Interview with Suspense Author Sandy Vaile

A couple of kids give me the eye as I saunter past the flaking blue exterior and into the Croydon’s front bar, which is as in need of an overhaul as the regulars propping up the bar. At least the beer-tainted airconditioning gets rid of the smell of weed from the rollies the kids were smoking. I take a seat. The guy in the corner does his best to hide in his baggy black shirt, but from his blond head to his deliberately scuffed shoes I peg him as a cop. Still, he’s easy on the eye while I wait for my special guest, debut romantic suspense author, Sandy Vaile. Ah, here she comes now.

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RH: Sandy Vaile, welcome to Writers Block! I was lucky enough to read an ARC of your debut suspense Inheriting Fear (thanks to Crimson Romance and your kind self) and absolutely loved it. In fact, I was up til 4am reading because I had to know the answer to who was stalking Mya. So before I get to my very nosy questions, can I get you something fortifying from the bar?

SV: I’d love a Starburst thanks. It’s my new favourite drink, discovered at The Barn Bistro in McLaren Vale. It involves Moscato wine, gin, fresh lime and soda water on ice, and most importantly in a huge glass. *wink*

RH: Sounds like an interesting mix—rather like your characters. *goes to bar and orders two Starbursts and a burger each* I ordered us a Croydon Burger because they’re legendary and a Starburst sounds like a rather lethal brew—again, just like your baddies.

SV: I may have a vindictive streak, but it’s nice to know that Mya and Luca managed to deprive you of sleep as well as your characters Mina and Lincoln did to me in Pieces of a Lie.

RH: Thanks Sandy *grins as drinks arrive* Here’s to keeping readers up at night!  Congratulations on the release of your novel, Sandy. It’s fun, gripping and sexy!

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About the book

Chef Mya Jensen’s plate is already full. She has her job, her motorbike, and her kickboxing and she’s the guardian of her disabled mother. She doesn’t need a man in her life, and she definitely doesn’t need her cocky new neighbor, Detective Luca Patterson, linking her to his latest investigation.

Luca has never crossed a professional line—until he meets Mya. She is sexy, feisty, and so many kinds of wrong, but he can’t stop thinking about her. Maybe because every time he’s onto a lead in his latest jewelry counterfeit case, her name pops up. But is she a victim or a suspect?

When Mya gets targeted by an old foe hell-bent on revenge, her secrets coincide with Luca’s case—and lead to an unexpectedly sizzling interlude in his bed. Will this independent woman try to fight her way out of this one, or finally open up her heart?

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RH: I love the South Australian setting and Mya is one kick-ass heroine—literally. Luca’s not half bad either *wink*. Share with us a little about the story and how it feels to have your first novel out in the world.

SV: I blush at your accolades kind lady. Delirious is how I feel. I’ve been walking around with a goofy grin on my mug since I received the offer from Crimson Romance in November last year. Publication is the culmination of a lifelong dream and five years of concerted effort writing and building my media platform. So I feel deserving, but also extremely fortunate.

*Two Croydon Burgers arrive, complete with chips.*

Mya Jensen was a handful from the moment she entered my imagination. As a child she had to cope with an abusive, alcoholic father and consequently developed a serious mistrust of men. Now self-reliance is a way of life. She keeps to herself, focusing on her job as head chef at the Croydon Hotel—my Croydon Burger smells fabulous, so I hope you don’t mind if I nibble on the chips while we chat. Mya has always put her disabled mother’s needs before her own, because she is the only family Mya has left.

Detective Luca Patterson has a larrikin-meets-cop vibe—not to mention he looks delicious in tight jeans. He buys a house two doors down from Mya and is immediately beguiled by her feisty nature and sexy body. Keeping a professional distance seems impossible.

RH: He’s as scrummy as Mya’s food! When we first meet Mya, she’s confronting a mugger on her way to work. She’s almost matter of fact about it, and we get the sense that danger is, or has been, a part of her life. Then she tells us ‘Fear could go to hell’. A great line. It encapsulates so much about her and yet she’s slow to open up to those around her, so we, as readers, have to wait for her backstory to unfold. Tell us a little about feeding in backstory. Do you plan when and what to reveal or does it emerge more organically as the story unfolds? Do you have any lessons you can share with us?

SV: As it’s just the two of us sharing girl talk over a scrumptious meal and citrusy drink, I’ll let you in on a secret. The backstory was pulled in and out and around so often that it ended up like a ball of plasticine. At least once it was warm and pliable, it was easy to break bits off and tuck them between lines where needed.

You are spot on that it’s vital to trickle backstory in. There is nothing I hate more than a wad of the stuff balled up and clogging the page. I tend to keep a separate document for the back story, so I can see how it works as a whole.

