Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Reader, I Could Not Resist

"A wicked debut thriller!"
         People Magazine BEST NEW BOOKS

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN:  I will fully confess. I walked into the book room at Bouchercon, VOWING I would not pick up a single book unless  I was fully committed to reading it. It was one of those moments—probably not the best time for it to 
happen—when I thought: I have too many books. And I cannot fit anything more into my suitcase. So—I’ll just breeze in, say hello to everyone, and go.

Then I saw the cover of The Last Mrs. Parrish. I stopped dead in my racks. I will admit (again) I had not heard of this book.  My brain said: Keep WALKING, Hank. Do not stop, even for a beautiful thing. Go A–WAY.

I took maybe two steps forward. Then two steps back. I needed that book. I NEEDED it.  It looked SO good.

Reader, I picked it up.

Little did I know that once I opened it, I would be so riveted, so engrossed, turning the pages so fast I didn’t know what hit me. Manipulative. Glitzy. Escapist. What's not to love?

Little did I know this would turn out to be one of the most buzzed-about debut thrillers of the year.

 And readers: Liv Constantine is  generously giving away a copy of THE LAST MRS. PARRISH to five lucky commenters.  Five! ‘Nuff said.

And here’s the scoop: “Liv Constantine” turns out to be two sisters! Who write together. And I had to know—how on earth do they do it?

LIV CONSTANTINE :  Oh, Hank, as co-authors, we’re often asked the “how” of writing together. People are curious about our process. Fortunately, both of us are solidly in the middle of the pantser/plotter road. We begin by talking about the central idea of our book then narrow that down into a solid premise.

Before we type the first word, we build the story world. Who lives there? Where does it take place? What happened to the characters before they appeared in those first chapters? We spend about a month talking, thinking, and developing our characters and their stories. We come to the first draft with a broad overview of the plot, usually knowing the beginning and the likely ending, but allowing the rest to develop as we write.

Once the writing starts, we assign each other scenes and email them to each other daily. Late afternoons are reserved for Facetime where we discuss what we’ve written and give feedback to each other. The first draft is akin to play time.

We place no constraints on each other and allow the characters to lead the way.  

Valerie may tell Lynne, “I didn’t know Julia’s mother was murdered.” and Lynne will answer, sadly, “I know, it’s tragic.”

In our current work in progress, Lynne was surprised to open Valerie’s email and discover a new character they’d never discussed. “Where did she come from?” Lynne asked, and Valerie answered, “She just showed up on the page.” And then there was the time while writing The Last Mrs. Parrish that a gun suddenly appeared, hidden in a box on the back shelf of an armoire. We had no idea if it would remain there or not, but as the story progressed, the reason for its presence very clearly unfolded before us.

We love having the freedom to let the story take on a life of its own, and encourage each other to go with whatever feels organic and authentic.

Knowing that we are going to be revising several times before we finish gives us the ability to write without worrying about our scenes conflicting. We often write out of sequence and later sync up chapters where necessary.

When we were writing The Last Mrs. Parrish there were several scenes that were written from each protagonist’s point of view. They were often written without prior knowledge of the other’s chapter. For example, when we compared the two boat scenes, one of us had given Jackson a 60’ Hatteras and the other a 55’ Bertram, and the port of call was also different in each chapter. We discussed it, agreed on which was better, and changed the conflicting chapter so that they agreed. That’s the way we handled any details that didn’t match.

When we’ve finished the first draft, it’s time for revision, revision, and more revision. We edit each other’s chapters and fill in any missing pieces. If either of us feels stuck for a word, a metaphor, additional dialogue – we send those pages to the other to enhance. It’s not unusual to look at a portion of writing and puzzle for a moment at whose work it is. By the time the book is finished, every page has both of our handprints on it, regardless of who originally wrote it.

Plotter or Pantser? We like to think of our collaboration as pure…plantser. Which style best describes you?

