Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Shifting from Cozy to Suspense by Susan Furlong

I was lucky enough to meet Susan Furlong at Bouchercon in Raleigh, NC, a few years ago and what struck me about her immediately was the friendly warmth she radiated even though we were across the table from each other and could do little more than smile and wave, although we did manage to chat a bit. Susan has written several cozy mysteries but recently she stepped into the thriller genre, and I thought it would be interesting to have her share a bit about her new venture. Welcome, Susan!

Susan: When Jenn invited me to guest post for Jungle Red Writers, she asked what inspired my recent shift from writing cozy mysteries to dark suspense. For a heartbeat I felt defensive of cozies—I mean, I did enjoy writing them. I was able to mentally walk through the flowering peach orchards and quaint buildings with the small town familiarity of quirky and nosey and fun characters as they solved mysteries. I could whip up peach salsa and jam recipes to include in my Georgia Peach Mystery series. What’s not to like? It was, well, cozy both for readers and for me as an author.


So why the switch?

Jenn’s question about my writing brought to light in my mind how 
many changes have occurred over the past year for my family, 
seemingly unrelated to my writing:  

We moved from country living to a suburban neighborhood.




We sent a child off to college … in China.



I bought a new writing chair…(This might seem like a small 
change to most, but I spend a lot of time in this chair.)



Yes, the move of our home base was our own choice, but one
instigated by life events. And children do leave home eventually, 
although not usually to the other side of the globe. And the chair? 
Well, sometimes things do break down or wear out or just need 
replacing. So we do initiate some changes in our lives, and those 
are usually the good ones.

Yet sometimes events simply happen to us that impact us deeply 
and unexpectedly. These are the ones that are most difficult to 
embrace. Our family also experienced that type of change this year
—a personal, tragic loss and perhaps, if I really thought about it, 
the impetus for many of the other decisions in our lives.

So when I pondered Jenn’s original question of why I shifted my writing style from light and cozy to deep and dark it made me realize how much my life overall has changed. And I realized the changes in my writing are, in fact, related to the other events in my life.

My family’s life has been uprooted on several levels and, in that 
process, I see life as less peach cobbler and more, well, let’s call it 
beef jerky. Not sweet but salty and tasty in its own way. Gritty and 
dark and sometimes tough with gristle that forces us to chew a bit 
more.

Unwelcomed changes force us to work a bit harder to get through, 
to reflect and, eventually, to grow.



Life is always moving. We hope forward, though sometimes a bit sideways. And if we allow it, our personal experiences offer an opportunity to view the world through a different, perhaps wider, lens. Because of my recent life’s changes, I gained a new perspective, and I viewed my writing differently. I found myself unable to stay bound by the comfortable, visceral limits of the cozy mystery genre. I felt compelled to create a story with that wider lens.
The divergence of good and evil and the violence and impulses that arise from that conflict fascinate me. I want to explore that concept in more depth and create flawed characters who struggle to make moral choices. I enjoy bringing my characters, villains and the heroes alike, to the full extent of their conscience and then exploring the fallout of their decisions. Writing a darker novel gives me these options. It’s also allowed me, in SPLINTERED SILENCE, to present the grittier side of social issues such as the mental and physical afflictions of war vets, PTSD, cultural and racial prejudices, and drug addiction. I want my stories to shed light on many of these issues and present them in an intriguing and honest way to readers.
I’ve loved writing about Brynn, a Marine veteran and her canine military partner, Wilco, in the first of my Bone Gap Travellers Novels. When they return home, injured and struggling with their recent past, to her Irish Traveller subculture, they face yet more changes. Not easy ones and not of Brynn’s choosing—rather like real life.
I think that as writers grow and accumulate experience, it’s natural that their storytelling voice will evolve. For my writing, it’s about accepting and embracing whatever life throws my way and using it to bring a new story to my readers. A story from a different view and, for now, a view that is dark and gritty.
Maybe that is what life is about—growing our perspective. And maybe writing—and reading—can help facilitate that growth.
What changes handed to you by life have given you a different perspective in other, seemingly unrelated, areas?

Splintered Silence is available NOW! 

Among the Irish Travellers living in the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee, no one forgets and no one forgives. And as former Marine MP Brynn Callahan finds out when she returns home, it's hard to bury the past when bodies keep turning up . . .
 
After an IED explosion abruptly ends her tour of duty, Brynn arrives stateside with PTSD and her canine partner, Wilco—both of them bearing the scars of battle. With a mix of affection, curiosity, and misgivings, she goes back to Bone Gap, Tennessee, and the insular culture she'd hoped to escape by enlisting in the Marine Corps.
 
