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Category: Interviews

Interview: Lynn Weingarten, author of The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers

[ 0 ] January 24, 2012
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Please welcome Lynn Weingarten, author of The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers, who took the time to answer our interview questions!

Interview

With Lucy’s new Sisterhood, it seems that the members (Liza, Olivia, and Gil) live a very consequence-free lifestyle. Lucy seems apprehensive throughout. She seems tentative to make the leap of faith in joining the group. Is that why the others in the group seem to be so relaxed? Does this lifestyle require a leap of faith initially?

Lynn: There definitely don’t seem to be a ton of external consequences for the Heartbreakers’ actions, but I wouldn’t say their lifestyle is consequence-free. In the next book some of the internal consequences will be revealed.

It absolutely would require a leap of faith to join the Heartbreakers. They’re so secretive!

In regards to the old adage of art imitating life (or vice-versa), is Lucy a reflection of you (the author) or an amalgamation of characters and heroines from other stories? Or can it be that she is a little of both?

Lynn: Lucy isn’t me, but I have felt every feeling she feels in the book. I can absolutely relate to a lot of what she goes through (well, except maybe not the meeting a group of semi-witches part.

What will come of Tristan after he gets his heart broken? Should we pity him?

Lynn: Definitely don’t feel sorry for Tristan! He plays an even bigger role in the second book. Tristan accepts that happiness and sadness are both important and necessaryparts of life.

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Interview: Caroline Preston, author of The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt

[ 3 ] December 23, 2011
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Please welcome Caroline Preston, author of The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt, who took the time to answer our interview questions!

Interview

What do you do with all the memorabilia you collect (other than make it into a fun work of literature) do you display it (how)? Keep it for craft projects?

Caroline: It’s proving a challenge to figure out what to do with boxes and boxes of 1920’s ephemera I collected for The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt. I have limited storage space in my studio and I have to make room for my next project, so I am winnowing down.

I have framed some of the most beautiful magazine covers (from Saturday Evening Post, Colliers, McCall’s and Ladies Home Companion) and sheet music to hang in my studio. I am keeping the best 1920’s scrapbooks for my vintage scrapbook collection. The rest of the Sears Catalog pages, fashion spreads, and vintage postcards I am matting and giving away to family and friends. I have birthday, graduation, baby, house warming and wedding presents covered for the next decade.

How long did it take you to complete The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt?

Caroline: It took me about 20 months from the first crazy “Why don’t I make a novel that is actually a vintage scrapbook” idea to a finished manuscript. It took me a few months to figure out how I’d go about making a graphic novel and then to work out the details of Frankie’s story. Then I had to go about collecting the vintage ephemera for each chapter of Frankie’s life—from a New England village, to Vassar College, Greenwich Village, and Paris. In all, I collected 600 pieces of vintage ephemera from antique store and eBay. It turned out that making a 1920’s vintage scrapbook novel was a much more complicated and laborious process than I ever imagined—which isn’t surprising.

Have you thought about making more scrapbooks? Maybe of Frankie’s friends??

Caroline: I am planning to make a whole series of scrapbook novels set in different time periods. My next one is a scrapbook kept by a bride during her first year of marriage, 1959-1960. I think of it as a prequel to Mad Men. I don’t have any plans to return to Frankie Pratt, but I’m very fond of her, so maybe I will.

What is your favorite piece of memorabilia you have discovered?

Caroline: I can’t single out one single favorite discovery. There have been a few: a 1925 Sears catalog, a 1918 foldable portable typewriter, a bi-plane-shaped badge handed out on the streets of Paris when Linbergh landed, a flapper’s Bakelite cigarette holder, a luggage ticket from the Mauretania, a pair of cardboard eclipse glasses that allowed you to stare directly at an eclipse “in perfect safety.”

Do you scrapbook your own life?

Caroline: Like a lot people, I intend to scrapbook my own life, sometime, someday. For now, I just collect things about my family and kids in boxes. I have about 25 years of boxes right now…

Check out our review of The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt

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Interview: Stephanie Dray, author of Song of the Nile

[ 5 ] November 1, 2011
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Please welcome Stephanie Dray, author of Song of the Nile, who took the time to answer our interview questions!

Interview

Stephanie: Thanks for having me here today!

Every writer has a different process or schedule they follow when writing. What is your process like? Is there any specific place you like to go to write, or can you write anywhere? Do you have any rituals or foods/drinks that you simply must have in order to write?

