'You collaborate with your readers'
“Ilove the fact that you collaborate with your readers when you write a book.”– Robert Crais
Born in Louisiana on this date in 1953, Crais is one of America’s best-selling crime fiction authors. But he didn’t start writing his novels until longafter he had made a name for himself as a script writer forsuch television shows as Hill Street Blues and Cagney and Lacey.
It was in the late 1980s before he tested thebookwriting waters. His first novel, The Monkey’s Raincoat, was an instant hit and earned every award from “Best First Novel” to “Best Mystery.” Since then he’s had 22 otherbestsellers. Among his many awards are the Ross MacdonaldLiterary Award for crime fiction and being named a Grand Master bythe Mystery Writers of America.
In 2020 his novel Suspect was named Best Mystery/Crime Novel of the Decade by the Barry Awards. Perhaps his best-known novel, also made into a movie, is Hostage, often cited for its great character development.
“My books come to me in images,” hesaid about his inspiration. “Sometimes theimage is at the beginning of the book, and sometimes it's simply a flashsomewhere in the middle.
“Iwrite characters and stories that move me,” he said, “and I write from theheart.”
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