Carter Wilson's Blog, page 5
June 1, 2022
The First Line
Every now and then I’ll get asked about writing the opening lines to my novels. How long do you toil over each of those words, making sure they’re perfect? How often did you go back and change that first sentence? And how did you decide on the first line of
The New Neighbor
?
All great questions. Let’s see.
<The New Neighbor>>
Oh, yeah, that’s right.
I thought I couldn’t handle another minute in the funeral home, but this church is worse.
I remember it now. This line actually changed a bit after my first round of editorial notes, but the tone is the same. And that’s almost always what I’m going for with a first line: tone. I don’t need action. I don’t need an immediate hook. (exception: my first line from The Comfort of Black : Hannah didn’t have a plan beyond setting her father on fire.)
I need tone. Mood. Ambiance.
I want the reader to feel an immediate sense of mild unease, like wondering if you remembered to turn off the oven. In the case of The New Neighbor, all you can glean from the first line is that the narrator is at a funeral and is getting increasingly miserable. Sets the stage for the unpleasantness that follows, alerts the reader that this isn’t gonna be a feel-good story (depending on what makes you feel good, I suppose). That first line doesn’t have to be dramatic, but it should be intriguing and, ideally, a bit vague.
I look at it this way: the first line should be like the opening few bars of music during a movie’s title sequence. You’re sitting there watching as the opening credits roll and a single violin plucks in a staccato style, high-pitched and dissonant. Haunting. Just those few notes tell you: this movie’s going to freak me out.
So that’s how I approach my opening line. It’s all about the tone. But you know what? No one ever talks about a book’s second line, and usually that’s the crossing punch delivered after the jab.
I thought I couldn’t handle another minute in the funeral home, but this church is worse.
My wife doesn’t belong here.
Yeah, now we’re getting dark.
““Eerie, disturbing, and violent, Wilson’s psychological thriller packs a real punch, with a shocker of an ending.” — Booklist on The New Neighbor
Making It Up
Newly added episodes of my conversation series Making It Up are out!
This month I chatted with ITW Thriller Award finalist Aaron Philip Clark, Nebula, Lambda, and Locus-nominated author Lara Elena Donnelly, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author J.T. Ellison, and New York Times Editors’ Choice novelist Erica Ferencik.
All episodes are available on my YouTube channel and wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Check them out now here! Making It Up clip of the week!
Erica Ferencik and I discuss her roots in stand-up comedy.
Thrillerfest
Sheraton Times Square
NYC
Craftfest instructor: “Marketing the Thriller Writer”, June 1
Panel, “The Writer Who Influenced You Most,” June 4
September 8-11, 2022
Bouchercon
Hilton Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Make sure to check my calendar for the more up-to-date information. Also, if you’re interested in having me speak at your event or book club, please reach out to my PR team.
What I’m Reading
The Lies I Tell , Julie Clark (Sourcebooks, June 2022)
I’ve gotten to know Julie a bit over the past year (she was actually one of my first guests on Making It Up), and I recently did a virtual event with her in which we interviewed each other about our latest books. As such, I was able to get my hands on a galley of The Lies I Tell, which releases in June.
The book falls somewhere in the suspense-thriller range and tells the story of con-artist Meg–who goes to great lengths to scam her victims–and Kat, the woman seeking to finally stop her. An ostensibly straightforward setup that soon becomes very twisty in the best possible ways. There is a lot of grey in this book–Julie doesn’t believe in pure villains or heroes–and the moral ambiguity on display adds tremendous depth to the characters. Pre-order now so you can add this excellent book to your summer reading pile.
What I’m Watching
The Shining – Opera (Denver Opera House). Yes, you read that right. An opera version of Stephen King’s The Shining. My daughter was back from college for a few weeks and I decided this would make for a fun night out in Denver. And it was!
There was no false advertising about it–this was literally the story of The Shining as told by opera signers. So I’m not going to lie, the first act took a little getting used to. When a line as simple as “I’m worried about Danny” takes forever to sing because it’s been, you know, opera-ized, the whole event has the potential to get very tedious. But the story soon took its nicely dark turn, there was some truly creepy moments, and the sets were AMAZING. Best of all, it was a real-life cultural event and I got to spend a night out on the town with one of my favorite people in the world.
Photo of the Month
Flashing back to 2011, when I took this shot of Machu Picchu. You can see a million pictures of this place and will still be spellbound the first time experiencing it in person. Simply dizzying.
Update from My Kids
I ordered eight cubic yards of mulch (which is a lot) with the intention of paying Sawyer to spread it around the yard. But he got easily distracted, and instead of working he grabbed a guitar and beer bottle and started making his own county-album covers. When I checked in to ask about his progress, here’s what he sent me.
Update from My Cat
“In its flawless grace and superior self-sufficiency I have seen a symbol of the perfect beauty and bland impersonality of the universe itself.” —H.P. Lovecraft, on cats
What’s in my Backyard?
After a long hiatus, the bobcat is back! Caught her strolling through the backyard around 3am. She’s probably insanely jealous of the fort I built for Guff (more on that next month).Dark Humor of the Month, sent to me by a friend
Book-Love Instagram Post of the Month Wow, thank you, @jandrews560!
That’s it for now – until next month!
All great questions. Let’s see.
<The New Neighbor>>
Oh, yeah, that’s right.
I thought I couldn’t handle another minute in the funeral home, but this church is worse.
I remember it now. This line actually changed a bit after my first round of editorial notes, but the tone is the same. And that’s almost always what I’m going for with a first line: tone. I don’t need action. I don’t need an immediate hook. (exception: my first line from The Comfort of Black : Hannah didn’t have a plan beyond setting her father on fire.)
I need tone. Mood. Ambiance.
I want the reader to feel an immediate sense of mild unease, like wondering if you remembered to turn off the oven. In the case of The New Neighbor, all you can glean from the first line is that the narrator is at a funeral and is getting increasingly miserable. Sets the stage for the unpleasantness that follows, alerts the reader that this isn’t gonna be a feel-good story (depending on what makes you feel good, I suppose). That first line doesn’t have to be dramatic, but it should be intriguing and, ideally, a bit vague.
I look at it this way: the first line should be like the opening few bars of music during a movie’s title sequence. You’re sitting there watching as the opening credits roll and a single violin plucks in a staccato style, high-pitched and dissonant. Haunting. Just those few notes tell you: this movie’s going to freak me out.
So that’s how I approach my opening line. It’s all about the tone. But you know what? No one ever talks about a book’s second line, and usually that’s the crossing punch delivered after the jab.
I thought I couldn’t handle another minute in the funeral home, but this church is worse.
My wife doesn’t belong here.
Yeah, now we’re getting dark.
““Eerie, disturbing, and violent, Wilson’s psychological thriller packs a real punch, with a shocker of an ending.” — Booklist on The New Neighbor
Making It Up
Newly added episodes of my conversation series Making It Up are out!
This month I chatted with ITW Thriller Award finalist Aaron Philip Clark, Nebula, Lambda, and Locus-nominated author Lara Elena Donnelly, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author J.T. Ellison, and New York Times Editors’ Choice novelist Erica Ferencik.
All episodes are available on my YouTube channel and wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Check them out now here! Making It Up clip of the week!
Erica Ferencik and I discuss her roots in stand-up comedy.
Thrillerfest
Sheraton Times Square
NYC
Craftfest instructor: “Marketing the Thriller Writer”, June 1
Panel, “The Writer Who Influenced You Most,” June 4
September 8-11, 2022
Bouchercon
Hilton Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Make sure to check my calendar for the more up-to-date information. Also, if you’re interested in having me speak at your event or book club, please reach out to my PR team.
What I’m ReadingThe Lies I Tell , Julie Clark (Sourcebooks, June 2022)
I’ve gotten to know Julie a bit over the past year (she was actually one of my first guests on Making It Up), and I recently did a virtual event with her in which we interviewed each other about our latest books. As such, I was able to get my hands on a galley of The Lies I Tell, which releases in June.
The book falls somewhere in the suspense-thriller range and tells the story of con-artist Meg–who goes to great lengths to scam her victims–and Kat, the woman seeking to finally stop her. An ostensibly straightforward setup that soon becomes very twisty in the best possible ways. There is a lot of grey in this book–Julie doesn’t believe in pure villains or heroes–and the moral ambiguity on display adds tremendous depth to the characters. Pre-order now so you can add this excellent book to your summer reading pile.
What I’m WatchingThe Shining – Opera (Denver Opera House). Yes, you read that right. An opera version of Stephen King’s The Shining. My daughter was back from college for a few weeks and I decided this would make for a fun night out in Denver. And it was!
There was no false advertising about it–this was literally the story of The Shining as told by opera signers. So I’m not going to lie, the first act took a little getting used to. When a line as simple as “I’m worried about Danny” takes forever to sing because it’s been, you know, opera-ized, the whole event has the potential to get very tedious. But the story soon took its nicely dark turn, there was some truly creepy moments, and the sets were AMAZING. Best of all, it was a real-life cultural event and I got to spend a night out on the town with one of my favorite people in the world.
