Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Her Accidental Thriller

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN:

Well, wow. Sometimes things just work, don’t they? When we least expect it.

Lyn Liao Butler went to Hawaii  with her family to escape Covid. Good idea!

She decided to write a book there.

Good idea.

She wrote and wrote. And turned out, the book did not develop into her usual (extremely successful) upmarket fiction or rom-com.

Turned out, this one was a thriller.

What? Good idea?

Yup.

So she wrote it anyway.

REALLY REALLY GOOD IDEA.

Now Publishers Weekly says:

“Well-developed characters and plenty of local color add to the slowly simmering plot, which builds to a strong and unexpected climax. Alfred Hitchcock fans will be satisfied.”

And her "accidental thriller" reached NUMBER ONE in domestic thrillers on Amazon!

YAAY!

And here's how it happened.

 






How I Accidentally Wrote a Thriller

By Lyn Liao Butler


It was January 2021, and I’d gotten the harebrained idea to go live on Kauai with my husband and then eight-year-old son that winter, to escape the cold of New York and the pandemic. There was no COVID on the island because they weren’t letting people in. I’d been struggling to write my third book (set in Kauai), which I was supposed to turn in as my option to my editor. I needed to go for research so on a whim, we went for it. It was the best decision we made during the pandemic.


Not only were we out of the cold, we were living on a beautiful island where our son got to play with the local kids. Creative juices stirred and the words flowed. But I was in a dark mood, mostly due to pandemic homeschooling (which made me consider day drinking starting at 10:26am every morning). I started killing people off in the book. Then there was a stalker who followed the MC all the way from New York to Kauai, then an accidental murder from the past, and then an intentional murder from the past. 

One day, I was standing on the banks of the Wailua River, about to go paddle boarding with my family, when I suddenly asked the guy renting us the paddle boards, “If there was a really bad storm, could someone get swept away out into the ocean?”

He said yes, enthusiastically. It has happened, to his father in fact who survived, because he was a strong swimmer. I then asked, “So, if someone can’t swim, they could potentially drown?” He nodded, telling me all about the surge from up the mountains and how in a second, it could sweep anything along the banks away. My face must have lit up with glee as I said, “Perfect! That’s how she’s going to die then.”

He looked at me, cocked his head, and took a few steps back from the river. I then had to convince him I wasn’t plotting a murder. I was writing a book. But it didn’t feel like my first two books, which have been described as upmarket book club fiction. It wasn’t until I told some writer friends about the book that they said to me, “Lyn. That’s not a family drama. You wrote a thriller.”

Huh. I didn’t know how to write a thriller. I love them, but never attempted to write one. When I showed my agent, she said the same thing. I had accidentally written a thriller.



We fine-tuned the concept, and then she sold that book, Someone Else’s Life, in two weeks on only three chapters and a synopsis. And suddenly, I was now a thriller author. The ideas started to flow out of me. Every time something in real life happened, my thriller brain would start spinning it into a new story. I started researching ways people could die (like, how many seconds do you have to hold a pillow over someone face), and other subjects that I’m sure has put me on some national watch list. Every time I ask questions like that, I have to preface it with, “I’m not a serial killer or plotting a kidnapping.”

It’s been fun getting into the heads of twisted people, but I might have to write a romcom next, to counterbalance all that murder. After all, I read across genres, so why not write them? How many of you would read an author who has crossed genres?

HANK: Lyn, you are in good company here! The Reds and readers are all eager to read any book in any genre–and yup, as a result of research, we are ALL on some watchlist somewhere! And I can imagine your face lighting up as you discovered a good way to kill someone–and again, here you are in like company. Welcome–and congratulations on your wild success.

Reds and readers, has it ever crossed your mind to tell an author: “Stay in your lane!” ? Not me!

(And PS. It's not public yet :-), but: Lyn will join me in THE BACK ROOM on March 5–live with Adele Parks, Eli Cranor and Shelby Van Pelt. Really really really good idea!






Lyn Liao Butler, author of upmarket fiction, thrillers and rom-coms, was born in Taiwan and moved to the States when she was seven. Before becoming an author, she was a professional ballet and modern dancer, and is still a personal trainer, fitness instructor and yoga instructor. She is an avid animal lover and fosters dogs, as well as volunteers with rescues.

