Jerry Maygarden

Transcription

>> THIS ORIGINAL WSRE PRESENTATION IS MADE POSSIBLE BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU. THANK YOU. >> NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLING NOVELIST ALEX KAVA AND ERICA SPINDLER, ON THIS EDITION OF CONVERSATIONS. >> HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH A BEST-SELLING SUSPENCE NOVELIST IS BOUND TO BE INTERESTING. A CONVERSATION WITH TWO AT THE SAME TIME, SHOULD BE DONNED RIGHT INTRIGUING. ON THIS EDITION OF CONVERSATIONS WE'RE PLEASED TO WELCOME ALEX KAVA AND ERICA SPINDLER. BETWEEN TWO THEY HAVE WRITTEN OVER 40 NOVELS PUBLISHED AROUND THE GLOBE. THEIR WORK EARND CRITICAL AND COMMERCIAL SUCCESS. ALEX IS KNOWN FOR HER POPULAR SERIES LIKE FIREPROOF, DAMAGED, HOT WIRE AND HE LATEST, STRANDED. ERICA SPINDLER IS KNOWN FOR HER ROMANTIC THRILLERS SUCH TITLES AS BLOOD VINES WATCH ME DIE AND BREAKNECK CAPTIVATED READERS ACROSS THE U.S. AND FOR THAT MATTER AROUND THE WORLD. HER LATE ESCAMBIA BOOK IS ENTITLED JUSTICE FOR SARA. LADIES, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. NICE TO HAVE YOU ON THE SHOW. >> THANK YOU. NICE TO BE HERE. >> I'M CURIOUS FOR BOTH OF YOU, HOW DID YOU START WRITING AS A CAREER? HOW DID IT COME ABOUT? >> AS A CAREER IT TOOK ME A WHILE. I MOST OF MY BACKGROUND IS IN MARKETING AND PR AND GRAPHIC DESIGN AND ACTUALLY I WAS A CROSS ROADS IN MY LIFE, DECIDED I DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT ANY MORE AND I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND THIS BUT I QUIT MY JOB AND SORT OF HOW I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WAS THAT I WANTED TO DO WITH THE REST OF MY LIFE, WHAT I WANTED TO DO WITH MY CAREER, I DECIDED TO WRITE A NOVEL. FORTUNATELY FOR ME, IT WORKED. I GAVE MYSELF A TIME FRAME, I TOLD MYSELF THAT IF I WASN'T PUBLISHED BY THE TIME I WAS 40 THAT I WOULD GET ON WITH THE REST OF MY LIFE, I WOULD FIND SOMETHING ELSE THAT INTERESTED ME. THAT I HAD TO MAKE A LIVING DOING. FORTUNATELY IT TOOK ME A YEAR AND A HALF TO WRITE MY FIRST NOVEL WHICH IS A PERFECT EVIL AND THEN TOOK ME ANOTHER SIX MONTHS TO FIND AN AGENT AND THEN ABOUT ANOTHER NINE MONTHS TO FIND A PUBLISHER. I SQUEAKED IN UNDER MY DEADLINE BECAUSE I WAS SIGNING ADVANCE READER COPIES AT DEA FOR MY FIRST NOVEL THREE DAYS BEFORE MY 40th BIRTHDAY. >> WOW. >> I JUST MADE THE DEADLINE BARELY. >> WHAT ABOUT YOU, ERICA, HOW DID IT HAPPEN FOR YOU? >> I LIKE TO SAY I CAUGHT THE WRITING BUG BECAUSE ALL MY LIFE I WAS GOING TO BE A VISUAL ARTIST SO THAT'S WHAT I STUDIED FOR, I TRAINED FOR, I HAVE AN MSA FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND I GOT MY DREAM JOB WHICH WAS TEACHING ART AT THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL. THEN I GOT THIS REALLY BAD SUMMER COLD AND I WENT INTO THE DRUGSTORE, THEY DROPPED A FREE NORA ROBERTS ROMANCE INTO MY SHOPPING BAG. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A HUGE READER. MY MOTHER INSTILLED THE LOVE OF READING IN ME. BUT I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT WRITING. I READ THAT BOOK, AND THEN WENT ON THIS READING FRENZY OF ROMANCES AND SOMETIME DURING THAT FRENZY I BECAME OBSESSED WITH THE IDEA OF TRYING TO WRITE ONE MYSELF. AND THE MINUTE I PUT PEN TO PAPER BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE A COMPUTER AT THAT POINT, I HAD TO BECOME A PUBLISHED AUTHOR. I WAS LITERALLY OBSESSED WITH IT. MY FAMILY THOUGHT I HAD LOST MY MIND. YOUR WHOLE LIFE TO BE AN ARTIST, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? SO I PURSUEDED IT UNTIL I GOT PUB PLIED AND NEVER LOOKED BACK. >> AS A CHILD GROWING UP, DID YOU WRITE? >> I DID. I HID MY STUFF AND I WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN ERICA. I DIDN'T TELL MY FAMILY, WHEN I WAS WRITING THE NOVEL I DIDN'T TELL MY FAMILY AND THEY THOUGHT I HAD GONE OFF THE EDGE A BIT BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE A JOB, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? I WAS DELIVERING NEWSPAPERS IN DOWNTOWN OMAHA AND TEACHING PART TIME WHILE I WAS DOING THIS SO I REALLY DO THINK MY FAMILY THOUGHT I HAD LOST IT. BUT THAT WAS SAFER FOR ME TO NOT TELL AND HAVE THEM BELIEVING THAT I'M DOING THE NEWSPAPER ROUTE AND I'M TEACHING PART TIME AND THAT I HAVE LOST MY MIND. THAT WAS SAFER THAN TELLING THEM THAT I WAS WRITING A NOVEL. BUT I DID WRITE WHEN I WAS A KID. DID YOU WRITE A LOT WHEN YOU WERE A KID? >> I DIDN'T, WHAT'S FUNNY IS I HAVE A MEMORY OF WRITING A A LITTLE SUSPENCE STORY. I WAS LIKE A FIFTH GRADER. AND I WROTE A STORY ABOUT A WOMAN WHOSE HUSBAND WAS TRYING TO KILL HER. WHICH IS SO FUNNY AND STICKS SO MUCH IN MY MIND. I WAS MASSIVELY CLEVER BECAUSE THIS IS HOW WE DID IT. THEY LIVED ON TOP OF HILL AND HE PUT A STONE UNDERNEATH HER BRAKE PEDAL IN THE CAR SO WHEN SHE'S GOING DOWN THE MOUNTAINSIDE SHE DIED. BUT THAT'S THE DARK -- THAT'S THE FIFTH GRADER. [LAUGHTER] >> OBVIOUSLY YOU HAD A WILD IMAGINATION EVEN THEN. AS A YOUNGSTER. >> I USED TO WRITE STORIES WHEN -- I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS AS YOUNG AS 11, 12, 13, AND I WOULD WRITE THEM ON THE BACK -- I GREW UP IN THE COUNTRY SO WE WOULD -- MY MOM WOULD GET THOSE CO-ON GRAIN CALENDARS THAT HAD A PAGE FOR EVERY WEEK AND SHE WOULD GIVE ME THE OLD ONES AND ON THE BACK WAS A NICE FRESH PAGE TO WRITE ON. AND NOBODY WOULD CARE THAT I DID WHAT I DID WITH THOSE. SO I WOULD TAKE THOSE FROM HER AND WRITE ON THE CO-ON GRAIN CALENDAR, I WOULD WRITE THE SHORT STORIES AN HIDE THEM UNDER DO BESOMED NOBODY KNEW WHAT I WAS DOING. >> THAT IS SO NEAT. WHY THE PARTICULAR GENRE? WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THAT GENRE TO WRITE ABOUT? >> I DIDN'T CHOOSE IT. IT SORT OF -- THE VERY FIRST BOOK I WROTE, A PERFECT EVIL, WAS ABOUT A CASE THAT HAPPENED IN NEBRASKA. AND I HAD -- HAPPENED TO WORK AT A SMALL NEWSPAPER WHEN THAT WAS GOING ON, IT WAS AN AIR FORCE PERSON WHO ENDED UP CELLING TWO LITTLE BOYS TAKING -- KILLING TWO LITTLE BOYS. 13 YEARS LATER WHEN I DECIDED TO MY JOB AND WRITE A NOVEL, THAT WAS THE SUMMER JOHN JUBERT WAS BEING EXECUTED. WHAT I REMEMBERED ABOUT THAT ORIGINAL STORY WAS NOT THE MURDERS SO MUCH AS THE FEELING OF GOING TO WORK, BECAUSE IT WAS A COMMUNITY JUST OUTSIDE OF OMAHA. AND IT WAS THE COMMUNITY THAT I WORKED AT THE NEWSPAPER. ONE OF THE SMALL BEDROOM COMMUNITIES WHERE PEOPLE DON'T LOCK THEIR DOORS AND ALL OF A U.S. ENTHEY WEREN'T LOCKING THEM THEY'RE BOLTING THEM AND WALKING THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL. I REMEMBERED THOSE FEELINGS OF FEAR AND THE FEAR BEING HUGE ENOUGH TO AFFECT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED WHAT I WANTED TO WRITE A NOVEL ABOUT, HOW IT TRANSFORMS PEOPLE AND HOW IT TRANSFORMS COMMUNITIES. AND SHORTLY AFTER PERFECT EVIL CAME OUT A REVIEWER KAWL MED THE NEWEST SERIAL KILLER LADY. I HAD TO INTRODUCE A CHARACTER MAGGGIE O DELL IN THAT BOOK. PUBLISHERS LOVED THE SERIES. READERS LOVED THAT CHARACTER. SO A LOT OF WHAT I HAVE DONE HAS BEEN ACCIDENTAL. >> HOW DID THE MAGGIE CHARGE COME ABOUT? HOW DID YOU FORMULATE? >> I DIDN'T. I DIDN'T EVEN READ SERIES NOVELS TOO MUCH BEFORE THEN. SHE COMES IN TO THAT FIRST NOVEL AT CHAPTER 7 SO SHE WAS NEVER INTENDED TO BE A SERIES CHARACTER. BUT AGAIN, READERS REALLY KIND OF ATTACH TO HER AND THE PUBLISHER WANTED A FOLLOW-UP BOOK. I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT. I HANDED IN AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT BOOK AND THEY SAID NO, WE HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER MAGGIE ODELL. OKAY I'LL GIVE THEM ANOTHER ONE THEN THEY WANT AD THIRD AND A FOURTH. I FOUND HER QUITE ANNOYING. I DIDN'T CONNECT WITH HER AT ALL. I JUST FEET FELT LIKE I WAS BEING FORCED TO WRITE ABOUT THIS PERSON THAT I DIDN'T EVEN LIKE A LOT. BUT READERS, YOU GOT TO GIVE THE READERS WHAT THEY WANT SO I KEPT DOING THAT. I STARTED TO -- SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE WE CHANGED FROM ADVERSARIES TO FRIENDS AND IT'S WORKED. AND I REALLY OWE MAGGIE ODEHL A DEBT BUT IT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT I PLANNED AT ALL. >> ERICA HOW DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR GENRE? >> IT CHOSE ME, I THINK. I WROTE SEVERAL ROMANCES AND THEN KIND OF WROTE A BIG CINDERELLA STORY RAGS TO RICHES TYPE NOVEL THEN IT WAS TIME TO COME ONE ANOTHER STORY IDEA. I JUST HAPPENED TO PUT IT -- IT WAS SET IN NEW ORLEANS, A BIG FAMILY MELLOW DRAMA BUT THE MAIN HERO WAS A HOMICIDE DETECTIVE CHASING A SERIAL KILLER IN NEW ORLEANS. WHEN I WAS WRITING THIS PART FOR THE STORY, I JUST LOVED IT. I MEAN, IT JUST FELT LIKE THE STORY WAS WRITING ITSELF. SO THE NEXT STORY IDEA I CAME UP WITH, THAT WAS SO MUCH FUN, I LOVED IT SO MUCH, THEN I'M GOING TO DO MORE THEN DID MORE AND MORE: SO NOW MY BOOKS ARE SUSPENCERS OR THRILLER STORY MYSTERIES, WITH SOME ROMANCE THROWN IN. >> INTERESTING. AND THIS IS A QUESTION FOR BOTH OF YOU. IS WRITING HARD FOR YOU OR DOES IT COME EASY? >> IT'S HARD FOR ME. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS AT ONE OF OUR EVENTS BECAUSE I LOVED TO DO THE RESEARCH AND THE WRITING IS THE HARD PART FOR ME. AND OFTENTIMES I HAVE TO TELL MYSELF OKAY, YOU HAVE TO STOP RESEARCHING NOW AND YOU HAVE TO SIT DOWN AND WRITE THE BOOK. I HAVE NEVER EVER FELT LIKE I WAS A PROCESS THAT WORKS. I DO IT DIFFERENT ALMOST EVERY BOOK, NOW I FINALLY HAVE GOTTEN TO THE POINT I FILL NOTEBOOKS. I HAVE THE STORY COMES IN BITS AND PIECES. IF I HEAR DIALOGUE OR VOICES I WRITE THAT DOWN. IF I GET AN IDEA FOR A CHAPTER I WILL WRITE THAT DOWN. BECAUSE IT USED TO BE I WOULD EXPECT THAT WHEN I GET TO THAT PART IN THE NOVEL CHRONOLOGICALLY THAT I WOULD JUST REMEMBER IT AND I DON'T REMEMBER THAT ALWAYS. SO MY WHOLE PROCESS HAS REALLY, REALLY CHANGED BUT THE