Photo of the MonthFlashing back to 2011, when I took this shot of Machu Picchu. You can see a million pictures of this place and will still be spellbound the first time experiencing it in person. Simply dizzying.
Update from My KidsI ordered eight cubic yards of mulch (which is a lot) with the intention of paying Sawyer to spread it around the yard. But he got easily distracted, and instead of working he grabbed a guitar and beer bottle and started making his own county-album covers. When I checked in to ask about his progress, here’s what he sent me.
Update from My Cat“In its flawless grace and superior self-sufficiency I have seen a symbol of the perfect beauty and bland impersonality of the universe itself.” —H.P. Lovecraft, on cats
What’s in my Backyard? After a long hiatus, the bobcat is back! Caught her strolling through the backyard around 3am. She’s probably insanely jealous of the fort I built for Guff (more on that next month).Dark Humor of the Month, sent to me by a friend
Book-Love Instagram Post of the Month Wow, thank you, @jandrews560!That’s it for now – until next month!
April 12, 2022
Book Launch Day!
April 12, 2022
Hello, friends. Just a brief newsletter this month to let you know my latest thriller The New Neighbor is out today. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to pick up a copy at your favorite bookstore. If you use an e-reader, well, that works, too. And there’s a great audiobook version narrated by a cool dude with a smooth voice.
Oh, and make sure to leave honest reviews, if that’s not too much to ask. Reviews make a huge difference in this world. I don’t always wish that was the case, but there it is. So yeah, even just a few words are helpful.
I’ve got a great event planned tonight at the Boulder Book Store, so if you’re in the area, pop by! And my publisher has put together an amazing virtual event planned for April 26, where I’ll be trading war stories with New York Times bestselling thriller writer Julie Clark. Her books are something else.
I’ll leave with you with the acknowledgments I wrote for this book. Not everyone reads them–it’s like staying for the credits after a movie–so I figured I’d put them here as well.
That’s it.
I’m tired.
“The New Neighbor is a dizzying descent into a Byzantine maze of psychological suspense. Carter Wilson proves once again why he is one of the best, most inventive thriller writers working today.” ― S. A. Cosby, New York Times bestselling author of Razorblade Tears and Blacktop Wasteland
“Damn you. Wilson! I was up all night with this book. The mysteries of Bury are perfectly placed, the tension is thick enough to drown in, and the pages fly by. Brilliant escapism. I can’t recommend it highly enough.” ―Stuart Turton, internationally bestselling author of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and The Devil and the Dark Water
“There’s no denying Wilson’s power to weave a dark web and keep making it darker and darker.” —Kirkus Reviews
“A disquieting psychological thriller from Wilson skillfully piles on the creepiness, ratcheting up the tension as Aidan’s world starts spinning out of control.” — Publishers Weekly
“Eerie, disturbing, and violent, Wilson’s psychological thriller packs a real punch, with a shocker of an ending.” — Booklist
April 1, 2022
Crossing Over
By “crossing over,” I’m not talking about shuffling off this mortal coil. This crossing over refers to my upcoming thriller,
The New Neighbor
(and if you haven’t yet pre-ordered, what are you waiting for? You can buy it here. OK, no more of that).
The New Neighbor is my first novel that has a distinct and direct connection to another book of mine, specifically The Dead Husband . Each book is heavily influenced by the other, yet both are standalone stories and can be read independently. However, the crossover between them means that, in reading both, the experience of reading each is vastly enhanced.
Was if difficult to write like this? HELL YES IT WAS.
So why did I do it?
I’d finished writing The Dead Husband and decided I wasn’t quite ready to move on. I wanted to spend more time in the fictitious town of Bury, NH that I’d created. Moreover, I wanted to spend a lot more time at 1734 Rum Hill Road. See, this house–more of a mansion–has a lot of dark history, as any reader finds out as they follow the tortured journey of Rose Yates in The Dead Husband. Rose grew up in that house, moved away after an unspeakable event occurred there, then returned as an adult to confront her family and that house once and for all. Shit gets dark real fast.
In planning The New Neighbor (HA! plan), I wanted to return to Rum Hill Road. The idea struck me: what if I featured the same house from a previous book, but a whole new cast of characters? I loved that idea, so that’s how Aidan Marlowe–recent widower and lottery winner–came to move into the creepy house on Rum Hill Road with his 7-year-old twins. It didn’t take long for him to start sensing the malevolent energy in his new estate, nor for the chilling anonymous notes to start appearing in his driveway.
We are watching you.
I have to say, I had a blast writing a crossover book, and it took a lot of work and suggestions from my agent and editor to ensure the two books were standalone stories. I had to structure each story in a way either could be read independently or out of order from the other and each still be a complete, cohesive narrative. I think I achieved that, but really, you should read both books, because then all your questions about the insidious little town of Bury will be answered (not to mention all the wonderful Easter eggs you’ll discover!)
All this is to say I wasn’t ready to move out of 1734 Rum Hill Road.
Maybe I’m still not.
After all, I do rather like haunted houses. Do you?
1734 Rum Hill Road. Come stay awhile. I’m sure you’ll be fine.“A disquieting psychological thriller from Wilson skillfully piles on the creepiness, ratcheting up the tension as Aidan’s world starts spinning out of control.” — Publishers Weekly on The New Neighbor
Making It Up
Newly added episodes of my conversation series Making It Up are out! This month I chatted with acclaimed thriller writer Alex Finlay (The Night Shift) and children’s book author and illustrator Daniel Jude Miller (Monsters in Manhattan).
All episodes are available on my YouTube channel and wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Check them out now here!
What I’m Reading
Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli , Mark Seal (Simon and Schuster, 2021)
Another non-fiction book for me this month, and it was a great one. Are you a cinephile? Do you love the behind-the-scenes fodder about movie-making? If you answered “yes,” then check out Mark Seal’s wonderful and highly detailed account about the making of The Godfather. Based on numerous interviews and a trove of film and written journals, what emerges is a story of a first-time filmmaker (Coppola) battling major Hollywood forces in order to get his interpretation of the massively successful Mario Puzo novel onto the big screen. Nearly everything that could have gone wrong in making the film did, but the end result speaks for itself.
Also, THAT WAS A REAL FUCKING HORSE’S HEAD.
What I’m Watching
Inventing Anna (2022, Netflix). Jess and I already knew the true story about the bogus German heiress who wormed her way into the highest echelon of the Manhattan elite, so we were hesitant to watch the limited series. We knew what happened, so why bother?
I’ll tell you why to bother. Julia Garner. My god, can this person act. If you love her in Ozark, you will appreciate her range all the more in this compelling rags-to-riches-to-rags story. Anna Chlumsky is also wonderful as the journalist profiling Anna Delvey, but Garner is the one who steals the show (just as her character steals pretty much everything else). Mark this one down as must watch.Photo of the Month
Flashing back to 2009, when I took this shot of a little girl dancing around in The Forbidden City in Beijing.
Update from My Kids
Sawyer got a chance to fly out to Michigan to spend a few days with his big sister. He got a little taste of college life, including an MSU hockey game. Awww…aren’t they adorable??
Update from My Cat
A victory cry after killing his flopping fish toy.
Book-Love Instagram Post of the Month Love the flowers!
That’s it for now! See you next month.
The New Neighbor is my first novel that has a distinct and direct connection to another book of mine, specifically The Dead Husband . Each book is heavily influenced by the other, yet both are standalone stories and can be read independently. However, the crossover between them means that, in reading both, the experience of reading each is vastly enhanced.
Was if difficult to write like this? HELL YES IT WAS.
So why did I do it?
I’d finished writing The Dead Husband and decided I wasn’t quite ready to move on. I wanted to spend more time in the fictitious town of Bury, NH that I’d created. Moreover, I wanted to spend a lot more time at 1734 Rum Hill Road. See, this house–more of a mansion–has a lot of dark history, as any reader finds out as they follow the tortured journey of Rose Yates in The Dead Husband. Rose grew up in that house, moved away after an unspeakable event occurred there, then returned as an adult to confront her family and that house once and for all. Shit gets dark real fast.
In planning The New Neighbor (HA! plan), I wanted to return to Rum Hill Road. The idea struck me: what if I featured the same house from a previous book, but a whole new cast of characters? I loved that idea, so that’s how Aidan Marlowe–recent widower and lottery winner–came to move into the creepy house on Rum Hill Road with his 7-year-old twins. It didn’t take long for him to start sensing the malevolent energy in his new estate, nor for the chilling anonymous notes to start appearing in his driveway.
We are watching you.
I have to say, I had a blast writing a crossover book, and it took a lot of work and suggestions from my agent and editor to ensure the two books were standalone stories. I had to structure each story in a way either could be read independently or out of order from the other and each still be a complete, cohesive narrative. I think I achieved that, but really, you should read both books, because then all your questions about the insidious little town of Bury will be answered (not to mention all the wonderful Easter eggs you’ll discover!)
