How do you spell suspense? B.R.A.N.D.I.L.Y.N. An interview with Brandilyn Collins

Brandilyn Collins is my favorite living author. Her sense of suspense is second to none. I was first introduced to her through the Kanner Lake Series. If you enjoy suspense, it doesn’t get any better.

However, there is another side to Brandilyn Collins that we need to address right off the bat.  Though she wasn't writing to my demographic, her two romance series, The Dearing Family and The Bradleyville novels are also extremely popular.

Brandilyn, I know books don’t always get published in the order in which they are written. Which came first, the romances or the suspense novels? How did you decide to move from one genre to the other? Actually, I don’t write romance. Those books are considered simply “contemporary” or “women’s fiction.” They have large romantic subplots, but the main plot centers on family relationships.

Having said that, my first novel was Eyes of Elisha, a suspense. My second (written) was Color the Sidewalk for Me, a contemporary. I had a huge learning curve to write Eyes Of Elisha, since it involves a lot of police work, forensics, and courtroom scenes. I’m not a lawyer, forensics person, or police officer, so I had to learn everything from the beginning. Plus, EOE came in the middle of writing a true crime, my first book to be published. (A Question of Innocence, my only book that’s now out of print.) The true crime took a lot out of me because it involved the death of a four-year-old. After writing that, and all the forensics research for EOE, I just couldn’t do another suspense. Since I was unpublished at the time I could write whatever I wanted. So I wrote Sidewalk. Later I wrote a prequel to Sidewalk, titled Cast A Road Before Me. Road was my first novel to be published, followed by EOE, then Sidewalk. The third contemporary novel in what came to be called the Bradleyville Series is Capture the Wind for Me. By the way, Cast A Road Before Me is free in ebook.

"You da man" "No, you da man."
Barndilyn Collins with fellow author
Ted Dekker on the 2010 Thriller tour.

What was the process that took you from being a person who wrote books to being a published author? The process? Lots of staying up all night, kicking cabinets, writing, writing, writing, and studying the craft. Oh yes, and ten years.

  

Discuss the first time you realized, “Hey, I’m a celebrity! People want my autograph.” Conversely, what are the downsides to celebrity? Wait, I’m a celebrity? Why didn’t anyone tell me this?

 Talk about the birthing process for your suspense novels. Lots of staring out windows. Lots of going down a maze run and retracing my steps. “Nope—that’s not the right path.” Far more “what if” premises run through my head than ever are actually written. My Seatbelt Suspense® brand promise has four points: fast-paced, character-driven suspense with myriad twists and an interwoven thread of faith. I've found it a very difficult brand promise to live up to. Some suspense plots simply couldn't start fast enough for my readers, who expect that fast pace to begin on page one. Some don’t bring about enough twists. So I pace and pray, and then sit down to write when I at least have the beginning and ending and the major twists figured out. The middle comes as I write. That’s the theory, anyway.

Honestly, writing is really hard for me. And with each book it seems to get harder. I have more “reputation” and reader expectations to live up to. I have to be fresh. And always, always, I want to represent the human condition in a true-to-life way, through well rounded characters caught in a compelling situation. Writing deep emotion takes a lot of energy. It can’t be skim-the-surface writing. I want my readers not just to read my scenes, but to feel them.

You live in Idaho and the Kanner Lake series is based in a small Idaho town. What was the reaction of your real-life neighbors when you brought fictional mayhem to a town not unlike the one you and they really live in? We had our second home in Idaho at that time, but we still lived in our main home in California. Now we live full time in our Idaho home. But even when we were in Idaho at the time that the Kanner Lake books were being released, people in the area loved that they were locally set. It’s fun to read a novel that takes place in a setting that is familiar to you. The reader can picture the streets and shops.

I’d love to do more Kanner Lake books, but the setting was, as you say, in a small town. And just how much mayhem big enough to receive national attention can you put one little town through? I do miss the characters, though. Methinks Wilbur is still sitting on his chair in Java Joint, crabbing about something and everything.

 There can be raised eyebrows when Christian authors create bad guys who are just a little too convincing. What kind of comments have there been from friends, church members, or family about some of the psychopaths who dot your literary landscape? What do you say when people ask, “How long has that person been living inside you?” What is your process for developing convincing baddies for your books? My mother always wondered where she went wrong. She also read all my books and loved them.

First, bad guys never think of themselves as bad guys. They have to do their bad thing, whatever it is, because of their own justification. Second, no character is all bad or all good. So I try to create a character with some good qualities, but who wants something VERY BADLY, and the only way to get that something is to do something VERY BAD. But it’s all okay, you see, because that person, in his mind, deserves to have whatever he wants.

