A Good Thriller discussion

Hi members,

Great news, to have another of our favourite authors here on " A Good Thriller"

Get ready to start adding your questions.

Really enjoyed Silent Scream, waiting on evil games to come available at the library.

So a question. Writers are often advised to show and not tell, Angela, and I think you pull this off brilliantly in Silent Scream. Therein we get great insight of Kim's personality without being told directly. I wonder, how much of a conscious effort you make to follow such writerly advice?

Hello Angela, I enjoyed Silent Scream and am planning to read Evil Games in the near future.

I would like to ask what made you decide to write in this genre, and whether you will continue writing in this genre in the future. :)

Angela, thanks for joining the group and doing the Q & A tomorrow.

Will you continue to right serial books, and will you right some thriller standalones.

You are your favourites authors(my guess would be Mel Sherratt, Sharon Bolton and Karin Slaughter)

To you listen to music when you are writing

Hi Angela!

Hope you're keeping well and glad to see you here. I see book three is imminent. Good news! This has all happened fairly quickly. It was like one day your book was out and it just took off like a rocket. What did that feel like? And what's the start of your writing journey?

Hi Angela,

I've seen you've written also two other very different stories, where is your heart more in the thriller / mystery stories or the 'life stories' how I call them?

Some great questions on here already. Really looking forward to getting stuck in tomorrow. X

Hi Angela, you are one of my very favorite authors, even after reading only 3 books by you. I recently finished My Name Is (and have The Middle Child ready to go). My Name Is is a brilliant character study of the two women protags. Your two thrillers are top notch, but if My Name Is reflects what you can do with straight up fiction, please tell me that you will be writing more in that genre as well. My favorite books are thrillers and well done character-driven novels. I therefore consider you a real gem!

Hi Angela,
I just finished reading Silent Screen and Evil Games back to back and I'm hooked! I was happy to read that there will be more in the Kim Stone series!
While I loved both books, Evil Games really stands out for me because of the marvelous Dr. Thorne. She's brilliant! I actually hope that we haven't heard the last from her...
Your characters are well developed with great back stories that I would imagine a lot of research is behind this. So that's my question! What goes behind the creating of a character for you? Is it researching to find something that will fit into the story and then create or does the idea pop in your head and the research helps make them real, etc.

Hello Angela! Thank you so much for being available to answer questions. I happen to think that it's a very smart thing to do, as it helps readers get to know you better, and it possibly hooks some of the curious wanna-be readers who haven't quite gotten around to reading your books yet.
Of course, I think it takes a smart person to develop the plots that you write.I read the first two Kim Stone novels, and I was so impressed with the plot twists and the character development. Were you a good student? Have you always loved reading? Writing? Who was your role model or mentor when you knew you wanted to be a writer?

Hi Angela, Reading Silent Scream, I was very much struck by the sense of place in the language, food and so on. Do you live where the story takes place? And why did you use Girl Scouts instead of Girl Guides? :) Thanks for the Q and A!

Hello- I want to say both Silent Scream and Evil Games were fantastic, and I am eagerly awaiting Lost Girls. I loved the character development in Evil Games, not only Kim's, but how you peeled back the layers to Stacey and Dawson some as well, I am eager to hear more of their stories. But like Jan mentioned above, Dr Thorne is a brilliant, one of a kind character, hopefully she will be back!! I look forward to Kim's journey now that she knows her mother is purposefully sabotaging her own parole hearings to "protect" Kimmy and how this could alter Kim's character arc in future installments.

I thought Kim's passion for powerful motorbikes was a great inclusion. Do you have a passion for motorbikes yourself?

Going to get another couple in now, as I'm working today and might not get a chance later.

So in relation to that, are you able to write full time? If not what restrictions do you have and how do you manage your time?

I was inspired to read your book by recommendations of fellow readers in this group. What inspires you to try a new author?

Hi Angela. I love that your strongest characters are female. Stone and Thorne are both brilliantly conceived. Did you choose to make them female for any particular reason? Thank you.

I second David's question regarding motorbikes. Kim is quite knowledgable. Is it a passion of yours?

Also, I was so grateful to find an audiobook version. I'm able to read so many more good books if they're on audio because I rarely have time to sit still to read. Do you get to make the decision on who will be your narrator? Because you know, the narrator can make or break an audio experience, and Jan Cramer was really good. She is the voice of DI Stone to me now.

