Stacy Green Author Interview ~ JeanBookNerd

Photo Content from Stacy Green

Raised in southeastern Iowa, Stacy Green grew up watching crime shows with her parents, so her love of suspense and psychological thrillers is no surprise. She’s fascinated by the workings of the criminal mind and explores true crime on her popular Thriller Thursday posts at her blog, Turning the Page.

After earning her degree in journalism, Stacy worked in advertising before becoming a

stay-at-home mom to her miracle child. She rediscovered her love of writing and wrote several articles for a city magazine before penning her first novel. She shelved the long drama and began working on a suspense book set in Las Vegas, featuring a heroine on the edge of disaster, a tormented villain, and the city’s infamous storm drains that house hundreds of homeless.

Into The Dark is suspense with a dash of romance, andStacy is hard at work on her next book, a darker, grittier thriller set in the Deep South.

When she’s not writing, she spends all her time with her precocious daughter, supportive husband, and their three obnoxious but lovable canine children.

Why is storytelling so important for all of us?
What a great question. I think storytelling is important because it’s a great way to escape from the ups and downs of every day life, and that’s something we all need. And there is nothing as wonderful as our imaginations, and stories of every kind are a great way to cultivate that.

What’s one thing that readers would be surprised to find out about you?
I’m extremely impatient. When I want something, I want it now, and I have to work hard at accepting that’s just not going to happen.

What was the greatest thing you learned at school?
This question stumped me! It’s been a while since I’ve been at schoolJ I’d have to say though, the value of listening. I was a kid who rushed through things, who didn’t always pay enough attention, and ended up with a lot of B’s. Had I paid more attention and listened before I leaped, I would have been a straight-A student. It wasn’t until I was halfway through college that I realized how important listening is, and that translates to everything in life.

What’s in the future for you?
More books! My second book releases in late March, and I’m working on the first of a trilogy that’s due for late 2013.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received from another author?
Keep writing. Simple but vital. Don’t get caught up in the sales and marketing hoopla, don’t stress about every review – write. You’re not going to have stories to share unless you sit down and put the hard work in.

What are some of the common challenges that new and experienced authors face and what advice do you have for over-coming them?
Right now, I think the biggest struggle is standing out. Self-publishing is a great thing for authors, but its also inundated the market with new books. That’s never a bad thing, because before self-publishing became so accessible, there were a lot of great books not getting read. But the competition is getting tougher every day, so we’ve got to make sure we continue to not only tell good stories, but tell them well. Learn craft, read in your genre as much as possible, and stay true to the writer you set out to be.

Can you tell us when you started Into The Dark, how that came about?
The story actually started out online in summer 2010 as a fan fiction piece, with no real direction. All I knew was that I wanted to write a story about a hot SWAT officer. As I got farther into the story and started learning more about the storm drains beneath Las Vegas, I realized the original premise–the idea of a stalker using a bank robbery to snatch a women–had a lot more potential than I was giving it. So I pulled the fan fiction, trashed everything, and started studying craft. I had no clue how to write a book, much less plot. I learned how to create full characters, story structure, themes–all the essentials.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating Emilie?
That writing strong women is TOUGH. They’re talked about so often in fiction now it’s almost cliché, and a lot of people mistake bad attitude for strength. I did the same thing, and it took me many drafts before I realized Emilie could be (and needed to be) vulnerable and have some openness about her. She didn’t have to be cold and lashing out–that didn’t make her tough, it made her unlikeable. Writing a strong, well-rounded female is as complicated as the real thing, but for me, they’re essential in a good story.

When asked, what’s the one question you always answer with a lie?
“Do I look fat?” The answer is always, “you look great!” No matter what.

Where is the best place in the world you’ve been?
I wish I could say somewhere exotic. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to travel outside the US. Right now, I’ll have to say Split Rock Lighthouse in Minnesota. It’s on a cliff with an amazing view, and no matter how hot it is, you’re high enough up the breeze off Lake Superior is fantastic.

What's the worst summer job you've ever had?
Waiting tables. Remember the lack of patience? Not a good combiation.

When was the last time you told someone you loved them?
This morning–I tell my daughter and husband that every day.

What would be harder for you, to tell someone you love them or that you do not love them back?
Telling someone you don’t love them back would be very painful.

What's the loveliest thing you have ever seen?
My daughter’s smile, missing front tooth and all :)

IT’S THE MOMENTS FROM OUR PAST THAT BIND US.

Branch Manager Emilie Davis is having a day like any other–until two masked men storm into WestOne Bank demanding cash. Her hopes of a quick end to her terror are dashed when she realizes one of the men has no interest in the bank’s money. Emilie is his prize, and he’s come to claim her.

When hostage negotiator Nathan Madigan and Las Vegas SWAT enter the bank on a rescue mission, Emilie’s captor makes a shocking escape into the abyss that lies beneath the city: the Las Vegas storm drains, a refuge for the downtrodden and the desperate.

HOW WILL IT END?

Who is the man the media has dubbed the “Taker?” Why is he after Emilie, and what is the connection he’s convinced they share?

Emilie can’t run from the Taker, and she can’t escape her own past. As her life closes in on her, she has nowhere to turn but to Nathan. The lines of professionalism blur as Nathan becomes determined to save Emilie. Together they venture into the depths beneath Las Vegas and discover a shocking piece of the puzzle.

But the Taker remains one step ahead. Desperate for the threat to emerge from the shadows, Emilie makes a bold move to reclaim her life, and it may cost her everything.

You can purchase Into The Dark at the following Retailers: