Ideas for books come from everyday situations. It’s just a matter of taking and ordinary situation and asking “what if?” What if the next door neighbor hasn’t been seen tending to her roses for a week? What if a normally honest bank teller suddenly finds herself in a financial bind? What crime could possibly be committed in either of these situations? Once I decide on the crime, I develop the characters and then work backwards. As for my writing environment, I have a home office which is where I do all my writing, reading, research, etc. I carry a small notebook to jot down notes, but the serious writing gets done at my desk on my PC.
I found the novel to be very well researched. Did you have help from police officers or did you find all you needed online?
I’m in contact with several police detectives and forensics specialists, but I do a great deal of research on the subject matter first via the Internet and other resources. After reading several sources, I’ll touch base with the professional in the field, write the scene and then check with them again to ensure the accuracy of the information as I’ve written it. Every detail, no matter how insignificant it may seem, needs to be thoroughly examined in order to make the scene(s) believable.
Why did you choose a male protagonist vs. a female one? Is it easy getting inside the mind of a man?
There is a notable difference in the way men and women communicate, so it did take time to learn to write in a male voice. It took even longer to understand the male thought process. I’m sure this is true for any author who writes in the voice of the opposite gender. But I’ve been writing Sam Harper and getting into his head for so long now that his voice is almost second nature to me. Ironically though, when I began to write the series, I had intended for a female character to be the protagonist (the victim in one of the books). I quickly realized the story wasn’t going anywhere and that hers wasn’t the best point of view for this type of book. When I decided to develop homicide detective Sam Harper into the protagonist, the book took off.
Article comments
1 - Karin
Thank you for the interesting interview. I did like Sam's blog and I also can guess what his phone call is about.
2 - A. F. Stewart
Cool interview, great insights.
I'd love to see you tackle a romantic suspense novel; I bet it would be fantastic.
3 - Kim Smith
Great interview! I wanna have Marta and Sam on my radio show some day!
4 - Marta Stephens
Mayra,thanks so much for these great questions to consider!