Lastly, I appreciate your response on the other thread regarding Barney. It might seem trivial to some, but for some reason it meant a lot to me for Kim to have a companion (yes, I'm that into it). Did you know before Silent Scream you were going to introduce him or did he become part of the story as book 2 developed?

Thank you for taking the time for this Q&A, and I'm so happy I've discovered your writing. Looking forward to reading them all.

David wrote: "Really enjoyed Silent Scream, waiting on evil games to come available at the library.

So a question. Writers are often advised to show and not tell, Angela, and I think you pull this off brilliant..."

Thank you David for your lovely comments and what a great question to start me off. In the early days I did read a lot of instructional books and tried to follow every instruction offered. Eventually that became constrictive and I turned to writing more on instinct but I think some of the things I learned to put into practice became ingrained and now really enjoy finding different ways to 'show' something rather than state it.

Hi Angela. Thank you for two brilliant reads. I have so far read Silent Scream and Evil Games.

I was impressed by your insight into Dougie's character - have you had experience with autism?

Also where did you get the idea for Alex Thorne's character - she is absolutely chilling!

Heather wrote: "Hello Angela, I enjoyed Silent Scream and am planning to read Evil Games in the near future.

I would like to ask what made you decide to write in this genre, and whether you will continue writing..."

Hi Heather, I've always read crime and psychological stories but never thought I could write such a book. My first two books were stories that burned inside me but I think part of me always yearned to write what I love to read. I wrote Silent Scream for me and fully expected to hit a wall around 10,000 words but the plot began to grow organically and when I reached the end I was totally surprised. I absolutely love writing crime and can't see myself straying from the genre for very long, if at all. Thank you so much for your question.

Sean wrote: "Angela, thanks for joining the group and doing the Q & A tomorrow.

Will you continue to right serial books, and will you right some thriller standalones.

You are your favourites authors(my guess ..."

Hi Sean, thank you so much for inviting me to do this Q & A.
I am currently contracted to write 8 Kim Stone books so they will keep me busy for the foreseeable future. Kim and the team are so strong in my mind at the moment that I have no plans to stray away from the series at the moment as I would like to explore the side characters a little bit more.
My favourite authors are indeed Mel Sherratt who is also a good friend of mine. I love Val McDermid, Tess Gerritsen and Carol O Connell. I tend to like main characters that are a bit off or weird.
I don't listen to anything when I'm writing. I do need silence to enter into that magical world.
Hope that answers your questions.

Janet wrote: "Hi Angela!

Hope you're keeping well and glad to see you here. I see book three is imminent. Good news! This has all happened fairly quickly. It was like one day your book was out and it just to..."

Hi Janet, hope you're well.
Yes, Lost Girls will be out in November and the edits just went off yesterday. Phew!!
Yes, you're right, once Silent Scream was released everything went into warp speed and surprised my publishers as much as it did me. Neither of us was expecting the response that it received. I'm not going to lie, there were a lot of tears!! :-)
I have been trying to share my work for more than 20 years and have been rejected by all traditional publishers. It took one small digital publisher to 'get' Kim Stone and her stories as much as I did. But every day I am grateful that they did. The last year has been like a dream and I am now able to write full time which is the only thing I've ever wanted to do. X

Agnieszka wrote: "Hi Angela,

I've seen you've written also two other very different stories, where is your heart more in the thriller / mystery stories or the 'life stories' how I call them?"
Hi Agnieszka,
The other two books on Amazon are my earlier works and were stories that were just inside me that I needed to tell. Both books are very special to me and I think I learned a lot while writing them. My favourite part of writing those books was the exploration of personalities and relationships but I think some of that fascination has carried over into the crime books.
My heart is definitely with writing crime but I still like to explore relationships within that genre. Hope that answers your question X

Christine wrote: "Hi Angela, you are one of my very favorite authors, even after reading only 3 books by you. I recently finished My Name Is (and have The Middle Child ready to go). My Name Is is a brilliant charact..."
Hi Christine, thank you so much for your lovely comments, your support and your reviews. Truly appreciated. Those two books are very special to me and I really enjoyed writing them. My heart is with crime at the moment but I do really enjoy the process of exploring characters and relationships so I wouldn't rule out more character driven novels in the future. If my publishers gives me a bit of time off, of course!! Thank you so much for the question X

Jan wrote: "Hi Angela,
I just finished reading Silent Screen and Evil Games back to back and I'm hooked! I was happy to read that there will be more in the Kim Stone series!
While I loved both books, Evil Game..."