Brandilyn meeting fans

Discuss how the publishing industry has changed in the years since you started writing. How has it altered the way you market and sell your books? After twenty-five books sold to publishers, I have now chosen to go completely indie (independent author), keeping the rights to my books and publishing them myself. This way I don’t sell my intellectual property, and I have full control over the release and content. For someone who’s as independent as I, this is way cool. (By the way, I have just gotten back the rights to my first two suspense novels—the Chelsea Adams Series: Eyes of Elisha and Dread Champion. I’m in the middle of doing a fresh edit for these books, so they’re currently not available online except for used paper copies. They’ll be up again soon.)

I know authors love all their “children,” but are there certain books you've written that have become your pets over the years? That’s always a hard question to answer. But I’d say Color the Sidewalk for Me remains probably my favorite book that I’ve written. Which is rather annoying, since it was only my second novel. (What is it—all downhill from there?) I got back the rights to the Bradleyville Series recently. All three novels have now been re-released. Before republishing them, I did a fresh edit. Reading Sidewalk fourteen years after it was first published, I am still greatly moved by that book. And reader letters about the story are terrific. (I have two fat files of letters and emails for Sidewalk alone.) Well, reader letters about all my books tend to be really positive. But when you get a letter from a man in his fifties who admits to reading a women’s fiction novel and bawling at the end—that’s a letter to remember. Of course he also added that if I ever attached his name to that statement he’d deny it.

That’s surprising you should say your favorite is Sidewalk, since it’s not a Seatbelt Suspense®, for which you’re best known. Yeah, I know. I’ve written a lot of high tension suspense novels, all of which I do really like. Now that they’re published, that is. When I’m in the midst of writing a book I always think it’s horrible and will be the one that will ruin my career forever. Over The Edge stands out to me, because the story line focuses on Lyme disease and the difficult issues of diagnosis and treatment. It’s another very suspenseful story. At the same time it contains a lot of information about Lyme. I've received incredible letters from readers about that book—how it’s helped save their lives.

Sidetracked is my latest suspense and has proven very popular (over two hundred 5-star reviews on Amazon). Gone to Ground stands out to me because of the Southern characters and the eyebrow-raising premise. Dark Justice is about terrorism against the electrical grid—something that’s, unfortunately, all too feasible in today’s world. A lot of my books are finalists/winners in various awards, but that book holds the record at six. And you mentioned Kanner Lake. I do love the characters in that series also. The Hidden Faces series, featuring a forensic artist, are four of the scariest books I’ve written. I could go on, but then I’d be mentioning all my suspense novels.

Your book about the writing process stresses character development as being of supreme importance. Do you develop your characters first and then place them in a story or do you develop the plot line and then create characters to fit the necessities of the action? It HAS to be the former. That’s why the second point of my four-point brand promise says “character-driven.” Suspense is considered to be a plot-driven genre. But if you plot out a story and stick characters into it, they’ll be wooden. Character motivation drives choices. Those choices in turn drive further conflict. That’s why, when I begin to write a Seatbelt Suspense®, I know the beginning and ending, but not quite how I’ll get there. The characters grow as I write. They tell me how we’ll get there together. And if my planned ending doesn’t work for that character, I’ll learn that, too.

You mention on your website that in heaven, you shall spend all your time going from concert to concert. As a fellow music aficionado, share with me some of your favorite performers on this earthly realm. Rock bands. I’m a rocker from the 70s. Always have been, always will be. Well, since the 70s, anyway. Kansas. Boston. Journey. Foreigner. Styx. Little River Band, etc. Also I love gospel music. So yes, I shall run from gospel concert to rock concert. But the rock songs will have lyrics about God. Best combination ever.

Authors Frank Peretti and Randy Alcorn hamming it up at
Brandilyn's lakeside home in Idaho.

Speaking of musicians, Frank Peretti’s career moved into a whole different zip code when Amy Grant began talking about This Present Darkness a few years ago. Fantasize for a moment: Which performer would you like to see climb on the Brandilyn Collins bandwagon and which book would it be? Frank happens to live in my neck of the woods. It’s interesting to hear him tell that story. I don’t think I’d want a performer. I’d want someone in the news industry that’s highly watched. You wanna tip one or two of them off about me-that would be great.

Note: Read the first chapters of all Brandilyn’s books at her website. You can follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Author John C. Dalglish shares more than a name with P.D. James's famous detective

It's funny what draws us to a particular author or book. I was drawn to mystery/suspense author John C. Dalglish because his surname reminded me of P.D. James's great detective, Adam Dalgliesh. Yes, they're spelled differently. Like I said, these connections are funny.