All this is to say I wasn’t ready to move out of 1734 Rum Hill Road.
Maybe I’m still not.
After all, I do rather like haunted houses. Do you?
1734 Rum Hill Road. Come stay awhile. I’m sure you’ll be fine.“A disquieting psychological thriller from Wilson skillfully piles on the creepiness, ratcheting up the tension as Aidan’s world starts spinning out of control.” — Publishers Weekly on The New Neighbor
Making It Up
Newly added episodes of my conversation series Making It Up are out! This month I chatted with acclaimed thriller writer Alex Finlay (The Night Shift) and children’s book author and illustrator Daniel Jude Miller (Monsters in Manhattan).
All episodes are available on my YouTube channel and wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Check them out now here!
What I’m ReadingLeave the Gun, Take the Cannoli , Mark Seal (Simon and Schuster, 2021)
Another non-fiction book for me this month, and it was a great one. Are you a cinephile? Do you love the behind-the-scenes fodder about movie-making? If you answered “yes,” then check out Mark Seal’s wonderful and highly detailed account about the making of The Godfather. Based on numerous interviews and a trove of film and written journals, what emerges is a story of a first-time filmmaker (Coppola) battling major Hollywood forces in order to get his interpretation of the massively successful Mario Puzo novel onto the big screen. Nearly everything that could have gone wrong in making the film did, but the end result speaks for itself.
Also, THAT WAS A REAL FUCKING HORSE’S HEAD.
What I’m WatchingInventing Anna (2022, Netflix). Jess and I already knew the true story about the bogus German heiress who wormed her way into the highest echelon of the Manhattan elite, so we were hesitant to watch the limited series. We knew what happened, so why bother?
I’ll tell you why to bother. Julia Garner. My god, can this person act. If you love her in Ozark, you will appreciate her range all the more in this compelling rags-to-riches-to-rags story. Anna Chlumsky is also wonderful as the journalist profiling Anna Delvey, but Garner is the one who steals the show (just as her character steals pretty much everything else). Mark this one down as must watch.Photo of the Month
Flashing back to 2009, when I took this shot of a little girl dancing around in The Forbidden City in Beijing.
Update from My KidsSawyer got a chance to fly out to Michigan to spend a few days with his big sister. He got a little taste of college life, including an MSU hockey game. Awww…aren’t they adorable??
Update from My CatA victory cry after killing his flopping fish toy.
Book-Love Instagram Post of the Month Love the flowers!That’s it for now! See you next month.
February 28, 2022
ME ME ME ME ME
Authors HATE self-promotion. They despise posting book photos with links to pre-order, loathe telling you about good reviews, and cringe announcing the deal the publisher is running. Most authors are happy with their laptops, sitting in their little writing room, alone with their characters and a glass of wine. Whenever you see an author promote their book on social media, know they just died a little inside.
And yet.
Yet promotion is a huge part of a book’s lifecycle. Pre-orders are tremendously important, reviews are critical, and buzz is often how bestsellers are made. Moreover, the author is part of a team of professionals striving to create as much financial success around a title as possible; they can’t just sit back and assume their job is done after the book is written. They need to work closely with their PR and marketing teams to give the book its best shot at thriving once it’s in the wild.
All that being said, you’re gonna see me hype up my upcoming thriller The New Neighbor over the next couple of months. And you know what? I’m unapologetic for it. I love this book. It’s got a wonderful creep factor, a main character who becomes justifiably VERY paranoid, and a spooky fucking house.
But don’t take my word for it! Take a look at what some others have said about The New Neighbor.“The New Neighbor is a dizzying descent into a Byzantine maze of psychological suspense. Carter Wilson proves once again why he is one of the best, most inventive thriller writers working today.” ― S. A. Cosby, New York Times bestselling author of Razorblade Tears and Blacktop Wasteland
“Damn you. Wilson! I was up all night with this book. The mysteries of Bury are perfectly placed, the tension is thick enough to drown in, and the pages fly by. Brilliant escapism. I can’t recommend it highly enough.” ―Stuart Turton, internationally bestselling author of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and The Devil and the Dark Water
“A truly suspenseful and gripping read. I was filled with anxiety and on the edge of my seat throughout. Bravo!” —Alice Hunter, author of The Serial Killer’s Wife
“There’s no denying Wilson’s power to weave a dark web and keep making it darker and darker.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Some truly frightening scenes lead to a gripping and satisfying conclusion, but not before a twist that will leave readers’ heads spinning. Marlowe is memorable ―single dads in thrillers aren’t that common―but mainly he will stay with readers because of his offbeat vulnerability and the determination that shines through his grief. Wilson’s (The Dead Girl in 2A) unusual psychological thriller is one for fans of Stephen King who are open to reading mysteries.” ― First Clue
“Fast-paced, beautifully written and with the requisite heart-pounding moments, Carter Wilson’s The New Neighbor hits all the right thriller notes. Add this to your to-read pile immediately!” —Catherine McKenzie, USA Today bestselling author of You Can’t Catch Me and Six Weeks to Live
“I can never resist a book with a well-written, unreliable narrator, and Carter Wilson nails just that in his tautly written thriller, The New Neighbor. I couldn’t bear to put this page-turner down until I figured out every single detail in Wilson’s suspenseful and twist-ridden story of loss, mourning, and new starts that asks if money can ever buy happiness and even if it does―at what cost?” ― Emily Bleeker, Wall Street Journal and Amazon Charts bestselling authorYou can pre-order here, and I sure would love it if you do!
Making It Up
Newly added episodes of my conversation series Making It Up are out! This month I chatted with award-winning novelist Amanda Kabak (The Mathematics of Change), domestic-suspense novelist Lynne Reeves Griffin (The Dangers of an Ordinary Night), and USA Today bestselling thriller writer Allen Eskens (The Stolen Hours).
All episodes are available on my YouTube channel and wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Check them out now here!
Making It Up clip of the week!
NY Times bestselling author and Edgar-award nominee S.A. Cosby and I make up a noirish short story beginning with a random sentence from Stephen King’s Nightmares & Dreamscapes.What I’m Reading
They Drown Our Daughters , Katrina Monroe (Sourcebooks, 2022)
I was asked to read this book (coming out in July) to see if I wanted to blurb it. Very happy I agreed! This is a dark and creepy tale about generations of women haunted by the same ocean-dwelling ghost. Make sure to check it out when it releases. Here’s the blurb I provided:
“At turns chilling, evocative, and beautifully tragic, THEY DROWN OUR DAUGHTERS is a mesmerizing tale of familial sorrow. Katrina Monroe plays this one just right, drawing you in gently before unleashing the full force of her power…just like her wraith of the water. Moreover, Monroe will have readers more afraid of the sea than any author since Benchley. A superb read.”
What I’m Watching
LuLaRich (2021, Prime). I’m a sucker for any documentary series about greedy people doing awful things, so I was very happy to stumble on LuLaRich.
From Prime: “LuLaRich is a four-part docuseries that chronicles the unraveling of LuLaRoe. Known for their buttery soft leggings, the infamous multi-level marketing company went viral promising young mothers a work-from-home salvation. LuLaRoe’s eccentric founders recruited an astonishing army of independent retailers to peddle its increasingly bizarre and defective clothing products…until it all went wrong.”
Now, I’d never even heard of LuLaRoe but that didn’t matter. This series rules. It will fulfill all your desires to hate on delusional and predatory pyramid-scheme vultures.
Oh. And the crazy. There’s so much crazy.
Photo of the Month
Spotted this little fella sitting on top of my hanging chair in the backyard. Turns out he’s a Cooper’s Hawk. Love the tail.
Update from My Kids
Good news – Sawyer got his driver’s license! And with it, all the freedoms a young man craves. Like the freedom to drive to a friend’s house and hang out with all his buddies on a Friday night.
Well, of the six kids hanging out that Friday, six came down with Covid…INCLUDING SAWYER.
So, yeah. Sometimes that precious driver’s license isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Update from My Cat
This is the face of a cat running through a list in his head of who should live and who should die.
Fresh Ink!
Six months in the planning and four (painful) hours in the execution, I’m excited about my new ink! Skeleton key with mandala and compass. And the top of the key explodes into a murder of crows.
I’m loving it.
Book-Love Instagram Post of the Month I love how beautifully staged this photo is.
That’s it for now! See you next month.
And yet.
Yet promotion is a huge part of a book’s lifecycle. Pre-orders are tremendously important, reviews are critical, and buzz is often how bestsellers are made. Moreover, the author is part of a team of professionals striving to create as much financial success around a title as possible; they can’t just sit back and assume their job is done after the book is written. They need to work closely with their PR and marketing teams to give the book its best shot at thriving once it’s in the wild.