Hi Jan, thank you for your fabulous comments. I really did enjoy writing about Alex in Evil Games. Frightening but fascinating. And yes, you're right, she will definitely be back as I feel there is far more to explore between Kim and Alex.
I think that because I began by writing character driven stories that the need to make all my characters seem real is very important. I want to know what makes them tick. I have to know how their minds work so that I can show that to the reader. I think I need the characters to be fully fleshed out in my mind for me to be able to do them justice.
I think I get the idea for a character first and then research them later. I knew that I wanted Kim to have to battle a female sociopath so the bones were there and then I spent a couple of months learning about Sociopaths and then fed that into the character in my head. Hope that answers your question :-) X

Jean wrote: "Hello Angela! Thank you so much for being available to answer questions. I happen to think that it's a very smart thing to do, as it helps readers get to know you better, and it possibly hooks some..."

Hi Jean,
Thank you for your fabulous comments. I absolutely love connecting with people who have read the books. I have been trying for so many years to share my work that people actually making contact to say they enjoyed one of my books is still a novelty that I hope never wears off.
I think I was an OKAY student but I was very nosey. My teachers would often advise me to 'mind my own business as well as I minded everyone else's'. Even at a young age I was fascinated with how people thought and acted and would always be watching!! After writing a small piece for an English test, my teacher spoke to me afterwards and asked if she could bring me some books that were above my age (Andrea Newman) books. I devoured them and their focus on relationships. And that was when I realised that I wanted to be telling the stories instead of reading them. So my inspiration was most definitely my wonderful English teacher. Thank you so much for your question. X

Perri wrote: "Hi Angela, Reading Silent Scream, I was very much struck by the sense of place in the language, food and so on. Do you live where the story takes place? And why did you use Girl Scouts instead of G..."
Hi Perri,
Yes, I have always lived in the Black Country and am very proud of the history we have. The books were rejected by publishers who felt the setting wouldn't work but I had to stick with my gut as I feel that the industrial backdrop of the area suits the character of Kim Stone very well. She wouldn't suit a pretty village in the Cotswolds but I didn't want to do big city either. I sometimes get a bit bored with reading about the same places all the time.
I chose Girl Scouts deliberately as I think it describes the activities better than Girl Guides. I know 'Guides' is the more accepted UK description but I like Scouts better. Thank you for your question X

Jill wrote: "Hello- I want to say both Silent Scream and Evil Games were fantastic, and I am eagerly awaiting Lost Girls. I loved the character development in Evil Games, not only Kim's, but how you peeled back..."

Hi Jill, thank you for your great comments. I am also keen to explore the other characters more as the series moves along. In book 3 we do spend a little more time with Dawson and get to know him better. And yes, Alex will definitely be back. The scenes between Kim and Alex were my favourite scenes to write. And we will definitely be revisiting the relationship between Kim and her mother. Oooh, now you've made me just want to write more notes about further storylines. :-) X

David wrote: "I thought Kim's passion for powerful motorbikes was a great inclusion. Do you have a passion for motorbikes yourself?"

Hi David, I used to ride a moped but I don't think that really counts!! The character of Kim had been chirping away in my head for years but when I came to develop her further I needed an interest that would suit her character and once I had the idea of restoring classic motorcycles I knew that was it. I like that she loves the power of the Ninja but the history of the classics. X

David wrote: "Going to get another couple in now, as I'm working today and might not get a chance later.

So in relation to that, are you able to write full time? If not what restrictions do you have and how do ..."

You get in as many as you like, David. Always happy to answer.
Yes, I am now able to write full time which is an absolute dream come true. It's all I've ever wanted. Prior to March this year I managed my time by getting up early and fitting in a few hours before work and then another couple of hours after work.
I am inspired to try new authors by what my friends are reading, and recommendations on book clubs. I would like to read more but I need someone to invent a time stretching machine so I can really bite into my TBR pile. X

Emma wrote: "Hi Angela. I love that your strongest characters are female. Stone and Thorne are both brilliantly conceived. Did you choose to make them female for any particular reason? Thank you."

Hi Emma and thank you for your question. Yes, I made them both female as I am personally more fascinated by the relationships that develop between women, especially strong women. I wanted to pit Kim against a female who was every bit as intelligent as she is. I try not to make them strong at the expense of the male characters which is why I insist that Kim is rude to everyone. :-)

E. wrote: "I second David's question regarding motorbikes. Kim is quite knowledgable. Is it a passion of yours?

Also, I was so grateful to find an audiobook version. I'm able to read so many more good books ..."

