A Conversation with Author Melissa Simonson

with Melissa Simonson

We are delighted to welcome novelist Melissa Simonson to Omnimystery News today, courtesy of Red Adept Publishing, which is sponsoring her book tour. We encourage you to visit all of the host sites on the tour; you can find her schedule here.

Melissa's new mystery thriller is Blood Echo (CreateSpace/Red Adept Publishing, April 2013 trade paperback and ebook formats).

We recently had a chance to talk to the author about her book. And following our conversation you'll find a form in which you can enter to win one of four great prizes! Details below.

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Omnimystery News: How much of you is in your book? In other words, do you "write what you know"?

Photo provided courtesy of
Melissa Simonson

Melissa Simonson: I always find "write what you know" to be weird advice. Generally I'm pretty boring, so nobody would be interested in reading about my personal experiences. I can say that my main character is mostly me. Like Iris, I've had horrible drug addictions (though not anymore) and co-dependent relationships. Her dialogue, the way she speaks and thinks, is also pretty much identical to me.

OMN: Tell us about your writing process.

MS: I never outline. I'd blame it on laziness, but it's not that, either — I just can't bring myself do it. I sit there and stare at a blank Word doc for a few minutes before I give up. Not long ago I mentioned this to my mother, asked her why I found it so difficult to outline, and she gave me this strange look, laughed, and then said, "You never do things the way you're supposed to. Everything you do is chaotic."

Fair enough.

Normally when I begin an manuscript, I have a foggy idea of what happens in both the beginning and end. Everything in between just comes as I write.

OMN: Where does the action in the book take place?

MS: Manhattan … a place I've actually never been to, though I would love to go. Sadly, most of my research has been limited to Google and the zillions of episodes of Law & Order: SVU that I've seen. I did try to remain true to the Upper East Side though, and I looked at tons of pictures of penthouses (which only made me jealous, because I want one).

OMN: Are there any authors whose books you rush out to buy as soon as they are published?

MS: When I was younger, it used to be the Harry Potter series. I'd hole up in my room for the entire day, reading, and I'd get infuriated when my mother would make me stop and force me to eat dinner.

I don't exactly rush out to buy books anymore, but I definitely try to make sure I pick up a copy of any new Jeff Lindsay book.

OMN: What kinds of films do you enjoy watching?

MS: Anything directed by Guy Ritchie. My favorite movie is Snatch, with Fight Club and American History X tied for second. They've not influenced my books in any way, though.

OMN: What is next for you?

MS: I recently had an epiphany that my newest life's ambition is to be the female Richard Castle.

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Melissa Simonson has been writing on and off since she was in high school, but didn't start taking it seriously until about four years ago. She's a caffeine addict, a terrible driver, and has weird fascinations with rosary beads, complicated cocktails, and basically anything considered dark or creepy.

Since she saw him in her favorite movie Snatch, Melissa has wanted to marry Jason Statham.

When she's not writing, she can be found watching endless hours of Dexter or looking up random things on wikipedia.

Learn more about the author and her work on her website/blog LissaSimonson.wordpress.com.

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Blood Echo
Melissa Simonson

Obsession is the dark side of love …

Iris Avery and her best friend, Estella, spend their time drowning in the empty excesses indulged in by their crowd of Upper East Side snobs until Estella's sudden, shocking death. Iris searches for answers in everything from philanthropy to hypnotherapy, feeling her existence is nothing more than a dark half-life full of guilt and repentance, but finds only endless questions. And several of them revolve around her when she discovers she's connected to a high-profile murder.

Later, Iris begins hearing Estella's voice whispering cryptic commentary in her head, and she can't help but wonder if the hypnotherapy has been helping or hurting. Is her friend trying to warn her about something?

Bizarre packages pile up on her doorstep, and their meaning is obvious: Iris's secrets aren't so secret after all.

      

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