All that being said, you’re gonna see me hype up my upcoming thriller The New Neighbor over the next couple of months. And you know what? I’m unapologetic for it. I love this book. It’s got a wonderful creep factor, a main character who becomes justifiably VERY paranoid, and a spooky fucking house.
But don’t take my word for it! Take a look at what some others have said about The New Neighbor.“The New Neighbor is a dizzying descent into a Byzantine maze of psychological suspense. Carter Wilson proves once again why he is one of the best, most inventive thriller writers working today.” ― S. A. Cosby, New York Times bestselling author of Razorblade Tears and Blacktop Wasteland
“Damn you. Wilson! I was up all night with this book. The mysteries of Bury are perfectly placed, the tension is thick enough to drown in, and the pages fly by. Brilliant escapism. I can’t recommend it highly enough.” ―Stuart Turton, internationally bestselling author of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and The Devil and the Dark Water
“A truly suspenseful and gripping read. I was filled with anxiety and on the edge of my seat throughout. Bravo!” —Alice Hunter, author of The Serial Killer’s Wife
“There’s no denying Wilson’s power to weave a dark web and keep making it darker and darker.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Some truly frightening scenes lead to a gripping and satisfying conclusion, but not before a twist that will leave readers’ heads spinning. Marlowe is memorable ―single dads in thrillers aren’t that common―but mainly he will stay with readers because of his offbeat vulnerability and the determination that shines through his grief. Wilson’s (The Dead Girl in 2A) unusual psychological thriller is one for fans of Stephen King who are open to reading mysteries.” ― First Clue
“Fast-paced, beautifully written and with the requisite heart-pounding moments, Carter Wilson’s The New Neighbor hits all the right thriller notes. Add this to your to-read pile immediately!” —Catherine McKenzie, USA Today bestselling author of You Can’t Catch Me and Six Weeks to Live
“I can never resist a book with a well-written, unreliable narrator, and Carter Wilson nails just that in his tautly written thriller, The New Neighbor. I couldn’t bear to put this page-turner down until I figured out every single detail in Wilson’s suspenseful and twist-ridden story of loss, mourning, and new starts that asks if money can ever buy happiness and even if it does―at what cost?” ― Emily Bleeker, Wall Street Journal and Amazon Charts bestselling authorYou can pre-order here, and I sure would love it if you do!
Making It Up
Newly added episodes of my conversation series Making It Up are out! This month I chatted with award-winning novelist Amanda Kabak (The Mathematics of Change), domestic-suspense novelist Lynne Reeves Griffin (The Dangers of an Ordinary Night), and USA Today bestselling thriller writer Allen Eskens (The Stolen Hours).
All episodes are available on my YouTube channel and wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Check them out now here!
Making It Up clip of the week!NY Times bestselling author and Edgar-award nominee S.A. Cosby and I make up a noirish short story beginning with a random sentence from Stephen King’s Nightmares & Dreamscapes.
What I’m ReadingThey Drown Our Daughters , Katrina Monroe (Sourcebooks, 2022)
I was asked to read this book (coming out in July) to see if I wanted to blurb it. Very happy I agreed! This is a dark and creepy tale about generations of women haunted by the same ocean-dwelling ghost. Make sure to check it out when it releases. Here’s the blurb I provided:
“At turns chilling, evocative, and beautifully tragic, THEY DROWN OUR DAUGHTERS is a mesmerizing tale of familial sorrow. Katrina Monroe plays this one just right, drawing you in gently before unleashing the full force of her power…just like her wraith of the water. Moreover, Monroe will have readers more afraid of the sea than any author since Benchley. A superb read.”
What I’m WatchingLuLaRich (2021, Prime). I’m a sucker for any documentary series about greedy people doing awful things, so I was very happy to stumble on LuLaRich.
From Prime: “LuLaRich is a four-part docuseries that chronicles the unraveling of LuLaRoe. Known for their buttery soft leggings, the infamous multi-level marketing company went viral promising young mothers a work-from-home salvation. LuLaRoe’s eccentric founders recruited an astonishing army of independent retailers to peddle its increasingly bizarre and defective clothing products…until it all went wrong.”
Now, I’d never even heard of LuLaRoe but that didn’t matter. This series rules. It will fulfill all your desires to hate on delusional and predatory pyramid-scheme vultures.
Oh. And the crazy. There’s so much crazy.
Photo of the MonthSpotted this little fella sitting on top of my hanging chair in the backyard. Turns out he’s a Cooper’s Hawk. Love the tail.
Update from My KidsGood news – Sawyer got his driver’s license! And with it, all the freedoms a young man craves. Like the freedom to drive to a friend’s house and hang out with all his buddies on a Friday night.
Well, of the six kids hanging out that Friday, six came down with Covid…INCLUDING SAWYER.
So, yeah. Sometimes that precious driver’s license isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Update from My CatThis is the face of a cat running through a list in his head of who should live and who should die.
Fresh Ink!Six months in the planning and four (painful) hours in the execution, I’m excited about my new ink! Skeleton key with mandala and compass. And the top of the key explodes into a murder of crows.
I’m loving it.
Book-Love Instagram Post of the Month I love how beautifully staged this photo is.That’s it for now! See you next month.
February 17, 2022
Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
Welcome to 2022! I hope that any holidays you may have celebrated were joyous and virus-free and you’re looking at this new year with hope and optimism. I’m trying my best, despite the swirling and roiling omicron shitstorm engulfing us.
Still, I’m excited for 2022 for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that I have another thriller coming out. Launching April 12, 2022, The New Neighbor is my eighth novel and one I’m really excited about. Here’s the back cover copy: Aidan holds the winning Powerball numbers.
Is today the best day of his life… or the worst?
Aidan Marlowe is the superstitious type—he’s been playing the same lottery numbers for fifteen years, never hitting the jackpot. Until now. On the day of his wife’s funeral.
Aidan struggles to cope with these two sudden extremes: instant wealth beyond his imagination, and the loss of the only woman he’s ever loved, the mother of his twin children. But the money gives him and his kids options they didn’t have before. They can leave everything behind. They can start a new life in a new town. So they do.
But a huge new house and all the money in the world can’t replace what they’ve lost, and it’s not long before Aidan realizes he’s merely trading old demons for new ones. Because someone is watching him and his family very closely. Someone who knows exactly who they are, where they’ve come from, and what they’re trying to hide. Someone who will stop at nothing to get what they want…You’ll be hearing more from me about The New Neighbor, but one element I wanted to share now is that this book has direct ties to my previous novel, The Dead Husband. Both books are standalone novels, but if you read both you will discover how much creepier the stories are…
You can pre-order here, and you’ll be my best friend forever if you do.
Making It Up
Newly added episodes of my interview series Making It Up are out! This month I chatted with novelist and #1 New York Times bestselling author of non-fiction health and diet books Dr. Ian Smith (Wolf Point), debut novelist and recipient of the Eleanor Taylor Bland Award for emerging writers of color Yasmin Angoe (Her Name is Knight), and screenwriter and novelist Gabrielle St. George (How to Murder a Marriage).
All episodes are available on my YouTube channel and wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Check them out now here! SNEAK PREVIEW: watch HERE as Dr. Ian and I discuss writing styles.What I’m Reading
Nothing!
I just finished the advanced-review copy of The Mirror Man : A Killer Instinct Novel by Lars Kepler. Helluva book. Very dark and gritty and doesn’t shy away from profound unpleasantness in order to make a statement. I’m quite looking forward to interviewing the husband-and-wife team that comprise Lars Kepler for this book’s launch event in January.
So I’m taking a few days off from reading before I dive into another thriller that I’ll be blurbing. Other than that, the only other thing I’m reading is my own manuscript, as I’m knee-deep in sorely needed edits.What I’m Watching
Dopesick (2021, Hulu). Nothing rings in the holidays quite like a limited series about the American opioid crisis. As you would expect, this show is depressing as hell. But it’s also immensely watchable. It’s essentially about how Purdue Pharma lied to the world about how addictive OxyContin really is. If the show wasn’t rooted in facts I’d say parts of it seem too farfetched (especially how all the sales reps for Purdue didn’t care their drugs were killing thousands of people). But sadly, it’s based on a true series of events and we get another reminder about how awful humanity is.
Also, Michael Keaton. He’s the main reason to watch. What an actor.
Photo of the Month
You may have heard about the devasting fires in Boulder County on December 30th. Two towns were evacuated and an estimated 1,000 homes were destroyed in what became the most destructive fire in Colorado history. It started by powerlines downed by 100+ mile-per-hour winds, and the winds caused the fire to tear through a highly populated suburban corridor between Boulder and Denver.
I live in eastern Boulder County and the fire never got closer than 10 miles to my house, but we know several people who evacuated and, sadly, some who lost their homes. About three hours after the fire first broke out I drove a few miles south from my house and got this picture, but it doesn’t nearly do justice to how long and black that smoke trail was.
If you want to help those affected, donations can be made to the American Red Cross of Colorado here.
Update from My Kids
My kids had a Christmas cake bake-off and then posed very seriously with their finished products.
