Please Welcome Author HILARY DAVIDSON!

[becke_davis]

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hdNYC wrote:

I just finished writing the third book with Lily last month! When I was writing THE DAMAGE DONE, I had ideas for three books with Lily... but I didn't know if anyone would want to read one, let alone three! I feel very lucky that my publisher, Forge, went for the idea. Each book has a separate, self-contained story, but the books follow Lily over he space of a few months, and she changes a lot in that time. I'm planning to write more books with Lily in the future, but my fourth novel will actually be a standalone. In a way, that's very exciting, and in another, it's a bit scary. I know Lily and her world so well, and I wonder if I'll get into another main character's head the same way. I guess I'll find out!

Hilary

Hilary Davidson

www.hilarydavidson.com

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I'm glad you're not finished with Lily, but I'm intrigued about the standalone. Can you tell us anything about it yet?

[eadieburke]

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hdNYC wrote:

I just finished writing the third book with Lily last month! When I was writing THE DAMAGE DONE, I had ideas for three books with Lily... but I didn't know if anyone would want to read one, let alone three! I feel very lucky that my publisher, Forge, went for the idea. Each book has a separate, self-contained story, but the books follow Lily over he space of a few months, and she changes a lot in that time. I'm planning to write more books with Lily in the future, but my fourth novel will actually be a standalone. In a way, that's very exciting, and in another, it's a bit scary. I know Lily and her world so well, and I wonder if I'll get into another main character's head the same way. I guess I'll find out!

Hilary

Hilary Davidson

www.hilarydavidson.com

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Hilary: Go for it! I'm sure you'll do a great job with your stand alone! Can't get too comfortable if you want to grow!

[hdNYC]

Thanks, Becke and Eadie! I'm thrilled that you're interested in the standaone. I love writing about Lily, but I also love the idea of exploring new characters and challenges. I'll start writing the book when I get back from the book tour for THE NEXT ONE TO FALL, but I can tell you the premise. It opens with a woman coming out of a coma, discovering that she's been in a car wreck and that her husband, a scientist who worked for the governement, is dead. The woman's memory is mostly intact, but she can't remember the day of the accident. When she discovers that her husband's office was ransacked and their home was broken into, she realizes that the car wreck was no accident, and that someone wanted him dead.

I'm one of those seat-of-the-pants writers who can't seem to outline and who just follows the characters and the story wherever they go, so it's hard to say more than that. I change my mind about a lot of things as I write a book!

Hilary 

Hilary Davidson

www.hilarydavidson.com

[eadieburke]

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hdNYC wrote:

Thanks, Becke and Eadie! I'm thrilled that you're interested in the standaone. I love writing about Lily, but I also love the idea of exploring new characters and challenges. I'll start writing the book when I get back from the book tour for THE NEXT ONE TO FALL, but I can tell you the premise. It opens with a woman coming out of a coma, discovering that she's been in a car wreck and that her husband, a scientist who worked for the governement, is dead. The woman's memory is mostly intact, but she can't remember the day of the accident. When she discovers that her husband's office was ransacked and their home was broken into, she realizes that the car wreck was no accident, and that someone wanted him dead.

I'm one of those seat-of-the-pants writers who can't seem to outline and who just follows the characters and the story wherever they go, so it's hard to say more than that. I change my mind about a lot of things as I write a book!

Hilary 

Hilary Davidson

www.hilarydavidson.com

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Sounds like the start of a good book to me! We hear that from alot of authors that they can't force the characters to do something or act someway if they don't want to. Whatever you are doing now, keep doing because it seems to be working for you! 

[becke_davis]

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hdNYC wrote:

Thanks, Becke and Eadie! I'm thrilled that you're interested in the standaone. I love writing about Lily, but I also love the idea of exploring new characters and challenges. I'll start writing the book when I get back from the book tour for THE NEXT ONE TO FALL, but I can tell you the premise. It opens with a woman coming out of a coma, discovering that she's been in a car wreck and that her husband, a scientist who worked for the governement, is dead. The woman's memory is mostly intact, but she can't remember the day of the accident. When she discovers that her husband's office was ransacked and their home was broken into, she realizes that the car wreck was no accident, and that someone wanted him dead.

I'm one of those seat-of-the-pants writers who can't seem to outline and who just follows the characters and the story wherever they go, so it's hard to say more than that. I change my mind about a lot of things as I write a book!

Hilary 

Hilary Davidson

www.hilarydavidson.com

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Oooh - come back when you write it! It's definitely a story I'd love to read!

[becke_davis]

Hilary - What were the books that first got you interested in mysteries?

[Fricka]

Welcome, Hilary. I think it is very interesting that you write travel books besides your mystery novels, as your name is the same as Sir Edmund Hilary, who is famoous for having climbed Everest. Did your mom or dad name you after him?

