Author Interview & Giveaway: Kristine Cayne

 

Curling Up by the Fire would like to welcome Kristine Cayne, author of Deadly Obsession, released January 1st, 2012.  She is here to talk about her inspiration for writing her new novel as well as give fans a few hints about the next few books she will be releasing.  

Don't forget to enter the giveaway at the end of the post!!

Interview

1) To start off, can you tell me a little bit about yourself?  How did you become interested in writing psychological thrillers?

Thank you for having me on ‘Curling Up By the Fire’ today! I’ve always loved reading and migrated towards romances sometime in my early twenties, mostly historicals. But when I encountered my first Cherry Adair T-Flac book, I knew I’d discovered a genre I wanted to write.  I love military heroes, but many authors already write about these extraordinary men and women, and do so beautifully. I decided to write about heroes and heroines from vastly different backgrounds, who have to learn to overcome and even value their differences to join forces and defeat the antagonists. I also felt it equally important to have villains with real motives, believable reasons for why they are the way they are and do the things they do. I think this is where the psychological aspects come into play. The more we understand, and perhaps even sympathize with the villain, the creepier the psychological thrill.

2) Can you tell us a little about your novel?

Deadly Obsession is the story of Nic Lamoureux, a man living what appears to be the perfect movie star life. But that perfect life is shattered by a stalker who threatens any woman close to him. When he meets photographer Lauren James, the attraction is instant—and mutual. She’s exactly the sort of woman he craves, but the stalker makes deadly clear Lauren is the competition. And the competition must be eliminated.

3) What inspired you to write Deadly Obsession?  How much research was involved in the writing?

It all started with Gerard Butler. When Phantom of the Opera came out, I was curious about this actor I’d never heard of before. I Googled him and was amazed at the number of fan sites dedicated to him. I found interviews, videos, and paparazzi photos. But what shocked me the most were the fan photos. People tracked his locations and did what they could to get pictures with him. Pictures they would then post on-line. I did some research into fan mail and learned about some of the crazy things people send to celebrities. Fans come in two main varieties: those who admire from afar, and fanatics who become obsessed. 

So, I had my idea – a movie star surrounded by fans, one or more of which becomes a stalker. The next step was figuring out who my hero was, what made him stand out from the crowd.

Writing requires so much more than most people realize, because when done right, the research doesn’t show. I researched weapons, obsessive love behaviors, stalkers and stalker types, stalking technology and stalking laws. I researched cities and settings—everything from Grauman’s Chinese Theatre to rest areas along Adirondack Northway.

4) What was your greatest challenge while writing this novel?

Once I have everything plotted, my characters created, some basic research done, it’s time to stop procrastinating and start putting words on the page. For me, getting past that first blank page is the absolute hardest part of writing.

5) In this novel, we are introduced to some very interesting and intriguing characters.  Who was the most fun to write about?  Which character presented the biggest challenge?

Nic was the most fun character to write. It was fun to “hear” his voice develop and come through as I finished the first draft. Until that point, I knew who I thought he was, but I didn’t always know how he’d react or what he’d say. The biggest challenge for me was Rachel, Nic’s younger sister. When I first wrote her, she came across sounding very young, which was not how I’d pictured her. But, it was how Nic pictured her. As the story advanced, I had to find a way to make Nic see her for the strong, independent fighter she is.

6) How much fun is it to people watch?  Should people do more of this in order to learn more about themselves?  Is there any other genre you would like to tackle?

It’s a lot of fun to people watch. I started doing this during those interminable hours spent waiting – waiting for the bus, waiting for an appointment, waiting for the kids to finish activities, etc. I’d spot some interesting looking person; I’d study his or her movements, facial expressions, and clothing. Then I’d ask myself questions – where were she from? Was he married? What type of job did she have? I could easily concoct and entire life story for my unsuspecting hero or heroine. J

 

If you do this often enough, you might discover that you associate people with certain stereotypes. If this happens, force yourself to look beyond the stereotype. You might be surprised at what you find.

I’ve started writing some short contemporary stories, and I’d love to write paranormal romance some day. But I haven’t found the right “hook” yet.

7) What are 3 things that are 'must haves' when you write? Do you have any writing rituals?

Computer: I must have a computer. I know some people who can write long-hand but I’m not one of them. I’m the opposite of a pantser. 

Plot: The blank page would remain blank forever if I didn’t have an overall plot and a scene outline before I start writing.

Mental movie: I must have the scene running in my head before I can write it. 

8) Can you share with us any projects that you are currently working on or plans for the future? What can fans expect next from you?

I’m doing final revisions on Deadly Addiction, and firming up the plot for Deadly Betrayal, which I hope to start writing as soon as Deadly Addiction is released in late March/early April. I’ve also just finished a Valentine’s Day short story, and I’m working on another short for a spring anthology.

9) Favourite authors? Role models?

I have so many favorite authors, but I’ll list the ones most pertinent to my writing: Cherry Adair, Suzanne Brockmann, JR Ward, Larissa Ione, Greg Iles, and Kathy Reichs.

10) What do you like to do when you are not writing? What is your ultimate luxury?

To be honest, my ultimate luxury is reading a good book outside on my deck when the sun is warm and shining but I’m in the shade. If you live in Florida, this might sound like an everyday occurrence. But since I live in Seattle, it can sometimes feel like an unattainable dream.

11) Is there anything else you would like to share with your readers? 

Have you ever fantasized about meeting a celebrity you fancied? Did you then ever wonder what might happen if you ever really did meet him or her? What if there was an instant attraction and both of you were free? Deadly Obsession is the story of what happens when fantasy meets reality. 

Thank you,

Stephanie

Giveaway: One lucky reader will win one ecopy of Deadly Obsession in their preferred format. 

1) Open internationally.

2) Please comment on this post, leaving your email address, in order to be entered.

3) Contest closes 11:59 pm 14 February 2012.

And if you are interested in a print giveaway, enter HERE, for a tour wide contest, open to U.S. shipping addresses only.