WRITING PART OF IT IS STILL VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME. IT'S A LITTLE BIT'IER, SOUNDS CRAZY, BUT I WRITE A LOT BETTER IN LONG HAND. >> REALLY. >> THE STORY TELLS ITSELF DIFFERENTLY. IT'S JUST A WHOLE DIFFERENT PROCESS. IT'S EXKEUSCHIATING FOR -- EXCRUCIATING FOR ME TO TELL A STORE I RON THE LAPTOP, I OFTENTIMES WRITE CHAPTERS AN CHAPTERS IN LONG HAND AND HAVE TO KEY THEM IN. IT WORKS BECAUSE THEN I DO MY EDITING THAT WAY THOUGH TOO. BUT THE RESEARCH IS THE FUN STUFF AND NOW ERICA IS GOING TO SAY THE EXACT OPPOSITE. >> I DON'T LIKE RESEARCH. I LIKE THE WRITING. A LOT OF TIMES I'M DOING THE RESEARCH AND I'M JUST LIKE I CAN'T WAIT TO GET TO THE WRITING. I GET THE MINIMUM DONE AND THEN I'M FINDING OUT INFORMATION AS I GO TOO. BECAUSE I HAVE GOT TO START THAT WRITING. >> WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE WRITING THAT YOU LIKE? >> WHAT DO I LIKE ABOUT IT? I LIKE THE MAGIC OF THE PROCESS. MY HUSBAND TOLD ME ONCE, PEOPLE DON'T WANT -- WANT YOU TO SAY IT'S MAGIC BUT IT FEELS LIKE MAGIC BECAUSE IT'S JUST LIKE THESE CHARACTERS START TALKENING YOUR HEAD. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PERSONALITIES. YOU DON'T PLAN THIS STUFF, IT'S LIKE I THINK YOU WOULD AGREE. IT'S LIKE I HAVEN'T THOUGHT OF THIS STUFF AHEAD, IT JUST HAPPENS, THE CHARACTERS TAKE OVER. AND THAT IS LIKE MAGIC. >> WHEN IT'S GOOD, THAT'S TRUE. THINGS HAPPEN. >> YOU HAVE TO ADMIT A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLOT TWISTS OR THINGS THAT YOU GO AWAY FROM SAYING WOW, THAT'S REALLY STRONG, THAT'S -- CHANCES ARE IT WASN'T SOMETHING YOU PLANNED AHEAD OF TIME, IT WAS SOMETHING YOU CAME UPON OR STUMBLED UPON OR CHARACTER TOOK YOU TO. IT ALMOST SOUNDS SPOOKY WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO TELL PEOPLE ABOUT THE WRITING PROCESS. BUT THAT'S WHEN YOU KNOW THAT IT'S GOOD WHEN THE CHARACTERS AND THE STORY REVEAL THINGS TO YOU THAT YOU DIDN'T EXPECT. >> WHEN IT'S NOT DOING THAT, YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE JUST NOT INTO THE STORY YET. YOU'RE NOT THERE YET OR THERE'S SOMETHING NOT WORKING IN THE STORY. >> HOW DO YOU OVERCOME THAT WHEN THAT HAPPEN? >> SHOP. >> CHOCOLATE. [LAUGHTER] >> WINE. >> YOU DO HAVE TO GO AWAY FROM IT SOMETIMES. BUT A LOT OF TIMES BEING A WRITER IS OUR PROFESSION SO PEOPLE TALK ABOUT GETTING WRITERS BLOCK, WAITING FOR THE INSPIRATION. WHEN YOU PUT OUT A BOOK A YEAR YOU DON'T HAVE LUXURY. YOU HAVE TO MEET THE DEADLINE, YOU HAVE TO DO IT SO OFTENTIMES I'LL WRITE AND WRITE AND WRITE AND OFTEN TIMES IT'S CRAP BUT I END UP HAVING TO THROW IT AWAY. BUT SOMETIMES THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO GET THAT GOING. >> STILL IN THE GAME. >> EXACTLY. OR BACKWARDS TOO. >> LET YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS COME TO YOU AND BRING IT TO YOU. >> WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR IDEAS FOR BOOKS? >> GOSH, I GET MINE FROM A LOT OF TIMES JUST FROM THE NEWS. I'M KIND OF A NEWS JUNKY. HEADLINES SOMETHING THAT CATCHES MY ATTENTION THAT I WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT. YOU'RE THE SAME WAY TOO. SOMETHING THAT CATCH MY ATTENTION AND I'M DRAWN TO IT. AND I HAVE GOT TO FIND OUT MORE. BECAUSE THERE REAL LIFE IS STRANGER