New interview with author Kelly Charron

Author Kelly Charron is back with a new interview. She joins me today to wrap up 2017 with an interview about her new psychological thriller, Wicked Fallout.

She was here last year to talk about YA novel, Pretty Wicked.

Bio:

Kelly Charron is the author of YA and adult horror, psychological thrillers and urban fantasy novels. All with gritty, murderous inclinations and some moderate amounts of humor. She spends far too much time consuming true crime television (and chocolate) while trying to decide if yes, it was the husband, with the wrench, in the library. Kelly has English Literature and Social Work degrees and has worked in education and in various social service areas. She lives with her husband and cat, Moo Moo, in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Welcome back to Reviews and Interviews, Kelly.

Thank you so much for having me back, Lisa!

Please tell us about your newest release.

Wicked Fallout takes place 12 years after Pretty Wicked, which is the first book in the series. It follows incarcerated serial killer, Ryann Wilkanson, as she attempts to get a commuted sentence and released from prison when new evidence comes to light about the murders she committed when she was fifteen. The book alternates between Ryann’s point of view and the forensic psychiatrist, Dr. Nancy Clafin, who has been appointed by Ryann’s new defense team to evaluate her.

What inspired you to write this book?

I had a lot of fun writing Ryann. The sequel actually began as a rewrite of Pretty Wicked. I was at a writing conference and talked separately with an editor and agent who were each interested in seeing Pretty Wicked written as an adult book instead of young adult. I gave it a sincere try but in the end, I couldn’t abandon the vision I originally had for the book. I was going to have to change too many interesting and important elements to the story which didn’t sit right with me. I decided to use some of what I’d written but changed it to be the sequel instead. I was interested in seeing what happened to Ryann after the end of the first book. Where was she? What was she like? How had she changed? I enjoyed writing an older and more experienced version of her as well as the new perspective Nancy had, which is obviously a very different one from Ryann. I love dark stories and dark characters. I’ve always found the villain in stories to be far more fascinating than the heroic protagonist. True crime and serial killers have interested me since I was a young child, I have no idea why—though I chalk it up to being captivated by human motivation and flaws. I’m intrigued to learn about individuals who are so vastly different from most people you or I would ever encounter.

What’s the next writing project?

I’m currently working on a new adult thriller separate from the Pretty Wicked Series. It centers around three women who have been friends since they were young. One of them is engaged and the three spend a night celebrating an intimate bachelorette party at a local pub. They split up, but two of them get a phone call the next morning from the fiancé saying that their friend never made it home. Her purse and keys are found on her front lawn, proof that she made it back, just never inside. It’s far more than a kidnapping story. I don’t want to give away the twists and turns (of which there are many) but there’s quite a bit of drama between the friends left behind. I’m exploring the idea of how well you really know the people in your life, including what they are actually capable of doing under the right, or wrong, circumstances.

What is your biggest challenge when writing a new book? (or the biggest challenge with this book)

Procrastinating is my curse. I wish I didn’t, but I’m guilty of it at some point most days. I have great writing streaks where it’s not an issue, but if I’m tired I’m always going to choose TV or Netflix over writing. The biggest challenge I faced when I was writing Wicked Fallout was deciding how much to delve into the murders from Pretty Wicked. Wicked Fallout is an adult book so there is a distinct possibility it would get a new readership than PW. I’ve already had a few emails from readers telling me they have read WF and not PW because they don’t enjoy young adult. I wanted to make sure I put enough information about the things Ryann had done in book one so that readers who went straight into WF had a complete grasp of the murders and her character. I struggled finding a balance between recapping and recreating the events of the first novel, but I worked with the same beta readers and editor on both books and they helped me reach a good balance. It’s constructed in a way to refresh the memory of someone who read book one and fills in enough of the gaps for a new reader.

If your novels require research – please talk about the process. Do you do the research first and then write, while you’re writing, after the novel is complete and you need to fill in the gaps?

