Ask the Author: Lori Rader-Day
Answered Questions (11)
Lori Rader-Day
The disappearance of Debra Jean Cole, the girl down the street. I knew her from the school bus. I wrote about this case and how it intersected (and in part inspired) my novel The Lucky One in the PS section at the back of the book.
It is not really a mystery *who* happened to her, but she has never been found.
It is not really a mystery *who* happened to her, but she has never been found.
Lori Rader-Day
I've decided to re-read Agatha Christie this summer—what could be better? I did read many AC books to be able to write my new book, Death at Greenway, which takes place at Christie's holiday home during World War II. But there are some gaps in my reading history of her works, and I'd like to fix that. Also, who wouldn't want to spend the summer reading delish mysteries?
Lori Rader-Day
I'm so sorry I just saw this question, Katherine! You know, I didn't make that decision from the outset but as I wrote and discovered more about my protagonist, I realized she was still very fragile. Bad news for my story, until I realized she didn't have to "run around" investigating. Her story is more about coming to peace with what had happened to her and how she would continue to live as she had before the attack. I did some research about sociology to be able to have my professor stand up in front of her class for the first time and start teaching—a big moment for her. As far as her injuries, I used personal experience—a surgery with bad complications—to imagine her pain. I did hear from a reader afterward with chronic pain who said I got it right, and that meant a lot to me. Hope you enjoyed the book!
Lori Rader-Day
Thank you so much, Liz! You know, I used to read mysteries when I was young (though not Nancy Drew, for some reason), forgot about mysteries as an adult, really, and then when I started to write...crime came out. So I don't know that I decided on mystery so much as mystery decided on me. I'm catching up with the reading I missed during my non-mystery years, reading classics I never read. It's fun homework! Thank you for reading the books. I hope you like The Black Hour!
Lori Rader-Day
Find other writers to share work with, talk shop with, be friends with. It helps if you can find writers who write the same thing you do. If you write mystery/thriller/crime, join Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. Yes, even before you have a book done. They'll help you get it done and then show you how to progress from there.
Lori Rader-Day
The best thing about being a writer is writing. It's also the worst thing about being a writer.
It's also pretty great to meet someone who has read your book.
It's also pretty great to meet someone who has read your book.
Lori Rader-Day
It can be a sprint and a marathon, at the same time. It's difficult to work writing into your daily life, and many many things—and people you love—will keep you from doing it. It's better to try within a writing community. Find a writers' group or an organization like Mystery Writers of America to surround yourself with people who are also writing. Much easier with friends along.
Lori Rader-Day
Nick and Nora Charles, OBVIOUSLY. They are the best couple, though they probably both need an intervention. (The Thin Man, Dashiell Hammett.)
Lori Rader-Day
Thank you, Bonnie! For some reason I just saw this comment...sorry for the delay. I really enjoy reading Tana French, Catriona McPherson, and Ben Winters. I also love some of the mystery classics by Agatha Christie, Josephine Tey, and Dashiell Hammett.
Lori Rader-Day
You'd think it would be faster, but I don't think it was! It's the first book I wrote on deadline, so I did get a little stressed about it. I learned a lot about my own process writing a novel for the second time, actually, because when I started noticing that I was working in a similar way as I had for my first novel, it suddenly occurred to me that this is the way I work—not just the way I did it once, but the way I do it.
Lori Rader-Day
Honestly, I don't have a shortage of ideas—I have a shortage of time to get to all my ideas. But I know what you mean. Sometimes you have an idea for a character but not for what that character should do. Or an idea for a setting but not for who should be living or working there. I'm in the middle of that thought process right now for a future project. I have a setting. I have a few vague ideas. But I don't KNOW what the book will be about yet. It can be frustrating, but I've found that if you let yourself use that time to let ideas swirl around for a while, eventually something will start rising to the top and you'll know a little bit more. And you only need to know a little in order to start writing, in my opinion. I don't plot out things in advance; I just start writing. See if that works for you, too, and then let your characters start to tell you what will happen. Best of luck!
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