Update from My Cat
And here is Guff on Christmas, just daring you to tell him the presents aren’t all his.
Cool Shoes I Want
Vans sneakers with the Shining twins! The perfect year-round gift for the favorite thriller writer in your life…Book-Love Instagram Post of the Month I love when readers post pics of my books, but I REALLY love an Instagrammer named thrillers_and_unicorns.
That’s it for now! See you next month.
Still, I’m excited for 2022 for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that I have another thriller coming out. Launching April 12, 2022, The New Neighbor is my eighth novel and one I’m really excited about. Here’s the back cover copy: Aidan holds the winning Powerball numbers.
Is today the best day of his life… or the worst?
Aidan Marlowe is the superstitious type—he’s been playing the same lottery numbers for fifteen years, never hitting the jackpot. Until now. On the day of his wife’s funeral.
Aidan struggles to cope with these two sudden extremes: instant wealth beyond his imagination, and the loss of the only woman he’s ever loved, the mother of his twin children. But the money gives him and his kids options they didn’t have before. They can leave everything behind. They can start a new life in a new town. So they do.
But a huge new house and all the money in the world can’t replace what they’ve lost, and it’s not long before Aidan realizes he’s merely trading old demons for new ones. Because someone is watching him and his family very closely. Someone who knows exactly who they are, where they’ve come from, and what they’re trying to hide. Someone who will stop at nothing to get what they want…You’ll be hearing more from me about The New Neighbor, but one element I wanted to share now is that this book has direct ties to my previous novel, The Dead Husband. Both books are standalone novels, but if you read both you will discover how much creepier the stories are…
You can pre-order here, and you’ll be my best friend forever if you do.
Making It Up
Newly added episodes of my interview series Making It Up are out! This month I chatted with novelist and #1 New York Times bestselling author of non-fiction health and diet books Dr. Ian Smith (Wolf Point), debut novelist and recipient of the Eleanor Taylor Bland Award for emerging writers of color Yasmin Angoe (Her Name is Knight), and screenwriter and novelist Gabrielle St. George (How to Murder a Marriage).
All episodes are available on my YouTube channel and wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Check them out now here! SNEAK PREVIEW: watch HERE as Dr. Ian and I discuss writing styles.
What I’m ReadingNothing!
I just finished the advanced-review copy of The Mirror Man : A Killer Instinct Novel by Lars Kepler. Helluva book. Very dark and gritty and doesn’t shy away from profound unpleasantness in order to make a statement. I’m quite looking forward to interviewing the husband-and-wife team that comprise Lars Kepler for this book’s launch event in January.
So I’m taking a few days off from reading before I dive into another thriller that I’ll be blurbing. Other than that, the only other thing I’m reading is my own manuscript, as I’m knee-deep in sorely needed edits.What I’m Watching
Dopesick (2021, Hulu). Nothing rings in the holidays quite like a limited series about the American opioid crisis. As you would expect, this show is depressing as hell. But it’s also immensely watchable. It’s essentially about how Purdue Pharma lied to the world about how addictive OxyContin really is. If the show wasn’t rooted in facts I’d say parts of it seem too farfetched (especially how all the sales reps for Purdue didn’t care their drugs were killing thousands of people). But sadly, it’s based on a true series of events and we get another reminder about how awful humanity is.
Also, Michael Keaton. He’s the main reason to watch. What an actor.
Photo of the MonthYou may have heard about the devasting fires in Boulder County on December 30th. Two towns were evacuated and an estimated 1,000 homes were destroyed in what became the most destructive fire in Colorado history. It started by powerlines downed by 100+ mile-per-hour winds, and the winds caused the fire to tear through a highly populated suburban corridor between Boulder and Denver.
I live in eastern Boulder County and the fire never got closer than 10 miles to my house, but we know several people who evacuated and, sadly, some who lost their homes. About three hours after the fire first broke out I drove a few miles south from my house and got this picture, but it doesn’t nearly do justice to how long and black that smoke trail was.
If you want to help those affected, donations can be made to the American Red Cross of Colorado here.
Update from My KidsMy kids had a Christmas cake bake-off and then posed very seriously with their finished products.
Update from My CatAnd here is Guff on Christmas, just daring you to tell him the presents aren’t all his.
Cool Shoes I WantVans sneakers with the Shining twins! The perfect year-round gift for the favorite thriller writer in your life…Book-Love Instagram Post of the Month I love when readers post pics of my books, but I REALLY love an Instagrammer named thrillers_and_unicorns.That’s it for now! See you next month.
December 18, 2021
Impostor Syndrome
I’ve recorded about forty episodes of my conversation series Making It Up, and I find it fascinating how different each writer is. Rarely do any two of my interviewees share the exact same writing habits and routines, roads to publication, or approaches to style. Yet most of them have admitted to suffering from the exact same malady known all too well in the publication industry: IMPOSTOR SYNDROME.
This is a sneaky little bug that sits in a writer’s bloodstream from the day they type their first word. There it languishes, waiting for the moment to present itself. After the writer endures years of struggle, rejection, and blinding self-doubt, finally that very special moment arrives: publication day for the author’s very first book. The launch event is hosted by a lovely local indie bookstore, and there the author regales the audience with stories about how the book came to be, does a reading, answers some questions, and signs some books (signs books!). At the end of the event as the crowd files out, the author takes a moment to soak it all in. I wrote a book, they think. And someone published that book. And I have a copy of it, here, in my hand, right now. Holy hell, this is amazing! Then one last person comes up to the author, sticks out their hand, and offers sincere congratulations for such an amazing achievement.
THIS is when it happens.
The bug that had been dormant for so long suddenly activates and races straight into the author’s ventromedial prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain housing confidence. Then it just eats the shit out of everything in sight.
This is all a mistake, the author thinks, not even knowing why. The publisher didn’t mean to buy my book. Have they even read it? It’s terrible. I don’t know what I’m doing. I have no business being here. Jesus, I have to get those books back from everyone—they can’t be allowed to read them!
Then comes paydirt. The bug’s endgame is to get the author to think these five specific words:
I’m not even a writer.
Why? Why do we all think this? I don’t know the answer, but I will tell you Impostor Syndrome is quite real. If you meet a writer at a cocktail party and they actually tell you they’re a writer, that means either they 1) have at least five published novels, 2) support themselves writing full time, or 3) slowly began dying inside the moment they uttered those words.
I didn’t start calling myself a writer out loud until the release of my third book, and only then because it hit a bestseller list. I probably didn’t feel comfortable saying it until my fifth book. And now, with number eight on the way, it’s rare I tell someone I’m a writer without mentioning I have another job as well.
Perhaps it’s because there are (usually) so many years of rejection preceding any publication that the writer’s confidence remains trampled into the ground. Or maybe it’s because writing is FUN and we can’t believe we can actually make money doing it. Whatever the reason, I guarantee you any writer you meet has suffered or continues to suffer from Impostor Syndrome. Including me. And the only way to get past it is through it.
OK, here goes. Ahem.
I AM A WRITER.
Making It Up
Newly added episodes of my interview series Making It Up are out! This month I chatted with New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and #1 Amazon bestselling author Robert Dugoni (The World Played Chess), USA Today bestselling romance writer Farrah Rochon (The Boyfriend Project), critically acclaimed novelist and graphic artist Alverne Ball (Blue Religion), and columnist and co-founder of Defector.com Drew Magary (The Night the Lights Went Out). In addition to the personal, in-depth conversations, each episode features an impromptu short-story each guest and I craft together.
All episodes are available on my YouTube channel and wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Check them out now here!
What I’m Reading
The Mirror Man : A Killer Instinct Novel by Lars Kepler (Knopf, 2022) I was fortunate enough to get my greedy little paws on an advance copy of Kepler’s 2022 thriller. How was I able to do this, you ask? Because yours truly was invited to be in-conversation with Kepler at their official launch event in January (so excited). I plan to dive into this thriller over the holidays, because nothing paints the joy of the season like a book about “gritty portrayals of human evil” (Booklist)
LARS KEPLER is the pseudonym of the critically acclaimed husband-and-wife team Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril and Alexander Ahndoril. Their number one internationally best-selling Killer Instinct series has sold more than 15 million copies in forty languages. The Ahndorils were both established writers before they adopted the pen name Lars Kepler and have each published several acclaimed novels. They live in Stockholm, Sweden.
What I’m Watching
Val (2021, Amazon Prime). I love a documentary about someone’s origin story, which is maybe why I’ve been watching so many music docs lately. But Val isn’t about a band, it’s about Val Kilmer. Yeah, you know him – Iceman from Top Gun! Even if you’re not a fan of his work, this is a stunning movie to watch, in no small part due to the fact all the years of footage were taken by Kilmer himself. From his early days getting outshone on stage by Sean Penn and Kevin Bacon to hitting the height of fame in Batman Forever and Heat, this is an emotional recounting of a life lived in extremes. Kilmer is a recent throat-cancer survivor–sacrificing his voice in the process–and the film is narrated by his son, who unnervingly sounds just like him.