What I found in Dalglish is a kindred spirit; a man who believes riveting suspense and killer action isn't defined by the amount of sex, gore, or profanity laced within its pages. Rather, it's the intricacy of the plot, attraction to the characters, and the amount of adrenaline pulsing through your veins as you turn the pages. 

Book ten of the Det. Strong series is now in print, proving he's found a winning formula that keeps bringing readers back for more. He also has a new "Chaser" series. Both are available through a variety of outlets, including Amazon and Kindle.

John C. Dalglish and friend

Tell us about Det. Jason Strong. The name is very evocative. What do readers need to know about this character?

The name for the character Jason came about as most of my names do; made up on the spot. What I think is interesting is that Jason was just a character to fill a roll, and was never meant to be a series. I tell people that I met Jason at the same time they did, when he walked onto the page. It wasn't until I was near the end of the book that I mentioned to some co-workers how much I liked the character. I decided to make a series out of him if the first book was well received.

We've heard other authors say they spent their entire lives writing their first book, but only got a few months to write all the ones after that. How has writing gotten easier or harder over the years?

I was discussing this with my wife this morning. I feel very fortunate that the stories come out of my head and onto the page in a fashion that I'm happy with. I rarely scrap large sections of a book. Obviously, there is much editing and tweaking, but the basics come out fairly organized. As far as easier-versus-harder, I can only speak for myself; it becomes harder to put out a good book, simply because you learn more about what a well-written book is, and how to do it. To write properly is hard, but more satisfying as you hopefully see yourself improve.

Take us behind the scenes regarding your writing process. Do you create an outline, start with characters and let the book write itself, or...?

I am very much an outline guy. I will begin with my basic premise, and write a series of scenes as bullet points. Things like- 'Jason goes to victims house', Vanessa goes to crime lab'- then start at the top. New ideas and scenes are added or subtracted by the story as it develops, but I continue to write in order. The most fun in the writing experience for me is watching what happens as I write the scenes. Details, conversations, action; they all come as I write and it's very exciting for me. (Hopefully, for the reader, too.)

You were born in Canada, but became an American citizen in 1991. How do you think your cross-cultural experiences have affected your writing?

I'm not sure the cultural differences have made much difference. Having said that, the fact that I have traveled in both countries, has given me a wider array of description possibilities.  My own feeling is that the life experiences, which give a writer something to draw on when he looks at emotions and reactions, are more important.

When people look you up on Amazon, they will see that you identify your books as "clean suspense." Tell me what you mean by that and why that's important to you.

Well, let's see; that's kind of a long story, but let me shorten it some. The first published draft of "Where's My Son?" had two or three swear words, and a little more descriptive violence than I would have preferred. I felt I needed them for realism. However, when I wrote "Bloodstain", I found I just preferred to leave it out. Following the publishing of the first two books, I received many letters thanking me for not using excessive language and sex. I discussed it with my wife, and made the decision to write 'clean' books. We reasoned that some of the top selling movies and books in the world were done by Disney, and there had to be a group of people that felt like we did. As a result, I went back and edited the first book and have been writing in that fashion ever since.

 How do you think the decision to not include gratuitous violence or sex has either helped or hurt your sales?

Without question, it has been a good decision. I have a police officer friend who I spoke to about this. I asked him if every third word from a cop was a cuss word. He laughed. "Hardly, that they were normal folks with normal feelings". He didn't say they don't swear, just that it doesn't occur at the level portrayed in movies. I still, ten books in, get letters thanking me for books that are 'clean'. They are the type I would read and I'm glad others do, too.

 You share surnames with one of my favorite characters of all time, Inspector Dalgliesh from the P.D. James novels. Ms. James has had a huge influence on my writing, as have Brandilyn Collins, Frank Peretti, and Sue Henry. Who are some of the writers who have most influenced your work?

Peretti is a good one, I enjoy his books a lot. Tom Clancy, and of all people, Erma Bombeck.  She taught me how to be funny in a book.

I asked you about Det. Jason Strong earlier, but you have another series that could probably be best described as "science (and faith) fiction." What is the Chaser Series?

I had a desire to do a pure Christian series, and the concept came to me as a takeoff on Touched By An Angel. What events could I create in a life after death scenario? I pitched the idea to my son, who is a fantasy author, and he liked it.