HANK: I love plantser!  But readers, if you love glitzy twisty psychological thrillers, you will adore this book. It’s juicy and surprising and chic and set in the big money world of—well, I’ll let you find out.  Someone it reminded me—in the BEST of ways—of  The Other Side of Midnight by Sidney Sheldon. (And if you asked me now exactly what that was about, I have no idea.) But it’s like…Gone Girl meets Dynasty. Again, in the best of ways.

So yes, writers, have you evolved in your plotter/pantser choice? Have you ever written with a partner?


Readers: Do you like domestic suspense? Do you mind if the characters are very wealthy? Do you need to love the main character instantly?  How good are you at figuring out a twist? 

And--have you ever bought a book because of its cover?


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And remember, “Liv” is giving away THE LAST MRS. PARRISH book to five lucky commenters!


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Liv Constantine is the pen name of sisters Lynne Constantine and Valerie Constantine. Separated by three states, they spend hours plotting via FaceTime and burning up each other’s emails. They attribute their ability to concoct dark storylines to the hours they spent listening to tales handed down by their Greek grandmother. THE LAST MRS. PARRISH is their debut thriller. Rights for THE LAST MRS. PARRISH have been sold in 19 other territories, including Spain, Brazil, Portugal, Poland, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Holland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, France, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Korea, the UK, China, and Russia. 
Visit their website at www.livconstantine.com

123 comments:

  1. Wow . . . this book has been on my “want to read” list for a while now, but I didn’t know the author was actually two ladies! I think your process for writing your books is simply amazing. Now I’m even more anxious to read “The Last Mrs. Parrish” . . . .

    Hank, I agree . . . the cover is stunning. And, yes, I’d buy this book just for the cover even though I don’t generally do that. Now, as soon as it’s back on the store’s bookshelf . . . .
    I do like domestic suspense, and it’s fun to read about the richest of the rich, so having the characters be wealthy folks doesn’t bother me at all. And while I don’t need to love the main character instantly, I’m always happier when that person has some redeeming quality.
    I can’t say I’m a big fan of stories where all the characters are completely unlikeable. Still, the most important thing, whether the characters are likeable or not, is that the story pulls me in, captivates me, keeps me invested in finding out what’s going to happen next.
    Sometimes I can see the twist coming, or at least suspect that the story is going to go in that direction, but there are times when I’m completely dumbfounded by the turn of events . . . and that always makes for an incredible book!

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    1. And yes, this is quite the story! And more I cannot say :-)

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    2. Thanks, Joan. Hopefully you will find some characters that are very likable in The Last Mrs. Parrish, especially in contrast to those who are definitely not!

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  2. This sounds like a writing partnership that really works well for both of you. Do you write on your own as well, or just as "Liv?"

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    1. We mostly write together now as Liv, but Lynne wrote a conspiarcy thriller, THE VERITAS DECEPTION, that came out last August under Lynne Constantine.

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  3. That cover has caught my eye more than once lately, and the book definitely has gotten great buzz. I had no idea that two sisters were the authors. I find a dual authorship so fascinating, with Caroline and Charles Todd coming to mind, too. There must be a lot of trust between the two of you, Lynne and Valerie. I think I might be too much of a control freak to write a book with someone. It sounds like you all have it quite in hand though, with the division of labor and the conferencing and the editing. I am now even more interested in reading this intriguing book.

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    1. Cannot wait to hear what you think! It was a very different kind of book..

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    2. Thanks, Kathy! It can be hard when we both have a different idea of where the story is going. We've learned to take a deep breath, listen to the other's point of view, and then work together to find the best solution. Hope you enjoy the book!

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  4. As my browser opened I said, "I have to have that book." It reminded me instantly of one of my favorite fiction works, The Two Mrs. Grenvilles by Dominick Dunne. And yes, I bought that book because of its cover. That should also answer the domestic suspense question.

