Writer's Research

Happy Wednesday!!!


Today I want to talk about writing – sort of. As opposed to every day right! I love writing as do most of you who follow me.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the writing process there is a part of the writing where research must happen, sometimes a lot of it.

For a character recently I had to ask Lydia to do a post on her blog for Medical Mondays’ regarding a MC of mine who hardly ever spoke. I wanted to make sure her lungs wouldn’t be affected if she stopped speaking for a long period of time.

I read on Jennifer Hillier’s blog how she visited a women’s correctional facility and spoke with the warden to get a better idea of how the facility worked, all for a new book. (Click here to access PT 1 of the 4 part series as Jennifer shares what she learned!)

I was inspired by Jennifer. I didn’t think I’d have the guts to ask anyone to help me in writing a book. What do you say? What if they say no? What if it ends up being one awful idea?

I stuck all the questions and what if’s in my back pocket and decided to take a chance. My MC told me she was a wedding planner… problem was, I am not. I took a chance and emailed someone who was in the business and asked if she’d be interested in taking me through her process. Within a day she responded and was so excited!

Just like that I ended up being extremely grateful she said yes and she was over the moon that I’d even ask. Turned out that she’s a freelance writer and has always wanted to write a book! What are the odds? Looks like I might be able to give her tips while she gives me tips.

So have you ever stepped outside your comfort zone and had it turn out to be a huge reward? Have you talked with an expert for real details?

CREEP

QUICK SHOUT-OUTS!!!!

Check out the upcoming blog fest! It's going to be fun! For details hit the sidebar picture (Guess that character) and sign up today!! For those who've signed up already (YOU ROCK) Feel free to snag the picture and place it on your blog! Too fun!

Kari over at Under the Fairy Dust has one awesome contest happening where tons of books are being given away! Feel free to check out that! Or don't... so I can win... Muah-ha-ha... just kidding, but seriously not.

I'm going to see the lovely Maggie Stiefvater tonight with my sister!!! So if you are in the houston area and would like to see her Blue Willow Bookshop will be hosting the event! Buy your book there, pick up your signing ticket and enjoy!

Now to the author of the day!

Jennifer Hillier is someone I just recently met and had to interview!!! Her first novel CREEP is to debut in 2011 agented by Victoria Skurnick of Levine Greenberg Literary Agency and published by Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. So let's get this interview started with a kick ass synopsis!

Synopsis pulled from her blog:
Everything bad that's happened to popular psychology professor Sheila Tao is her own damn fault.

Had she told her investment banker fiancé about her sex addiction from the beginning, maybe he wouldn't have walked out a week before their wedding.

Had she not had an affair with her student, Ethan Wolfe, maybe her career at the university wouldn't be dangling by a thread.

Had Ethan Wolfe not been the serial killer responsible for the deaths of several homeless women in the Seattle area, maybe Sheila wouldn't be shackled to a bed in his state-of-the art kill room, wondering how the hell she could have been so stupid.

CREEP is a character-driven psychological thriller that explores what happens when you cheat on your fiancé with Hannibal Lecter.

INTERVIEW!

1. After the complicated mess Sheila has gotten herself into it makes me wonder, have you ever been in a scary relationship before?

Not unless I'm considered the scary one. Kidding aside, no, I haven't (thank God). But I have made my share of bad choices, and CREEP explores the worst case scenario (the nightmare scenario, really) of making terrible decisions. I've always been interested in the dark side of human nature, and it's a theme that pops up constantly in my work.

2. Are you one to dabble in several different genres or are thrillers your calling?

I'm pretty sure thrillers are my calling, but watch me eat those words in a few years. My first novel (a.k.a. my trunk novel) was a horror. I'd love to attempt something like that again, but I find writing horror really hard. Thrillers are easier because they tend to be grounded in reality. With horror, it's harder for me to suspend my disbelief, which makes the writing a bigger challenge. And if I can't suspend my disbelief, I can't very well expect readers to suspend theirs. But someday I'd love to write a juicy, gory horror novel. I'm a huge Stephen King fan.

3. Dare to share any new pieces you are working on?

Right now I'm working on a novel that shares some of the same characters as CREEP. I don't know that I'd go so far as to call it a sequel – it's more like a spin-off, and if I can pull it off, it will be able to stand on its own. My other WIP is a novel I've been picking at for two years, in between revisions (and during Query Hell) for CREEP. I actually think this book (a supernatural thriller) is some of my best writing, but the story doesn't flow easily. Go figure.

4. When you snagged the agent of your dreams (after query hell of course) how did you react? Scream, Jump in the air, kill a character? Feel free to divulge the story of excitement here! Everyone is waiting in anticipation!

That was a great day. I hadn't expected to hear back from this agent (now my agent) so soon. I thought she would be in touch via email the following week, and I was anticipating a revise-and-resubmit. But the next day, she called offering me representation. I didn't hesitate to accept. When I got off the phone, I cried. And I am SO NOT a crier! But it was a happy, happy day. You can read all about The Call here

5. Do serial killers control your thoughts? Are they more of the main character for you than the real MC?

I love villains (and of course my preferred brand of villain is the serial killer). Sometimes I love them more than protagonists, and this goes for both reading and writing them. I firmly believe that protagonists should be interesting or likeable (ideally both), but with villains, anything goes. You can make a villain as horrible and evil and crazy as you want, and the more complex, the better. There's a freedom in writing characters like that, and a lot of glee in reading about them. CREEP has a lot of scenes in the killer's POV, so I guess in a way, serial killers do control my thoughts.

Fun & Random Questions
Pizza:New York Style all the way.
Beach or Mountains:Close call, but I have to go with the beach. Nothing feels better than the smell of the ocean and the sun on my face.
Chick flick or horror:Horror. But always with the lights on.
Barbie’s or Polly Pockets:Barbies. Mainly because I don't know what Polly Pockets are.
Zombies or Vampires :Vampires. Zombies make me nervous. You can't reason with them.
Book: IT by Stephen King.
Book Series:The Lincoln Rhyme novels by Jeffery Deaver. Lincoln is a quadriplegic forensics expert who catches serial killers. In my book, that also makes him a rock star.
TV Show:True Blood. It's such a crazy, bloody, unpredictable show. And it's funny, too.
Snow or rain:Ah… here is where I'm torn. I'm from Toronto, Canada, so I have a soft spot for snowy days. But I now live in Seattle, and I can't deny that rainy days are perfect for writing. I'd have to call it a draw.

Isn't she awesome!!! Doesn't her book rock??! So make sure to add it to your TBR list!!! Debuting in 2011! Check out her website!