Today for Fiction Friday, I thought I’d share one question from each of our INSPY interviews. If you’re like me, you probably like to know a bit about what inspired the story. I hope you enjoy this sneak peek!
What inspired this legal thriller series (about a group of intelligent friends) or more specifically the story of Imperfect Justice? When I (Cara Putman) started writing, I knew at some point I would write legal thrillers. As an attorney who now teaches law, I love it! But I also wanted to create characters that would flow across stories, so that while each book stands alone on plot and romance, there’s a core friendship that extends throughout the books. I think one thing women are hungry for is real, deep friendships. The kind that you know the women will still be there even on your worst days. For Imperfect Justice, the core what-if was triggered by a series of news articles that I read a couple summers ago. The stories highlighted a tragic domestic violence situation in Texas. I took that and then twisted it and layered it with my experience working with domestic violence clients and helping friends to bring life to this book. It strikes a strong emotional chord with me because I have walked journey with clients similar to the ones Emilie walks with hers.
Aside from the ancient historical angle, how does this ‘Tox Files’ series differ from your previous books? The Tox Files–as you mentioned–has the unique biblical artifact in each book, but unlike my (Ronie Kendig) previous series, the books all feature Tox in the role of main character. It is his journey, as well as the team’s, that propels the various stories forward.
How have the Gwen Marcey books changed over the years – story, characters, plot? I (Carrie Stuart Parks) would hope that I’m writing better with each book. I try to weave a number of layers—strong belief systems, interesting character interaction, forensic art, and great dogs, plus the problems of being a single mother, abusive ex-husband, financial struggles, and dealing with the aftermath of cancer. Gwen’s daughter is getting older and less of a brat, Gwen’s getting better and handing her ex, there’s a potential love interest…
What inspired the story – or characters, of The Enoch Effect? I (Rick Acker) was inspired by two things: a good man who was dying from brain cancer and a fascinating—but also disturbing—genetics experiment at Harvard. The man was my agent and friend, Lee Hough, who brainstormed the story with me before he left this life. We knew he didn’t have much time left, and that added poignance and depth to the story we created. The Harvard experiment had to do with manipulating the length of telomeres, which are the caps at the ends of the DNA strands in every living cell. The results raised profound and difficult questions that don’t have obvious right answers—and which the characters in The Enoch Effect answer in different ways. (BTW, if you’re planning to read the book, don’t Google that experiment until you’re done.)
If You (Julianna Deering) had to walk one day in the life of one of your characters, who would it be and why? It would definitely be Madeline Farthering. How fun would it be to hang out with Drew and Nick and see what mysteries we could solve? And I’d love to spend some time at Farthering Place and wear those clothes and drive those cars and all that wonderful stuff. Being young and charming and beautiful wouldn’t hurt either.
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Comments 3
The story and the sitting on the edge of your seat feeling.
I love the thrill of trying to figure it out and seeing how close I was at the end.
Trying to solve the mystery and seeing how the puzzle pieces fit together at the end. I don’t like it when the “solution” doesn’t make sense.