One of your books that has grabbed my attention and never let go deals with brothers Donnie and Billy Jarvis. Tell us about those characters and how you came up with the book "For My Brother" in which they appear.

You know, I'm not sure where the exact idea came from. My wife and I love the real life crime shows, and a lot of my basic ideas come from what bubbles up while watching them. The relationships in that book stem from events in my own life, and how events impact people's futures.

 Finally, do you consider yourself a Christian author or an author of books who is a Christian, if you catch the distinction. What do you think the secular market is like for those who refuse to play to the "Fifty Shades of Gray" and "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" crowd?

First, as I think most believer's would say, I am a Christian. Everything I write, say, and do is shaped by that fact. So, I guess the latter statement would be true. As far as the "Fifty Shades" thing, I believe that Hollywood, Amazon, and anyone else in publishing, is willing to profit from a selling entity. I think the "Left Behind" series is a perfect example of that. Perhaps I'm naive, but I believe people want a good book, a story they get lost in, one that they feel sorry when it's over. I'm not sure the amount of sex or language determines that.

John C Dalglish's website is http://jcdalglish.webs.com/. You can find his author page at http://www.amazon.com/John-C.-Dalglish/e/B007LS4SV6

Irene Hannon Reveals Her Buried Secrets

Irene Hannon is a bestselling author in two genres.  She describes her novels as “edge-of-the-seat suspense or tender, heartwarming romance without gratuitous violence, explicit love scenes or vulgar language.” However they are described, the fact is that her books appeal to both readers and critics alike. She has won the Romance Writers of America’s top award for inspirational novels twice and been nominated for the honor four more times, She’s also won the Reader’s Choice Award (for "Fatal Judgement") and Retailers Choice Award (for "Deadly Pursuit") for her suspense novels.  It’s a real privilege to spend a few minutes with this talented author.

Irene, tell me about your decision to not include gratuitous violence or language in your books.

 I think best-selling author Mary Higgins Clark said it best. I heard her speak a few years ago, and during the Q&A someone in the audience asked her this question. Her response? “Because you don’t need them to tell a good story.”

How has that helped your sales? Conversely, how has it hurt?

I think excluding those elements has helped rather than hurt my sales. I've had so many readers write to say it was refreshing to find a compelling novel they could share with a daughter or mother or grandmother without having to worry about R-rated content.

You and Brandilyn Collins are two well-known authors who have given us both mystery/suspense novels and romances. Janet Evanovich is probably the most famous author to move between the two genres. What was the thinking behind going from one genre to another?

In the beginning, I only wrote contemporary romance because the research required for suspense novels overwhelmed me. I had no contacts in law enforcement or the military, and there was no internet. (Yes, this was back in the dark ages!) Once I had the research tools and contacts I needed, I expanded my repertoire to include suspense. I enjoy both genres, and moving back and forth between them gives me variety. Also…no matter the genre, what intrigues me most with any book are the people on the pages. I love trying to understand the forces that shaped the characters and the choices they make, even when I don’t agree with those choices. And I enjoy taking readers along on that journey. The genre I choose is simply a vehicle for delving into the minds and hearts of my characters as I put them in some very challenging situations and watch how they respond.

How have changes in the publishing industry affected your books and the way you publish and market them?

While the world of self-publishing has exploded in recent years, I still publish traditionally—that is, with an established publishing company. They take care of the publishing and the vast majority of the marketing for my books. However, in this digital age, authors are expected to establish a social media presence, so I have a website, and I’m active on Facebook and Twitter.

You left the corporate world to be a writer. Talk about that transition.

The transition was easy; the decision to make it wasn't. For most of my years in the corporate world, I juggled both my writing and corporate careers. However, as I rose in the ranks at my company I had less and less time or energy for my fiction writing. I finally reached the point where the day job became 24/7 and I knew I had to give up one of my careers. It was a tough decision in many ways, because I truly had a dream job—the kind one of my suspense-novel villains would kill for! Yet as I was struggled with that choice, several things happened that convinced me it was time to focus on fiction. It wasn't exactly writing in the sky…but very close. And I've never had a single regret about walking away. As for the transition—I enjoy being by myself, love having the flexibility to arrange my working hours to suit me, and am so grateful on snowy mornings like today that I have a ten-step commute to my office!

The honors you've earned for your books is so long, I can’t even begin to list them here. Suffice to say, you epitomize a successful author. When you speak to would-be authors, what advice do you give them?

Learn the craft. Write, rewrite, and rewrite some more. Develop a thick skin. Listen to constructive criticism. Don’t expect to be an overnight success. Build writing into your routine—don’t wait for inspiration to strike. Professional writers write whether they’re in the mood or not. And don’t give up your day job until you have a long track record of success and a nice nest egg put aside. Believe in your dream. And enjoy the journey.