Hi E,

I don't have a passion for bikes although I am really enjoying learning more about them on behalf of Kim. Who knew that crank shafts could be so interesting? :-)
I agree that Jan Cramer is a brilliant narrator. My publisher sent me a couple of voice auditions for my opinion and we both agreed that Jan was absolutely spot on and I also feel she is now the voice of Kim Stone.
I do feel strongly about Barney too. I am passionate about dogs in general and my own diva Labrador is so happy to own me!! No, it was not in my plan to introduce a dog but as things happen you know what feels right for the character and once Barney's personality settled in my mind I knew he would be the perfect companion for Kim and I love how he helps round out her character. :-) X

Hi Angela, I loved your thrillers and also My Name is and The Middle Child. What inspired you to write the latter two books and what did you do prior to writing full time? I am delighted to hear there are lots more Kim Stone books in the pipeline, I like your strong characters which just add that extra dimension to the exciting stories. Thank you for your time today ☺

Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* wrote: "Hi Angela. Thank you for two brilliant reads. I have so far read Silent Scream and Evil Games.

I was impressed by your insight into Dougie's character - have you had experience with autism?

Also ..."

Hi Sandy,
Thank you for your great comments and your fab support. So pleased you enjoyed the books.
No, I don't have any particular experience with autism but if I decide to explore such a subject then I try to make sure I research it thoroughly and then present it properly and sensitively. I don't like to sensationalise subjects but rather treat them with respect. My partner of 30 years is disabled and understand much of the stigma that can come when people face challenges so I always aim to represent the spirit inside the person. Hope I've made sense there :-)X

Tracy wrote: "Hi Angela, I loved your thrillers and also My Name is and The Middle Child. What inspired you to write the latter two books and what did you do prior to writing full time? I am delighted to hear th..."

Hi Tracy, My Name Is was the first book I ever wrote and it came from just seeing a program about alcoholism. I wanted to explore how the disease ignores class, status, geography etc. This idea grew into the idea of a story about friendship between two very different women fighting the same demons.
I am a middle child and experienced nothing like the things in The Middle Child but it just got me thinking about sometimes a middle child belongs nowhere in the hierarchy and it just went from there.
Before I wrote full time I worked mainly in the security industry and spent 19 years at a local shopping centre as a security manager. It was an interesting few years working with a large and diverse group of people. I learned a lot :-)) X

Congratulations on being in the position of being able to write full time; for now, I can only dream.

Were your books ever to be televised, who would your choice for the role of Kim?

David wrote: "Congratulations on being in the position of being able to write full time; for now, I can only dream.

Were your books ever to be televised, who would your choice for the role of Kim?"

Oooh, great question. My absolute dream for Kim would be Kate Beckinsale. I think she is fabulous and her demeanour in the Underworld movies is spot on. And although you didn't ask, my dream for Bryant would be Bradley Walsh. Loved him in the UK Law and Order series. :-)

Good choices. I can see them fitting those roles.

Hi Angela, Thanks so much for doing this with our group? I really enjoyed Silent Scream and I can't wait to pick up Evil Games. I haven't had a chance to read through all the questions so if I am repeating just overlook, but I am really fascinated by Kim Stone. She seems to have such a tumultuous history. Where did you get the inspiration for a character with such a complicated history/personality?

Angela, first, I love that Kim Stone has that tough armor, but inside, she does feel empathy. You probably can't give this away, but I'll ask anyway - could Kim possibly have a romantic relationship someday? I imagine it would mean dealing with the demons of her past (i.e., her mother), which doesn't seem likely...

Secondly, writing in the genre and the style that you do seems quite intense, especially since you do it full-time and have EIGHT Kim Stone books lined up! Do you have a strict routine for your writing? I know you said no music. Do you have a home office, or do you need to get away? And speaking of getting away, what do you do to unwind, relax, or burn off energy?

Angela some lovely answers to some great questions.

You might be interested that our next BOTM and Q & A is our own author David !

His book is a great read called " Imperfect Strangers"

Maybe if you have time, you can read and then ask "David" questions !...LOL

It is great to read how you fought and held your ground for the location of the area.