You already answered one of my other questions, which was whether you use any of the material you get in your travels, in your mystery writing.

P.S. Congratulations on winning the Anthony Award!

[hdNYC]

Books that first got me interested in mysteries? That would definitely be the Nancy Drew series. My grandmother started giving me the books when I was about seven, and I absolutely loved them. Sometimes I call Nancy Drew the "gateway drug" to mystery, because so many writers I know first got hooked on those books! I remember reading some of the Hardy Boys books as well, but I loved the Nancy Drew ones best.

After Nancy Drew, my next big influence was Agatha Christie. I discovered her books in the library of my elementary school, and she became my favorite author. When I was in high school, I kept reading mysteries and discovered Robert B. Parker, Sara Paretsky, and Walter Mosley, all of whom I love. In college, I discovered Patricia Highsmith, Jim Thompson and Donald Westlake. My taste in books runs the gamut from humorous mysteries to psychological thrillers.

I'd also say I've been influenced by movies I've watched. My grandmother's favorite actress was Barbara Stanwyck, and we used to watch her movies together. Stanwyck made some truly fabulous, dark movies such as DOUBLE INDEMNITY, THE STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA IVERS, and BABY FACE. I'm also a huge fan of Alfred Hitchcock's films!

Hilary

Hilary Davidson

www.hilarydavidson.com

[hdNYC]

Thanks so much for the good wishes, Fricka! I've asked my parents about how they decided on my name, but they both say they just thought it was a beautiful name. I like the idea of a Sir Edmund Hilary connection, though! 

Glad I already answered your question about travel writing. I've been really lucky, having work that's taken me to fascinating places around the world. I was in Israel for five days in January — I wish it had been longer, but it was a privilege to get to see Jerusalem and Caesarea and some other places that I'd read so much about!

Hilary

Hilary Davidson

www.hilarydavidson.com

[becke_davis]

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hdNYC wrote:

Books that first got me interested in mysteries? That would definitely be the Nancy Drew series. My grandmother started giving me the books when I was about seven, and I absolutely loved them. Sometimes I call Nancy Drew the "gateway drug" to mystery, because so many writers I know first got hooked on those books! I remember reading some of the Hardy Boys books as well, but I loved the Nancy Drew ones best.

After Nancy Drew, my next big influence was Agatha Christie. I discovered her books in the library of my elementary school, and she became my favorite author. When I was in high school, I kept reading mysteries and discovered Robert B. Parker, Sara Paretsky, and Walter Mosley, all of whom I love. In college, I discovered Patricia Highsmith, Jim Thompson and Donald Westlake. My taste in books runs the gamut from humorous mysteries to psychological thrillers.

I'd also say I've been influenced by movies I've watched. My grandmother's favorite actress was Barbara Stanwyck, and we used to watch her movies together. Stanwyck made some truly fabulous, dark movies such as DOUBLE INDEMNITY, THE STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA IVERS, and BABY FACE. I'm also a huge fan of Alfred Hitchcock's films!

Hilary

Hilary Davidson

www.hilarydavidson.com

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Ooh - fun! I see we share a lot of the same taste in books and movies!

[becke_davis]

Hilary - Do you get much time to read these days, or are you too busy with your writing? Are there any authors you'd like to recommend?

[ReadingPatti]

hdNYC, HI and welcome. I hope you have a great visit. I like the title of your books and I will have to check them out.

What do you like about writing mysteries? I always ask this as I like to here each author take about why they choose mysteries.

So again have a great visit.

ReadingPatti

[becke_davis]

Hilary - I don't know if I mentioned this, but there are always a lot more people viewing these threads than commenting on them. (Possibly because of the somewhat glitchy sign in process.) I usually ask a lot of questions on behalf of our silent lurkers, trying to guess what they'd be interested in.

Did you have the ideas for these books simmering for a long time before you wrote them, or did you have a specific inspiration for the series?

[hdNYC]

When I was writing THE DAMAGE DONE and THE NEXT ONE TO FALL, I didn't read much at the same time... or maybe I should say that I didn't read much fiction. I was afraid of interfering with Lily's voice, and nervous that I might unconsciously pick up another author's voice or style. It was very frustrating, because I'm normally a voracious reader! The good news is, while I was writing my third novel, I was able to read fiction and not worry about it changing Lily's voice. 

There are so many writers I enjoy. I'm a longtime fan of Linda Fairstein's books, and I also love Megan Abbott, Dennis Lehane, Ken Bruen, Denise Mina and Laura Lippman. Some of the newer writers I love are Brad Parks, who won the Nero and Shamus awards for FACES OF THE GONE, and Sophie Littlefield, who won the Anthony Award for A BAD DAY FOR SORRY; I also love Robin Spano and Jake Hinkson. One new novelist I recommend is Chris F. Holm — his debut, DEAD HARVEST, comes out at the end of this month. I got an advance read, and it's wonderful!