Photo of the Month
I haven’t left this country since November 2019 and I’m definitely feeling wanderlusty. Here’s a throwback to my Machu Picchu trip a decade ago.
Update from My Kids
My 16-year-old boy dropped this story on me yesterday:
Sawyer went to the gym and when he was driving away a guy in a car flagged him down and asked him if he wanted a Bluetooth speaker.(!)
So Sawyer parked his car and said, “Sure.”(!!)
The man gets out of his car and tells Sawyer to come over to his trunk.(!!!!!!)
The man then proceeds to show Sawyer a very big box containing a very big speaker with a price tag reading $1,200. Mind you, Sawyer was thinking by “Bluetooth speaker” the man was giving away some little cheapo speakers for whatever random reason. But now it was slowly dawning on him the man wanted money for this very clearly stolen piece of merchandise. The man asked for $600, to which Sawyer replied he only had seven bucks on him, then to which the man said they could go to an ATM together (WTF!).
Fortunately, this story doesn’t end with Sawyer either stabbed or penniless. He just told the dude nah, man, I’m good, and they went their separate ways.
Still, not the story you want to hear at the dinner table five days later.Update from My Cat
We had quite the scare with Guff last month. He was fine one moment and then suddenly decided to stop eating. The vet couldn’t find anything wrong, and after nearly four days without food he had to be placed on a feeding tube. After two days on the feeding tube he finally started eating on his own again. A week after he’d first stopped eating he was back to normal, and no one could figure out what the problem was.
It was a stressful and miserable week, but we are all happy Guff is back to being his normal, evil self.
Internet Find of the Month, Sent to Me by a Friend
Book-Love Instagram Post of the Month 
That’s it for now! See you next month.
This is a sneaky little bug that sits in a writer’s bloodstream from the day they type their first word. There it languishes, waiting for the moment to present itself. After the writer endures years of struggle, rejection, and blinding self-doubt, finally that very special moment arrives: publication day for the author’s very first book. The launch event is hosted by a lovely local indie bookstore, and there the author regales the audience with stories about how the book came to be, does a reading, answers some questions, and signs some books (signs books!). At the end of the event as the crowd files out, the author takes a moment to soak it all in. I wrote a book, they think. And someone published that book. And I have a copy of it, here, in my hand, right now. Holy hell, this is amazing! Then one last person comes up to the author, sticks out their hand, and offers sincere congratulations for such an amazing achievement.
THIS is when it happens.
The bug that had been dormant for so long suddenly activates and races straight into the author’s ventromedial prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain housing confidence. Then it just eats the shit out of everything in sight.
This is all a mistake, the author thinks, not even knowing why. The publisher didn’t mean to buy my book. Have they even read it? It’s terrible. I don’t know what I’m doing. I have no business being here. Jesus, I have to get those books back from everyone—they can’t be allowed to read them!
Then comes paydirt. The bug’s endgame is to get the author to think these five specific words:
I’m not even a writer.
Why? Why do we all think this? I don’t know the answer, but I will tell you Impostor Syndrome is quite real. If you meet a writer at a cocktail party and they actually tell you they’re a writer, that means either they 1) have at least five published novels, 2) support themselves writing full time, or 3) slowly began dying inside the moment they uttered those words.
I didn’t start calling myself a writer out loud until the release of my third book, and only then because it hit a bestseller list. I probably didn’t feel comfortable saying it until my fifth book. And now, with number eight on the way, it’s rare I tell someone I’m a writer without mentioning I have another job as well.
Perhaps it’s because there are (usually) so many years of rejection preceding any publication that the writer’s confidence remains trampled into the ground. Or maybe it’s because writing is FUN and we can’t believe we can actually make money doing it. Whatever the reason, I guarantee you any writer you meet has suffered or continues to suffer from Impostor Syndrome. Including me. And the only way to get past it is through it.
OK, here goes. Ahem.
I AM A WRITER.
Making It Up
Newly added episodes of my interview series Making It Up are out! This month I chatted with New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and #1 Amazon bestselling author Robert Dugoni (The World Played Chess), USA Today bestselling romance writer Farrah Rochon (The Boyfriend Project), critically acclaimed novelist and graphic artist Alverne Ball (Blue Religion), and columnist and co-founder of Defector.com Drew Magary (The Night the Lights Went Out). In addition to the personal, in-depth conversations, each episode features an impromptu short-story each guest and I craft together.
All episodes are available on my YouTube channel and wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Check them out now here!
What I’m ReadingThe Mirror Man : A Killer Instinct Novel by Lars Kepler (Knopf, 2022) I was fortunate enough to get my greedy little paws on an advance copy of Kepler’s 2022 thriller. How was I able to do this, you ask? Because yours truly was invited to be in-conversation with Kepler at their official launch event in January (so excited). I plan to dive into this thriller over the holidays, because nothing paints the joy of the season like a book about “gritty portrayals of human evil” (Booklist)
LARS KEPLER is the pseudonym of the critically acclaimed husband-and-wife team Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril and Alexander Ahndoril. Their number one internationally best-selling Killer Instinct series has sold more than 15 million copies in forty languages. The Ahndorils were both established writers before they adopted the pen name Lars Kepler and have each published several acclaimed novels. They live in Stockholm, Sweden.
What I’m WatchingVal (2021, Amazon Prime). I love a documentary about someone’s origin story, which is maybe why I’ve been watching so many music docs lately. But Val isn’t about a band, it’s about Val Kilmer. Yeah, you know him – Iceman from Top Gun! Even if you’re not a fan of his work, this is a stunning movie to watch, in no small part due to the fact all the years of footage were taken by Kilmer himself. From his early days getting outshone on stage by Sean Penn and Kevin Bacon to hitting the height of fame in Batman Forever and Heat, this is an emotional recounting of a life lived in extremes. Kilmer is a recent throat-cancer survivor–sacrificing his voice in the process–and the film is narrated by his son, who unnervingly sounds just like him.
Photo of the MonthI haven’t left this country since November 2019 and I’m definitely feeling wanderlusty. Here’s a throwback to my Machu Picchu trip a decade ago.
Update from My KidsMy 16-year-old boy dropped this story on me yesterday:
Sawyer went to the gym and when he was driving away a guy in a car flagged him down and asked him if he wanted a Bluetooth speaker.(!)
So Sawyer parked his car and said, “Sure.”(!!)
The man gets out of his car and tells Sawyer to come over to his trunk.(!!!!!!)
The man then proceeds to show Sawyer a very big box containing a very big speaker with a price tag reading $1,200. Mind you, Sawyer was thinking by “Bluetooth speaker” the man was giving away some little cheapo speakers for whatever random reason. But now it was slowly dawning on him the man wanted money for this very clearly stolen piece of merchandise. The man asked for $600, to which Sawyer replied he only had seven bucks on him, then to which the man said they could go to an ATM together (WTF!).
Fortunately, this story doesn’t end with Sawyer either stabbed or penniless. He just told the dude nah, man, I’m good, and they went their separate ways.
Still, not the story you want to hear at the dinner table five days later.Update from My Cat
We had quite the scare with Guff last month. He was fine one moment and then suddenly decided to stop eating. The vet couldn’t find anything wrong, and after nearly four days without food he had to be placed on a feeding tube. After two days on the feeding tube he finally started eating on his own again. A week after he’d first stopped eating he was back to normal, and no one could figure out what the problem was.
It was a stressful and miserable week, but we are all happy Guff is back to being his normal, evil self.
Internet Find of the Month, Sent to Me by a FriendBook-Love Instagram Post of the Month That’s it for now! See you next month.
December 1, 2021
Halloween Scream Reel
For this year’s Halloween theme I was going to convert my entire garage into a disco inferno (picture Bee Gees with Satan masks), but decided it was best during a pandemic not to make little kids walk through an enclosed area (next year!). So I went back to my usual: covering my entire front porch in vented tarps and then staging creepiness within. What was my theme? Hell, I don’t really know. Kind of a Pumpkin King mixed with industrial skeletons thing? It really made no sense, but that didn’t matter. Still got some good screams once Sawyer dressed up as one of the props. See for yourself.
Making It Up
Newly added episodes of my interview series Making It Up are out! This month I chatted with cultural phenom Lemony Snicket (Poison for Breakfast), Wall Street Journal bestselling thriller writer Matthew Fitzsimmons (Constance), New York Times bestselling YA novelist Maureen Johnson (The Box in the Woods), and suspense writer S.F. Kosa (The Quiet Girl). In addition to the personal, in-depth conversations, each episode features an impromptu short-story each guest and I craft together.
All episodes are available on my YouTube channel and wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Check them out now here!
