Karen Rose, internationally best-selling author of ten thriller novels, has hit one out of the park again. On May 25, the day her latest book Silent Scream, debuted, it shot to the no. 2 spot for hardcovers in the United Kingdom.
Rose is known for writing gripping romantic thrillers. Publisher's Weekly said of her novel "I Can See You" packs action into every moment of four intense days...Thriller fans will love the high-adrenaline story and robust cast of intriguing supporting characters.... Readers may never use an unsecured free Internet connection again."
Recently I was able to chat with Karen about Silent Scream, her writing process, and where she gets a lot of her story ideas (hint: caffeine is involved!)
Silent Scream: When a teenage girl dies in a suspicious fire, Detective Olivia Sutherland is assigned to track down the arsonist. Then she discovers something more sinister: a vicious blackmailer who preys on young people and murders without hesitation. Making her work even harder is sexy firefighter David Hunter. He's not only sharing the case but sparking memories of their long-ago night of passion, when feelings were left unspoken and hearts were broken. David has his own ghosts, and a million regrets. But while he and Olivia try to face the wall of pain between them, a diabolical puppet master is pulling strings to make a group of twentysomethings do his bidding. Soon Olivia and David are scouring the city for a calculating criminal who seems tantalizingly close--and is moving in for the kill.
Did you write when you were a child?
I wrote two or three stories as a kid that I can recall. My parents found the manuscript for my first (unfinished) story in their attic recently - I was seven when I wrote it. It was a sci-fi murder-mystery about twin sisters who must move from the only home they've ever known when their father is transferred - to MARS! When they arrive at their first day at the new school, they discover a murder. I guess I started young, LOL. The other stories I wrote would have been better described as "After School Specials" - full of drama and death and grief, but happy endings, too. I always loved angst and happy endings.
Did you take any writing courses in high school or college?
I did not, actually - none beyond the standard English Lit paper-writing type courses, anyway. I was a chemical engineering major, so most of my classes were about as far from writing as you could get.
You visited a local fire department to research your latest thriller, Silent Scream. What other research did you do? How much research do you do in general when writing your books?
I do a lot of reading of articles on line as I write - some news, some science, some pop culture. Many times I start with an idea and roll from topic to topic online as different features catch my eye. I tuck interesting details away, to be used in the current wip or sometimes a future book. For example, the villain in SILENT SCREAM is a blackmailer, who overhears conversations in a private place. He picks up on the conversations of people who may be cheating on spouses, on their taxes, etc, then digs to get the dirt to blackmail them. Then I read an article online that said the next big cyber threat was unsecured wi-fi in public places - the guy sitting next to you could be "reading" your transmissions if he has the proper software. That took my book to a different level, with the villain incorporating the wealth of information stolen from his victims' smartphones.
The amount of research varies with each book. Some books, like DIE FOR ME, required a lot of research into a variety of topics ranging from medieval weaponry to ground penetrating radar to prosthetic limbs. Some books, like SCREAM FOR ME, were based on a specific event I witnessed (an autopsy) and required a lot less research.
Was there any particular inspiration for Silent Scream? Any news story that you read, or anything that happened in your personal life or a friend's life, that inspired that story ?
Yes! I got the idea for SILENT SCREAM several years ago, when I was writing at a local coffee shop because the kids were home from school during the summer and driving me mad. I quickly discovered that I'm not a coffee-shop writer, though - too many distractions! I found the coffee shop I'd chosen was the place where people who'd met online came for their first date. At first I felt bad for eavesdropping, but they were talking really loudly ... The woman would invariably be awkward and shy and the man would try to convince her to come home with him. I'd send silent vibes to the woman: "DON'T GO! HE'S A SLEAZE!"
I later thought that were I evil, I could make money off of much of the information I heard there. Some of those men (and maybe some of the women) were probably married. And cell phones? People say the darndest things on their cell phones, thinking no one is listening. Well, I was and maybe somebody evil was too... And my blackmailer was born.
What type of promotion do you do for your books? What promotions are you planning for Silent Scream?
I largely do online promotion. For SILENT SCREAM I completely redid my website, adding content and some new features! (Check it out at www.karenrosebooks.com.) I also did a live-action book video with a small film group out of NYC, which turned out incredibly well. Other items included e-mailings and an on-line contest to build my mailing list.
Do you write outlines for your books, plot them in advance? Or just start writing and see what happens?
I am a planner with an outline. Many times the story ends up diverging from the outline, but the thought of sitting down to write without an outline turns my insides to jelly.
You wrote one book in 17 days. What's the average time that it takes you to write a book? What's the longest that it's taken you to write one?
I wish that 17 days was an average! It was a lovely, lovely aberration, I fear. Usually I can do a draft in 6 weeks, sometimes a month, once I get focused. The longest? Maybe four months or so. That's actual writing time. I usually mull it for a few months as I'm recovering from the last book.
How did you go about getting an agent? How long did it take you to sell your first book?
I consulted Writers' Market back in the late 90's to determine which agents were interested in representing what I wrote. I chose the ones I thought best fit and prepared packets according to their listed wishes (I had a spreadsheet to keep track of everything). I made first contact with my first agent through a query letter. She asked for 3 chapters and we went from there.
I started writing in the early 90's for fun - and to keep myself occupied on long business trips when I'd run out of books because I actually had to pack some clothes in my luggage. If we'd had e-readers back then, I may never have started writing! I didn't decide to submit my work until much later, around 1998. I got some good feedback and decided in 1999 that selling a book was a personal goal. My first book, DON'T TELL, sold in December, 2001
and was published in July, 2003.
Who are some of your favorite writers? Besides thrillers, what other types of books do you enjoy reading?
My favorite writers are Nora Roberts, Linda Howard, and Jennifer Crusie. I love thrillers, but also enjoy the happy endings of romances - historical, suspense, and recently paranormal, especially Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunters. I have a TBR pile taller than I am.
Dana Granger is an award-winning former newspaper reporter who lives in Florida with her family. She is currently working as a freelancer writer, writing a YA thriller, and pursuing a career in emergency medicine.