THAN FICTION. I COULDN'T DREAM OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I READ ABOUT IN THE NEWS. THAT'S USUALLY WHERE I GET MY IDEAS. >> I GET MY IDEAS FROM THE NEWS, I'M A TRIAL JUNKY SO JUSTICE FOR SARA WAS INSPIRED BY THE CASEY ANTHONY TRIAL AND AMANDA KNOX TRIAL AND THE FACT THEY WERE BOTH TRIED ON CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE. BUT I ALSO HAVE WHAT I CALL THE DARK GIFT. WHAT THAT IS SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN IN MY LIFE AND I HAVE LIKE THIS THING WHERE IN MY MIND I SPIN IT OUT TO THE WORST POSSIBLE CASE SCENARIO. I HAVE BEEN DOING IT ALL MY LIFE. I NEVER REALLY REALIZED IT UNTIL 10, 11 YEARS AGO. I WAS LIKE WHY DO I DO THAT? IT'S LIKE WE WERE RENOVATEING A HOUSE IN NEW ORLEANS, MY HUSBAND AND I AND HE WAS STANDING ON A PLATFORM WITH A BOARD OVER HIS HEAD AND HE WAS HAMMERING. I'M STANDING THERE, IN MY MIND I SEE HIM LOSING GRIP ON THE BOARD, HITTING THE HEAD, BLOOD FLYING HEARING THE SCREAM. LIKE THIS THICK MAYS OUT IN MY HEAD. SO I CALL THAT MY DARK GIFT. THAT'S MEETINGS IN COFFEE SHOP, A LETTER FROM A FAN WHO CLAIMED TO BE A 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL, BOTH OF THOSE THINGS HAVE SPARKED STORIES. >> SO THAT'S THE BIG STORY. TALK TO ME ABOUT CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. HOW DO YOU GET THE NUANCE OF THE CHARACTER? >> THAT'S A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT. I FOUND THAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT THINGS ABOUT GETTING TO KNOW MAGGIE. WHEN I WROTE THAT FIRST BOOK, I DIDN'T INTEND FOR IT TO BE A SERIES CHARACTER, I KNEW LITTLE ABOUT HER. I PUT HER THROUGH CONFRONTATIONAL THINGS, I WOULDN'T HAVE GIVEN HER AN ALCOHOLIC SUICIDEAL MOTHER SHE HAS TO DEAL WITH ALL THE TIME NOW. I PUT HER THROUGH A DIVORCE THAT I ENDED UP HAVING TO GO THROUGH IT WITH HER AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE IF IT WAS A ONE BOOK THING. NOT KNOWING THINGS SOMETIMES HELPS TOO BECAUSE I HAVE HAD TO GET TO KNOW MAGGIE WITH MY READERS TOO. PEOPLE SAY HOW IS IT WRITE SOMETHING THIS IS THE 11th MAGGIE. IT DOESN'T FEEL THAT WAY BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE I'M STILL GETTING READY TO KNOW HER. IN THAT SENSE YOU HAVE TO FEEL LIKE YOUR CHARACTERS ARE STILL LIVING BREATHING PEOPLE THAT CHANGE AND HAVE NEW CONFLICTS AND YOU CAN'T CATEGORIZE AND YOU CAN'T SAY OKAY THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS TICK AND THIS LITTLE THING AND THIS MANNERISM, THEY HAVE BEEN TO BE CONSTRAINTLY CHANGING AND SURPRISING YOU. -- CONSTANTLY CHANGING AND SURPRISING YOU. >> PEOPLE ARE DEFINED BY DREAMS TOO. WHAT MOTIVATING -- WHAT MOTIVATES THEM TOO. SOMETIMES YOU THINK JUST THE WAY THINK LOOK, THE WAY THEY DRESS, THOSE SMALL THINGS ADD UP BUT YOU'RE DEFINED BY YOUR CHILDHOOD, FASCINATED WITH BIRTH ORDER AND HOW THAT CREATES CHARACTER. BUT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT, THE -- HOW THE CHARACTER OR WHAT MOTIVATES THE CHARACTER TO DO WHAT THEY DO, DON'T YOU THINK? >> THAT'S VERY TRUE TOO. THAT'S ONE THING I FOUND ABOUT MAGGIE BY THROWING HER INTO SITUATIONS AND SEE WHAT SHE'S MADE OF, HOW SHE'LL REACT TO A SITUATION. IN 2010 I THROUGH HER INTO THE MIDDLE OF A HURRICANE DOWN HERE