This virtual book tour is presented by Partners in Crime Tours.
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Welcome to The Wormhole and my day on the tour.
It is my pleasure to feature Stacy Green and Into the Dark.
Stacy has joined us for an interview:
? When did you
first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve always written in some form, starting with little stories
as a kid and then into more short stories in high school. A college professor
told me to go into magazine journalism as it was for writers who “wanted to
publish a novel but never would.” I foolishly took her advice and put creative
writing on the backburner for a long time.
? How many jobs
did you have before you became a writer?
Three full time jobs. I started out as a newspaper reporter for
a small weekly community paper in the Des Moines, IA area, and then moved into
advertising with another local company. When we moved to Cedar Rapids, I went
to work for Yellowbook until the birth of my daughter at the end of 2005.
Through all of that, I wanted to write but convinced myself I didn’t have the
chops.
? How long does
it take you to write a book?
INTO THE DARK took about a year. My upcoming novel, TIN GOD,
about six months, and I’m hoping to get the first draft of it’s follow up by
spring. I learn so much with every book and continue to fine tune my plotting
process, so things are getting faster.
? What would you
say is your most interesting writing quirk?
I like natural light. I don’t like having a light or the
reflection off my computer, and I tend to not be as productive at night. I
suppose you could call that a quirk.
? Where do you
get your ideas or inspiration for your characters?
From lots of things. Bits and pieces from the news or
television, someone in my life, personal experiences. A big part of both Nathan
and Emilie in INTO THE DARK is based on my experience on trying to get beyond
my own issues with past mistakes. My books are character driven, and I like to
get beyond the surface and figure out what makes them tick.
? How do you
decide what you want to write about?
I love suspense and thrillers, so I always know I’m going in
that direction. From there, it usually starts with a “what if” question. INTO
THE DARK’s question is: what if an obsessed stalker used the Las Vegas tunnels
as a refuge, and what if that stalker was driven beyond more than obsession?
TIN GOD’s is: what if a poverty-stricken woman discovers the secret she’s been
hiding for years is the motive for a recent murder? They can be broader as
well, and after I get the question, I start jotting down all possible answers
and go from there.
? What books
have most influenced your life?
Several, and they are varied. The Laura Ingalls Wilder books
fostered my love for reading and history, Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles made
me fall in love with the story and want to create one of my own, and Silence of
the Lambs helped me to learn the value of a truly incredible and three
dimensional villain. And there are several more I could list, but I don’t want
to bore readers.
? What are you
reading right now?
Getting ready to start Say You’re Sorry by Michale Robotham.
? What do you
like to do when you are not writing?
I’ve got a first grader, so my time is pretty well stocked. When
she is home, I try to spend as much time as possible with her. Otherwise, I’m
trying to catch up on my reading or television.
? What is your
favorite comfort food?
Chocolate in any form. And good Italian bread.
? What do you
think makes a good story?
Great characters who are more than just good or bad, someone I
can empathize with. And a plot that keeps me guessing until the very end.
? Who would you
consider your favorite author and why?
Stephen King, and not just because of his stories. His no
nonsense view on the craft is something every writer needs to follow, and he
has an incredible knack for noticing the details about people–the flashes of
color and personality–that make for engaging characters. He is very observant,
and I think that is a big reason for his success.
Fun random questions:
·
dogs or cats? Both, but I’m allergic to cats so we have three
dogs.
·
Coffee or tea? Both, depending on time of day. Love a good cup of chamomile
in the evening.
·
Dark or milk chocolate? Milk chocolate. Can’t stand it too rich.
·
Rocks or flowers? Hmm….depends on the rock, but probably
flowers.
·
Night or day? Overall, I’m a night owl, but any more it seems to
be day. I’m getting old, I guess.
·
Favorite color? Purple.
·
Crayons or markers? Crayons.
·
Pens or pencils? Pencils.
More about the author:
Stacy Green is fascinated by the workings of the criminal mind and explores true crime on her popular Thriller Thursday posts at her blog, Get Twisted.
After earning her degree in journalism, Stacy worked in advertising before becoming a stay-at-home mom to her miracle child. She rediscovered her love of writing and wrote several articles for Women’s Edition Magazine of Cedar Rapids, profiling local businesses, before penning her first novel. Her debut novel, INTO THE DARK, is set in Las Vegas and features a heroine on the edge of disaster, a tormented villain, and the city’s infamous storm drains that house hundreds of homeless.