Marginalized and wary of outsiders, the Irish Travellers keep to themselves in a secluded mountain community, maintaining an uneasy coexistence with the “settled” townspeople of McCreary. When Wilco’s training as a cadaver dog leads Brynn to discover a body in the woods, the two worlds collide. Soon it’s clear that Brynn and Wilco are in danger – and they’re not the only ones.
 
After the police identify the dead woman, Brynn is shocked to learn she has a personal connection—and everything she’s been told about her past is called into question.
Forming a reluctant alliance with local sheriff Frank Pusser, Brynn must dig up secrets that not only will rattle her close-knit clan to its core, but may forever change her perception of who she is . . . and put her back in the line of fire.

60 comments:

  1. Definitely sounds intriguing, and I loved your cozies!

    I find that the darker my personal life gets, the more I want to retreat into a world that is safe and cozy. I find it interesting that it went the other way for you. I had been wondering what took you to the "dark side," so thanks for sharing that.

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    1. It's so interesting how different folks can have very different reactions to life's bumps and bruises! I'm not reading anything too dark now either Mark. And we all have you in our thoughts and prayers!

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    2. I also like to retreat into a world that is safe and cozy when it feels like the world is getting darker.

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    3. I agree with you guys. I feel the cozies are like yoga for my brain I find peace in their pages, and I am able to "soldier on" thru what my life has handed me.

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    4. I agree with you guys. I feel the cozies are like yoga for my brain I find peace in their pages, and I am able to "soldier on" thru what my life has handed me.

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    5. I have phases. Sometimes I really want to go dark and be frightened and know I'm going to come out okay and other times I need to laugh and know that all will be well.

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    6. Hi, Mark. Thanks for stopping by. I agree with Roberta, we all react differently to challenges. I admire your courage and my prayers are with you.

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  2. Congratulations on your new book, Susan, and your venture into new writing challenges. I am looking forward to meeting your Brynn and discovering her story.

    I think you’re right when you say that life, with its joys and difficulties, with its cheer and tears, is what changes your outlook. The big changes . . . good or difficult . . . are the ones that color your outlook and define you as a person. Our family has dealt with difficult losses and I’ve discovered that, as time passed, things shifted and our perspective on life shifted right along with the passing of time.

    I’m curious to know if you find the process of writing thriller stories significantly different from writing cozy mysteries?

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    1. Hi Joan

      A cozy mystery has defined visceral limits, an orderly and appealing setting and an amateur sleuth who can sort of ‘bump’ into clues. A thriller presents a more deliberant investigation, possibly with aspects of police procedural, can be more graphic and is often set with an urban atmosphere. For me, the writing process for suspense/thriller took more time, more research and a constant reminder that the investigative aspects of the story must be more realistic. I’m on the third in the series now, and those writing elements are coming more easily to me.

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  3. What a compelling novel. As I was reading your description, I felt as if all the pieces were flowing seamlessly together.

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  4. Congratulations on your new book, Susan. I enjoyed reading your Georgia Peach mystery series, but I understand that an author needs to grow, develop and try new things. Splintered Silence sounds like the start of an exciting new, darker series.

    Like others, I have experienced lots of highs and lows. Some profound family losses made me shift my perspective on personal work-life balance more than a decade ago.

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    1. Grace - the work-life balance is so important. Good for you for making the changes.

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    2. Hi, Grace. Thanks for your comment and for sharing your perspective. I'm glad you were able to reprioritize and make changes that work for you and your situation.

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  5. I think all writers use the stories they tell to process the stories they live. I've known successful romance writers who turned to murder mysteries after a messy divorce, and writers of all types who challenged themselves to write a deeper, truer story as they matured and piled up new and different life experiences. So, kudos to you for not locking yourself into a story-telling box that no longer felt authentic as your life took a different path.

    Every life takes new "plot twists" as we gain and lose parents, partners, jobs, weight . . . Whatever we thought defined us at one time may morph or fall away, giving us a new opportunity to rediscover and redefine who we are and who we want to be now. The stories we tell are bound to reflect that, if we are committed to holding the mirror up to life and telling the truth as we know it.

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  6. Congrats on the new book. And WOW, it does sound like a fantastic story. I'll have to add it to my book list.

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    1. It's fabulous, Jay! And it's a series so there will be more!

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    2. Thanks, Jay. I hope you'll give it a try.

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  7. The new book sounds fascinating, Susan, and good for you for figuring out how to use your life changes in your writing. I write two cozy series and a historical one. For me in these dark political days, I find great solace in staying in the village, searching for truth and justice right there along with recipes. If I had to also write a dark book I'm not sure I could do it.

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    1. Edith,

      I love your books. I hope you never feel the need to change your writing, but if you did go darker, it would be just a fabulous as your work is now.