I research as I write. I hate leaving areas that are blank or only partially written, so when I come to a part that I need more knowledge about I will research that in that moment. This way the information is fresh in my mind and will be truer on the page. I did quite a bit of research for both books, though for Pretty Wicked my research was watching documentaries, reading true crime accounts and studying serial killers, especially children who kill, of which there are far more than I ever anticipated. Because Wicked Fallout had a huge legal element, I interviewed a Colorado Prosecutor as well as a woman who worked with children who had committed violent crimes and were incarcerated. I am a Canadian and our legal system is quite a bit different so it was important for me to represent American prison and legal areas as realistically as possible while still allowing for the magic of fiction.

What’s your writing space like? Do you have a particular spot to write where the muse is more active? Please tell us about it.

I can write everywhere and do—from cafes to my home office or sitting on the couch or the couch of another writing friend. As long as I have my laptop I can create, and if I don’t, I often carry a notebook with me to write plot or character points. I’m a horrible plotter, but try to prepare some of my scenes ahead so I’m not flailing and wasting time, which unfortunately still happens on occasion.

What authors do you enjoy reading within or outside of your genre?

There are many. I love Stephen King, Anne Rice, Maggie Stiefvater, Jenny Han, Gillian Flynn and JK Rowling, among others. It’s difficult to narrow down the list.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers today?

I love connecting with readers and can be found at: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Thank you for coming back to Reviews and Interviews!

Thank you so much. It was a pleasure!

Interview with YA thriller author Kelly Charron

Author Kelly Charron is here today talking about her mature YA thriller Pretty Wicked.

Bio:

Kelly Charron is the author of YA and adult horror, psychological thrillers and urban fantasy novels. All with gritty, murderous inclinations and some moderate amounts of humor. She spends far too much time consuming true crime television (and chocolate) while trying to decide if yes, it was the husband, with the wrench, in the library. She lives with her husband and cat, Moo Moo, in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Welcome, Kelly. Please tell us about your current release.

The daughter of a local police detective, fifteen-year-old Ryann has spent most of her life studying how to pull off the most gruesome murders her small Colorado town has ever seen.

But killing is only part of it. Ryann enjoys being the reason the cops are frenzied. The one who makes the neighbors lock their doors and windows on a hot summer’s day. The one everyone fears but no one suspects.

Carving out her own murderous legacy proves harder than she predicted. Mistakes start adding up. And with the police getting closer, and her own father becoming suspicious, Ryann has to prove once and for all that she’s smarter than anyone else—or she’ll pay the ultimate price. 

*warning – some graphic content

Pretty Wicked is a mature YA novel intended for ages 16 and up.

Praise for Pretty Wicked:

“This creepy novel places you inside the mind of a twisted teen killer, which is even more unsettling because of how familiar and normal she seems. Be prepared to leave the lights on and look at the people around you in a whole new way.”

-Eileen Cook | Author of WITH MALICE

“Dark and haunting, this witty thriller with its petite feminine anti-hero is an American Psycho for teens. Be prepared to sleep with the lights on.”

-Lisa Voisin | Author of THE WATCHER SAGA

"Pretty Wicked is fresh, thrilling, and deeply haunting. I've never read anything like it! The story escalates from page one and will leave your pulse pounding as you wonder just how far Ryann will go. 5/5 stars."

-Tiana Warner | Author of ICE MASSACRE & ICE CRYPT

“Pretty Wicked is like a fun-house ride through the dark side of a small-town high school. Ryan Wilkinson is a blonde, beautiful cheerleader who looks like she has it all, but messing with her? Is murder. Her cut-throat ambition to be the very best takes readers on a rollercoaster ride––whiplash guaranteed!”

-kc dyer | Author of FINDING FRASER & A WALK THROUGH A WINDOW

What inspired you to write this book?

I’ve always been fascinated with psychology and human motivation. Whenever I read a novel or watched a movie or television show, I was drawn to the villain. I wanted to understand what made them act the way they did––delve into what happened in their lives or minds to make them the person they had become.

