Guest Post with Gregg Olsen ~ JeanBookNerd

Photo Content from Gregg Olsen

Throughout his career, Gregg Olsen has demonstrated an ability to create a detailed narrative that offers readers fascinating insights into the lives of people caught in extraordinary circumstances.

A New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author, Olsen has written nine nonfiction books, nine novels, a novella, and contributed a short story to a collection edited by Lee Child.

The award-winning author has been a guest on dozens of national and local television shows, including educational programs for the History Channel, Learning Channel, and Discovery Channel. He has also appeared on Dateline NBC, William Shatner's Aftermath, Deadly Women on Investigation Discovery, Good Morning America, The Early Show, The Today Show, FOX News, CNN, Anderson Cooper 360, MSNBC, Entertainment Tonight, CBS 48 Hours, Oxygen's Snapped, Court TV's Crier Live, Inside Edition, Extra, Access Hollywood, and A&E's Biography.

In addition to television and radio appearances, he has been featured in Redbook, USA Today, People,Salon magazine, Seattle Times, Los Angeles Times and the New York Post.

The Deep Dark was named Idaho Book of the Year by the ILA and Starvation Heights was honored by Washington's Secretary of State for the book's contribution to Washington state history and culture. His Young Adult novel, Envy, was the official selection of Washington for the National Book Festival.

Olsen, a Seattle native, lives in Olalla, Washington with his wife, twin daughters, three chickens, Milo (an obedience school dropout cocker spaniel) and Suri (a mini dachshund so spoiled she wears a sweater).

Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Pinnacle; 1 edition (December 24, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780786020461
ISBN-13: 978-0786020461

Praise for GREGG OLSEN'S NOVELS

“Gregg Olsen's Envy is a riveting page-turner that I could not put down. Like Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why, Envyexplores a serious topic--cyberbullying--in a fantastic, well-crafted story. Can't wait for the next Empty Coffinnovel!” ―Nancy Holder, New York Times bestselling author of the Wicked saga, Dear Bully contributor

“Gregg Olsen's Envy offers an interesting view on the devastating effects bullying can have, not only on the individuals involved from both sides, but on the community at large.” ―Bree Despain, author of The Dark Divine trilogy

"Sure to spice up your reading repertoire!" ―GirlsLife.com

"Olsen's characters jump to life and his plots are so intricate you never see the killer coming….a definite hit!" ―RT Book Reviews

“Dark and addictive…” ―Jordan Dane, critically acclaimed author of In the Arms of Stone Angels

“Olsen writes with authority, drawing inspiration from actual headlines and crime…” ―Publishers Weekly

"WICKEDLY CLEVER! TWISTED." ―Lisa Gardner

"OLSEN WRITES RAPID-FIRE PAGE-TURNERS." ―The Seattle Times

"GRABS YOU BY THE THROAT." ―Kay Hooper

GREATEST THING YOU LEARNED AT SCHOOL.
I really don’t think I could think of one greatest thing that I learned in school – there were too many. One thing that I wish I could tell every writer (of any age) is that if you want to be a writer, then you are one. You just have to practice at it. It doesn’t mean that you will be a mega-seller – that might not happen. But you will still be able to get your message to others. That’s what storytelling is about. Sharing. Conveying a message. I think schools encourage creativity, but I don’t know if they do a good enough job in helping the creative person tap into their gifts in a way that will allow them to earn a living. We all have to eat, right?

WHAT FICTION MOST INFLUENCED YOUR CHILDHOOD, AND WHAT EFFECT DID THOSE STORIES HAVE ON FEAR COLLECTOR?
That’s hard to pin down. I hate saying how much I loved Stephen King’s books when I was a young adult because it sounds like I want to be a stalker or something. But the truth is that no one wrote about young people in scary circumstances better than King did. I know that for the reader to really be scared, they have to care about the people on the pages. He did that – and still does – better than anyone. He made you believe, for example, that Carrie’s powers could be real.

TEN FAVORITE THINGS

Favorite Author (dead or alive) ― Stephen King.

Favorite Chocolates ― See’s Bordeaux chocolates

Favorite books that inspired you to write ― Son by Jack Olsen and Small Sacrifices by Ann Rule

Favorite songs to listen to while writing ― Moby Hotel (Ambient)

Favorite destination to live? ― Olalla, Washington, where we’ve lived for the last twenty years. I love no place on earth more than my home.

Musicians/bands/groups ― My tastes lately are very pop oriented at the moment – Pink (everything she’s ever done), Kelly Clarkson (love the new song, People Like Us – an anthem for bullied kids, at least that’s how I interpret it).

Favorite movies of all time ― Fargo, Blood Simple, just about any Coen Brothers movie!
Favorite TV program/series? ― Any incarnation of Law& Order!
Favorite movie moments ― When Cinderella is given the slipper in the Disney animated movie. My girls know that I tear up at that silly scene almost every time.
Favorite Super Villain ― Ursula the Sea Witch!
Favorite gadgets ― Roomba. Seriously, I am in love with that robotic vacuum!
Favorite dream destinations ― I would love to go to Italy, Japan, Australia; Fiji …the list goes on and on

"YOU'LL SLEEP WITH THE LIGHTS ON AFTER READING GREGG OLSEN." --Allison Brennan

Ted Bundy. America's most notorious serial killer. For two women, he is the ultimate obsession. One is a cop whose sister may have been one of Bundy's victims. The other is a deranged groupie who corresponded with Bundy in prison--and raised her son to finish what Bundy started. To charm and seduce innocent girls. To kidnap and brutalize more women than any serial killer in history. And to lure one obsessed cop into a trap as sick and demented as Bundy himself. . .

Fear Collector is a chilling story that takes real events and people and stirs it in a thrilling fictitious world that only author Gregg Olsen can bring. He brings a suspenseful page-turner about the continuing and spreading effect of the notorious serial killer, Ted Bundy. Readers are presented with an unsettling experience with police detective Grace Alexander and a fanatical woman, Peggy, who adored Bundy and believes to be raising his son. Before Grace was born, her sister Tricia was murdered and her mother believes that Ted Bundy was responsible. In order to find answers, she gets involved with a career in law enforcement. Peggy’s mammoth-sized love for Bundy makes her raise her son to be just like his father. As the dead bodies of girls start appearing, Grace begins her search for clues and answers that unearths a very suspenseful tale.

The one thing that readers will appreciate in this book is how Gregg is able to flawlessly take them inside the minds of all his dynamic characters. The upbringing of Grace is saddening as her mother had to cope with the loss of a daughter as she drifted away from being part of Grace’s childhood. The chill-factor multiplies each time Gregg takes readers into the perspectives of the killer and Peggy. Although it was absolutely frighteningly creepy, the writing etiquette of Gregg made it lusciously satisfying reading their parts. The characters are so well-rounded that it made the story seemed so real.

Like all of his previous works, the world building is precise and on-point. The multiple perspectives, the letters from Bundy, and secondary characters all seemed to lead to confusion as the story went back and forth with different characters. However, it never looked back and the story progresses in a well-paced manner. Readers are able to create their own events and predictions and be fully entertained to read how this chilling story unfolds. The surprises and twists that are sprinkled throughout the story will have readers’ eyes glued to Gregg’s wonderful writing. Fear Collector is like an art. Taking something real from our world and mixing it in your own rather dark and twisted idea takes quite the talent to do so. It is not an easy task to do but Gregg does it naturally with ease like breathing.

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