Baton Blog Hop
Welcome to the Baton Blog Hop!
Before I reveal my current writing process, which changes faster than the reception on your phone, I want to give a huge shout out to Vanessa Kier, author of the Surgical Strike Unit series, great romantic thrillers. She invited me to this Baton Blog Hop party, so if you’re wondering where all the cake and ice cream went, it’s her fault for inviting me.
Something you should know about Vanessa, when it comes to understanding killers, she has a ton of experience. That came out wrong. She’s been to the CIA, FBI, military installations, the State Department, FEMA underground shelters, fire and police departments, bomb squads, and has even met the LA mounted police! And to my knowledge, none of those visits were due to being arrested, just taking tours. The point is she’s got a strong understanding of how the U.S captures criminals, and her knowledge is reflected in her writing. Check out her books on Amazon.
On to the questions!
1. What are you working on?
I’ve just published the ebook of the sequel to The Torah Codes. It’s called 36 Righteous: A Serial Killer’s Hit List. Now I’m preparing the paperback version which should be out by May, 2014. Meanwhile, I’ve been detailing the outline for books three and four. Book three will be a version of Die Hard with an overall theme addressing women’s status in Judaism and other religions. Book four will be reminiscent of The Bourne Identity. Like the previous books, the twists and turns are so exciting, if I hold them in too long I’ll pop!
2. How does your work differ from others in the thriller genre?
The big question I ask myself is, “How can I change my readers’ lives?” It’s not enough to provide an exciting chase. I want my readers to reflect on what they’ve read in a positive, poignant way. However, I recognize the threat of sounding preachy, so I keep the story light and work at slipping in the meaning without standing on a soapbox. Come for the ride, stay for the epiphany.
3. Why do you write thrillers?
I used to write horror. I spent my first twenty-five years refining my craft. I succeeded, and that was the problem. After one of my friends read a short horror story of mine, he said he couldn’t sleep for three days and had to see a therapist. (No joke!) In fact, I began scaring myself. Writing the words, typing the letters on the keys, it felt like I was conjuring emotional, traumatizing demons. I switched to the mystery genre, then to the thriller genre, because I noticed my strengths resided in writing dialogue and not description. In thrillers, there’s a stronger need for fast pacing and less of a need for description. I took to thrillers like a dog takes to leaning out of a moving car’s front seat window. Some say I even have my tongue hanging out when I write.
4. How does your writing process work?
My writing process doesn’t work. If it did, I’d be selling completed books for every writing idea that comes to me. Considering the common dysfunction writers have of keeping file cabinets and drawers stuffed with never-written storylines and character ideas, I don’t think any author has mastered the writing process.
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Thanks for following the baton! And now I pass it on to the nearest author: Beth Barany!
Beth Barany’s latest book in her Five Kingdoms Series is book #2: Henrietta and the Dragon Stone. I love this book. You learn more of the secrets Henrietta and the other characters hide away, the stakes are higher, the fights with enemies and the romance among friends are filled with more fire, and the story doesn’t leave you hanging. Find out more about her Five Kingdoms Series here!