When she is not torturing clients or talking to imaginary characters, Lyn enjoys spending time with her FDNY husband, their son (the happiest little boy in the world), their three stubborn dachshunds (Lokie, Mochi, Cash and Pinot in heaven), sewing for her Etsy shop, and trying crazy yoga poses on a stand-up paddleboard. So far, she has not fallen into the water yet.

SOMEONE ELSE’S LIFE



A new life in paradise should have healed her wounds. But for a woman struggling to hold on
to her family and her sanity, one stormy night could change everything.

Blow by blow, Annie Lin’s life crumbles. Her dance studio goes bankrupt. Her mother and beloved dog are gone the same year. Then a terrible accident leaves her young son traumatized.

It’s time for a change.

Palm trees, mai tais, peace and quiet―Annie should be at ease, safe in her new Kauai home with her husband and son. She hopes proximity to her family can provide them all with a sense of belonging and calm. But soon items from her past start turning up―her dog’s collar, a bracelet that disappeared years ago―and she has the unnerving sensation she’s being watched. Reality begins to fracture, and Annie’s panic attacks return. When, during a brewing storm, a woman appears on her doorstep looking for shelter, Annie is relieved to have the company and feels an unexplainable bond with her visitor.

As the night progresses, Annie realizes the woman is no stranger. Their lives are inextricably intertwined―and Annie might just lose everything.





70 comments:

  1. As I read this post, Lyn, I wanted to say, “Good for you!” I don’t see any reason that authors shouldn’t write in different genres . . . It would NEVER occur to me to tell an author to write only one type of book.

    Congratulations on your new book . . . I’m looking forward to reading it and finding out what happens to Annie . . . .

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    1. So agree!

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    2. Thank you Joan! That's great to hear!

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  2. Congratulations, Lyn, on your accidental thriller! I already have it on my Kindle and am working my way toward it. I might also have to get a print copy because that cover is so gorgeous. I've been seeing this book lots of places, so its success seems secured.

    I read multiple authors who write different genres or different sub-genres of a genre. I think it's great that authors don't limit themselves to writing only one type of book. Variety is absolutely the spice of life, in writing and reading.

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    1. Yes, that cover is so arresting! Someday you must write a blog for us, Kathy, and how many books you read! And how you do it!

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    2. They did such an amazing job with the cover! And I love reading writers who write across genres too. I was a reader well before I became a writer and always had a book in hand. My mom used to yell at me because she said I was going to hurt myself reading while walking :)

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  3. Your books sounds delicious creepy. Congrats! (And I'm laughing at your conversation with the paddle boarding guy.)

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    1. Yes, he was very suspicious of my family after that. Told us to just leave the paddle boards by the shore when we were done. No need for him to come back - LOL

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  4. Congratulations on your book release. And kudos, an author should write in whatever genre makes them happy.

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    1. So agree! And, thank you, darling, one, for hosting THE HOUSE GUEST on your wonderful blog today! Red and readers, go spend a few minutes with Alyssa Macallen! https://drusbookmusing.com/alyssa-macallen/

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    2. Yay - thank you!

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  5. Congratulations, Lyn, on accidentally branching out into a new genre. I do like to read across genres and I'm always glad when a favorite author is suddenly doing something new. Best of luck on where this new inspiration takes you.

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    1. Got to love that she didn’t do it on purpose, right? Takes away a whole level of anxiety! :-)

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    2. That's great to hear! Since I accidentally just wrote a rom-com too...

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  6. What a wonderful story, Lyn! Yes, we crime fiction authors are all on the watch list. Once at a restaurant during Malice Domestic, several of us were all excited talking about poisons. The waiter backed away. Patrons at a nearby table looked horrified. We explained... And I embrace crossing genre lines, as long as it's clear to readers who might be expecting a rom-com from you.

    So many congratulations on the new book, but I have a question: If Kauai wasn't letting people in during COVID, how did you get in?

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    1. Ha! I can absolutely imagine that conversation, and what happened afterwards… So funny !

