Thursday, April 18, 2019

S. A. Lelchuk, inspired by a cross-country drive to write a kick-ass character


Yesterday's winners: Flora Church & Liz Milliron win a copy of Kris Frieswick's THE GHOST MANUSCRIPT, and Kris thanks everyone for their great advice.  (Flora, Liz, go to my web site; my contact page has my email... send me your mailing addresses so Kris can send you a book.)

HALLIE EPHRON: It's always exciting when a new series and its writer start generating the kind of buzz that's accompanying S. A. Lelchuk's SAVE ME FROM DANGEROUS MEN. The series features Nikki Griffin, not your typical private investigator. In her office above her bookstore's shelves and stacks, where she luxuriates in books and the comfort they provide, she also tracks certain men. Dangerous men. Men who've hurt the women they claim to love. Clearly what's selling the book (already optioned for film and TV) is the main character.

So here's Saul to talk about Nikki.


S. A. LELCHUK: Hello, Jungle Red community!

My protagonist, Nikki Griffin, has been compared to Lisbeth Salander and Jack Reacher, which was so exciting for me, as a huge fan of both those series. There are plenty of differences, of course: Nikki lacks the dark, pure vengefulness of Lisbeth, and certainly the kind of raw power and physical imposingness of Reacher.

I wanted a character who is larger than life in some ways – able to dish out punishment to those who deserve it – but also susceptible to the same fears that probably most of us have felt.

Uncertainties about career, worries about relationships, feeling not in control of her emotions and reactions, this intense, sometimes blinding loyalty to those she loves… to me these things are fairly integral to who Nikki is.

A few readers have liked that Nikki doesn’t have to trade emotion, especially empathy, for toughness, and that’s been great to see, because that was a big part of how I envisioned her. I hate the notion that toughness needs to mean cold-heartedness or aloofness.

One reviewer compared her to Becky Sharp; in fact, Nikki even worries aloud about this similarity. But, as she is reminded in the book, even though they share a … definite single-mindedness, Nikki is ultimately driven by empathy, by a desire to protect. She’s gone through this horrific childhood tragedy, and in her mind, she failed to be there when it mattered. She bears a lot of guilt, and might never be able to fully let go of the idea of protectionism—even if she sometimes can’t help but take it to an extreme.

Sometimes I feel writing and insomnia go together, as Nikki might say, like gin and olives. I first came up with Nikki at about 3:00 am one morning, and by the time I fell asleep at 6:00, I had the rudiments of who she was. That day I happened to be starting a solo cross-country drive from New Hampshire to California.

Turns out that meandering, solo road trips through remote parts of the country are not only a guaranteed way to feel deep gratitude for the invention of satellite radio, but also a pretty perfect way to wrestle with the beginnings of a book! I wrote the first scene in an Applebee’s in Eerie, Pennsylvania, continued in the prairie around the Badlands in North Dakota, through Yellowstone, the Southwest, and so forth. If time allowed, before every new book I’d drive cross-country alone.

The suspense/mystery genre is a little terrifying, because so much amazing stuff is already out there! The challenge for me was: how to find a bit of ground that maybe hasn’t been fully stepped on, and yet also pay homage to writers I love? I think having Nikki run a bookstore allowed me to get at the latter, and it’s been great seeing the responses from book-lovers who enjoy the literary references.

Only so much can go into a single, 300-ish page book, so I’m delighted this is the start of a series. Getting to explore more backstory, bring back favorite characters or introduce new ones – these are very fun things to play with. Hopefully Nikki will be around for a long time! 

HALLIE: I'm a huge fan, too, of Jack Reacher and Lisbeth Salander. What a power couple they make!! AND adding the bookstore sands the edges.  

Anyone else out there who found a road trip a fertile time for coming up with great ideas?

If you're in Phoenix near The Poisoned Pen Bookstore on Saturday at 2PM, drop by and hear Saul talk about SAVE ME FROM DANGEROUS MEN. 

