To start out, can you please describe Without a Trace in one sentence!
Fans of Lisa Jewell will devour Without A Trace, a fast-paced domestic thriller set between Sydney and the NSW Mid North Coast, which explores one fundamental question–who in your life do you trust when the people you love most are gone?
What does your writing process look like? Do you listen to music? Start with characters or are you plot driven? Do you write in a specific place or during a certain time of day?
My nomadic lifestyle (I live between Adelaide, SA and a farm in NSW) has taught me to write anywhere and everywhere–planes, cars, libraries, loungerooms, dining room tables, bed … so long as I have my laptop, ear pods and an epic music for writers playlist, I can work. Having said that, I can also get pretty grumpy if I’m interrupted–it takes me a long while to get into my book’s headspace, so once I’m there, I want to stay there, without distractions, until my daily work count’s done. In terms of what comes first for me, it is my characters, together with a strong sense of place/setting. My plots begin as very hazy ideas; it is the characters who decide what happens–I have very little say!
Can you tell us a little bit about how you became a writer?
I was making books from scraps of paper before I began school and, as I kid, I only ever wanted to read, write stories, or self-publish my little books. After school, I studied journalism at university and every job I’ve ever had has involved a high level of written communication, including newspaper publishing, corporate communications and a stint in the South Pacific working to tell the stories of twelve different island nations. Then, in my forties, my kids left home for university, and I was made redundant, so I decided to finally chase my dream to become an author. My first manuscript was picked up off a slush pile and I signed a two-book publishing deal. I’ve never looked back. Writing thrillers makes me deeply, deliriously happy.
Why did you decide to set Without a Trace in a small town?
Small towns are ripe fodder for drama and hidden secrets. In cities, we don’t know most of the people around us, but in a small town there’s a high level of familiarity. It’s shocking and horrific enough when a stranger does something awful to us, but its ten times worse when it’s someone we know. Without a Trace is set on the Mid North Coast of NSW, which is close to home for me. I love the mix of mountains and sea, the raw elements of weather, nature and isolation that can be used to reflect the mood and inner emotions of the characters. Wuthering Heights is one of my favourite books, for its haunting and dramatic use of nature. My first novel, Between Husbands and Wives is set in the Daintree-Port Douglas region and its setting is a very strong element of the story–in fact, I came to think of it as another character in its own right.
What kind of research do you do and how long do you spend researching before you begin to write?
My books are deeply psychological in nature, which means I love exploring the human condition, our flaws and foibles. I was a newspaper journalist for many years, which taught me how to research the how, what, where, when and why quite swiftly. I tend to do my research on the fly, as the type of research I need to do depends very much on what the characters are getting up to. My research necessarily feeds out of their actions, which drive the plot. For example, I needed to research medical matters quite a lot for Without A Trace, as one of the characters, Lyla, is a doctor. Similarly, the main character, Charlotte, is a sea plane pilot, so that required aviation research. Authors owe it to our readers to create believable worlds. Readers are intelligent–they soon cotton on if we have been lazy or half-hearted in creating an authentic world. I also consult with police and ambulance contacts to fact-check where necessary.
What is the most important thing you’d like readers to take away from reading Without a Trace?
Understand that your fear is a gift. Embrace it by learning to know and trust your survival instincts. Not everything in life is always as it seems, including the people we think we know. A big part of my research for this book was a wonderful book, The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker, which was recommended to me by my brother-in-law. It is insightful reading and a book that should be essential reading for life, especially for women.
If Without a Trace was slated for a tv/movie adaptation, who do you think would play the main characters and why?
I would trust an excellent casting director to do this! Movies can disappoint because readers form a perfect picture of the world an author creates inside their imagination. I made an independent feature film in my twenties so I understand that good casting is critical–and a skill that’s now outside my area of expertise! If someone pressed me, though, Sarah Snook has the right look to play the MC, pilot Charlotte, while Rose Byrne has exactly the right comedic/dramatic edge to play peri-menopausal Moira, and Eve Hewson (U2’s Bono’s daughter, Behind Her Eyes) would nail Lyla’s cool, calm exterior.
The ending was particularly shocking, but what do you look for in a good book? What have you read and loved recently?
I love a book that pushes boundaries and shocks me; one that goes further than my imagination dares. I did take some creative risks with the ending of this book, but both of my books have had quite shocking endings, so I guess that’s something I take a bit of pleasure and pride in providing for my readers. I have always loved Quentin Tarrantino’s dark humour, so his films definitely influence my story-telling, as do the Coen Brothers. Just lately, my favourite reads have included two non-fiction books, The Widow of Walcha by crime journalist Emma Partridge and Strangers by Belle Burden, but I’ve also really enjoyed the latest novels from JP Pomare, Mercedes Mercier, Ashley Kalagian-Blunt and other local thriller writers–we have so much talent in Australia.
Finally, can you share what’s next for you?
I’m currently working on Book 3, a thriller set in Sydney’s East Balmain–yet another place I’ve called home! It’s too early for me to reveal details, as I am still wading through a very messy early draft, however rest assured my spidery senses are on high alert as I’m writing this one!
Buy a copy of Without A Trace here
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