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    2. Haha! Good to know I'm in good company! Kauai had a strict 14-day quarantine in a hotel room policy. You had to wear an electronic bracelet and they even sent armed guards to your room at unexpected times to make sure you didn't leave the room. We booked the trip anyways, hoping they would lift it. 3 days before we were to fly there, they finally lifted that strict rule. We only had to quarantine for 3 days in a resort bubble (so were able to walk around the grounds of the hotel and use the pool) and then we tested out on the 4th day. Still had to wear the electronic bracelet like a prisoner, but it was worth it. There was NO ONE there except locals. The beaches which are usually packed was deserted. It was the best decision we ever made during the pandemic!

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  7. Lyn, congratulations on the attention and success of your new book. I enjoyed reading about how you accidentally wrote a thriller. During the early days of the pandemic, we were all living a thriller!

    When I like an author, I will follow him/her across genres depending on whether the book appeals to me. Sometime you feel like a thriller, sometimes you don't.

    My family spent several days on Kauai during a magical Hawaiian vacation. It was just an amazing place to be! How incredible that you were able to retreat to that island with your family. You literally cannot get further from NYC, and still be in the US.

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    1. And I guess that makes the book jacket all the more important, doesn’t it. So readers understand what is inside.

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    2. Kauai is the place of my heart! I love how different my life is here than it is in NY - I'd love to be able to live the winter months in Kauai and the spring/summer in NY, but with a 10 year old, that gets tricky (since he hated pandemic homeschooling and told me he "retired" from my school - LOL)

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  8. Just checking in you all! I am about to board a plane from Cleveland to Denver to San Diego! So I will pop in whenever I have time! Keep those comments coming, and Lyn will be here soon!

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    1. Hank, will you be speaking at a book store in san diego?

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    2. Have fun on your book tour, Hank!!!

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    3. Thank you! WIND! SNOW! Delays! and finally here..xooxo At a wonderful event tomorrow!

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  9. Lyn, the cover of your book is really eye’s catching ! And how it came to be is very interesting.
    I read all kinds of books. I would not presume that a writer has to tell only one kind of story.
    I went to check your previous work and downloaded Red Tread of Fate as I’m presently more interested in the complexity of a family’s interactions than in a thriller. I still keep yours in note for later.
    Danielle

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    1. Hi Danielle! I'm so glad you downloaded Red Thread of Fate! That book was partly inspired by my husband and my journey when we adopted our son. The book is dedicated to our son and one time at a book signing, I caught him writing in the book and realized he was signing his name! He said because it's dedicated to him, he had to sign it too, so now he always signs my books if he's at a book signing with me :)

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    2. Oh, that is adorable. And incredibly touching!

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  10. Congratulations, Lyn, on the new book--romcom or not, who cares? As you can see around here, we love it when a writer branches out into other genres! That cover had me hooked!

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    1. Yay! So great to hear, since I have upmarket contemporary books, thrillers, and have a rom-com, Crazy Bao You, about to release on June 6! And like Hank said earlier, the cover is so important so that people know what they are getting!

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    2. Oh, come do a blog for us about Crazy Bao You! Would you??

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  11. I see no reason for an author not to cross genres if they have a good story to tell. I am glad to see you were not required to use a pseudonym because of it. That is a practice that should go away.
    Thanks for sharing your story behind the story.

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    1. Thank you for this Brenda. My agent felt that as an author of color, it's already hard enough for us to break out in the book world, so to start using pseudonyms so early in my career would dilute my brand. I was so glad she felt this, and that my editors agreed! I am using just Lyn Liao for my rom-coms just to differentiate a bit but it's still my maiden name. So I'm going to be like John Cougar Mellencamp. Sometimes I'm Lyn Liao Butler, sometimes Lyn Liao, maybe I'll write a fantasy under Lyn Butler...

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    2. I'm all about three names! So is Julia.... xxooxx

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    3. We do have the 3 names in common Hank! LOL

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  12. LYN: I am so glad you and your family found refuge in Kauai in 2021 and you found inspiration for an unexpected new book. Like others, I read other genres besides mysteries/crime fiction & will seek out SOMEONE ELSE'S LIFE.

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    1. Hi Grace - thank you so much! And yes, Kauai is such a place of my heart to me. Every time I come here, I feel at peace and the creative juices flow.

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  13. Speaking of thrillers/mysteries I am almost finished with The House Guest. Highly recommend!!