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    2. That's so sweet of you to say, Susan. Thank you! I'll let you know if I go dark and we can compare notes. ;^)

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  8. I totally understand what you're saying about life's twists and turns and our reading/writing changing as well. As others have said, I've experienced many losses and I've found that at times I do retreat into 'gentle' books, but at other times, my interest is piqued by either certain topics or what many would say are darker themes. I know that I've been interested in stories that concerned individuals with memory issues after losing both my parents to Alzheimer's/dementia.

    As to your new book, I'll be reading it. It's perfect for my mystery group's February theme - which is service/working dogs. Just picked it up on Audible. Thanks for sharing this with us and best of luck in your writing venture. Though Georgia peaches do sound tasty. LOL

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    1. Thank you for reading it, Kay. In my reading, I also gravitate toward subjects that touch a on real life issues. My condolences on the loss of your parents.

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  9. Thank you for this post, Susan. It underscores how important it is for me to know a bit about the author whose work I am reading. Your own background clearly informs your writing and, thus, shapes the story I am entering. When an author changes genres or voices or makes a shift in the arc of the series' narrative, I want to know what has caused that - what's happened in the background of the person to cause the change in the author's presentation. For me, a book is not just pages between covers; it is a representation of the person who wrote it. I wonder if that's laying too much on those of you who do the writing? I hope not.

    I look forward to reading your new book, Susan. Again, thanks for this post.

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    1. Amanda,
      Thank you for this insightful comment. Certain aspects of writing are always fictitious for both the writer and the reader, because honestly … I’ve never murdered anyone, and I’m thinking you haven’t either. But character emotion is different, because emotion is something readers and authors share alike. So, I understand your comment and feel the same as you. If I know something about the writer, it gives me that extra connection that makes the story richer. And no, I don’t think that’s putting too much on the author.

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  10. I'm putting this new one on my library list right now!

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  11. I think it's not until you're a writer that you realize just how much of our personal experience (angst and agitas) show up in our writing. It's the old making lemonade out of lemons. Your new direction sounds exciting, Susan - congratulations!

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    1. So true, Hallie, I'm always surprised when my life springs back out at me from the page when it wasn't intentional.

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  12. This is so poignantly revealing… Thank you. It really reminds us to think about authors as people, writing through and with the real life things that happen to us. Sometimes we are forced to write around it, and ignore it. Other times, if we are brave, we can harness it.
    A new direction is always a challenge, but, if we are lucky, that’s what life is about. Thank you so much for being here today…
    Changing topics a tiny bit… Tell us about the travelers! I think that whole culture is so fascinating.

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    1. Thank you, Hank. Great question. Travellers, some people call them gypsies, are nomadic peoples who came to the US after the Great Famine. They’re internet workers, traveling for cash jobs. Over the years they’ve managed to keep their cultural identity by remaining in endogamous (through arranged marriages) in closed family units or clans. Some stats show that there are over 40,000 people who identify as Irish Traveller in the US. (There is also a large population of Roma Gypsies throughout the US.) I researched a clan outside Memphis, TN, knows as the Mississippi Travellers. There are large clans in South Carolina, Texas, and other smaller groups throughout the U.S. They work hard to protect their privacy and maintain their customs. They speak a secretive dialect known as Shelta or Gammon/Cant. It’s difficult to get to know a Traveller. They're guarded. And like most cultural subsects, they’re subject to stereotypical prejudice.

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    2. Hank, so well said, and I, too, am fascinated by the Travelers. I've read some books featuring the Roma Gypsies in England and was so intrigued. Your book, Susan, will be my first foray into the subject in the states.

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  13. Susan, thanks for a really interesting essay about your writing journey. Life creeps into the fiction, I think, though not always in obvious ways. Certainly using those tough times to grow creatively is spinning straw into gold and deserves applause.

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  14. Susan, yesterday here on Reds, the discussion was about killing off a main character, especially in a series. As if an author wants to change up the other characters lives (perhaps trying to express darker times in their own lives?)and when that seems appropriate or not. It seems to me that the road you've taken--into a darker kind of writing, is one answer to that question. It's also more frightening--yet freeing maybe--for the author--to launch out into the unknown away from a comfortable (and comforting) series that you know your readers appreciate. Congratulations for having the guts to make that leap. Veterans and dogs--and a setting in the Appalachians? Irish travellers? I'll follow you from cozies to the dark side!

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    1. Thank you, Flora. I'm glad you'll take that leap with me. :)

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  15. Congratulations on the book, Susan. I think others have been spot-on about personal experiences. I know sometimes I write something and think, "Where did that come from?" If I think about it, it's because of something that happened to me or I saw somewhere.

    Mary/Liz

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    1. I've had that happen as well, Mary. Also, sometimes while something is happening around me, I am already thinking that it is totally book worthy.