    I tried for a long time to become a plotter. Alas, spectacular failure. My process is similar to you Lynne and Valerie's without the talking and FaceTiming. I know my story world, sketch out a broad overview, likely ending and why the quest means so much to both my protagonist and villain that they can't simply walk away. Then I have at it and wonder at the end why I thought I knew so much at the beginning!

    Looking forward to a great read, now off to Amazon. All the best with The Last Mrs. Parrish.

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    1. Oh, I loved that book too! This is exactly the same kind of book…

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    2. We loved The Two Mrs. Grenvilles also! It's one of those stories that stays with you. Hope you enjoy The Last Mrs. Parrish as much! Thanks for reading :)

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    3. The Two Mrs. Grenvilles was such a good book. This is definitely a "sister" book to that classic. You will love it Kait.

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  5. Hank, yes I do sometimes buy a book solely based on the cover.
    Thanks for introducing us to Liv Constantine. It's always interesting to see how two authors collaborate to write a book together.

    And yes I do read domestic suspense. I don't have to like the main character immediately but he/she must be interesting enough to make me want to continue reading. Sometimes I can figure out the twist in a story and other times, I can completely blindsided.

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    1. Every time there’s a twist in one of my books, I realize I did not plan it. That is great fun! But now, as a reader, I am always searching for the twist! But don’t do that in this book! just sit back and read!

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    2. It's alwasy fun when you can be suprirsed by a story!

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  6. It is a great cover! and you women make the writing process sound like SO MUCH FUN. Do you ever argue about the direction a book is going??

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    1. Thank you! Sometimes we had disagreements about the direction, but we always talk it out, and try to make the decision that's best for the story. We've gotten pretty good at checking our egos at the door :)

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  7. Yes, I've bought a book for it's cover.

    I've never written with a partner. I really don't know how that would work for me, but it sounds like you two have a great system.

    I have evolved. I used to be pure pantser. Now I'm more in the middle - plantser is a good word. I have a few key scenes in mind and a general idea, but I don't do a traditional outline (scene by scene) and I'm quite often surprised at what I thought was true turns out to be completely different.

    Mary/Liz

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    1. And isn’t that so much fun? The best!

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    2. We love being surprised by the characters and each other! Best of luck with your writing!

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  8. Of course I'm a huge fan of domestic suspense! And no I don't have to love the character. And YES covers matter.
    I "co-authored' 5 crime novels with a non-writer but an ace plotter. Perfect.

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    1. I would totally love it to have someone with me saying: and now that happens I know that happens and know that happens. I would probably want to change it, but I think it would be fun.
      However, my TV producer and I write scripts semi together… And it is not always the most fun. It always works out in the end though, happily. We have been working together for 18 years.

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    2. Your bokos are amazing. You'll never know dear, is next on my TBR pile. :)

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  9. THE LAST MRS. PARRISH is going straight on to my download list for Christmas holiday reads. It sounds irresistible. And congratulations on being able to write with your sister! I love mine with all my heart, but I'm pretty sure if we had to tackle a major, long-term project together we'd drive each other insane.

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    1. Ha! We hear that from many sisters! So far so good but once in a while... We hope you enjoy the book!

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  10. I use my scientist husband as a sounding board when I'm building a plot. He's also very helpful on poisons, but not over dinner. I'm getting better about plotting, though for short stories I "build" the core characters with lots of free-writing, and slam them into an incident.

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    1. I used to keep my book of poisons in the kitchen bookcase with some other books on writing but it started making guests nervous so I had to move it...Lynne

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  11. Wow! I am very excited to read this book! But not because of the cover - I find I can't quite trust covers. I am so interested in that collaborative effort. I'm guessing you and your sister have always been close,not one trying to get the best of the other. The way it all came together for you sounds amazing!

    The only books I recall being written by partners were a few Martha's Vineyard mysteries with Philip Craig and William Tapply. Also, their characters appeared in each other's books occasionally. So sorry they both left us too soon.