37 comments:

  1. Congratulations on your book . . . I love the idea of Nikki and a bookstore.

    As for the road trip, although I’ve driven across the country a couple of times, I can’t say it brought about any great ideas for me, perhaps because driving is not something I enjoy . . . .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Joan! Agreed -- if I didn't love driving I doubt I'd be very creative behind the wheel. But as long as there's no traffic I'm happy...

      Delete
  2. I love to drive, and have tackled a number of long road trips, in addition to my daily 45-minute commute. And yes, satellite radio is definitely worth the extra bucks if you're renting a trusty steed for your road trip. Who knew how bad the country music in Tennessee would be without it?

    I've written in my mind while in my car since college days, when I would "write" and practice speeches for class on my way to school each morning. The car is a great private space to think your way through problems or imagine your way out of boredom--particularly when you don't have to pay a lot of attention to other cars on the road. Oklahoma, Kansas, central Wyoming, and pretty much all of Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico have proven to be fertile ground for me on that front.

    Your book sounds intriguing, Saul. I wish you loads of luck with your new series.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. Thanks, Gigi! And yes, as you say the emptier the road, the easier it is to think.

      Delete
  3. I try hard NOT to plot while I'm running errands, because I'll end up, not by intention but by habit, at the grocery store. Yes, long road trips when I'm not driving and long plane flights. Bookstore Nikki sounds like a great character. Congratulations on your release!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Margaret! I'm with you -- I spend way too much time at the grocery store without 'accidental' trips there. Working on planes is so hit or miss for me... but I think a lot depends on one's seatmate.

      Delete
  4. Park me with the contingent that hates to drive, so usually I'm thinking about where's the next bathroom if I find myself on the road. But on a train or bus or subway I've learned to have pen and paper handy. Then the only problem is reading what I wrote.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm such a fan of trains! I read about an Amtrak 'Residency for Writers' gig a while ago and was completely obsessed... talk about a dream job.

      Delete
    2. I keep wondering about that Amtrak residency-it might be fabulous--until it isn't. I mean, I suppose you don't have to stay on the train every single minute...

      Delete
  5. Congratulations on the book!

    I haven't done road trips. For me it's the shower. A similar alone time, hot water and steam, perfect for working through problems or coming up with ideas.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Laughing here, because of course in the shower you can't possible write down the idea... I always come up with my best ideas at times like that. (While frying chicken; riding the exercise bike...)

      Delete
    2. I did hear a writer (can't remember who)talk about the time she wrote a precious idea in the steam on the glass shower door!

      Delete
    3. That is impressive! Except now every time I shower I'm going to feel decidedly unproductive.

      Delete
    4. Hallie, that's why I'm going to invent water-proof paper, pen, and ink, make a fortune, and be able to spend the rest of my life writing. =)

      Delete
  6. Congratulations! A solo cross country trip sounds perfect - as does the premise of your new series. I've done several such drives in my past and have two shorter ones (only 8 hours) coming up in May. Question - when you get inspiration WHILE you are driving, how do you record it without pulling over. I have kept a pad of paper and pen on the passenger seat to jot down ideas while keeping my eyes on the road, but is there a better hands-free way? Thanks, and congratulations on the new book. I look forward to reading it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Edith! Great question -- I'd say it's a combination of things. I keep a notepad and pen and have gotten (sort of) adept at jotting a word or two against the wheel -- the big, blocky Midwest / Western states definitely help for this because so many roads go in a perfectly straight line. I also keep a recorder and will say a few words if I'm worried I'll forget it. And if necessary I am always up for taking a random exit, stretching my legs, writing a few notes, and seeing something new!

      Good luck on your May drives!

      Delete
    2. Pull over, Edith! It's worth it.

      Delete
    3. I used to carry a little tape recorder in the car. I'm afraid too many of us get out the cell phone and try to text ourselves. DO NOT DO THAT!

      Delete
  7. I don't write but love road trips. This is the only time I listen to audio books and have doe so all across the country. However, I do explore possibilities, not in the car but when I'm observing people, wondering if that cherub life guard at the JCC, kippah and all, is really a serial killer. Or that professorial gentleman in the droopy bathing suit has a dungeon in his basement and a dominatrix for a wife. Obviously I'm spending too much in public places, particularly the gym, where clothes are insufficient to disguise the villains amongst us.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And could that retired nurse, who seems like such a sweet older lady . . .