Stephanie: Apparently, the only thing I need to write is a deadline. Then I will work myself to the edge of death, night and day, until I meet it. My process though, such as it is, begins with a very detailed outline and some structural decisions. I need to know what the journey of the heroine is…

How much time did you devote to researching your historical novels? Do you do all of your research before you start writing? Do you sometimes stop to research something while you are in the process of writing a draft?

Stephanie: Every time I start one of my historical novels, I tell myself that this time I will do it smarter. I will make a list of all the things I need to research and do it first. Then I won’t have to research in the middle of writing. That never works out. I’m always stopping every ten minutes to find something out. The other day, it was the color of hibiscus in Algeria during the spring. Today I had to stop writing so that I could read a book about shipping in the ancient world, so as to better understand the problems Cleopatra Selene would have ruling over a major port city. And I can tell you what those problems were in one word: pirates.

I am absolutely in love with the cover art for Lily of the Nile and Song of the Nile. Were you involved in any way with the design, or allowed to give input that your publisher would consider?

Stephanie: You know, I was actually consulted on both of those covers and yet, still stunned by each of them. My editor, Cindy Hwang, has given me a lot of input on the covers. But what you see in your mind–even what you convey–all changes in the artist’s hands. For example, I knew that Lily of the Nile was going to have a scene in a temple or by a lily pond. I just didn’t expect it to be an oil painting. And I didn’t expect it to look so serene. There are crocodiles in that water! When it came to Song of the Nile, I expected to see a woman in the water and I was breathless with joy that she’s facing the reader straight on. But the lightning bolt? I think I laughed out loud at just how spectacular that was. I was afraid of that lightning bolt–for a while we even toyed with the idea of taking it out. But then I went with my gut instinct, which was, it’s fantastic.

How many more books are you planning to write about Cleopatra Selene? What do you plan on writing after this series of books is finished?

Stephanie: I have one more book to write about Cleopatra Selene and then I’m on to new projects. I’m kind of torn at the moment as to what I’ll tackle next. I’m interested in Alexander the Great’s mother, Olympias. I’m also a big fan of Dido. What do you think? Could I become the queen of ancient world women’s historical fiction?

What other periods of history or historical people fascinate you?

Stephanie: The Revolutionary War has always held a very special place in my heart and I’m fascinated by all the founding fathers…and mothers!

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Stephanie: Be persistent. This is a very difficult business that will grind you down and spit you out if you don’t hold on with the jaws of a pit bull.

About Stephanie…

Stephanie graduated with a degree in Government from Smith, a small women’s college in Massachusetts where–to the consternation of her devoted professors–she was unable to master Latin. However, her focus on Middle Eastern Studies gave her a deeper understanding of the consequences of Egypt’s ancient clash with Rome, both in terms of the still-extant tensions between East and West as well as the worldwide decline of female-oriented religion.

Before she wrote novels, Stephanie was a lawyer, a game designer, and a teacher. Now she uses the transformative power of magic realism to illuminate the stories of women in history and inspire the young women of today. She remains fascinated by all things Roman or Egyptian and has–to the consternation of her devoted husband–collected a house full of cats and ancient artifacts.

About Song of the Nile

Sorceress. Seductress. Schemer. Cleopatra’s daughter has become the emperor’s most unlikely apprentice and the one woman who can destroy his empire…

Having survived her perilous childhood as a royal captive of Rome, Selene pledged her loyalty to Augustus and swore she would become his very own Cleopatra. Now the young queen faces an uncertain destiny in a foreign land.

Forced to marry a man of the emperor’s choosing, Selene will not allow her new husband to rule in her name. She quickly establishes herself as a capable leader in her own right and as a religious icon. Beginning the hard work of building a new nation, she wins the love of her new subjects and makes herself vital to Rome by bringing forth bountiful harvests.

But it’s the magic of Isis flowing through her veins that makes her indispensable to the emperor. Against a backdrop of imperial politics and religious persecution, Cleopatra’s daughter beguiles her way to the very precipice of power. She has never forgotten her birthright, but will the price of her mother’s throne be more than she’s willing to pay?

Check out Stephanie’s guest post about Lily of the Nile!

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Interview & Giveaway: Anne Enright, author of The Forgotten Waltz

[ 77 ] October 17, 2011
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Luxury Reading reviewer, Alisha Churbe, had the opportunity to chat with Anne Enright, author of The Forgotten Waltz (our review). Read on for Alisha’s thoughts on the chat.

After winning a Man Booker Prize in 2007 for The Gathering, Anne Enright has released a new novel, The Forgotten Waltz, and I had the opportunity to talk with her about the novel, her writing, success and failure.