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    1. We have 13 years between us so it wasn't until I was about 13 years old that we became close. We've been best friends ever since. We have many laughs and great fun - both have similar dry senses of humor which goes a long way in keeping things harmonious :)

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    2. Oh, that’s so interesting! Whose idea was it to write a book in the first place?

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  12. I read a little bit of everything. A cover will make me pick up a book but I won’t buy a book just on the cover.

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    1. So interesting how some covers are just so compelling… Have you seen The Burning Girl by Claire Messud? Wow.

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    2. We were wondering what the cover designers woudl come up with for The Last Mrs. Parrish. The designers hit it out of the park with the first design - we all fell in love immediately!

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    3. Oh, that’s exactly what I was going to ask… I wondered if it was the first draft. Sometimes, those are absolutely perfect. Just like this one! I even love the finish of the paper.

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  13. “Liv,” was it difficult to choose everyone’s name? Was that always the title of the book?

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    1. The names in the book came to us right away - which is not always the case. As for "Liv" we came up with it during our first lunch with our editor and agent discussing the best name to put on the book. Valerie jokinly said "How about Liv" for Lynne and Val we all looked at each other and said "That's it!" The title of the book was originally MIDDLEGAME - that's the name it was annnounced under in PW. We thought it very clever because it referred to the middle strategy in a chess game. But our publisher wisely pointed out that it might be misleading, and now we can't imagine it being called anything other than The Last Mrs. Parrish!

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    2. Oh, yes, I love the title! It’s very triple meaning… And you can always use Middlegame another time.

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  14. Congratulations on The Last Mrs. Parrish, Valerie and Lynne! The cover does look gorgeous, and I love domestic suspense. I need to put this on my Christmas list right away!

    I am of two minds about having wealthy protagonists. If handled the right way, it's great, but I've read it the opposite and it's really bothered me. I think it's when the author makes too much of an issue of it that it doesn't always work. Also, I have no problem with a character who's not completely likable right away. It often makes him/her more interesting!

    My book is stalled right now, and after reading about your partnership, I'm almost thinking I should ask my sister to write with me. We are best friends, and the bonus would be that she's probably a better writer and definitely has a better imagination than I do!

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    1. We would definitely recommend writing with your sister! When one is stuck, the other comes to the rescue. It's also wonderful to have someone to share ups and downs of this wonderful, but sometimes difficult career of writing.

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    2. Oh, how wonderful! That such a collaboration might start at jungle Red!

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  15. I have been hearing really good things about your book. In fact it popped up this morning on an author's list of Christmas presents. I love suspense, domestic or ? Wild? At large? Doesn't matter. Perhaps involving people you wouldn't normally want to spend time with heightens it.

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    1. Wonderful! This is domestic and there are some characters you would definitely want to steer clear of in real life - but great fun to spend time with in a book!

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    2. Oh yes.... this is a much better story because it happens to someone else! :-)

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  16. Thanks Liv and Lynne for sharing your writing process with us. I have 4 sisters, and think it would be something to try to write a book with one of them.

    Actually, my oldest sister and I tried to write Barbara Cartland knock-off romance, but it turned out to be more of a spoof because we had such over-the-top scenes and characters that we couldn't stop laughing at our ridiculousness, while each tried to outdo the other in silliness!

    I am definitely influenced by a book's cover, and love the cover of The Last Mrs. Parrish, and like Hank would not be able to pass it by. Did y'all have any input on its design?

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    1. Sounds like you had a lot of fun! We were sent the initial design for our feedabck and loved it so much that we were thrilled to go with it as is. Happy to hear that you like it as well!

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    2. Celia, I loved Barbara Cartland romance novels. I used to read romance novels. Now it's mysteries.

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    3. I have never read one? Okay, confession. Should I?

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  17. Congratulations and best wishes. Your novel sounds fascinating and captivating. How talented to collaborate and produce a winner. I look forward to enjoying this intriguing book.

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  18. The cover can influence me but the blurb is what makes the book come alive. I enjoy domestic suspense since it involves real people and real life situations which many deal with daily. I get involved within the pages and never put the book down so it means it is riveting and unique.