      Delete
    2. I'm not traveling with you... My daughter, who is a writer and an intrepid traveler (in Mexico where she lived for a year she traveled by combi (little vans that stop and pick you up on the side of the road). When I expressed a twinge of worry, she informed me that 9 times out of 10 people would rather help you than kill you. As if I'd find that comforting.

      Delete
    3. How reassuring -- only 1 out of 10 are serial killers... very safe odds.

      Delete
    4. The retired nurse, AKA the Angel of Death. Beware

      Delete
  8. Saul, Nikki sounds great. Can't wait to get my hands on her adventures.

    I'm super impressed that not only can you plot as you drive (I used to be able to, but not so much these days) but also put to good use the insomnia hours of 3-6 am, then fall asleep and REMEMBER IT ALL.

    Well done.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Susan! Although 'remember it all' might be giving me too much credit... for all I know I forgot plenty of good stuff! But the fun part about coming up with a central character is how much it really locks into one's mind. When I'm working on a book I can't stop thinking about it even if I DO want to. Which probably makes me a very bad dinner guest.

      Delete
  9. Saul , your book sounds like the kind I will enjoy.
    I'm always impressed with someone driving through a country and even more if he comes with fabulous ideas.
    Being carsick, I can't drive more than a couple of hours and can't concentrate on other things than the road.
    Looking forward reading Save Me From Dangerous Men

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks Danielle, I really appreciate it! And concentrating on the road is never a bad thing :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Road trip, hmm. The driving part, not so much. Unless I decided to write a book about how dangerously and crazily everyone drives. But wait, just thinking about that gave me an idea. Wait, two ideas. So hey-maybe you don't even have to drive to be inspired by it!
    And I love the double meaning of the title! So perfect. Was that always the title? (Are you going to have her get older in the books, or do a Sue Grafton?)
    Congratulations on the great buzz!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Crazy road trips? I HAVE been meaning to read "No Exit!"

      To answer your very good question -- it's funny but SAVE ME was actually not the first title. The book was originally called "The House Above the Beach" (you'll see why if you read) and my publisher, after they took it, called me and said that no one could remember the name... which was a problem. So we were back to the drawing board, and I suggested I could steal the title from my sequel, which was in progress at the time. So that's how "Save Me From Dangerous Men" came to be... of course leaving my poor sequel title-less.

      I do plan to have Nikki age (hopefully gracefully) in the series, partly because she is my age, and that seems an easy way to develop her through the years. For instance, in the sequel, her boyfriend is pushing for them to move in together... something which Nikki isn't so sure about. She's someone who likes her space.

      But I do want some of the books to take place at earlier times in her life, too. There is a flashback in the book to Nikki-in-her-early-twenties, and writing those scenes made me realize there's something fun about looking at a nascent Nikki, just starting out in her career -- maybe not quite as good at her job, or acting with less certainty, etc.
      All kinds of fun places to take it!

      Delete
  12. Replies
    1. Talk about myself... now the questions are getting tougher :)

      At heart, I'm a country kid -- grew up on a dirt road in rural NH, surrounded by books and trees. So I think growing up books were just constantly on my mind (and lap, and bed, and floor, and shelves, and pretty much everywhere). My hometown didn't even have a traffic light (except if you count one of those blinking yellow ones) but what it did have was a library. So that's where I could have been found, most days.

      There's a scene in my book where Nikki finds herself in a library, as a kid, reading constantly throughout a summer, and when I was writing that scene, it felt very close to heart, as I was thinking back to all of these childhood memories. (Are there any memories more vivid? I don't think so.)

      These days I live in the Bay Area (way too many traffic lights, sadly) but I teach creative writing at Dartmouth at least one term a year, so I get to spend my summers back in the woods in NH, very close to where I grew up. And I get to sit in a room talking about books, which is pretty much my favorite way to spend time.