What I’m Reading
The Night the Lights Went Out: A Memoir of Life After Brain Damage by Drew Magary (Penguin Random House, 2021) I’ve been following Drew Magary’s writing for years (sports/life columnist for GQ, Deadspin, Defector). Back in 2018 at a company holiday party, Drew suddenly collapsed and smashed his head on the ground, resulting in a coma and a long recovery. This book is a memoir about that experience, and, while full of Drew’s trademark humor, it’s also deeply personal, moving, and, in many ways, revelatory about the human brain. A highly recommended read.
I recently talked to Drew on my Making It Up show, so be on the lookout for that in the next month or so.
What I’m Watching
Only Murders in the Building (2021, Hulu). Only Murders in the Building follows three strangers (Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez) who share an obsession with true crime and suddenly find themselves wrapped up in one. When a grisly death occurs inside their exclusive Upper West Side apartment building, the trio suspects murder and employs their precise knowledge of true crime to investigate the truth. As they record a podcast of their own to document the case, the three unravel the complex secrets of the building which stretch back years.
I expected this to be fairly light and perhaps campy, but the writing is sharp, dark, and edgy. And of course, funny as hell. Selena Gomez and Steve Martin shine, but the real show-stealer here is Martin Short. Is there anyone funnier than Short? I think not.
The brand new Rally Hotel in Denver is offering a Book Lovers Night In package, which comes complete with a staff-pick selection book and a cocktail inspired by that book. They chose The Dead Husband as one of their selections and the cocktail they created is named Petals of Doom. “Inspired by the novel’s main character Rose Yates, this floral-infused vodka tonic with candied rose petals is fizzy and exhilarating, just like this thrilling tale of deception.”
So of course Jessica and I had to go sample the drink for ourselves (and also have dinner and stay the night). What a great hotel!
When Ili was applying to colleges, she knew she wanted to go a big school with packed football games. Well, she got her wish, and there was no more exciting game than the MSU-Michigan game a few weeks back. Go Green!
Even Guff thought Dave Chappelle’s latest Netflix special was a bit much…
That’s it for now! See you next month.
Making It Up
Newly added episodes of my interview series Making It Up are out! This month I chatted with cultural phenom Lemony Snicket (Poison for Breakfast), Wall Street Journal bestselling thriller writer Matthew Fitzsimmons (Constance), New York Times bestselling YA novelist Maureen Johnson (The Box in the Woods), and suspense writer S.F. Kosa (The Quiet Girl). In addition to the personal, in-depth conversations, each episode features an impromptu short-story each guest and I craft together.
All episodes are available on my YouTube channel and wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Check them out now here!
What I’m ReadingThe Night the Lights Went Out: A Memoir of Life After Brain Damage by Drew Magary (Penguin Random House, 2021) I’ve been following Drew Magary’s writing for years (sports/life columnist for GQ, Deadspin, Defector). Back in 2018 at a company holiday party, Drew suddenly collapsed and smashed his head on the ground, resulting in a coma and a long recovery. This book is a memoir about that experience, and, while full of Drew’s trademark humor, it’s also deeply personal, moving, and, in many ways, revelatory about the human brain. A highly recommended read.
I recently talked to Drew on my Making It Up show, so be on the lookout for that in the next month or so.
What I’m WatchingOnly Murders in the Building (2021, Hulu). Only Murders in the Building follows three strangers (Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez) who share an obsession with true crime and suddenly find themselves wrapped up in one. When a grisly death occurs inside their exclusive Upper West Side apartment building, the trio suspects murder and employs their precise knowledge of true crime to investigate the truth. As they record a podcast of their own to document the case, the three unravel the complex secrets of the building which stretch back years.
I expected this to be fairly light and perhaps campy, but the writing is sharp, dark, and edgy. And of course, funny as hell. Selena Gomez and Steve Martin shine, but the real show-stealer here is Martin Short. Is there anyone funnier than Short? I think not.
The brand new Rally Hotel in Denver is offering a Book Lovers Night In package, which comes complete with a staff-pick selection book and a cocktail inspired by that book. They chose The Dead Husband as one of their selections and the cocktail they created is named Petals of Doom. “Inspired by the novel’s main character Rose Yates, this floral-infused vodka tonic with candied rose petals is fizzy and exhilarating, just like this thrilling tale of deception.”
So of course Jessica and I had to go sample the drink for ourselves (and also have dinner and stay the night). What a great hotel!
When Ili was applying to colleges, she knew she wanted to go a big school with packed football games. Well, she got her wish, and there was no more exciting game than the MSU-Michigan game a few weeks back. Go Green!
Even Guff thought Dave Chappelle’s latest Netflix special was a bit much…
That’s it for now! See you next month.
October 21, 2021
What’s Your Thing?
Welcome to October, which is a great time if you’re into all things creepy, spooky, or otherwise tinged in darkness. And fortunately I am. You see, apparently it’s my thing. We all have a thing, I suppose. Like your aunt in Florida who, for whatever reason, likes turtles. Always liked them, thought they were cute, with their little pre-historic squinty old-man faces and such. So over the years her friends and family started buying her little turtle things, key chains, Christmas ornaments, antique spoons, what have you. So now when you walk into your aunt’s house, there’s turtle merch fucking EVERYWHERE. And maybe she doesn’t even like turtles that much, but everyone else decided it was her thing, so there’s no backing out of it for her. Probably going to be a turtle on her gravestone because everyone figured she would have wanted it, God rest her soul.
My thing is apparently anything creepy or horrible that can be sent to me digitally or in the mail. Especially this time of year when the internet is full of Halloween memes. Someone posts a picture of their outdoor string lights made from squirrel skulls and instantly I get tagged in that post. Carter, thought of you!
For example:
Now, don’t get me wrong–I do love all these creepy things. And lord knows I’ve earned enough a reputation through my dark thrillers and love of Halloween to be deserving of this. I’m just saying that I will never know the point when people go from thinking I like to dabble in the oeuvre of the macabre to wholeheartedly believing I drink the blood of babies in a quest for immortality. Hell, maybe that point has already passed.
All this to say you have to be both a real friend and committed believer in my thing to take the time and expense of sending me the package I received on my doorstep last week.
Yes, folks, that’s a life-sized baby-resuscitation practice doll (gently used), which arrived in its own custom hard-shell travel case. Thank you, Jasmine. This is definitely my thing.
Making It Up
Newly added episodes of my interview series Making It Up are out! This month I chatted with Roman historian and novelist Adrian Goldsworthy (The Fort), brilliant mystery writer Stuart Turton (The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle), New York Times bestselling thriller novelist S.A. Cosby (Blacktop Wasteland), and sustainable-living expert Barb Webb (Getting Laid). In addition to the personal, in-depth conversations, each episode features an impromptu short-story each guest and I craft together.
All episodes are available on my YouTube channel and wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Check them out now here!
What I’m Reading
Billy Summers by Stephen King (Scribner, 2021) Man, this is a hell of a book. Now I know you all think I’m just a Stephen King fanboy (and I am), but that doesn’t mean I like everything he’s written. Every author writes some books that are just plain better than their others, and Billy Summers is King’s best work since 11/22/63. I gravitate to the stories of his that are grounded in reality without even a touch of the supernatural, and Billy Summers is just a good, old-fashioned piece of noir fiction. The title character is an assassin-for-hire who only knocks off “bad guys,” and he’s hired for a job that forces him to imbed in a community for months while waiting to take out his target. King crafts an engaging depiction of a man with many identities trying to blend into a small town while fighting off his own loneliness and need for human connection. The pace quickens after the job is done, when Billy finds himself the one being hunted. A book to lose yourself in…strongly recommended.
What I’m Watching
Nine Perfect Strangers (2021, Hulu). Jessica and I have a couple more episodes to go on this, and I’ll be curious to see how the final arc presents itself, but so far this has been a solid–if not outstanding–show. With elements of both LOST and Fantasy Island (not unlike White Lotus), Nine Perfect Strangers brings a small group to an exclusive wellness center for a multi-day retreat. The center is run by a mystical woman with a violent past and dubious intentions (played–sometimes overplayed–by Nicole Kidman), and each guest must experience some degree of suffering in order to reach the nirvana they seek. Not riveting in the way, say, Succession is, but well performed and creepy enough to keep me watching. Oh, and if you loved Boardwalk Empire, there are two cast members (Bobby Cannavale and Michael Shannon) in this ensemble who are fantastic.
Photo of the Month
I present you this rotting old house about 5 miles from mine. Kinda beautiful, no?
Update from My Kids
This is an update from July, when my little girl was still at home. Both my kids have really taken to exercise and would go to the gym together all the time. So when Ili’s birthday came rolling around, Sawyer decided to get her a t-shirt that proclaimed her status as a bad-ass musclehead.
My kids are all class.Update from My Cat
Behold the demon Pumpkin King sitting amongst this year’s crop.
Internet Find of the Month, Sent to Me by a Friend
In-good-company Instagram Post of the Month 
That’s it for now! See you next month.
