A Conversation with Novelist Blake Crouch

with Blake Crouch

We are delighted to welcome novelist Blake Crouch to Omnimystery News today.

Blake's second thriller in his "Wayward Pines" series, Wayward (Thomas & Mercer; September 2013 trade paperback and ebook formats), was published yesterday, and we had the opportunity to talk with him about it.

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Omnimystery News: What is the backstory to the town of Wayward Pines?

Photo provided courtesy of
Blake Crouch; Photo credit Marc Wilkins and Paul Pennington

Blake Crouch: The town of Wayward Pines was inspired by an actual Colorado town near where I live called Ouray. In 2008, I was there for a few nights with my family, and as I was walking the eerily-empty streets, it occurred to me … what if someone owned this entire town? What if I couldn't leave no matter how hard I tried? Those two questions blossomed into this series.

OMN: The book's cover does a good job of setting an ominous mood for the book.

BC: Jeroen ten Berge, my wonderful cover artist, came up with the concept of the picket fence with the animal scratches down the posts.

OMN: Tell us about your writing environment.

BC: My office is in my home. It sits at 7000 feet overlooking fields and the La Plata Mountains of southwest Colorado.

OMN: What is the best advice — and harshest criticism — you've received as an author? And what advice might you offer aspiring writers?

BC: Best advice: No one single piece of advice, but more an observation gained slowly over years. Make sure the underlying idea of the book is sound, big, and amazing. And choose the idea you commit to very carefully. Because the best prose in the world can't elevate or make interesting a dull premise (see most literary fiction).

Harshest criticism: I don't read reviews anymore. I have a trusted group of writing-friends who serve as my editorial board. I trust their guidance and I trust myself. I understand not everyone is going to love my books, and I'm okay with that as long as I'm writing the kind of stuff that gets me excited.

Advice to aspiring authors: You don't need anyone's help. If you have what it takes and you put your ass in the chair for long enough, you'll get there. Also, write exactly the kind of books you want to read.

OMN: We've read that the series has been adapted for television. Are you involved in the production?

BC: Wayward Pines is filming in British Columbia right now for a 10-episode event series for FOX that will air next summer. I'm writing a couple of the episodes and helped plan out the series with the creator and showrunner Chad Hodge. The differences between the novels and the series are not as big as you might think. I can't go into detail about exactly how the show plays out but I will say that a lot of the changes we made for the series are things I wish I'd done in the books. In other words, smart changes. Matt Dillon, Carla Gugino, Terrence Howard, Melissa Leo, and Juliette Lewis are starring. M. Night Shyamalan is directing the pilot and executive producing. It's an amazing team.

The difference between writing novels vs. for the screen? You have more leeway to screw around in novels, and of course the ability to describe people's thoughts. For the screen, all of the action, intention, and mood has to be right there on the page. Every scene has to pop on a million different levels. I find it enormously challenging but also a helluva lot of fun.

OMN: What kinds of books did you read when you were young?

BC: I read a lot of fantasy ("Lord of the Rings", "Chronicles of Narnia") and in high school and college, I got more into thrillers (Thomas Harris). "Wayward Pines" is the first thing I've written that could be described as fantasy, and it's actually a pretty good mix of my influences. It's a fantasy, with thriller pacing.

OMN: What's next for you?

BC: I'm writing the third book in the "Wayward Pines" series and working on the last episode for Wayward Pines the TV series.

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Blake Crouch was born in the North Carolina piedmont in 1978. He earned his undergraduate degrees in English and creative writing from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, publishing his first two novels within five years of graduation. His stories have appeared in Ellery Queen, Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, Thriller 2, and other anthologies, and many of his novels have been optioned for film. He lives today in Durango, Colorado.

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Wayward
Blake Crouch
A Wayward Pines Thriller (2nd in series)

Welcome to Wayward Pines, population 461. Nestled amidst picture-perfect mountains, the idyllic town is a modern-day Eden … except for the electrified fence and razor wire, snipers scoping everything 24/7, and the relentless surveillance tracking each word and gesture.

None of the residents know how they got here. They are told where to work, how to live, and who to marry. Some believe they are dead. Others think they're trapped in an unfathomable experiment. Everyone secretly dreams of leaving, but those who dare face a terrifying surprise.

Ethan Burke has seen the world beyond. He's sheriff, and one of the few who knows the truth — Wayward Pines isn't just a town. And what lies on the other side of the fence is a nightmare beyond anyone's imagining.