Alisha: Congratulations again for the Man Booker Prize. Was it difficult to move to a new novel after the success of The Gathering?

Anne: Thank you. To be honest, it made me a bit grumpy, because it kept me from the desk. I felt like it was like another full time job on top of my other two jobs: as a writer and mom. But, I was very conscientious while on tour. I don’t regret it and wouldn’t have done it any other way. I knew I had this book (The Forgotten Waltz) and I could write this book and I was very grown up about it, but I felt sick because it added attention because it was “the book after the book”.

Alisha: Your novels focus on “the momentous drama of everyday life; the volatile connections between people; the wry, accurate take on families…” (from The Forgotten Waltz book summary), what types of things influence you?

Anne: It was Feb 2009, a day of snow, it was quiet, peaceful. It was the perfect setting with its sense of uncertainty and the economy failing. The boom had gone ka-boom, I just knew that this is the day in which to set the book. I steal stuff everywhere, other people’s lives, my life, other people’s books; I use anything I need for the story. Gina’s sister, Fiona’s house is in a setting just down the road from me, big, expensive houses built during the boom. I go there to have coffee sometimes.

With this book and all of my books actually, I want the reader to argue back to the books and the characters. I like the reader to have responses, like with Gina, her decisions and flaws. In real life, you don’t always listen to sound advice, sometimes you go against it knowing it is wrong, or later finding out it is wrong.

Alisha: Do you determine your chapter titles before you begin writing a chapter, or are these added at the end?

Anne: Some before and some after. The catchy, cheesy ones are added much later. “Love is like a Cigarette” and “There will be Peace in the Valley” were there from the word go. It’s what kept me writing. The “Leonard Cohen” one was there before. I think music is great because it is delighted with the foolishness is love. Pop music knows love is foolish. Music is a celebration of that foolishness.

Alisha: I’ve read that school wasn’t very rewarding for you, what inspired you to continue writing?

Anne: I have to set this a bit straight. I went for a Creative Writing MA and got a year of failure, but it was extremely useful to get ready for the truth of writing. Although it wasn’t the result I expected, no book at the end of the year, but a good understanding, of I suppose, what you are not to do. I knew I wanted to write, though it seems I wasn’t really able. You learn from the fact that you fail all the time. It was useful, you always go through terrible dark days where it’s all falling apart and I am used to it now, it will all pan out if you keep going. At a point, the darkness lasted up to a year with The Gathering, but I kept writing.

Alisha: Do you write every day, even on dark days?

Anne: Yes, every day for 10 years, but I haven’t been writing since summer – since the book. We went on our family trip, where I usually write, but I didn’t work this time. I feel young again.

Alisha: Thank you very much.

Giveaway
I have 1 copy of The Forgotten Waltz for a lucky reader!

Mandatory entry: Please comment here and tell me something you enjoyed about this interview.

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This giveaway is open to US residents only. Deadline to enter is midnight on October 31, 2011.

Giveaway copy is provided free of any obligation by W. W. Norton & Company. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Interview: Heather Lynn Rigaud, author of Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star

[ 6 ] September 14, 2011
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Please welcome Heather Lynn Rigaud, author of Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star who took the time to answer our interview questions!

Interview

First of all, we love the blog, austennights.blogspot.com – it’s a great resource for anybody looking for more beyond the story.

What drew you to Jane Austen’s works as projects for rewrite? Are you working on others at the moment?

Heather: I get that question a lot and for me, it’s always the Characters. Austen’s characters are so vivid and real, and I know I’m not the only one who spends time thinking about them and imagining them in different situations.

My next project is updating my first novel, Longborn and Pemberley Go to War for publication, and after that I’d like to play with Northanger Abbey a bit.

When you first developed the idea of FDRS, what led you to the music industry and a concert tour as your modern setting?

Heather: I wish I could say, “Well, Darcy is dead sexy and Rock Stars are dead sexy, so Rock Star Darcy is Ultra Dead Sexy.” But I can’t. The truth is I was inspired by a song that haunted me as being so Darcy-like. I’m a big believer in art being inspired by art and the importance of working in a creative environment. So I took that song, imagined what a modern day, successful musician Darcy would be like and went from there.

“Darcy” says in your 8/18 blog post that “…[Austen’s] language is amazing. She precisely expresses what is happening, without ever telling too much or spoon-feeding the reader.” Did you aim for the same balance in your writing style? (It worked, btw.)