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    1. Yes, you are so right. We love the tag line that our publishing team came up with. We think it reaally conveys the book.

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  19. Congratulations on all the excitement you've created here about this new book with the exquisite cover! I've ordered a sample and will have a look today. It is impossible for me to imagine writing something with someone else, but then it is equally unlikely that I could write alone!

    Thanks, Hank, for bringing this book to us today.

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  20. That is a most beautiful cover. I think I would buy the book for the cover alone! I've been reading more domestic suspense lately, so this one goes on the list. And I don't think characters need to be particularly likable for the story to work. Gone Girl comes to mind--there was a whole spectrum from not-really-great people to psycho awful. And well, that one was popular ;)

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    1. Thank you! So glad you like the cover. I agree about the characters. There are a few nice ones in The Last Mrs. Parrish - so you have someone to root for :)

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    2. Such an interesting balance, right?

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  21. Great cover, and the book sounds delicious! I'm fascinated by your writing process. I have a beloved sister who also writes, but just trying to imagine the two of us working on a plot like that gives me a headache. You two must trust each other deeply.

    I love stories where the characters come alive for the writers and take off in directions the author didn't see coming. A character-driven story is usually much more interesting than one where the author forces the characters to hit the plot marks, whether that's the logical thing to do or not. Trust me. Readers can tell.

    I do prefer to empathize with somebody in a novel. I don't want spend a lot of my time with unpleasant people, real or fictional. And no, I won't buy a book solely for the cover, but the cover certainly does catch my attention and cause me to pick up a book for a quick look. If it's a really good cover, it may cause me to spend more time deciding yes or no than a ho-hum cover will.

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    1. Thank you, Gigi. There are two female protagonists in The Last Mrs. Parrish. The first one most readers love to hate (Amber), and the second one they root for (Daphne). I so agree about character driven stories, and we have abandoned many plot lines that we originally conceived when it became apparent that it was something the character would not do. We like to let our characters lead the way and modify the action accordingly.

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  22. I am definitely drawn to books by the cover art (hey -- wordplay -- drawn by art). It feels like a coded language telling me about the words and sentences within the book -- this cover is spectacular and I would also pick it up. Just for that reason. And, I use the cover art code to help me decide what the micro-genre might be, and whether it would suit my current mood. Interesting!

    This books sounds great, and if I don't win a copy, I will definitely buy it.

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    1. Thank you so much, Denise! It's great to hear that the cover resonates with you. Good luck with the drawing!

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  23. That cover is really compelling. I love the diamond snuck into the graphic, and the semi-Art Deco look of it. I thought I'd already bought this book, but a quick check tells me it's still on my Wish List.

    My sister neither reads nor writes, so I'm envious that you so successfully collaborate, Valerie and Lynne. Maybe part of the secret is the wide range in your ages? It's important to have deep respect for one another's opinion, too, I suspect.

    Some psychiatrist needs to delve more deeply into the phenomenon of characters taking over story narrative the way they so often do. It's such a fascinating aspect of writing, one that's happened to me every single time I've tried to write fiction. I think I'd be better at it if I could learn to trust the internal narrators, but I keep fighting against them, for some reason. But they are real, and a little bit scary, to tell the truth.

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    1. Good-scary. Truly. It means you are really into it. Hurray!

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    2. And! You MUST see The Man Who Invented Christmas. It is SUCH a writer movie! I'm not sure non-writers would appreciate it as much. I was laughing out loud..but others in the audience were not.

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    3. The trailer is hilarious. I really want to see it, too.

      Non-writers have no idea, do they? And it's hard to convince them!

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    4. Can’t wait to hear what you think!

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    5. Hank, we just saw The Man Who Invented Christmas the movie. Wow! I loved the movie.