      Delete
  13. Hi Saul! I think Nikki sounds like a great protagonist and I love the bookstore juxtaposition! Congrats on your publication, and on your media options!

    I love road trips, and I'm almost always plotting when I'm driving and running errands. I don't want to admit how many times I've missed my home exit because I had a scene running through my head. It's been a few years, however, since I've done a cross-country trip, and I don't think I've ever come up with a completely new book idea in the car. You may have inspired me...

    Can you tell us a bit more about the book, too?

    And have fun at The Poisoned Pen--it's the best.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Deborah! I hope I've given you a good excuse to fill the tank and hit the road! And I've definitely missed my exit a few times, I know the feeling.

      So the central idea for the book came with the character of Nikki Griffin, who has these two kind of fundamental sides to her: she runs a bookstore by day, and also does vigilante work by night. My dream in life was always to run a used bookstore, and when it became clear that wasn't gonna happen, I figured hey, at least I can create a character who does!

      And that part for me, as a reader, was so fun -- getting to have characters walk into the bookstore and Nikki recommending the perfect book for them -- even if they didn't know there was one. But of course a few of the characters, here and there, walk in, and they have a problem that it takes more than a book to fix. That's when Nikki takes them upstairs, to a small office she keeps above the bookstore... and if there's someone causing that person a problem, threatening, hurting, etc. -- well, then Nikki steps in to handle it.

      Growing up I loved all of the great detective / noir writers, especially the CA legends, and so it was fun to make Nikki a bit of a throwback, in her mannerisms, her speech, a bit... she's got no problem tossing back a neat Scotch or two and then getting to work. She doesn't like technology and doesn't own a cell phone.

      But at the same time I wanted the book to feel very contemporary, and the issues she encounters, faces, the case she's drawn into -- being hired by this shadowy Silicon Valley company -- these hopefully feel very real and modern.

      PS sadly I have never been to the Poisoned Pen before, but I'm so excited! It looks like an incredible place. (My good friend told me I also have to eat at Pizzeria Bianco. He used to own/run a meat pie & pizza cart, so I trust him on these things.)

      Delete
  14. So, Nikki tracks dangerous men. What does she do when she finds them? Inquiring minds and all that!
    I love road trips. We took one back in January and hopefully another one soon. Definitely driving to the Black Hills in late June. I just enjoy the scenery and comparing drivers in different states and cities. I made the unfortunate decision of bringing our dog along on our last trip, thinking he'd rather be with us than at dog camp. All of our dogs have been good travelers. Except Jack. It became the trip from hell. We couldn't leave him alone anywhere. Not even in the car. Never again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Pat!
      What does she do when she finds them...!? Well, without giving too much away, Nikki is a big believer in proportional response. So if she's after someone who has made a threat, or physically hurt someone, or a killer -- she will react in very different ways. For instance, the opening scenes of the book have her going after a guy who has physically abused his girlfriend, and Nikki handles it in a way that... 'convinces' him to never do that again. But later in the book, she finds herself up against some people who make that guy look like a teddy bear, and she definitely kicks it up a gear.

      But with Nikki I didn't want her to be some kind of Terminator-figure, able to mow down bad guys by the dozen. In the fight scenes, where there's violence, she thinks through her problems, figures out creative approaches. Not only did that feel more real, but as a writer, personally, I felt it was more interesting.

      Sorry to hear that your dog ruined the car trip! Sounds like Jack got his license revoked, so to speak. I have a cat, who is absolutely wonderful, but she HATES the car. Which is a source of regret, because I feel like she would be perfect company for a road trip, plus then I wouldn't have to pay sitters. Life is not perfect...

      Speaking of the Black Hills, I was there when writing the first draft of this for a few days! Such a beautiful area, I'm actually planning to return this summer. Maybe we'll run into each other!

      Delete
  15. This book - specifically Nikki - sounds perfect to me! I can't wait to pick up a copy, Saul. Congrats on the release and, yes, driving always seems to solve my plot problems so I totally get it. In fact, I'm wondering if I need a road trip now...

    ReplyDelete