Then I wait for logical opportunities to arise in the story. It has to be somewhere that it makes sense for the characters to think about their past, or discover a skeleton in the closet. Once it’s been incorporated into the story, I highlight the information in that separate document, so I can easily see what still needs to be included.

RH: That’s a cool idea. I’ll have to try that.

SV: It was important not to reveal too much about Mya’s backstory too early, because the sinister nature of it helped build the tension. However, there were plenty of occasions where the reader got to see how Mya’s childhood still affects her.

RH: A case in point is that initial meeting between Mya and Luca. There’s attraction between them, but for reasons later revealed neither is willing to take the obvious step. Luca Patterson is a detective, and he soon begins to suspect Mya is somehow involved in the case he’s investigating. Your descriptions of police procedure and the internal politics as well as actions in the field add realism to the story. Likewise, Mya’s skill as a kickboxer comes across as completely believable. Share with us how you went about researching Luca’s role and Mya’s skills.

SV: Oh, I get myself into all sorts of trouble doing research! It’s one of the most fun parts of developing a story. Can you imagine how my husband feels when I’m exploring the best way to poison someone? Not to mention practicing fight scenes on him. ‘Now if you put your arm here, dear, and if I stab you there, you would…’ You get the picture. (Long-suffering man-about-the-house was not injured during the creation of this book.)

I did a lot of research for this story, about everything from kickboxing manoeuvres and weapons, to vehicle types and medical procedures. I attended a workshop run by a pathologist for the South Australian Coroner, which was a cold eye-opener, but provided me with plenty of ammunition to write a chilling autopsy scene. A local fire fighter had a cup of tea with me—now that was a hardship ladies—so I could pick his brains about protocols when appliances arrive at an explosion scene.

The majority of the police procedural information came from the very generous Senior Sergeant Steve Hammond of the South Australia Police, who explained procedures in layman’s terms and helped bring into focus the indistinct line between realism and artistic licence. (I feel I must warn those sticklers for protocol, that where I have strayed from the path of accuracy, the culpability lies with me and my overactive imagination.) I will be eternally grateful for his input.

RH: Where would we crime writers be without the patience of those generous police officers?  One of the things I love most about Inheriting Fear is Mya’s character. She’s risen above her traumatic past, but is still guarded and determined never to be vulnerable again. She’s a cool chick, on a hot bike, but she also has a unique view of the world, and some great one-liners. Tell us how you developed Mya’s character: did she arrive fully formed when you began writing or develop as the story did? She’s one tough chick, so did you worry about her likeability at all?

SV: Tough only scratches the surface of Mya. She’s chewy, wary and occasionally bites. Ouch! But I love Mya because she has endured so much from a young age and instead of becoming another statistic in the penal system, she recreates herself into a financially independent, lethal kickboxer, who doesn’t need anyone.

Likeability was a real concern with such an independent woman. It was a fine line between gritty and mean, and the reader has to be patient to sneak a peek under Mya’s brash exterior and discover a strong work ethic and need for affection. In fact, her protective instincts are a powerful driving force.

When I first start writing a new story, the characters are mere outlines, but their internal conflicts trigger strong emotional responses in me. As I figure out where their journey will take them, I learn more about their past struggles, their hopes for the future and what really drives them.

Naturally, I had to provide Mya with one guilty pleasure, so I lashed out and made it my dream motorbike. *grin*

RH: Inheriting Fear is set in South Australia and you’ve used locations that really centre us in the action. There has been a lot of chat over the years about overseas publishers not liking Australian settings or expecting descriptions to be Americanised (‘flat’ becomes ‘apartment’; ‘footpath’ becomes ‘sidewalk’ etc). How important is setting to the story? Did you find you had to make any changes to locations or the setting descriptions to reach an overseas readership?

SV: Although I love the unique landscapes in Australia, I was very aware that using existing landmarks/streets/businesses can be limiting and leave an author open to inadvertently causing offense. For this reason I altered suburban Adelaide just enough to keep the story in a creative space. Therefore, locals will recognise some things and be baffled when they try to Google others.

Seeing as my stories have strong Australian settings and language, I was worried about how Americanising Inheriting Fear would affect the overall feel. There was no need to worry though. Crimson Romance’s policy is to only change those words/ideas that American’s simply wouldn’t understand. Therefore, there is a deliberate blend of Australian and American spelling and colloquialisms in this book. I don’t feel that it detracts at all.

RH: Oh, I agree! In fact, the only word that used American spelling (that I noticed) was ‘pyjamas’, which had become ‘pajamas’.

RH: Inheriting Fear hits all the right notes for romantic suspense, and I’m in awe of how you show her emotions in some pretty tough situations. You’ve been writing for a long time, so share with us a little about your writing journey and how you developed such a good feel for romantic suspense.

SV: I might need another one of those Starburst cocktails before I unravel the chaos that is my writing journey.