If people are just becoming familiar with your books, which suspense and which romance would you suggest they start with?

It depends on individual taste. There are many readers who enjoy all my books, and some who prefer one genre over the other. If you’re a Karen Kingsbury or Debbie Macomber fan, I’d say start with the romance. Hope Harbor, a story set in a charming fictional town on the Oregon coast, will be out in July. If you like a Nora Roberts-type romantic suspense novel, go for the suspense. My style is very similar to hers—without the sex and vulgarity. Buried Secrets is about to hit store shelves.

In addition to being an author, you also enjoy singing and have done some stage acting. Any desire to make the leap to TV? (Erle Stanley Gardner actually appeared as a judge in several episodes of the Perry Mason TV show…any fantasies about being a character in the dramatization of one of your series?)

I would love to have one—or more—of my books made into a movie or TV show. And yes, it would be great fun to play a role! I don’t have much film experience, but I've done lots of performing in community musical theater.

I read an interview in which you had some interesting comments about the Christian Fiction genre. Just  the term “Christian Fiction” makes some people snicker and others roll their eyes. Can you revisit your comments.

Sad to say, there’s a certain stigma attached to Christian fiction in some circles. Many people who've never read a book in the genre assume the novels are preachy and contain heavy-handed faith content. I wish there was some way to overcome this stereotype. Most of the Christian fiction novels I've read are wonderful, well-written, engaging stories that do very little overt preaching. I think anyone who enjoys a good, “clean” novel would discover many gems in the Christian fiction section of the local bookstore.

First For Women magazine just carried a very glowing review of your most recent novel, Deceived. Talk about the marketing involved in getting national attention for your work.

That placement was amazing. The magazine reaches more than four million readers! But I can’t claim any credit for it. The publicist at my publishing house got the book into the right hands, and they chose to feature it. That’s one of the advantages of going with a traditional publisher. They have contacts the average author doesn't.

When you write, are you writing for yourself or is there a particular reader to whom you are directing your work?

I’m cognizant of readers as I write, and I do read—and listen to—the constructive criticism they send. But in the end, I write the stories that interest me. For example, Amish fiction is big now. So are young-adult dystopian books. Historical fiction has a large fan base, too. None of those appeal to me as a writer. Even within the suspense genre, there are certain things I avoid. Some writers like to pen thrillers, where worlds are at stake and buildings blow up on every other page. Others infuse their books with an adventure vibe. Again, not my style. In fact, I do something most writers in my genre avoid. I reveal the villain very near the beginning of the book. That’s why my books are classified as suspense versus mystery. I take readers inside the villain’s head—which can be a very scary place!—and let them see what he or she is planning. Readers then know more than the hero and heroine, which ratchets up the expense. The books are about whether or not the hero and heroine can stop the villain from carrying out his or her nefarious plan rather than whodunit.

 I've been asked a question that I’d like to also ask you: When you create a particularly nasty villain, have you ever been asked, “Where did that person come from? How long have they been living inside you?”

No one’s ever asked me this. I have no idea where the truly nasty villains come from. They don’t live inside me, that’s for sure! I’d walk a wide circle around most of them. They just appear and take on a life of their own. I observe them, listen in on their internal thinking, and write their story.

When you are not writing, who do you enjoy reading? Are there any performers/musicians to whom you’d like to give props for energizing/entertaining you between projects?

I read eclectically. Fiction, with rare exception. And I read many different authors. For pure relaxation, I enjoy contemporary romance or coming-of-age stories. I don’t read many suspense novels for fun, especially when I’m writing in that genre, as I find them too intense after a full day of living in that high-stakes world. As for musicians/performers…I work in silence, so no music is playing while I write. I love to sing, so I tend to do that rather than listen to music when I have spare time. I do like mellow jazz, like Stan Getz, for relaxing during dinner. I also watch very little TV. I’d rather take a walk or read a good book or visit with family or friends.

When it comes to “Christian” writing, do you see that more as what is left out of a book or what is put into it?

Neither. For me, it’s simply a worldview that underscores what I write. It’s organic to the story; a subtle element that guides what goes on the page and how characters react. It’s not something I consciously think about as I write. My books have been classified as Christian fiction, but I consider myself more a Christian writer than a writer of Christian fiction.

For more information on Irene, visit her website, http://www.irenehannon.com/index.html. You can also sign up for her newsletter and follow her on Twitter or Facebook.