick up their pens.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How lived experience fuels authentic storytelling – Malcolm's 17 years in the Arctic provided the foundation for his debut novel's setting and themes

• The "waste books" method for overcoming writer's block – A historical approach to capturing ideas without pressure

• How Malcolm balanced his love of horror with his background in criminal law

• How online workshops and critique groups helped Malcolm develop his craft in isolation

• Why eliminating phone distractions is essential for deep creative work

• The reality of the publishing journey – From winning an unpublished manuscript award to landing a major book deal

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Topics covered:

[0:00] Introduction to Malcolm Kempt and A Gift Before Dying

[2:28] What is A Gift Before Dying about? Crime novel meets ghost story

[4:30] The spark: A spate of suicides in Cape Dorset that haunted Malcolm

[6:45] Why the Arctic? Places where "the veil is thin"

[9:15] Balancing horror influences with crime fiction

[11:30] How Malcolm ended up as a lawyer in the Canadian Arctic

[15:00] Creating characters: Sergeant Cole and 10-year-old Malik

[19:45] The moral complexity of justice in isolated communities

[23:00] Malcolm's writing process: Cinematic thinking and "tent pole" images

[27:15] The "waste books" method for capturing ideas

[30:00] Architect vs. archeologist: Finding structure in chaos

[33:45] Malcolm's creative origin story: Music, art, and writing

[38:00] Finding community through Lit Reactor workshops

[42:15] The pandemic decision: Leaving law to write full-time

[45:30] Financing the dream: Running an ice cream trailer while writing

[49:00] The road to publication: From award to agent to two-book deal

[54:00] Current writing routine with a 3-year-old

[56:30] The unexpected joy of reconnecting with people from your past

[58:45] Best advice for aspiring authors: Get off your phone

[1:05:00] Balancing social media demands with deep creative work

[1:11:30] Dream casting and theme song for the adaptation

[1:14:45] Closing thoughts

From Arctic Lawyer to Debut Novelist: Malcolm Kempt on Writing A Gift Before Dying