Sérgio Fragoso is a Brazilian writer who has conquered more and more space in the national literary scenario. Graduated in Business Administration and working at the State University of Mato Grosso, he is the author of several books, the most recent of which focus on the detective/thriller genre.
It was in 2018 that Sérgio decided to change the course of his writing, leaving basic computer books behind and investing in a new challenge: writing detective and suspense novels. And it didn’t take long for his books to start gaining prominence in the literary market.
His first book of the genre was “The Collector”, published in 2020 by Sonho de Livro. From then on, Sérgio did not stop and released other equally engaging titles, such as “Mutiladas”, “The assassin of the brides” and “Assassinato à Beira Mar”. In all these books, Detective Scott is the main character, tasked with investigating crimes and arresting killers.
In addition, Sérgio also had short stories published in anthologies such as “Noite macabre” and “A special meal”. His talent and dedication as a writer earned him the Best of the Year awards from the Academia Sinonse de Ciências e Letras and the Ecos da Literature Award, both in 2021. Check out the interview!
Changing literary genres can be a challenge for many authors. How was your experience making the transition from writing computer books to thriller/crime books? Did you encounter any difficulties starting to write about such a different genre?
In fact, I started with basic computer tips, but I wasn’t satisfied, that’s when I decided to write a novel in 2015. A completely new experience for me, I didn’t have a publisher and I didn’t know how the market worked, and most importantly, I had no readers, so it was very difficult. I actually got a little discouraged, but then in 2018 I decided to write in a different genre and ventured into suspense. I never stopped and today I have several books published by publishers.
His suspense and detective novels are intriguing and well-crafted. Where do you draw inspiration from to create these stories? Is there any real case or personal experience that inspired you to write any of your books?
They were my ideas, I just thought of the main theme and started writing. Of course I had to research and I also read books and watch series and suspense movies, but nothing I’ve published so far has been inspired by true history. However, I have a story ready that is inspired by a real case here in my city, but that still doesn’t have a publication date.
His suspense and police works feature very well-developed characters, such as Detective Scott, the main character of “O Colecionador”, “Mutiladas”, “O Assassino das Noivas” e “Assassinato à Beira-Mar”. How do you develop these main characters so that they are as compelling and endearing to the reader? What is Detective Scott’s role in the plot and how did you create him?
If there’s a character that resembles me in many ways, it’s Detective Scott, I put a lot of myself into the character, but mainly the ethics and character issue. I created Detective Scott with the idea of making a detective unlike anyone in the books. He is considered the best detective in New York, who never leaves a case unsolved and is always assigned to complicated cases.
You have already won several literary awards, including the Best of the Year Award from the Academia Sinónse de Ciências e Letras – ASCL and the Ecos da Literature Award. What is it like for you to receive this recognition? Do you believe that these awards help boost your career and encourage new writers and that your education in Business Administration and your university experience somehow influenced your writing?
These awards give visibility, especially the Echoes of Literature, which is a national award with an event in São Paulo. I’m even among the finalists for the third year in a row. My training I believe helps with the bureaucratic part, in the way I organize my writing, my routine, but not in what I write. My work at the university definitely influenced my career, I believe that if I hadn’t worked at the library for almost 15 years I wouldn’t have become a writer.
Are there plans to continue writing in this genre or do you plan to experiment with other literary genres? Do you have an ongoing project that you can share with us?
I no longer think about changing gender. I have three books awaiting publication, two of which are also starring Detective Scott and this other one is inspired by a real case. It is a case of a serial killer that even aired on Globo in the program Linha Direta.
Short story writing is quite different from novel writing as you have to create an intriguing story in a more limited space. How do you prepare to write suspense and detective stories? Are there any specific techniques or approaches you use to create an engaging story in a limited number of words?
Short story writing is fast, but not as easy as it looks. It is very difficult to tell an engaging story in a few pages, with a beginning, middle and end. I don’t have special techniques, but I try to imagine the outcome of the story right at the beginning of the story, so that things happen in the right measure until the end of the plot.
Can you tell us about a memorable scene where Detective Scott is investigating a crime in one of his crime/thriller books? How do you develop the construction of this scene to create a tense and engaging atmosphere for the reader?
It’s a little difficult to talk without telling the story, but in suspense books you have to make the reader curious, eager to know what happens in the next chapter. A striking scene is the moment that Scott enters a situation of danger, even at risk of death, or even his wife. Leaving the reader in fear that the main character is going to die is one of the things I use. I try to make the reader fearful, rooting for the detective, making the reader wish the criminal was arrested as soon as possible. Make the reader believe that the victim will be able to escape, free himself from the killer’s clutches. These are some of the things I use.
Detective Scott is a recurring character in the works. Do you plan to continue to develop this character in future books?
Detective Scott has so far been in six published and forthcoming stories and one short story. I plan on writing one about his first big case in the future.
You worked approximately 15 years in library science and suddenly decided to invest in the purchasing sector. What was the trigger that promoted this key turn in your life?
I am employed as an administrative assistant, so I can work in almost all areas of the university. When I entered, I was assigned to the library, not because of training, but because of the need of the institution. After almost fifteen years I didn’t expect the change, it was the management’s choice to change sectors. If I had a choice I would have stayed in the library.
In general, how would you rate the participation of literature in your life?
I believe it was a very positive thing, I met a lot of wonderful people, I learned a lot and most importantly, I stopped being just Sergio from the library and became known as a writer, something that a few years ago was unimaginable. My experience at the Bienal de SP was the best so far in my career, I had never been to São Paulo before and yet hundreds of readers went there to buy my books or just to take a picture with me. It’s very gratifying to know that someone likes something you’ve written and even more to hear people say they are fans of my work.
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*With Regina Soares