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  24. Thank you, Karen. We love the diamond too, it really makes a statement. Valerie and I do trust each other completely and are grateful for the relationship we've had all these years. Those characters have a way of making themselves heard. We often talk to them, jokingly. For instance, if one has to die - we'll apologize! Not sure what a psychiatrist would make of that :)

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  25. The Last Mrs. Parrish was such an amazing book - it was one of the most difficult titles to realized didn't make my Top Reads of 2017 post on BOLO Books. If I had only one or two more slots, it certainly would have been there. It's that good folks.

    One of the things that impressed me the most was how seamlessly it read. I knew when I started that sisters had written it, and often I can tell co-written books. But like the works of Charles Todd, there is no way to tell who wrote what in this book.

    I too loved the cover of this book. I have a upcoming post of Top Covers of the year post on BOLO Books and yes, this time the book did make the cut!

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    1. BTW, keep me out of the drawing for the free copies. I want lucky new readers to experience this twisty journey.

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    2. I’ll take your copy. Thanks in advance

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    3. And it's interesting, Kristopher, the Todds and the Constantines have a similar method!

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    4. Thanks so much, Kristopher. So happy you enjoyed the book! And YAY to the cover making the cut. Thanks for that and looking forward to it :)

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  26. Without a doubt, I buy because of the cover. I've seen this cover go by and had thought it was on my TBR, so I checked and fixed it. I note that it's available in audio as well which I like because I spend 2 hours a day commuting and listening to books.

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    1. It would be such fun to listen to! You know, I envy you. If I listen to audiobooks, I immediately fall asleep. But that's a blog for another day.

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    2. Thanks for adding it! Hope you enjoy it.

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  27. Putting this on my TBR list now!

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  28. I agree with what many have said already -- a compelling cover will get me to pick up a book and look at it. But the blurb about the story has to appeal to me if I am to move beyond just looking at it.

    Your book does have that eye-grabbing quality. Kudos to the graphic designer who came up with that. To me, it seems quite unique, UNLIKE most of the other book covers out there, which only adds to its charm.

    This book has garnered such high praise from so many Reds and Reds followers whose opinions I value! That has earned it a place high on my TBR list. Looking forward to experiencing it for myself.

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    1. Exactly. It looks..different, and totally about itself--the milieu and the glitz. In some lists, it's listed as women's fiction. And that's characterized in the cover, too. It's a great vacation or sick-day book. Total indulgence!

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    2. Thank you so much, Susan! We think they did a really amazing job too. And thank you so much for adding it your TBR list!

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  29. Fascinating to read how your collaboration works. I am the youngest (71 years young :) ) of three sisters and cannot conceive of us writing together! We are very close but incredibly different in our approach to almost everything......we would need a "fourth sister" to lend some commonality to avoid having characters appearing to suffer from multiple personality disorder. Looking forward to reading the book!

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    1. Oh, THE FOURTH SISTER! And there's the name of your book!

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    2. Well, if we were writing with our brothers it would be a totally different story! Hope you enjoy the book!

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  30. I can't imagine how you do that! I don't even agree with myself, half the time! Of course, I don't have any siblings, so it's really hard for me to imagine working with one. I'd love to read this book. It sounds fascinating! The cover is a winner, for sure.

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  31. Lynne and Valerie, this book is at the top of my TBR! Maybe I will save it for my holiday break; it feels like a perfect book to curl up with in front of the fire (or on a beach, or subway, or at the dentist's office!). I love the term "plantser" and feel like your process is a good description of my own, minus the sister. I'm a huge believer in world building, and it hasn't gone well when I haven't invested the time in that step of the process. Did you always know the plantser approach was right for you or was there trial and error involved?

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    1. Thank you, Ingrid! We wrote a book together YEARS ago - women's fiction called CIRCLE DANCE and we followed a very detailed outline. Years later, we bought the rights back and re-edited it, realizing that some of what the characters were saying and doing did not match who they really were. When we began collaborating together again years later - with the beneift of craft classes, much more writing, and some wonderful mentors, we realized that for us, writing more organically was the only way we could be true to the character and make the book more authentic. When we were working on the blog post, Valerie came up with the term plantser and I think it's a great balance between the two apporaches.

