My marriage gives me a safe base to write: Wilbur Smith

The first two failed marriages did nothing to help Wilbur Smith’s work. Then came his lowest phase: losing his third wife to cancer. Within months of losing Danielle, his wife of 30 years, Smith married Mokhiniso, 39 years his junior. The 78-year-old bestselling author of adventure fiction, whose 33rd novel Those In Peril hit bookshelves recently, spoke to DNA about his work, pirates, and why a failed marriage is no guarantee of literary success. Excerpts:

Why did you want to be a writer?
I had cerebral malaria when I was a kid. The doctor said to my mother, “Madam, its best if your child dies because if he lives, there’s a 90% chance he’ll be brain damaged. He might be a bit mad for the rest of his life.” The doctor was right. I was a bit brain damaged and mad so I picked up writing.

Your plots are usually centred on a current issue. In your latest book, you’ve chosen pirate ships, kidnapping, and the Sharia concept of justice. What brought on this idea?
The issue of piracy is very much in the news. They are preying across the shipping routes by which oil and natural gases are brought out of the Gulf. Even as we speak, 800 or more people are being held in captivity like animals. This is something that concerns me. For 25 years, I owned a large part of an island in the Seychelles. I used to go there to fish and scuba dive and plot and write books. I was able to see these pirates first-hand. I know that whole area very well, so I was able to describe it.

The rape scenes in your book are described in great detail. What kind of research goes into writing such scenes?
I’ve never indulged in rape myself, as I’m sure you understand. I put myself in the victim’s place and imagine the terrible indignity, violation of privacy and utter humiliation she must feel. I am absolutely appalled by cruelty to children or women and because I’m so appalled by it, I write about it.

What would you be if you weren’t a writer?
Dead. I’d shoot myself.

A lot of successful writers have had failed marriages. Does it help if a writer has a failed marriage?
No, I don’t think a failed marriage contributes at all to a man’s creativity. All they do is leave sour memories and a lot of hurt feelings. My own failed marriages haven’t contributed to my writing. The marriage I’m in at the moment is a very satisfactory one. I have a safe base. I don’t have to worry about the trivial things of life. My wife sees to it that everything is running around my work and my time. She’s unselfish and I’m very selfish that way.

How is being Wilbur Smith different from being anyone else?
I only know what being Wilbur Smith is. It’s good fun. I have a certain amount of respect from people. Doors open for me. If I want to find out about a fighter plane, I can always get into a fighter base and be shown around. If I want to write about oil tankers, I will be taken on board an oil tanker. It opens up a world for me.

People say you have a ‘colonial attitude’. Is this true?
I was born in a British colony in what was northern Rhodesia. I was born in colonial times, sure: the Raj was still in place in India when I was born. The world was a different place. Of course, having been brought up under British colonial rule, to me, at the time, it seemed natural. Now, I see that it had to change. Some of the things done by the Raj were good, some were bad and some plain bloody awful. It’s a fact of history and I think I’ve walked past that. I am a modern man. I understand democracy, respect of other people — their religions, their customs, how they dress and how they look. I’m very happy to mix in any society.

What is your greatest shortcoming?
It is hard to think there’s anything wrong me because I’m almost perfect (laughs). My wife says I spend too much time playing chess with my computer. It’s like an addiction.

If you had to choose only one — women or writing, what would you choose?
Please God, don’t let it happen! But I would stay with my wife because there’s none other like her in the world.

Besides writing, what’s your favourite activity?
I like good conversation. I like eating my wife’s cooking. I like travelling. I like walking in the forest with my wife. I like reading, fishing for salmon or trout, and driving fast, big, beautiful motor cars.