Heather: Thank you! I did aim to emulate Austen in that regard, and let me tell you, it’s way harder than it looks. It meant I needed to carefully balance telling the story with telling too much. It’s an exercise in trusting the reader-and trusting yourself to be able to communicate what you mean.

In the original, Charlotte’s story pretty much ends after she throws in her lot with Collins; however, you use the incident as more of a turning point than a terminal one. Is that because of her place on the tour, or did you feel a more personal connection to Charlotte that inspired you to redeem her?

Heather: I’m not sure I redeem Charlotte any, and after what I put her through, I’m not 100% certain that she wouldn’t want to go back to her cozy home with her poultry. I’m sure I don’t relate to her personally, but I do find her fascinating. I’m an optimist (Jane-like) and she’s so extremely pragmatic. But I did really enjoy drawing out her story and playing with what she would do. And I think there are parts of Charlotte that everyone can relate too. We’ve all had moments when we’ve felt we’re the ‘plain one’ and don’t stand out. And we’ve all had moments when we’ve felt like we’re supporting characters in a big drama. That’s Charlotte’s realm and she’s pretty comfortable there, so when Richard, who’s a big deal, starts to see her as a person, it becomes her struggle in the story, and again, I think that’s something we can all relate too.

Anne de Bourgh is kind of a tough cookie, a far cry from her predecessor in some respects. Is that out of necessity, given the limited cast, or a deliberate effort to give her more page time?

Heather: Actually, I don’t think Anne does much at all, but she’s certainly more active than she is in Austen. Here’s my take on Anne- have you ever considered what it’d be like to be her? To have her mother? I’m thinking she must have some major rage issues she’s suppressing in Austen’s work. But nowadays, she’d have more freedom to express her rage, which is why she’s pretty cranky. She is also an excellent foil for Darcy- she gets hotter as she gets mad and he gets cooler. She’s trying to rush things along and he’s deliberately slowing down, slowly sipping his tea, just to piss her off. I love that. I could write stuff like that all day long.

Some of the intimate scenes are pretty explicit and gritty – obviously a departure from the original! How does that tie in to your overall vision for the story – is it a critical element or simply a nod to the updated setting?

Heather: Early on someone asked me if I could cut out the sex in FDRS and I thought about it (very) briefly, but I really couldn’t. It’s about Rock Stars and that basically means they’re not living a ‘rated PG’ lifestyle. If anything, I worry I made them too tame. Plus I use the sex scenes as a way of ‘showing not telling’ what the characters are feeling and how they’re relating to each other. When I wrote Richard and Charlotte’s first scene together, I described it to my friends as ‘casual sex’. They all looked at it and said, “no, it’s not” but my characters didn’t realize that yet.

So, I’m going to have to go with ‘critical element’ for $200 Alex.

When you set FDRS and P&P next to each other, do you see the original characters and their namesakes as separate individuals, or do you interpret them as two parts of the same timeless whole?

Heather: Some of the characters are very much two parts of a whole: Darcy and Elizabeth, Charles and Jane, Lady Catherine and Mr. Collins. But I also feel that Richard Fitzwilliam and to a lesser extent Caroline Bingley are original. Charlotte is in between: She’s got Austen’s pragmatic personality but I take her on a very different trip.

Thank you for having me here and I’m looking forward to hearing from your readers.

Don’t forget to check out our review of Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star!

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Chatting with David Nicholls, author of One Day

[ 140 ] August 8, 2011
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One Day, the movie, starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess, will be in theaters on August 19th!

Our very own reviewers, Jill Arent and Jennifer Jensen, had the opportunity to chat with the author, David Nicholls. Read on for Jill’s thoughts on the chat.

On Spending “One Day” (Part of One, Anyway) with David Nicholls, by Jill Arent

Some days this whole writer/book blogger gig is simply too fun – and yesterday was one of those days. Thanks to the fabulous connections (and reputation) of LuxuryReading.com, I was fortunate enough to spend an hour on the telephone with David Nicholls, author of last year’s rather-big-commercial-deal love story One Day. The book has been developed into a film – opening August 19 – screen-written by David, and the call gave ten lucky book bloggers the opportunity to discuss reading, writing, movies, and the story with the author.

Please be warned – there is a SPOILER near the end. I will give due warning, promise.

For those of you who haven’t yet read the book, let me give you the briefest of summaries: Emma and Dexter meet on July 15, the eve of their graduation from university. The book follows these two polar opposites throughout the course of their lives, checking in with them each July 15 as the years pass between 1988 and 2007.