When there was the odd story from the “villains” point of view, it seemed to characterize them as “misunderstood” and usually spun them into a likeable character who was the hero of that new version of the story. I wanted to write something unique and portray the villain realistically. What would the story look like if they were a true villain? I got the idea for a teenage serial killer who was unapologetic about who she was and what she wanted and thought it was really interesting to explore what her point of view would be if she drove the story and the “villain” was the detective trying to stop her.

Small Excerpt from Pretty Wicked:

I heard the bell ring in the distance. Lunch was over. I leapt up to go when I was struck with panic. What if someone had seen me walk out there with Veronica? No one could know what I’d done. My breath hitched.

I ran as fast as I could back to the yard and to the first teacher I saw.

“Mrs. Hopkins! Come quick, Veronica’s really hurt!” I pretended to be hysterical so effectively that she couldn’t understand me the first few times.

She bent down so we were at eye level. “Where?”

“We went into the woods at the far end of the property. I’m sorry. I know we’re not allowed, but she fell and she’s not moving! You have to hurry!” I sobbed, shoulders shaking, snotty nose. I don’t know how I’d managed to look so distraught, but I nearly convinced myself.

Mrs. Hopkins turned to a kid named Austin, who was in the grade ahead of me. “Go get Mr. Chute. Tell him to call 911 and to come out and meet me in the woods.”

Austin, who was paper white, nodded and took off like his ass was on fire.

I ran back with Mrs. Hopkins to the rocks where I’d left Veronica. She was in the exact position I’d left her. Thankfully there was no miraculous recovery waiting for us.

After she was taken away in an ambulance, Mrs. Hopkins and Mr. Chute walked me back and called my parents.

My dad showed up to the school, hugged me, and told me how brave I was.

After my mother had finally stopped fussing and checking on me every twenty minutes, I sat on my bed and thought about Veronica. It would be weird not to see her in class every day or hang out with her at lunch, not that we hung out that much. I was usually with Bao-yu anyway, but sometimes she came along. Maybe now B and I would be better friends. She wouldn’t have to share me anymore.

I wondered what I was feeling—if I was missing Veronica. But I didn’t think that’s what it was. The twinge in the bottom of my stomach didn’t have the achy hollowness that people refer to as a pit. It was more like butterflies.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’m about to edit the sequel to Pretty Wicked titled Wicked Fallout which takes place 12 years later. I’m also currently in the editing stage with my YA urban fantasy. It’s also the first in a series. Think the movie The Craft. There’s magic and witches, a hidden underground liar where the coven resides, a whole lot of trouble, and a little murder.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I was warming up to the idea when half of my first novel was written, but I wouldn’t say I owned it until I had finished the draft. Something about completing it proved to me that I was capable and I haven’t looked back since.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I have a day job working in an elementary school as an educational assistant, but I still manage to write or edit most days. I try and get at least 2-3 hours in 5-6 days a week. After a long project, I tend to give myself a week off to decompress and watch all the TV and movies I want guilt free. And reading! I wish I could read more, but find it difficult when I’m mid book to break away, though I should. Other author’s words are wonderful learning experiences and always push me to work harder. On a weekend I get up around 8:00 look at Twitter and Facebook, check Amazon, and then get to work. I make my coffee, do a few hours then take a break to eat. I’ll try to do a few more hours after that or later in the evening.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I often write laying on a heating pad on my sofa in front of the TV instead of at my desk. Then my back hurts, so I continue to insist on the heating pad and so it goes.

I also cannot write two novels at once. A lot of people can and do but it feels icky to me. LOL

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

My mom told me at five I said either a maid or a nun. I’m happy to be neither. As a teen I wanted to have my own talk show like Oprah. I would’ve been okay if that happened.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Pop by my website and join my mailing list for giveaways and news on my upcoming releases. Thanks for having me! This was fun.

Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon

Thanks for being here today, Kelly!