A Book(ish) Life: Interview with Lynn Slaughter
Launching a new newsletter series!
Hi, friends. I always start the New Year by cleaning my entire house from top-to-bottom, opening all the windows and giving myself a fresh start. This year, it feels like less of a hurdle - I’ve had a full two weeks of winter break and I’ve spent a little bit of every day organizing and cleaning, so the lift has been easier.
One of the other ways I spend New Years Day is shamelessly inspired by the great Leigh Bardugo - Begin As You Mean to Go On. I woke up early and focused on the blank page, and I’m pleased with the shape this revision is taking. I’ll be back in your inboxes later this month with a full monthly update, and hopefully have more to share then. For now - I’m beginning the year with my new newsletter project: A Book(ish) Life.
I’m so pleased to kick off my 2025 A Book(ish) Life series with a fellow member of Sisters in Crime, Lynn Slaughter! I have been so overwhelmed (in the best way) with my request for guest posts that I may be appearing in your inboxes a bit more often than monthly(ish). Lynn’s sixth novel releases this month from Fire & Ice, and she’s here to tell you a little bit about it!
A Book(ish) Interview
Introduce yourself and share a little bit about your latest book:
I’m a late-in-life novelist who spent most of my career as a professional dancer and dance educator. When age and injury led to my retirement from dance, I got an idea for a story about an aspiring ballet dancer with lots of family and friendship problems. That became WHILE I DANCED, my first published novel and got me hooked on writing fiction. I returned to school in my sixties and earned my MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. I’ve just kept going ever since.
MISSING MOM is my sixth published novel. It’s ultimately a coming-of-age story about hope and resilience in the face of huge challenges. Seventeen-year-old Noelle is not only dealing with investigating the disappearance of her mother but with a horrific discovery about her dad. Threaded throughout the novel is also the story of Savannah, a young woman nearly two decades earlier, who finds herself in an abusive marriage from which she’s determined to escape. Savannah’s story turns out to be connected to Noelle’s investigation.
Are you traditionally published, or self-published? What made you choose this path?
I am traditionally published with a small press. I like knowing that a publisher thinks my work is worthy of publication. Also, self-publishing means the author is responsible for absolutely everything related to producing the book, and I really prefer to focus on writing.
Describe your ideal writing scenario. What would a perfect writing day look like for you? Where would you be?
A perfect writing day starts in the morning after breakfast and exercising. In my fantasy writing day, there are no scam phone call interruptions or pop-up ads on my computer that I can’t seem to get rid of! I write all morning, have lunch, and then finish up my writing day mid-to-late afternoon.
As for where, I absolutely love my home office! There is something very special about having one’s own writing room, and I love mine. My husband knows how much I love the holidays and has strung holiday lights around my office year-round.
If your book had a themed scented candle made for it: what would it smell like?
Charcoal & Black Teak to symbolize light against the darkness.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? How long did it take you to reach publication?
While I was still dancing, I got interested in writing nonfiction and took some correspondence classes from Writer’s Digest. I moonlighted as a freelancer, mostly writing articles for regional parenting magazines on the challenges of raising teenagers.
I honestly didn’t think I had the fiction writing gene. But in my post-dance life, I got an idea for a story about a young dancer. I worked on that story on and off for close to a decade before WHILE I DANCED was published.
How long does it generally take you to write a book? What does your process look like?
It usually takes me about a year to write a book. I generally get a wisp of an idea from something I’ve witnessed, experienced, or someone has shared with me. For example, Savannah’s story of finding herself in an abusive relationship in MISSING MOM was partially inspired by a friend’s experience in high school. She fell hard for a boy she met at a dance we attended at the local YMCA. In our naivety, we actually thought his extreme possessiveness and seeming obsession with her whereabouts 24-7 was romantic, instead of warning signs that his controlling behavior could escalate into abuse. Sadly, my friend got pregnant and married him, and it took her many years to get out of her violent marriage.
Once I have an idea for a story, I spend lots of time on character development before I begin doing any plotting. I pay particular attention to backstory and understanding my characters’ personalities and challenges. Out of that comes lots of ideas for plot and complications between characters. I owe that insight to Elizabeth George’s wonderful craft books, WRITE AWAY and MASTERING THE PROCESS: FROM IDEA TO NOVEL.
I don’t outline but generally have an idea where I want to begin and where I want to end a story. And since I write mysteries, obviously I need to build in red herrings, suspects who had plenty of reasons to want to harm the victim.
What are your favorite types of books to read? How do they inform your writing?
This may seem odd coming from a mystery writer, but I read more for character than I do for ingenious plotting. I love books with memorable characters I really care about, and I’ve worked hard to create characters to cheer for in my own novels.
Genre-wise, I tend to gravitate toward contemporary realistic young adult novels, as well as adult romantic mysteries, suspense, and domestic dramas.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given in your writing career?
Years ago, I read a book by Susan Jeffers called FEEL THE FEAR AND DO IT ANYWAY. That’s been great advice for me. I’m an anxious writer who gets nervous before I start writing. I’ve learned that my writing fears will never totally dissipate, but I just have to plunge ahead, do the work, and trust the process.
How do you celebrate your writing/publishing wins?
Preferably sitting with a glass of wine and my husband by a fire he makes for us!
What’s something you’re looking forward to?
Beginning work on my next novel. I’ve got several ideas percolating and am eager to figure out which one grabs hold and won’t let go.
Anything else you’d like to add?
These are wonderful questions, Jenny. Thanks so much for inviting me to be part of book(ish)!
I’d also like to put in a plug for Sisters in Crime, especially the Guppies who offer all kinds of resources for mystery authors as well as supportive and encouraging writing community. (Jenny’s note: I 1000% agree! SINC and the Guppies are an incredible resource for anyone interested in mystery writing!)
Thanks so much for being my first guest, Lynn, and best of luck with Missing Mom!