IN THE PENSACOLA AREA, BECAUSE HI HAD GONE THROUGH IT AND NOW I WANT TO SEE WHAT SHE IS -- WHAT IS MAGGIE GOING TO DO IN THE MID OF A HURRICANE. SO IT'S TRUE, IT'S ABOUT WHAT THE CHARACTER PRESENT WHEN YOU ARE THROWING DIFFERENT THINGS AT THEM TOO. >> THE NAME OF THE BOOK WAS? >> DAMAGED. >> DAMAGED. HOW DID SHE REACT TO THE HURRICANE? >> IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE SHE WAS WITH ONE OF THE DEPUTY DIRECTORS AT THE COFFEE CUP TALKING TO HIM ABOUT IT AND HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE PLANS FOR IT AND HE HAD BROUGHT HER DOWN FOR ANOTHER CASE AND HE WAS APOLOGIZING THAT THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE TO WEATHER OUT THE STORM. SHE SAID HOW BAD CAN ONE STORM BE? [LAUGHTER] >> THERE YOU GO. >> SHE FOUND OUT. >> HURRICANE IVAN, WHICH WAS -- HAD A HUGE EFFECT ON THE FLORIDA GULF COAST AND THE SOUTH ALABAMA COAST. CERTAINLY EVERYONE REMEMBERS THAT. DO YOU EVER MEET SOMEONE OR BECOME FRIENDS WITH SOMEONE AND YOU SAY I'M GOING TO MAKE THAT PERSON A CHARACTER IN MY BOOK OR THAT PERSON WOULD BE A GOOD CHARACTER IN ONE OF MY BOOKS, DOES THAT EVER HAPPEN? >> ALWAYS. >> I WAS GOING TO SAY NOT SO MUCH. I THINK I USE BITS AN PIECES OF PEOPLE. I DON'T KNOW THAT I EVER REALLY PLUCKED SOMEBODY FROM REAL LIFE AND PUT THEM DOWN, I TAKE THAT BACK. THERE WAS SOMEBODY IN DAMAGED. THAT I DO THAT WITH. WALTER BAILEY IS BASED ON A REAL PERSON IN DAMAGED. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE ACTUALLY TAKEN A REAL LIFE PERSON AND PLUCKED THEM INTO -- OUT OF REAL LIFE AND DROPPED THEM INTO A NOVEL. >> DOES THAT PERSON KNOW HE'S -- >> HE'S SINCE GONE BUT HE'S BASED ON WALTER CARLIN WHO WAS -- CAME DOWN HERE FROM PHILADELPHIA TO GO TO FLIGHT SCHOOL, WAS IN THE NAVY FOR YEARS, WAS A COMMANDER AND HE AND HIS WIFE LIVED HERE UNTIL 2008. >> OKAY. >> BUT YOU HAVE CHARACTERS THAT YOU -- I WAS THINKING OF YOUR COFFEE HOUSE GUY. >> OH, THE REAL -- >> REAL LIFE KILLER. >> RIGHT. THE REAL LIFE KILLER. >> I HAD AN INCIDENT IN A COFFEE HOUSE WHERE I CALL IT MY WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING. THIS REALLY NICE YOUNG MAN WE BOTH I WRITE IN THE COFFEE HOUSE MOSTLY AND I SAID THE WRONG THING AND HE IN THE MOST GENTLEMANLY LOW KEY WAY WENT OFF OF ME AND HE HAD A PICTURE OF HIMSELF WITH ARMY FATIGUES AND AK 47 AND SAID HE WOULD LIKE TO BLOW ALL THE VOLKSWAGEN TREE HUGGING PEOPLE OFF THE FACE OF THE PLANET AND HIS PROFILE WAS SIMILAR OR THE SAME AS TIMOTHY MCVEIGH, THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBER SO REALLY SCARED ME TO DEATH. THAT'S THE KIND OF IDEA SOMETIMES THAT I'LL BE LIKE WHAT SCARES ME? WHAT SCARED ME ABOUT SITTING THERE WITH HIM AND HIM GOING OFF THAT WAY? NEXT TIME I WENT TO THE COFFEE HOUSE, HE WAS THERE BUT HE WOULDN'T MEET MY EYES. I REALIZED THAT HE KNEW HE HAD REVEALED HIMSELF TO ME. AND IT WAS THAT THAT I WANTED TO WRITE ABOUT, I WANTEDDED TO WRITE ABOUT THAT WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING. THAT'S A FAMILIAR THEME IN MY BOOKS. IT'S -- TO ME THAT'S SO SCARY BECAUSE WE GO THROUGH EVERY DAY AND EVERYBODY IS JUST LIKE US, RIGHT? WE ALL HAVE THE SAME MORAL VALUES, THE SAME SENSE OF WHAT'S RIGHT AND WRONG BUT THERE IS THAT WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING. >> BOTH OF YOU, THE TYPE OF WRITING YOU DO, OBVIOUSLY VERY INTERESTING CHARACTERS AND CRIMINAL ELEMENT I GUESS LACK OF BETTER DESCRIPTION. WHY DO YOU THINK PEOPLE ARE THAT WAY? WHAT DRIVES PEOPLE OFF THAT -- >> THAT'S WHAT'S SO FASCINATING. THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT FASCINATES ME ABOUT WRITING IN THE GENRE, WHAT MOTIVATES PEOPLE TO DO WHAT THEY DO. DO YOU AGREE? >> I DON'T KNOW IF I KNOW. IT'S A VARIETY OF THINGS, MY CHARACTER MAGGIE ODELL AT SOME POINT I THINK I HAVE HER SAYING AT A CERTAIN DEGREE IT'S SIMPLY THAT EVIL EXISTS IN THE WORLD AND EVERY ONE OF US HAS THE CAPABILITY OF COMMITTING EVIL ACTS BUT WHAT PREVENTS THE GOOD PEOPLE FROM NOT? AND THE OTHER PEOPLE FROM IS KIND OF THAT FINE LINE. >> RIGHT. >> WHAT CAUSES SOME PEOPLE TO HAVE THE BREAKS TO STOP IT AND OTHERS NOT TO. TO REACT TO THINGS OTHER PEEP REACT TO. IF YOU LOOK AT SERIAL KILLERS A LOT OF THEM HAVE SIBLINGS AND THEY'RE NOT SERIAL KILLERS SO IF IT'S GENETICS THEN THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE BUT IF IT'S ENVIRONMENT THEY BOTH HAVE THE SAME GROWING UP DYSFUNCTIONAL WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE ENVIRONMENT, THEIR SIBLINGS DIDN'T REACT TO THAT ENVIRONMENT IN THE SAME WAY. SO IT'S KIND OF A DIFFICULT QUESTION, A TOUGH ONE TO ANSWER, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY HAS THAT ANSWER. >> THE PSYCHOLOGY OF A SOCIOPATH, THEY DO NOT FEEL EMPATHY THAT OTHER PEOPLE DON'T HAVE ANY VALUE TO THEM. WHAT CAUSES THAT, IT'S WHAT THEY WANT, IT'S ALL ABOUT THEM. >> INTERESTING. WOULD EITHER OF YOU SEE YOURSELF WRITING SOMETHING OUTSIDE OF YOUR CURRENT GENRE? >> I THINK SO. WHEN I WROTE WHITEWASH, WHICH IS ALSO BASED HERE IN THE PENSACOLA AREA, AND THE TALLAHASSEE AREA, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. IT WAS STILL MURDER BUT IT WAS MURDER AND GREED AND MORE OF A POLITICAL THRILLER. SO I HAD A GOOD TIME WRITING THAT ONE. IT WAS VERY DIFFERENT. AND I THINK BOTH OF US HAVE IDEAS ALL THE TIME THAT ARE OUTSIDE AND WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. SOMETIMES WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO DO A BOOK A YEAR, YOU DON'T HAVE THAT LUXURY TO GO OFF AND WRITE OTHER THINGS. YOU WANT TO GIVE YOUR READERS WHAT THEY WANT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME YOU LOVE TO GO OUT AND DO ALL KINDS OF OTHER THINGS TOO. >> EXACTLY. >> I KNOW YOUR FANS THEY HAVE TO ABSOLUTELY ADMIRE YOUR WORK, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY BOTH OF YOU SOLD A LOT OF BOOKS BUT I'M CURIOUS, WHO DO YOU ADMIRE? WHO DO YOU LIKE TO READ? >> I LIKE TO READ ALEX KAVA. [LAUGHTER] >> ONE OF THE AUTHORS I DO READ. IN FACT, ERICA AND I WERE WITH THE SAME PUBLISHING HOUSE FOR A WHILE. SHE HAD BEEN WITH THEM FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND THEY WERE MY FIRST PUBLISHERS AND I WAS TICKLED TO HAVE A PUBLISHING CONTRACT. SO I HAD GOT A BOX OF BOOKS FROM THEM SHOWING ME THE AUTHORS THEY REPRESENTED AND ERICA WAS THE ONLY AUTHOR THAT I RECOGNIZED IN THE BOX. SO HER BOOK SHOCKING STINK HAS BEEN ONE OF MY FAVORITE BECAUSE THAT WAS MY FIRST BOOK THAT I READ THAT I KNEW I WAS GOING TO BE AN AUTHOR LIKE HER. I READ ACROSS THE