Erin Quinn has previously written three successful mysteries and suspense novels as Erin Grady, but with her newest book HAUNTING BEAUTY she's struck out in an altogether different direction. Slated as a paranormal romance of sorts - she hates books being pigeon-holed - it's a story that explores a personal fascination with time and the idea that the past is not set in stone. It is set in a world where mistakes can be un-made, heartache transformed into personal triumph - in short, it's the kind of story we've all thought about for ourselves at one point in our lives. But Quinn also asks at what cost such remaking of a personal history comes. If the past is an elaborate puzzle with interchangeable pieces, when one is altered, how do the others still fit? And how could you be sure that what changed didn't make everything worse? The story of HAUNTING BEAUTY is actually several puzzles, she says, all missing vital pieces, and one woman's desperate attempt to turn the chaos into the life she always dreamed of. If it reminds you a little of the film The Butterfly Effect, read on and make up your own mind.What mood can we expect from this story?
HAUNTING BEAUTY is set in Ireland, where everything is a little greener, a littler darker. The storms don't just blow, they howl. The very air is seeped with mystery and lore. And of course, nothing is ever what it seems.
Amazon pitches HAUNTING BEAUTY as a paranormal romance; how would you describe it?
I hate it when they have to pigeon-hole a story, but I guess readers would like to know what they're getting. HAUNTING BEAUTY is definitely paranormal, but you won't find shape-shifters or vampires between the covers. What intrigues me about the paranormal is the idea that we--you, me, John Doe strolling down the street--might have abilities we've never even imagined and therefore never tapped. How would any given person react if suddenly they could do the impossible? That is the paranormal element that I love to explore. There is definitely a love story in HAUNTING BEAUTY as well. For me, that is a critical element to every story I tell.
Why did you choose Ireland for your setting?It's set in Ireland on the fictional Isle of Fennore which is located off the southern tip of Ireland. I think the location chose me as much as I chose it. My first name, Erin, means Ireland, and so I've always had a personal connection and fascination with Ireland. Plus, HAUNTING BEAUTY has so much mysticism and lore to it that Ireland seemed the perfect place to set it.
Why the two pen names Erin Grady and Erin Quinn?
Erin Grady is my maiden name and even as a kid, I dreamed of it on the cover of a book. My first book was a mystery and the two following were suspense with duel storylines (historical and contemporary). HAUNTING BEAUTY was different enough from my others, though, that my publisher wanted to launch the series (HAUNTING BEAUTY is the first book in the HAUNTING Series) with a new name. It made sense to keep it Irish.
What genres of fiction have influenced you most?
My favorite genres were basically polar opposites--romance and horror. Every scary book I read I loved, but I always wished there'd been a romance in it. Every romance book I read, I loved, but I always wished there'd been more thrills and chills in it. When I began writing, I wanted my stories to combine both of those elements. The idea of scaring the socks off someone while making them fall in love does it for me.
You run creative writing classes: what are some of the things you most hope to impart to would-be writers?
The four "must haves": thick skin, determination, hope and dreams. You have to be able to take rejection in this business and you must be determined to move on no matter how many rejections you get. And you can never give up your hope and dreams. Sometimes those dreams are all that keep me going.
Richard Kunzmann is
the author of the acclaimed Harry Mason-Jacob Tshabalala detective
series, set in South Africa. BLOODY HARVESTS, his first novel, was
shortlisted for the CWA's J.W Creasy Award for best new novel. His next
book, THE PRICE OF A COUNTRY, will be released in 2010.