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    2. Oh, you created it for today? Love that even more!

      And sometimes things happen when it's time for them to happen.

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  32. Lynne and Valerie, I am so impressed by your working method! Your book is going on my Christmas list. And I hereby adopting the term "plantster." Brilliant!

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    1. Thanks, Deborah! Maybe we'll start seeng "plantser" poppig up everywhere :)

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  33. Oh, my! Covers are my "thing." I would definitely buy this book based on the cover. Can't wait to read it!

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  34. Howdy! As a mom I’m impressed when siblings work together, even separated by 3 states. I’m likely to keep a whip & chair close by when my grown kids are in the same room. ⚡️ Looking forward to a new story, new author(s), new thrills (at least on the page.) Cheers!

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    1. As a mom,I know what you mean, Sandy! Hoping my kids grow out of it too, Hank!

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  35. Welcome to Jungle Reds!

    So glad I stopped by and discovered that you are guests today. I learned about your book recently through the bookstagrammer community on Instagram. Jenn McKinlay liked one of my Instagram posts today :-) . The bookstagram community raved about your book so I am, indeed, adding your book to my TBR list.

    Diana

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    1. Oh, bookstagram? Tell us about it! Xxx

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    2. Thank you! The bookstagram community is amazing. So many wonderful folks, and we have a great time interacting with them.

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  36. Totally understand the temptations to buy books. I bought too many books at Bouchercon! Ha ha.

    Hank, wow, you ask great questions! Domestic suspense? Do you mean in the home or in the USA? I find that I enjoy a book more if it is set in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland or in Europe. Interesting question about if the characters have to be wealthy. Not sure if this answers your question. When I was in my royalty phase another lifetime ago, I would skim through a book to see if any of the characters were royalty or aristocracy. I cared more about the titles than the money. Do I have to fall in love with the main character? Again, I'm not sure if this answers the question. For me, the characters have to be interesting. The story has to make sense. If there is an error with the names or a historical date, that throws me off. If there are loose ends with no clear answers at the end, that rankles my logical mind. Ha ha. Does the story have to have a twist? One of my drama teachers once told us a long time ago that if there is no conflict, then there is no plot. I wonder if a story with a twist is similar to a conflict or if it is different.

    Great questions!

    Diana

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    1. Thinking about all this! Fabulous questions… Let me mull it over, and get you some real answers. So wonderful to see you!

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    2. AH. Still thinking about this. Certainly if there is no conflict--it's difficult to care about the story. (I just wrote a blog about that very thing on www.CareerAuthors.com . ) A story with a twist--REVEALS the conflict. But it's one the reader didn't see. Because now-- the reader looks at the stakes in different way. Oh! They think--everything I thought was true is not. Now what really going on? So that's conflict--because it's conflict for the reader.

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    3. Hank, thank you! I wondered if conflict was similar to twist in the story.

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  38. I probably would not buy a book strictly for its cover, but it would motivate me to pick it up and read the back and front cover to see what it is about. I have stumbled upon some winners that way.. Your books sounds really intriguing and not just for the cover..

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  39. AND THE WINNERS ARE: Joan Emerson, Melanie Bodin, Susan, Helen Nordseth and Sandy!
    Please email me your addresses at h ryan at whdh dot com And the books will be on the way!

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    1. So excited to win a copy! Just sent you my address......Thank you

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    2. I've already e-mailed my address and my thankies to Hank. But just wanted to say again, Thank-You Livs! I can't wait for this read. Or, on second thought, I'll save it up for the long Christmas weekend. Popcorn and your book--wonderful!

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  40. Looks amazing! Congratulations Liv!

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  41. Congratulations to the winners! Hope you enjoy the book!

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  42. Thank you so much, Hank, for hosting us! It's been a blast. And thank you to everyone who commented, we so enjoyed chatting with you.

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