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    1. Thank you! That is ...the best thing I have ever heard! Aww...thank you! xxx

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    2. That is next on my TBR list

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  14. Oooooohhhh, this sounds sooooo good, Lyn. Hub and I were just debating a trip to Hawaii andnow I'm even more motivated to read your book in its natural setting. Definitely, write across genres. I highly recommend it!

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    1. You must visit Hawaii! it's a must see in my mind :)

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  15. I think genre definitions can be a boon and a barrier... I confess that I do try to avoid certain genre categories. Not my thing. And thank goodness we get a warning by the way the book is described or categorized. Congratulations on the new book! It can take us ALL to Hawaii during the winter and no problem getting through "customs".

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    1. Yes definitely! That's why book covers are so important so if it's a genre you wouldn't ususally read, you get a heads up. And yes, travel to Hawaii with me!

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    2. Jungle Red retreat! (or...Jungle Red advance...)

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    3. If you do a Jungle Red retreat, I will host (advance too)

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  16. I love that description, an accidental thriller! It seems like so much of life lately has been "accidental." Your book sounds well plotted, no accident there. I look forward to reading it.

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    1. Haha yes, everything is so accidental in the past few years. I just went with the flow!

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    2. SO agree...it's such a valuable thing to understand..xoxo

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  17. Hank, thank you for introducing us to a new author. I can imagine being on a watchlist. LOL.

    Lyn, congratulations on your accidental thriller! Wonder how you and your family were able to get into Hawaii despite the restrictions? Writing a thriller is better than actually committing the crimes in real life, right?

    Yes, I think it is possible to cross genres as long as it is something that you are passionate about. Since I began my attempts at writing a cozy mystery, I have noticed that my story looks more like a children's fairy tale story than a grown up cozy mystery. Even though I love to read cozy mysteries, perhaps my writing have not reached that level yet? I am taking online classes and I have to be diligent about doing the work every day.

    Looking for the rom-com novels that you wrote. Are they under your name or another name?

    Diana

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    1. We booked the trip, even knowing we might have to cancel because of the 2 week quarantine in a hotel room thing (our 8 year old would NOT have survived that and neither would we). But we got lucky and 3 days before we were supposed to go, they lifted it and we only had to quarantine for 3 days in a resort bubble (so could walk around the property, use the pool, etc), and then tested out after the 3rd day.

      And every genre has its own "rules" and I had to take a crash course on how to write thrillers. (by studying the books I loved). If it makes you feel better, even with that, my editors were horrified at the first draft I turned in - lol. But with their guidance, it turned into a polished draft. So yes, keep working at it!

      My rom-com is under the name Lyn Liao (my maiden name). It's called Crazy Bao You and comes out on June 6!

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  18. Aloha everyone! I'm actually in Kauai right now, getting ready for my launch event at Talk Story Bookstore this Friday! So it's early morning here and just waking up to see this. Thank you to Hank and Jungle Red Writers for having me on here today!

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  19. Oops! I wasn't signed in so my previous comment came from Anonymous! Sorry everyone - it's too early in the morning here in Kauai and I guess I'm not fully awake :) Thanks for having me Hank and Jungle Red Writers!

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  20. Lyn, I can’t wait to read the new book! Congratulations on successfully writing in a different genre!

    DebRo

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  21. Wow, Lyn, just reading the synopsis gave me chills! And, yes, I am happy to read across genres! Also, your cover is absolutely fab--so striking!

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  22. Lyn, I read, and loved, THE TIGER MOM'S TALE, and was so delighted to see you right here at JRW. I'm a firm believer in the genre choosing the author - I've known too many of my peers who started out to write the great American novel/ a romance/ a cozy mystery only to wind up with women's fiction/ a thriller/ a paranormal about vampires. My first book was going to be a science fiction space opera - until I wrote a mystery instead.

    As for mixing it up - the more the merrier. Let a hundred flowers bloom.

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    1. OMG thank you for reading The Tiger Mom's Tale! And yes, the books sometimes just write themselves and you just have to go with the flow!

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    2. LOVE that flow! And yes, Julia, I love your story, too..

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  23. Congratulations, Lyn. I would never tell an author NOT to write a story she was passionate about. You gotta go where the muse leads, right?

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  24. Congratulations, Lyn! You just never know what will come out on the page. Sounds like a fabulous book that I want to read!

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