BOARD, I DO READ A LOT OF THE COMPETITION SO I READ KAREN SLAUGHTER, I READILY IS A GARDENER, J.T. HE WILY SON HAS WRITTEN WITH ERICA AND I AND I LOVE HER CHARACTERS AND HER BOOKS. JAMES ROLL LYNN, LEE CHILD, I READ QUITE A BIT IN THIS PARTICULAR GENRE. >> YOU HAVE TO KEEP UP. >> THAT TOO. >> YOU DO. YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE COMPETITION DOING. >> EXACTLY. >> IT TAKES SOME OF THE FUN OUT OF IT. >> IT DOES. IT DOES. BUT I AM A HUGE READER AND I LOVE TO READ. AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND AUTHOR WHOSE SAY NOW THAT THEY'RE AUTHORS THEY DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ. IT'S LIKE BEING A CHEF, NOW THAT YOU'RE A CHEF YOU DON'T GET TO EAT GOURMET FOOD. BUT I'M A VERY, VERY SLOW READER. SO IT TAKES ME A LITTLE BIT LONGER BUT I ALWAYS HAVE A BOOK GOING. >> HAVE EITHER OF YOU HAD YOUR BOOKS MADE INTO MOVIE OR TELEVISION OR IS THAT SOMETHING YOU EVEN WANT? >> IT'S BUCKET LIST FOR ME. >> I HAD A COUPLE OF CLOSE CALLS. BUT NOTHING SOLID ENOUGH. THAT'S KIND OF ONE OF THOSE ELUSIVE THINGS BECAUSE YOU HAVE ALL THE TIME THERE ARE PEOPLE ASKING BUT IT TAKES SOMETHING MORE TO PUSH TO IT THE EDGE. I HAVE GOT TON THE POINT TOO WHERE I'M NOT SURE I WANT TO LET GO OF MAGGIE TO HOLLYWOOD BEFORE I FINISH WITH HER BECAUSE I LIKE THE IDEA OF PEOPLE NOT HAVING AN ACTRESS IN THEIR HEAD. THAT'S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THE READING EXPERIENCE IS EVERYBODY BRINGS THEIR OWN PERCEPTIONS OF WHO THE CHARACTERS ARE. BUT ONE YOU HAVE HOLLYWOOD DO IT, IF IT'S GREAT IT'S GREAT. BUT IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NOT -- >> THERE WAS A JOKE GOING AROUND FACEBOOK AND IT'S DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS MOVIE. >> PERFECT. >> SOMETIMES -- THEY CUT OUT ALL THE GOOD STUFF. I STILL LIKE TO HAVE ONE MADE TO A MOVIE OR TV SHOW. Q. IT'S WOULD BE FUN. >> I'M SHORT ON TIME, A MINUTE LEFT. WHAT'S THE FUTURE HOLD? MORE BOOKS? >> NOW WE'RE SPEECHLESS. >> I HOPE SO. YOU HAVE WRITTEN MORE THAN I HAVE BUT I'M JUST SORT OF HITTING MY STRIDE. >> THAT'S WONDERFUL. ERICA SPINDLER, JUSTICE FOR SAY R. IN TEN SECONDS WHAT IS IT ABOUT? >> AT THIS TIME'S ABOUT A WOMAN WHOSE SISTER WAS BRUTALLY MURDERED AND SHE WAS CHARGED AND TRIED AND ACQUITTED. BUT EVERYBODY THINKS SHE DID IT. SO IT'S TEN YEARS LATER AND SHE'S BACK TO FIND JUSTICE FOR HER SISTER SARA. >> ALEX KAVA, HER BOOK ENTITLED STRANDED. IN TEN SECONDS. >> STRANDED, MAGGIE ODELL IS HUNTING A SERIAL KILLER WHO GETS A SUPPLY OF VICTIMS FROM REST AREAS AND TRUCK TRUCK STOPS. SOMETHING WE CAN ALL RELATE TO. >> YES INDEED. >> SHE ENDS UP BECOMING ALMOST A -- HUNTED IN HER OWN WAY TOO. >> LADIES, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. IT WAS A REAL PLEASURE. BY THE WAY, YOU CAN KEEP UP WITH ALEX AN ERICA ON THEIR RESPECTIVE WEB SITES ALEXKAVA.COM AND ERICA ERICASPINDLER.COM. YOU CAN FOLLOW ON LINE WSRE.ORG/CONVERSATIONS. I'M JEFF WEEKS. THANK YOU FOR WATCHING. TAKE GREAT CARE OF YOURSELF AND WE'LL SEE YOU SOON. [CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY WSRE-TV AND COASTAL CAPTIONING] >> SUPPORT FOR THIS PROGRAM IS PROVIDED IN PART BY THESE CORPORATE SPONSORS. AND BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.