Interview with Laura Griffin
Thanks very much for taking the time to answer our questions, ones which will let readers know more about you and the intriguing stories you create.
ST: First of all, tell us about yourself. What inspired you to become a romantic suspense writer and when did you start writing?
Thanks for inviting me! I’ve been writing stories since I was a kid, but I got my professional start in journalism.. As the rookie reporter I had to cover a little of everything, but I was always most excited by the hard news stories. That’s probably why when it came time to write fiction, I was attracted to romantic suspense. For me, the best stories are the ones that have an element of danger and a compelling romance.
ST: Tell us about your upcoming April 2009 release, WHISPER OF WARNING.
This was such a fun book to write! Courtney Glass, the main character, is really one of those larger than life people. She has this uncanny knack for getting herself into trouble, and that’s what happens at the very outset of this story.
ST: Will there be more books in your Glass Sisters series?
Yes and no. The books won’t be called “Glass Sisters” stories (because I’m all out of Glass sisters!) but I plan to continue with the characters. Next up is Alex Lovell, the PI who helps save Courtney’s life in WHISPER OF WARNING. Alex’s book, UNTRACEABLE, is the first in my new Tracers Trilogy, which kicks off next fall.
ST: While we are discussing books, every writer and reader wants to know: How do you get the ideas for your books, especially all the mysteries and the threatening danger?
I’m a news junkie. I’m constantly clipping articles that catch my attention, and that’s often where I find the seeds for my plots. As a matter of fact, the first chapter of WHISPER was prompted by a news account of a lovers’ quarrel that turned deadly in a public park.
ST: Are the main characters created from your imagination or do they possess traits belonging to a real people? Do you have a specific process for choosing the names for your characters?
The characters are fictional, but sometimes they have bits of real people. The heroine from THREAD OF FEAR, for example, was inspired in part by the real-life forensic artist Lois Gibson. I interviewed Lois while I was researching the book, and I was amazed by the fascinating (and grueling) work she does on so many heart-wrenching cases.
As for names, I get them anywhere and everywhere. Sometimes I figure out what year a character was born and then consult the Social Security Administration web site in order to get names common to a specific time period. I want the characters’ names to ring true.
ST: Do your characters live with you as you write? Do they haunt your dreams?
At the risk of being carted off to a padded cell, I will say yes. I hear conversations in my head all the time. When they get really loud, I have to sit down at the computer and start writing.
ST: What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
Things take so much longer than I ever imagined.. I sold my first book in 2005, and it didn’t appear on the book shelf until 2007. And at the moment, I’m planning stories and characters that will appear in books two years from now.
ST: Do you have a set writing schedule, and do you plot out your stories or just go with whatever you visualize at the moment?
I always start with a synopsis. And by the end of the book, you might not even be able to recognize that it’s the same story. Sometimes the plot just takes a new direction or I’ll be writing something and realize my character would never really do that, so I have to change things around. I don’t like sticking to a game plan too closely because it takes the fun out of it.
ST: How has being published changed your life, if at all? What would you like to accomplish with your writing career?
I feel so lucky to get to do what I love every day. I’m passionate about writing, and it doesn’t feel like work to me. As for what I’d like to accomplish… I really just want to write compelling stories that pull people in and give them a break from reality for a while.
ST: Do you have a favorite book and/or character from all the books which you have read?
I have so many favorites! I love Phoebe Somerville from Suzan Elizabeth Phillips’s Chicago Stars series, Jack Reacher from Lee Child’s series. Probably my favorite smart, kick-ass female character is Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta.
ST: If you could do anything and travel to any place in the world for one day, what and where would it be?
That’s easy: Italy. I studied Renaissance art, but I’ve never been to there. My idea of an amazing afternoon would be visiting Michelangelo’s David and then kicking back with a cappuccino and people watching from some sidewalk café.
ST: What is something that your readers may not already know about you?
Everyone always assumes that because I’m a writer, I must have an English degree. Nope. You don’t need an English degree, or any degree at all, to become a writer. So if you want to be an author, don’t let whatever your background is stand in your way.
ST: How can readers reach you?
I love to hear from readers! Please visit the web site at www.lauragriffin.com, or drop me a line at laura@lauragriffin.com. Thanks for stopping by!
Recent Comments