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  16. Congratulations on your new book, Susan. It was great to meet you at Bouchercon in Canada. I enjoyed our conversations while having tea in the hospitality room. I love your cozy books. I still have your Splintered into Silence book on my to be read books shelves.

    Diana

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    1. Diana,

      I'm glad we had a chance to meet and look forward to seeing you again at another Bouchercon.

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  17. Welcome, Susan, and congrats on the new book. Did making the move to a dark thriller feel scary? Or perhaps the changes in life made you feel you had nothing to lose? I ask because it's easy to put yourself in a writing box and takes courage to venture out. Did the writing come easier or harder on "Splintered Silence" compared to your other books?

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    1. Thanks for the question.
      It is difficult to break out of a comfort zone. For me, it didn’t seem scary, but more like a shift in perspective which I allowed to be reflected in my writing. As far as the mechanics of writing, plotting was more difficult at first, especially moving from amateur sleuth to a professional investigator.

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  18. Congrats on the new book, Susan, and on the new direction. I've just added Splintered Silence to my to-read pile. The setting sounds fascinating, and there's a dog!!! Can you tell us more about Wilco, and about what inspired you to write about a military working dog? (I am, of course, hoping that Wilco is a German shepherd....)

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    1. German Shepherds are wonderful dogs. :)

      Wilco is a Belgian Malinois. He’s injured, missing a hind leg, deaf, and suffers from PTS. The idea of adding a dog clicked when I was at the hospital visiting a family member. A therapy dog stopped by for a visit. It was such an amazing thing to see the impact this dog made in the recovery process. Dogs are intuitive and comforting. I knew my protag would suffer from PTSD and thought she would need a dog for companionship. I researched military working dogs and became interested in what happens after they are retired from service. Many of them suffer from PTS, so I began to think that a shared PTS affliction would enhance the bond between Wilco and my protag, Brynn. I've gained a new appreciation for military working dogs. They're true heroes during war-time service and after military retirement.

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  19. It sounds intriguing, Susan. And gutsy. I'm not a cosy girl myself, but I'll definitely take a look at your new direction.

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  20. Great post. Love the analogy of peach cobbler to gritty jerky.

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  21. Third time's the charm, right? Posting issues and interruptions. Susan, I've heard such good things about the Bone Gap book. Can't wait to read it. Life has been throwing us a lot of curves the past couple of years. I'm still trying to get some balance. Everytime I think things are finally getting to "normal" Blam! Oh well. I read both light-hearted and suspenseful stories. I'll alternate, depending on weight. But I find I can't handle watching movies or shows that get too heavy. So, comedy or X-Files and its ilk for me!

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    1. It's funny you say that about television shows. I have the same thing. Mostly the television remains off and I read. I hope you're able to find your balance soon, Pat.

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  22. Susan, I have to tell you that before I even finished reading your post, I went to Amazon and put Splintered Silence on my wish list. I feel that I will learn much from reading it, while enjoying a thrilling story, too. And, it's interesting to know that life changes took you from cozy to darker stories. I don't know what happened, and I'm not asking, but I do hope that the new writing is cathartic for you and that life still holds cozy feelings to you, too. I hope you are planning to be in St. Pete so that I can meet you there.

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  23. Following up from my post from earlier today, I just wanted to say that I just placed my order for the book. Can't wait to dig into it (after I finished the 4 review copy books I have do get to first).

    Jungle Red has cost me more money in books since I started coming here...not that that is a bad thing.

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  24. Jay,

    From my point of view, it's a good thing. :) Thank you for giving my book a try.

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  25. My post disappeared that I'd posted earlier today. First time I've had that happen. Anyway, suffice it to say that I have put your intriguing book on my Amazon wish list, Susan. Oh, and I'd love to know more about the chair.

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    1. Thanks for adding my book to your list, Kathy. The chair ... it's awesome: super comfy, reclines and has a foot rest. It came from Wayfair. :)

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  26. Me too Kathy! Vanished. Susan, I’ve heard a lot of good things about your new book. Can’t wait to read it.

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  27. Susan, I can't wait to read your new novel! I'm even more excited to learn that it has been published with your name. I like multiple series by the same author! I like it even more when the author does not feel they have to follow a publisher's advisement or make the choice that a different series (even if a different style) has to be published under a different name. Multiple names will not stop me from reading a series but it does mean that I might not find all the series by a favorite author. Others may not agree with me and that's okay but I just want to give you a special thanks on this aspect of your new path! Best wishes to you always! I also really admire you and your husband for supporting your daughter's choice to attend college in China. You've extended the world of possibilities for all of you. Cyberhugs across the miles! <3

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    1. Thank you, Ferne. Cyberhugs back! I understand how you feel about pennames. Like you, I get stuck on a particular author and search out everything they've written. Thank you for your kind words.

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