After earning her degree in journalism, Stacy worked in advertising before becoming a stay-at-home mom to her miracle child. She rediscovered her love of writing and wrote several articles for Women’s Edition Magazine of Cedar Rapids, profiling local businesses, before penning her first novel. Her debut novel, INTO THE DARK, is set in Las Vegas and features a heroine on the edge of disaster, a tormented villain, and the city’s infamous storm drains that house hundreds of homeless.
Into the Dark by Stacy Green
Synopsis:
A two-hundred-mile labyrinth of dark storm drains serves as a refuge for the delusional stalker who will go to any lengths to possess fragile, emotionally isolated Emilie Davis. To survive, Emilie will have to confront the secrets of her past she has kept locked away from everyone, including herself. Emilie is a master escape artist—she’s fled a manipulative mother and a controlling ex-husband. But it’s impossible to evade a stalker who uses a bank robbery as a ruse to kidnap her. He’s still out there, hiding in the Las Vegas tunnels and dodging police. Emilie’s life careens out of control as her assailant continues his pursuit. She has nowhere to turn but to Nathan Madigan, the hostage negotiator who worked the robbery. Nathan is haunted by his failure to protect a loved one fourteen years ago and dedicates his life to saving others. Determined to catch the lunatic hunting Emilie, he finds himself losing his professional detachment. He fears history is about to repeat itself if he cannot protect Emilie from the Taker’s obsession.
The police close in on the Taker’s identity as Nathan and Emilie grow closer to each other and to resolving the misery of their own pasts. At the height of The Taker’s madness, his attempt to replace someone he’s lost will either kill them all or set them free.
A two-hundred-mile labyrinth of dark storm drains serves as a refuge for the delusional stalker who will go to any lengths to possess fragile, emotionally isolated Emilie Davis. To survive, Emilie will have to confront the secrets of her past she has kept locked away from everyone, including herself. Emilie is a master escape artist—she’s fled a manipulative mother and a controlling ex-husband. But it’s impossible to evade a stalker who uses a bank robbery as a ruse to kidnap her. He’s still out there, hiding in the Las Vegas tunnels and dodging police. Emilie’s life careens out of control as her assailant continues his pursuit. She has nowhere to turn but to Nathan Madigan, the hostage negotiator who worked the robbery. Nathan is haunted by his failure to protect a loved one fourteen years ago and dedicates his life to saving others. Determined to catch the lunatic hunting Emilie, he finds himself losing his professional detachment. He fears history is about to repeat itself if he cannot protect Emilie from the Taker’s obsession.
The police close in on the Taker’s identity as Nathan and Emilie grow closer to each other and to resolving the misery of their own pasts. At the height of The Taker’s madness, his attempt to replace someone he’s lost will either kill them all or set them free.
An
Excerpt from INTO THE DARK
Moisture streamed down
her face. The Taker had stayed so close, his breath against her skin and his
fingers brushing against her arms more times than she could count.
“Darkness is our friend.”
The tunnels were dark.
He wanted to drag her down there, stash her away in some filthy corner with no
light and stale air. Locked away from everyone, forever.
Her lungs constricted as
panic overwhelmed her. Her comfortable living room suddenly appeared sinister.
The blowing wind outside sent a strange sort of murmur throughout the condo—a
breathless, restrained whisper.
Emilie whirled in the
darkness, squinting at the black lumps spread throughout the room. Her
furniture, or was the Taker here? Had he somehow cut the lights to the
building?
Claustrophobia attacked.
The Taker closed in. His warm breath swept over her neck, and his saccharine
scent crept into her nose. He had surrounded her again. She was trapped.
No. She whipped her head
around searching in vain for some sign of his presence. He couldn’t be there,
could he? Her tired, tormented brain was just playing a cruel trick on her. Please, just leave me
alone.
Purchase INTO THE DARK
Sign up for Stacy’s newsletter for member pricing on her upcoming novel, TIN GOD (April).
Website: www.stacygreen.net
Follow Stacy online at her blog, www.stacygreenauthor.com
Twitter @StacyGreen26
Facebook Stacy Green, Author
Facebook Stacy Green, Author
Giveaway:
ecopy of Into the Dark by Stacy Green
1 comment:
Thanks so much for the interview! I loved your questions and enjoyed answering them.
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