My thing is apparently anything creepy or horrible that can be sent to me digitally or in the mail. Especially this time of year when the internet is full of Halloween memes. Someone posts a picture of their outdoor string lights made from squirrel skulls and instantly I get tagged in that post. Carter, thought of you!
For example:
Now, don’t get me wrong–I do love all these creepy things. And lord knows I’ve earned enough a reputation through my dark thrillers and love of Halloween to be deserving of this. I’m just saying that I will never know the point when people go from thinking I like to dabble in the oeuvre of the macabre to wholeheartedly believing I drink the blood of babies in a quest for immortality. Hell, maybe that point has already passed.All this to say you have to be both a real friend and committed believer in my thing to take the time and expense of sending me the package I received on my doorstep last week.
Yes, folks, that’s a life-sized baby-resuscitation practice doll (gently used), which arrived in its own custom hard-shell travel case. Thank you, Jasmine. This is definitely my thing.
Making It Up
Newly added episodes of my interview series Making It Up are out! This month I chatted with Roman historian and novelist Adrian Goldsworthy (The Fort), brilliant mystery writer Stuart Turton (The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle), New York Times bestselling thriller novelist S.A. Cosby (Blacktop Wasteland), and sustainable-living expert Barb Webb (Getting Laid). In addition to the personal, in-depth conversations, each episode features an impromptu short-story each guest and I craft together.
All episodes are available on my YouTube channel and wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Check them out now here!
What I’m ReadingBilly Summers by Stephen King (Scribner, 2021) Man, this is a hell of a book. Now I know you all think I’m just a Stephen King fanboy (and I am), but that doesn’t mean I like everything he’s written. Every author writes some books that are just plain better than their others, and Billy Summers is King’s best work since 11/22/63. I gravitate to the stories of his that are grounded in reality without even a touch of the supernatural, and Billy Summers is just a good, old-fashioned piece of noir fiction. The title character is an assassin-for-hire who only knocks off “bad guys,” and he’s hired for a job that forces him to imbed in a community for months while waiting to take out his target. King crafts an engaging depiction of a man with many identities trying to blend into a small town while fighting off his own loneliness and need for human connection. The pace quickens after the job is done, when Billy finds himself the one being hunted. A book to lose yourself in…strongly recommended.
What I’m WatchingNine Perfect Strangers (2021, Hulu). Jessica and I have a couple more episodes to go on this, and I’ll be curious to see how the final arc presents itself, but so far this has been a solid–if not outstanding–show. With elements of both LOST and Fantasy Island (not unlike White Lotus), Nine Perfect Strangers brings a small group to an exclusive wellness center for a multi-day retreat. The center is run by a mystical woman with a violent past and dubious intentions (played–sometimes overplayed–by Nicole Kidman), and each guest must experience some degree of suffering in order to reach the nirvana they seek. Not riveting in the way, say, Succession is, but well performed and creepy enough to keep me watching. Oh, and if you loved Boardwalk Empire, there are two cast members (Bobby Cannavale and Michael Shannon) in this ensemble who are fantastic.
Photo of the MonthI present you this rotting old house about 5 miles from mine. Kinda beautiful, no?
Update from My KidsThis is an update from July, when my little girl was still at home. Both my kids have really taken to exercise and would go to the gym together all the time. So when Ili’s birthday came rolling around, Sawyer decided to get her a t-shirt that proclaimed her status as a bad-ass musclehead.
My kids are all class.Update from My CatBehold the demon Pumpkin King sitting amongst this year’s crop.
Internet Find of the Month, Sent to Me by a FriendIn-good-company Instagram Post of the Month That’s it for now! See you next month.
October 1, 2021
What If?
Screw outlining.
That’s easy for me to say, because I suck at it. Sure, I had tried outlining very early on in my career, but never in earnest. So after I’d written a few books, I decided to give it a serious go—notecards and everything. I spent nearly six months outlining an idea I had for a book, and you know what happened? I got SO GODDAMNED BORED with everything I threw the entire story out, never to return.
I am what is called a classic Pantser (as in writing from the seat of). This, as opposed to my Plotser colleagues, who can see the entirety of a story, start to finish, before they actually write it out. As a dedicated Panstser, all I ever need to do is continually ask myself one question:
What if?
What if? is the question that drives the story for me. And this question has a sibling: What does that mean?
All my books start out with an idea of an opening scene. That’s it. No sense of any character, no arc for the story, and certainly not an ending. Just a (hopefully) gripping opening scene, one I’d like to read myself, or see in a movie. In my third novel The Comfort of Black, I initially opened with a sex scene between a husband and wife. My nugget of an idea was theirs was a stale and fracturing marriage, and the scene would be meaningful because, despite their struggles, they’ve decided to try to conceive a child, and this night was their first concerted effort. They finish, the husband falls asleep, and the wife sits in bed, mulling the possibility of becoming a mother. Then, I thought:
What if the husband starts talking in his sleep? And what if his sleep-talking is about some terrible crime he may have committed? What does that mean? How would the wife react? What is he hiding? What does she do next?
Oh, the possibilities.
Answering the question of what if is how I derive nearly all of my enjoyment in writing. I love not knowing what the hell I’m doing. I love subjecting a character to a highly intense experience for about 100 pages, and then spending the next 300 pages trying to figure out what it all means. I learn as my character learns. Things evolve, storylines develop organically, and suddenly, at some point in the novel, it pops. All the answers unfold. And, because the answers often surprise me, they end up (usually) surprising my readers as well. I once killed off a major character during a what if moment, and it was delightful.
But pure Pantsing is not for the faint of heart. Some downfalls:
All of these things have happened to me. And that’s okay, because the enjoyment for me is the high-risk/high-return proposition of just starting with an engaging scene and building around it, one what if at a time.
Besides, I really don’t know how to do it any other way.
Making It Up
Newly added episodes of my interview series Making It Up are out! This month I chatted with New York Times bestselling romance author Sabrina Jeffries (Undercover Duke), brilliant debut novelist Clare Whitfield (People of Abandoned Character), USA Today bestselling novelist Xio Axelrod (The Girl With Stars in Her Eyes), and international bestselling author Brad Parks (Unthinkable). In addition to the personal, in-depth conversations, each episode features an impromptu short-story each guest and I craft together.
All episodes are available on my YouTube channel and wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Check them out now here!
What I’m ReadingJust started Stephen King’s latest novel Billy Summers. Stay tuned for my thoughts next month!What I’m Watching
The White Lotus (2021, HBO Max) – Another winner from HBO Max, The White Lotus is loosely a mix of Big Little Lies and Fantasy Island. From the website: The White Lotus is a sharp social satire following the exploits of various employees and guests at an exclusive Hawaiian resort over the span of one highly transformative week. Damn, this show is good.
An eclectic group of guests descend on this resort, and over the course of their stays we get to watch all their dark secrets and fears bubble to the surface. There’s the highly dysfunctional tech-millionaire family, the unlikely honeymoon couple, the alcoholic grieving her mother’s death, and, of course, the resort staff charged with creating memorable experiences for their guests. And what memories!
Equal parts dark, disturbing, and hysterical, The White Lotus starts and ends as a whodunnit, with biting social commentary threading the narrative. And perhaps the best part is Murray Bartlett as Armand, the resort manager. Give this man an Emmy.
Photo of the MonthMy girl, waving goodbye to her mom and me after moving her into college at Michigan State. Hey, 1,199 miles away isn’t so bad, is it? (*sob*)
Update from My KidsSince my son was three or so I’ve always cut his hair. He HATED getting his hair cut at a real place, and the last time her did he bit the stylist and told her he hated her. Yup.
So over the years I taught myself a thing or two about cutting hair, and while I won’t say I was ever great at it, I was at least good enough that he never got beat up at school for having a terrible cut.
But my son just turned 16 and decided to go with a professional. As you can see below, the haircut turned out great, but man, why are my kids all abandoning me?
Update from My CatI took this shot of my cat and texted it to my daughter, who immediately wrote back this line from Titanic:
DRAW ME LIKE ONE OF YOUR FRENCH GIRLS, JACK
Internet Find of the Month, Sent to Me by a Friend
A Reader’s Instagram Pic That I Love
What’s in my Backyard?I have three different neighborhood cats who like to skulk about in my backyard, mostly at night. Here’s one in the early morning trying to nab a squirrel and failing miserably.
That’s it for now! See you next month.
September 1, 2021
Musings – Audiobook Edition!
After years of writing my musings I decided to do something a little different this month. Audiobook musings! Same great content, but now I get to ramble on with a microphone instead of a keyboard.
I discuss my experiences with my new conversation series Making It Up, review the atrocious movie The Ice Road, laud praise for David Bell’s thriller Kill All Your Darlings, recap my daughter’s raging party at my house, chastise my screaming cat, read some mail, and, as always, feature a new question for Carter’s Tell-Me-A-Secret contest.
Click one of the links below to listen to my musings on YouTube or Buzzsprout, or download it on any podcast platform with my Making It Up show. Enjoy!
Listen on Buzzsprout