Hilary

Hilary Davidson

www.hilarydavidson.com

[hdNYC]

Thanks for the welcome, Patti! I'm happy to be here.

You ask a terrific question. I love writing mysteries because that lets me delve into the reasons why people do the things they do. I want to explore what's underneath the surface of a character, and I'm fascinated with the motivations that drive people's actions — and especially all of the history and emotions and compulsions that lead people to make bad decisions. I want to know what's going on under the surface. Of course, a writer could do this in any kind of novel, but in a mystery, the stakes are much higher, and that makes the emotions more raw and powerful. It's the same reason I love to read mysteries, too!

Hilary

Hilary Davidson

www.hilarydavidson.com

[hdNYC]

Becke, your questions are terrific! Keep 'em coming!

The idea for THE DAMAGE DONE simmered in my head for *years* before I wrote it. I actually joined a writers' workshop back then and wrote a few scenes, but I found it hard going and let it sit for a long time. The truth was, I didn't know how to write a book, on a practical level — I kept waiting for inspiration, which never came. Eventually, I learned that inspiration wasn't going to come my way, and I was just going to have to buckle down and write every day until the book was done!

I tend to get ideas for books and stories long before I write them. They might be inspired by something I read or saw, or even by part of a conversation I overheard. I'll jot down notes on them, and I'll keep adding to the notes until I'm ready to write that particular story. I often won't figure out the details or plot twists until I'm actually writing, though!

Hilary

Hilary Davidson

www.hilarydavidson.com

[becke_davis]

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hdNYC wrote:

When I was writing THE DAMAGE DONE and THE NEXT ONE TO FALL, I didn't read much at the same time... or maybe I should say that I didn't read much fiction. I was afraid of interfering with Lily's voice, and nervous that I might unconsciously pick up another author's voice or style. It was very frustrating, because I'm normally a voracious reader! The good news is, while I was writing my third novel, I was able to read fiction and not worry about it changing Lily's voice. 

There are so many writers I enjoy. I'm a longtime fan of Linda Fairstein's books, and I also love Megan Abbott, Dennis Lehane, Ken Bruen, Denise Mina and Laura Lippman. Some of the newer writers I love are Brad Parks, who won the Nero and Shamus awards for FACES OF THE GONE, and Sophie Littlefield, who won the Anthony Award for A BAD DAY FOR SORRY; I also love Robin Spano and Jake Hinkson. One new novelist I recommend is Chris F. Holm — his debut, DEAD HARVEST, comes out at the end of this month. I got an advance read, and it's wonderful!

Hilary

Hilary Davidson

www.hilarydavidson.com

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Uh oh, my TBR pile is about to grow. I've read a lot of these authors, but not all. I'll have to check them out!

[hdNYC]

Becke, my TBR pile just keeps growing and growing! I meet a lot of interesting writers whenever I go to a conference, and that always makes me want to read their books. And then there are the books I hear about from friends or discover through reviews. I need to read faster!

One more author I'd recommend: Dennis Tafoya. His WOLVES OF FAIRMOUNT PARK, set in Philadelphia, is a complex and beautifully written book.

Hilary

Hilary Davidson

www.hilarydavidson.com

[becke_davis]

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hdNYC wrote:

Becke, my TBR pile just keeps growing and growing! I meet a lot of interesting writers whenever I go to a conference, and that always makes me want to read their books. And then there are the books I hear about from friends or discover through reviews. I need to read faster!

One more author I'd recommend: Dennis Tafoya. His WOLVES OF FAIRMOUNT PARK, set in Philadelphia, is a complex and beautifully written book.

Hilary

Hilary Davidson

www.hilarydavidson.com

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The Wolves of Fairmount Park  

Thanks, Hilary - I'm intrigued!

[eadieburke]

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becke_davis wrote:

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hdNYC wrote:

Becke, my TBR pile just keeps growing and growing! I meet a lot of interesting writers whenever I go to a conference, and that always makes me want to read their books. And then there are the books I hear about from friends or discover through reviews. I need to read faster!

One more author I'd recommend: Dennis Tafoya. His WOLVES OF FAIRMOUNT PARK, set in Philadelphia, is a complex and beautifully written book.

Hilary

Hilary Davidson

www.hilarydavidson.com

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The Wolves of Fairmount Park  

Thanks, Hilary - I'm intrigued!

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I definitely have to read this book since I was born in Philadelphia and know alot about Fairmount Park!