RH: Oh, I take the hint *grin; raises hand to cute bartender hoping Luca doesn’t decide to breathalise us before we leave*

SV: My love of reading and creative writing was fostered in childhood, when I crafted fairy stories and devoured adventure books. Unfortunately, once I started working and had children, life got in the way for more than a decade.

The Harry Potter series of books reignited my excitement for writing, so it’s no coincidence that I first wrote fantasy. Trying to remember those boring old grammar rules from high school and get the middle-aged brain to function was a challenge in itself, and the learning curve during that first book was steep. Very steep.

I soon discovered my real passion was for suspense books and action movies. So it wasn’t a surprise that I found my way to this genre.

I have been described as a daredevil who isn’t content with a story unless there’s a courageous heroine and a dead body. Now where did I stash that pistol? *searches handbag while the bar staff duck for cover*

RH: Don’t forget there’s a cop in the corner! Or was drawing his attention part of your cunning plan?

SV: Just kidding! I think what I love about suspenseful stories is their fast pace and numerous surprises.

RH: As mentioned, Inheriting Fear is your debut novel and has been picked up by Crimson Romance in the US. Share with us a little about your road to publication—was it a Triumph ride on a new freeway or more like a dirt bike ride over muddy hills?

SV:  Honestly, writing the book was a bit like motocross in the rain, with mud obscuring my view most of the way. I’d tell you how many times I rewrote it, but then I’d have to bury you in the back yard.

RH: *yikes! Maybe Luca’s attention is a good idea. Oh good, here come the drinks…*

SV: The wonderful staff at Crimson Romance are organised and work like machines to make dreams come true. Yes, the schedule was tight and the editing process daunting, but every change was explained by my fab editor, Julie Sturgeon, and it was easy to see how each one improved the story flow.

RH: You’ve given us lots of food for thought, Sandy. Now we’re about to get to the sticky part of the pudding—

SV: OMG! I love pudding.

RH: *laughs and snags another chip*. I hope you’re ready for your…

RH: What is your all-time favourite book/movie?

SV: Ah! I don’t think well under pressure (or 2 cocktails). Crikey, my favourite book changes from week to week, because there are so many awesome authors out there.  The Bodyguard is a film I’ve watched countless times, because I’m a total sucker for the strong silent type.

RH: What are you reading now?

SV: I have just finished Fear for Hire by Natalie S. Ellis and can’t rave enough about this fast-paced, spicy read. Discovering great artists whose work I haven’t sampled before is a real joy.

RH: What is your favourite word?

SV: Resilience. I believe it’s one of the most important lessons we must learn in life, because so many people/situations will knock us down. It’s how you respond that determines your success as an individual. I spend a lot of time teaching this to my children, and expend a great deal of effort practicing it during difficult times.

Every good thing you put out into the world will come back to you — I know I’m getting a little deep here. Some of my most rewarding experiences resulted from volunteer work. One of the projects I’m most proud of is the Novelist’s Circle. I started this novel critiquing group 4 ½ years ago and it has produced six published authors and is still going strong.

RH: What is your worst writing habit?

SV: Over-editing. Yep, I’m a control freak with a dreadful memory, so I go over and over the early parts of the story until the life is sucked out of it. Then I have to go back and give it CPR.

RH: What is the best bit of advice you ever got (about writing or life in general)?

SV: Join a writing group. Being an active part of the literary community is invaluable. An author never stops improving his/her craft, and sharing the journey is motivational.

RH: Thanks for joining us today, Sandy.

SV: It’s been a pleasure chatting with you, and I thoroughly enjoyed Mya’s cooking.

RH: Me too *grin* All the best with Inheriting Fear. I know it’s going to do well. Where can we get a copy?

SV: Inheriting Fear is available from: Crimson Romance, Amazon, Kobo [button link=”http://www.amazon.com/Inheriting-Fear-Sandy-Vaile-ebook/dp/B00TIY31X2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1424050050&sr=8-1&keywords=sandy+vaile#” newwindow=”yes”] Buy the Book[/button]

About the Author

I’m Sandy Vaile and my motto in life is: I’ll try anything once. To that end, I take every opportunity that presents and have a wealth of life experiences to draw from when writing.

Home is a wine producing region in South Australia. By day I’m a Quality Coordinator (that’s code for list-making word-nerd), mother and wife, shadowed by a rambunctious Hungarian Vizsla.

But when I let my hair down, I’m a motorbike riding, tattoo wielding, dare devil. Okay, I’m not that exciting all the time. I do the regular stuff too, like pottering in the garden, preparing (read eating) decadent desserts, reading inspirational fiction, and listening to soul nourishing music. My passion is reading and writing suspense-filled stories.

Don’t forget to drop in and say ‘hi’ at my website, Facebook, Twitter or Google+