I understand Kim's love for classic (or classical - which one is correct form in English?) music is due to the influence of the fourth foster family and you name at the beginning of second chapter Vivaldi's Summer Concerto (a masterpiece I really love BTW) You could've created a complete different background story and I really could see rather rougher music choise for her - so it seems pretty off for me. What is the reason for the choise of music for Kim you did? Do you prefer youself classic music over contemporary?

Angela wrote: "David wrote: "Congratulations on being in the position of being able to write full time; for now, I can only dream.

Were your books ever to be televised, who would your choice for the role of Kim?..."
Love Bradley Walsh!! Thanks for today, it was very interesting x

Stefanie wrote: "Hi Angela, Thanks so much for doing this with our group? I really enjoyed Silent Scream and I can't wait to pick up Evil Games. I haven't had a chance to read through all the questions so if I am r..."

Hi Stefanie,
Thanks for the question. I think the character of Kim started to grow in my head when I was reading crime fiction. I wanted to read about a main character who was as interesting as the story and many times I was left disappointed. A lot of books wrap up their MC's issues by the time the novel is finished and I wanted a character that wasn't wrapped up so neatly as life isn't that accommodating. I think people can overcome their issues but I don't think it happens in the blink of an eye.
I want her to develop and heal gradually but still be the Kim we all know and love too. XXX

Agnieszka wrote: "I understand Kim's love for classic (or classical - which one is correct form in English?) music is due to the influence of the fourth foster family and you name at the beginning of second chapter ..."

I personally prefer contemporary music but there is the odd piece of classic(al) music that does touch me. The actual pieces she listens to are not supposed to be overly symbolic, it's more that she's trying to recreate memories from the time she had with foster family four. :-)

Jean wrote: "Angela, first, I love that Kim Stone has that tough armor, but inside, she does feel empathy. You probably can't give this away, but I'll ask anyway - could Kim possibly have a romantic relationshi..."

Hi Jean, I have no firm plans for romance with Kim as I wait to see what the story will dictate. I can say that someone she had a spark with will be returning in book 4!! I find it hard to imagine a Kim that is content and settled as that would no longer be the character in my head.
The books are intense but I think that's what I enjoy. I write at the dining table and the first draft is always long hand with pencils and pads. I tend to write early morning as I like to feel as though the world is not yet awake. And then again late at night once the world is going back to sleep.
I love to go driving to relax. I love landscapes and scenery and blowing the cobwebs away. That's my favourite refresh button :-)) X

Sean wrote: "Angela some lovely answers to some great questions.

You might be interested that our next BOTM and Q & A is our own author David !

His book is a great read called " Imperfect Strangers"

Maybe ..."

Really have enjoyed answering the questions and I will keep checking in for any more that have been added. Some really great questions too and I will be sure to take a look at Imperfect Strangers. This really is a lovely, friendly group. X

It is great to read how you fought and held your ground for the location of the area. ..."

Yeah, it sounds like something Kim would do. Speaking of which, I'm always curious how authors choose names. Why Kim. or any of the others?

Angela, I just read through all the questions and answers and they were all marvelous. Thanks for answering our questions! I found Silent Scream and Evil Games through this group, and I'm so thankful. I loved both of them (have the third pre-ordered), and will be picking up your two previous books as well.

Eight Kim books!! I'm excited!! Do you have the next five mapped out, or at least an idea of what each will entail? About how long will we have to wait between each book?

Perri wrote: "
It is great to read how you fought and held your ground for the location of the area. ..."

Yeah, it sounds like something Kim would do. Speaking of which, I'm always curious how authors choose n..."
That's a great question, actually. I think with me I knew that I wanted the name to be one syllable so it's kind of like a bullet every time it's spoken or written. Once the name comes to me my gut reacts to it either favourably or not. With Kim, as soon as the name came to me I knew it was the right one for her. I didn't want a masculine name but it couldn't be too feminine either so you've actually got me thinking about the process myself now. :-) X

Brenda wrote: "Angela, I just read through all the questions and answers and they were all marvelous. Thanks for answering our questions! I found Silent Scream and Evil Games through this group, and I'm so than..."

Hi Brenda, thank you for your fabulous comments and I am thrilled to have been asked to do this.
I don't have them all mapped out. Book 3 has just gone to editor and I'm working on book 4 and I have a good idea for book 5 but if I plan too far in advance any change that happens along the way will upset the apple cart. I like to have surprises along the way and just see how the story grows and shapes as I write it. :-)
My writing schedule is now one book every six months so delivery of book 4 is due in January for publication next Spring. X