We were each allowed to ask David two questions. My second question contains the spoiler, so if you don’t want to view that, skip the next paragraph.

My first question had to do with the translation of a 400-page story, heavy on introspection and sneak-peeks intocharacters’ heads, into a two-hour film. Ever been to a movie where you’ve read the book but someone you’re with has not, and you walk out of the theater claiming it was the best movie EVER and they walk out going “huh?” because they didn’t have the back-story or context that you got from the book? If so then you get my question – Iwas asking how an author makes sure that enough of the behind-the-scenes motivation translates onto the screen. In a very brief nutshell, he said the key with this film was that both he and the production team wanted to be faithful to the book. As a result, there weren’t too many major battles about what to include or how to handle it because the book drove the screenplay.

My second question addressed David’s novel-writing process. He told us from the outset that he wrote One Day knowing how it would end – the entire novel was written to support the death of Emma. I asked him whether this was his typical writing style and whether he ever struggled with the story as a result of knowing how things were “supposed” to end. David said that he has often heard novelists talk about characters taking over the story, but that this had never happened for him. He always knows how things will end, and his characters behave accordingly. David believed this was due to his origins in television writing, where writers are instructed from day one to not even begin writing a script until they know exactly how the story will proceed, scene by scene. David said he occasionally wished he could be more spontaneous or improvisatory with his writing, but that he was too structured and precise to take that approach.

All in all, I found David to be well-spoken and engaging, and more than willing to share a lot of insights into his writing process and into that of screenplay writing/adaptation. He is, by his own admission, more Emma than Dex – and that was perfectly all right with me, because I quite liked Emma. She tells a great story – just like David.

More Fun Things to Check Out:

Our Review | Reader’s Guide | GoodReads “One Day Summer Reads” Sweepstakes | Official Movie Website | The Novel Featurette | David Nicholls’ Website

Giveaway
1 lucky winner will receive a copy of One Day (the movie-tie in edition), a cosmetic case, a necklace and a Moleskin journal!

Mandatory entry: Please comment here and tell me something you enjoyed about this post.

Extra entries (please post each entry separately, i.e. 2 posts for subscribing):
- Subscribe via e-mail, follow or subscribe to the feed. You must verify the subscriptions. (1 entry each)
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This giveaway is open to US and Canada residents only. Deadline to enter is midnight on August 19, 2011.

Giveaway prizes are provided free of any obligation by Focus Features. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Author on Author Interview (and Giveaway): Kim Wright and Sarah Pekkanen

[ 31 ] July 19, 2011
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Please welcome Kim Wright, author of Love in Mid Air, and Sarah Pekkanen, author of Skipping a Beat for an author on author interview!

Kim: In terms of background, Sarah and I “met” on line when her publicist recommended my book, and although we’ve exchanged tons of emails, we’re never sat down face to face. Getting connected to other writers has been one of the unexpected pleasures of publishing a book!

Interview

KIM: So many people believe they have a book in them. What does it take to go from “Someday I’ll write a novel” to actually writing one?

SARAH: Writing is like training for a marathon. You have to get out there every single day – if it’s raining or it’s cold. Runners don’t let little things like shin splints or the wind stop them and I think writers need to be just as tough. On days when the words are coming slowly and every sentence feels like torture, it’s important to fight through and stay focused on your goal. You can always go back and fix the words later, but it’s important to capture them on paper first.

KIM: So true, but just the thought of a marathon probably scares a lot of would-be writers off.

SARAH: I always feel a bit badly when writers are dismissive of others who want to write books. Just a few years ago, I was a person who talked about wanting to write a book and one day, I made the leap. I believe others who want to write a book are just as capable of it and no one should discourage them.

Do you agree that writers should just keep plodding through the rough spots? Or do you find taking a break and clearing your mind helps?

KIM: I think you have to plod through the first draft and then walk away. Sort of like your running analogy. You don’t stop in the middle of a run, but after a hard effort you give yourself a couple of days off for recovery. I usually take a month long break after a draft and work on other things. I find that when I come back I can read the book more clearly and cleanly, almost as if someone else has written it. I’m in a better position to see where the problems are and how to fix them.

You amaze me because you have young kids and still keep up a terrific writing pace. After your first book The Opposite of Me (check out our review) came out, was it harder to get going on the second?

SARAH: My agent sold The Opposite of Me when I was six months pregnant, so I began writing Skipping a Beat with a newborn on my chest. My time was more fractured. With The Opposite I had longer stretches when my older boys were in school to write, but with Skipping I had to get good at writing in little spurts. Some of the best advice I got was from my editor who told me to begin my second book before the first one was published. She said that bad reviews would paralyze me and good ones would make me want to rewrite the same book. I’m glad I listened to her!

Do you ever get writer’s block? Do you even believe it exists?

KIM: There are two very different ways in which people get blocked. One is when they say they want to write and can’t get started. They keep waiting for the perfect time – when their kids are grown, their house is clean, everybody’s happy and they have all sorts of free time. Needless to say, that day never comes. They might also be confused about their motivation. A lot of people think the fact they love to read means that they should try to write.

But then there are people who have written whole books and suddenly run up against the wall. I always suspect that’s because the writing has taken them into some dark corner of their minds. They’ve run up against issues that are personal and hard to write about and it’s easier to say “I’m blocked” than it is to say “This idea scares me.”

SARAH: But that’s where the best writing comes from.

KIM: Absolutely.

Giveaway
Kim and Sarah will follow your comments and select 1 reader to receive copies of both Love in Mid Air and Skipping a Beat!

Don’t forget to check out our reviews of Love in Mid Air and Skipping a Beat!

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Interview: Andrea Kane, author of The Girl Who Disappeared Twice

[ 8 ] July 10, 2011
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Please welcome Andrea Kane, author of The Girl Who Disappeared Twice, who took the time to answer our interview questions!

Interview

Is there a specific element in your writing that you find most challenging?

Andrea: Balancing characterization and plot. A good suspense thriller has to be fast-paced and exciting. If the reader isn’t dying to turn the pages, I haven’t done my job. So there has to be a certain compelling urgency to the storyline. That having been said, I’m a firm believer that characters make the book. If you don’t care about the characters, why would you care what happens to them? So the trick is to develop those characters through their actions and interactions, while building the suspense right up to the end. If that’s not a challenge, I don’t know what is!

How much, and what kinds of, research went into creating this novel?

Andrea: I’m a passionate researcher. As my editor and agents will tell you, I spend months on my research, both before and during the writing process. I’m a stickler for accuracy. As a result, I seek out experts in every field I cover. I’ve worked with the FBI for several years now, and learned their world firsthand. I’ve made several trips down to Quantico, where I shot a Glock and an MP-5, met with the BAU, participated in hostage negotiation exercises, and was honored to do several book signings.

With The Girl Who Disappeared Twice, I worked with the Crimes Against Children Unit, the Child Abduction Rapid Deployment teams, the BAU 3 (the unit of the BAU that deals with crimes against children), several former Navy SEALS, the FBI Laboratory’s Forensic Canine Program, the Evidence Response Team. I even shot a Glock 22 and an MP5 so I would be able to understand firsthand the challenges an agent faces in a rapid-fire situation. Check out the FBI Central page on my website at http://www.andreakane.com/fbicentral.php to get a feel for my FBI civilian training!

Then, of course, there were the brilliant technology experts I consulted with, the NYPD, an intuitive, medical professionals, and two former FBI agents who were with the Bureau 32 years ago, when my prologue begins.

[amazonify]0778329844[/amazonify]I try my best to be as accurate as possible in incorporating my research knowledge without compromising my storyline or slowing down the pacing of my novels. And with a whole team to research in The Girl Who Disappeared Twice, rather than a single protagonist, it was quite a challenge!

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

Andrea: I’d delve deeper into the characterization of each Forensic Instincts team member. I wanted to flesh them all out totally, so my readers could see what I did. But that would have been a book unto itself! So I content myself with the fact that FI will be back, and I’ll have more opportunities to share them with my readers as they take on a new, equally compelling case.

What is your daily routine as a writer?

Andrea: I’m not one of those authors that can write for 12 hours straight and crank out 20 pages. I write in about 4 hours chunks—in the morning, the evening, and late at night. I have an energy drop in the late afternoon, so I use that time to research. And I start every day by re-reading my printed pages from the day before. That way, I can edit my work and also jump seamlessly back in where I left off. I also take periodic breaks to revisit a large portion (maybe 100 pages) of my manuscript and edit it. I simultaneously plan ahead and rework my outline, which has inevitably changed a dozen times since I last wrote it!

Are you working on anything else at the moment, and if so can you tell us?

Andrea: I’m writing the next Forensic Instincts novel. It’s called THE MAN WITHOUT A FACE, and it’s another heart-wrenching, race-the-clock challenge for the FI team.

Don’t forget to check out our review of The Girl Who Disappeared Twice!

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