Articles tagged "Interview"

At Home in the Stacks: An Interview with Amber Dermont

Earlier this week, I was lucky enough to steal a few minutes with debut author Amber Dermont whose novel, THE STARBOARD SEA, comes out this month! She opened our conversation with a word about what librarians mean to her.

"I grew up in a library," she said. "My parents are rare book dealers and our house was floor to ceiling bookshelves and first editions. To this day, I still feel most at home lost among the stacks. During high school and college, I worked as a library proctor and apprenticed myself to a series of world-class librarians. These super heroes taught me how to research my stories, check my facts and compile the necessary details that lead me to write my own novel. I am forever in their debt."

And now, on to the interview!

Ali: I would guess that every debut author takes inspiration from other artists, be they authors, musicians, painters, or, say, typographers. Does anyone stick out as a particularly important part of your process?

Amber: Great question! Writers are like magpies thieving for shiny objects, eager for any charm that will help build a better nest. As I began writing THE STARBOARD SEA, I sought inspiration from the painter John Currin and the photographers Tina Barney and Anthony Goicolea. All three of these artists helped me envision the physical and emotional landscapes of the novel: the listless suntanned faces, the splendor of Manhattan penthouses, the caprice of adolescence and the brutal beauty of youth. John Currin often paints society women in sexy, outlandish poses. His portrait of his wife, "Rachel in Fur," served as the muse for my character Brizzey and the redheaded starlet in his masterpiece, "Heartless," helped me bring Diana and Aidan to life. Currin's intimate depiction of two nude sailors, "Fishermen," became a touchstone for Jason's tender and fraught relationship with Cal.

Reviews and Publicity

Starred Reviews for Children of Wrath

In CHILDREN OF WRATH, Willi Kraus, the celebrated WWI veteran and detective, returns with the case that made him the most famous Jewish Detective in Germany in the days of the Weimar Republic. In this prequel to THE SLEEPWALKERS, Kraus tackles the case of the Kinderfresser, the vicious Child-Eater of Berlin (I know! It gives me the hebejebes, too!).

Both Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Reviews gave this book a starred review. Here's what they said:

"Grossman's brilliant second historical featuring Berlin policeman Willi Kraus finds Kraus already feeling the isolation of being a Jew in an overwhelmingly Aryan environment. [...] Fans of cerebral murder mysteries will look forward to the next installment." -Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"...it's terrifying and worthy. Human nature has never looked so raw." -Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Publishers Weekly interviewed Paul Grossman back in December and he offered some interesting insight into the research for CHILDREN OF WRATH, such as, "One major influence in my decision making was the works of German psychologist Alice Miller and her ideas on how German child-rearing practices of the 19th century became a key component in the rise of Nazism." He also hints at what's up next for the series: "France." Read the full interview here!

Reviews and Publicity

Author Profile: Olen Steinhauer

Olen Steinhauer was recently profiled in Publishers Weekly about his latest novel AN AMERICAN SPY featuring the reluctant, contemporary spy Milo Weaver (preceded by THE TOURIST and THE NEAREST EXIT). The article, "A Literary Spy: Olen Steinhauer," discusses Steinhauer's journey to writing spies and what intrigues him about them. The article reads,

"Steinhauer's remarkable portrayal of the trilogy's Weaver has garnered comparisons with John le Carré. A huge fan of le Carré, Steinhauer calls THINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY 'a wholly literary novel.' It seems clear that Steinhauer, in that spirit is trying to marry literary devotion to craft and seriousness with the compelling narratives of genre. A lot of today's spy fiction 'is interested in how spies work,' he says. 'I'm interested in how people deceive each other.'"

Steinhauer also offers some interesting commentary on his writing process. He says,

"I write myself into a corner, then get stuck, then get an idea, then change everything... If it went smoothly, I'd be worried."

Publishers Weekly also gave AN AMERICAN SPY a starred review and said,

"Steinhauer is particularly good at articulating contemporary spy craft—the mechanics of surveillance and intelligence in the digital age and the depth of paranoia endemic to the trade. In addition, his ability to create characters with genuine emotions and conflicts, coupled with an insightful and often poetic writing style, set him apart in the world of espionage fiction."

Reviews and Publicity

A Goofy Taste for Vigilantism: an Interview with Sophie Littlefield

We want to make sure that you didn't miss the brief interview that Publishers Weekly held with domestic crime writer and Edgar-finalist, Sophie Littlefield.

A BAD DAY FOR SCANDAL is the latest in Littlefield's humorous and gutsy series featuring vigilante Stella Hardesty (following A BAD DAY FOR SORRY, A BAD DAY FOR PRETTY). Publishers Weekly says, "Littlefield's eccentric cast of characters grows richer with each book, and Stella continues to dazzle with her wit, charm, and ease with firearms." Library Journal says, "This caper is more fun than eating cotton candy on a Ferris wheel." We agree!

Publishers Weekly caught up with Littlefield to ask her a few quick questions about her feisty series such as, where did the idea of Stella come from? How do you keep Stella's vigilantism from alienating readers? And, how do you balance the violence with humor?

Read the full interview over at Publishers Weekly.

Debuts

An Interview with Albert Brooks

Academy Award-nominated actor Albert Brooks wrote a thrilling near-future novel that takes place in America after cancer is cured, L.A. is devastated by an earthquake, and the American government is financially ruined.

In their review of 2030 Publishers Weekly says, "Brooks's mordant vision encompasses the future of politics, medicine, entertainment, and daily living, resulting in a novel as entertaining as it is thought provoking, like something from the imagination of a borscht belt H.G. Wells."

Publishers Weekly also snagged some of Brooks' time for a quick interview in which he discusses writing a novel versus a screenplay, why he chose America's near future as the driving element in 2030, and more. Read the full interview here!

Reviews and Publicity

Interview with Stefanie Pintoff

After adding a big ol' red star to their glowing review of SECRET OF THE WHITE ROSE, Publishers Weekly asked author Stefanie Pintoff a few questions about her early 20th-century NYC mysteries.

Pintoff says, "For SECRET OF THE WHITE ROSE, I wanted to explore the anarchist threat that was part of early 1900s New York City, creating a time of uncertainty much like the present, where we live with the constant threat of terrorism."

And how does she write period pieces with such rich details? "Like most historical writers, I use a variety of sources, from libraries to contemporary newspapers to old photograph collections."

Pintoff also talks about which came first, plot or characters, and who she considers to be her literary role models. Read the full Q&A here!

Reviews and Publicity

She Prefers Knives and Razor Blades

With the fourth installment of the detective Archie Sheridan mysteries coming out next month, Publishers Weekly headed out to a shooting range in Portland, Oregon for a chat with New York Times bestselling author Chelsea Cain.

Between rounds, Cain talks about the series' "twisted love story," her weapons of choice, and the event that she based THE NIGHT SEASON on, the Vanport flood of 1948.

Read the interview here!

Deep Thoughts

Q&A With a Debut Author!

The Lost and Forgotten Languages of Shanghai: Li Jing grew up in Virginia, but departed for his parents' China when he was young. A terrible accident eliminates his ability to speak Chinese, and he is restricted to his extremely limited English. Meanwhile, his wife Meiling, with whom he can no longer communicate at all, attempts to keep his business afloat. When the family travels to America for medical care, Li Jing forms a relationship with his neurologist Roslyn that Meiling needs no translator to understand.