with Mary Burton
We are delighted to welcome back romantic thriller author Mary Burton to Omnimystery News today. Mary last visited with us in February 2012, when she wrote about setting as an integral component of her books.
Mary's new novel, No Escape (Zebra Books; October 2013 mass market paperback and ebook formats), is the second in her "Texas Rangers" trilogy.
We recently had a chance to catch up with Mary and talk about her work.
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Omnimystery News: None of your books feature a central recurring character and yet many share a common thread or two. Tell us more about that.
Photo provided courtesy of
Mary Burton
Mary Burton: Each of my books stands alone. Though for the past few years several novels have been "connected," usually in three book arcs. I don't have a recurring major character. Rather, a secondary character from an earlier book will take center stage. What remains constant in my connected books is usually the setting and the city's homicide division or other agency, the way The Seventh Victim, No Escape and next April's You're Not Safe each features a member of the Texas Rangers. One of the reasons I enjoy staying in one location for several books, is the opportunity to bring characters I've already gotten to know to the forefront in "their" book.
OMN: How would you characterize your books?
MB: I'd say my novels are thrillers with romantic elements. I love the fast pace of a thriller and creating the danger and mystery that keep the readers turning the pages. However, I also enjoy a romantic thread. For me, having a strong relationship along with the action is the best combination. You get a thrill ride and the potential of a happily ever after at the end.
OMN: Tell us more about No Escape's cover. And how did the book come to be titled?
MB: No Escape has a great cover. It's a close up on the ghosted image of a woman's face. I didn't title No Escape; my editor did. And I think he definitely hit the nail right on the head.
OMN: We've read the publisher's synopsis for No Escape; tell us what the book is about in your own words.
MB: No Escape features Texas Ranger Brody Winchester and forensic psychologist Jolene "Jo" Granger. The once married duo reluctantly joins forces when Harvey Lee Davis, a dying serial killer, announces his willingness to make a final confession but only if he can tell it to Jo. Brody, who earned his Ranger star with the arrest of Davis, accompanies Jo to the state prison to meet with Harvey who, good to his word, tells them where they can find the bodies of more women he buried alive. Harvey hints at secrets in Jo's past before he reveals knowing his apprentice is killing victims just as he did — he's burying them alive. No Escape quickly becomes a race against time to stop this new killer who it's revealed has his sights set on Jo. The danger heats up as past secrets are revealed and so does the tension between Brody and Jo.
OMN: How much of your own experience have you included in your books?
MB: I think all writers put a bit of themselves in their stories and characters. Our experiences are a big part of making our writing voice unique. I've never based any of my books on actual events, but I admit that my interest in law enforcement and multiple murderers began during the string of serial killings that took place over the course of twenty years in my home state, Virginia. What is definitely based on experience is how my stories grow from fact based research and the input I'm pursue from professionals. When I was plotting No Escape I was attending the Writer's Police Academy, which brings authors together with law enforcement experts. It's a great event and never fails to inspire another story for me. Anyway, at the conference I attended a shallow grave seminar. (I know, sounds crazy, but it was a fascinating session.) As I stood in the woods with my fellow classmates and listened to the instructor, the ideas for the next book began creeping in and soon took over. I had a rough outline for the book within a couple of weeks.
OMN: Describe your writing process for us.
MB: I always start with character. For me it's essential that I take whatever time is needed time to really understand what makes them tick. Once I know them, I start coming up with the plot twists I believe will put them through their paces and let them shine. I write a synopsis and once I have that in hand I start writing the rough draft. I power through the first draft, and don't take time to edit. I do this because I've learned that if I focus on the story and don't worry so much about the words, my characters will find all kinds of ways to surprise me. I call the first draft my sloppy copy. After that I go through six or seven more drafts, slowly refining and sharpening the book.
OMN: How do you fact-check the plot points in your books?
MB: I use the Internet a good bit, I read lots of research books and I talk to police experts. I don't have any personal experience to draw from, just a very active imagination. When I wrote Dying Scream, I got deep into forensic anthropology and the study of bones. I was amazed to learn how much a trained anthropologist can tell us about a person based on their bones. I became so fascinated by the topic I drove to D.C. and visited the "Written in Bone" exhibit.
OMN: How true are you to the setting in No Escape?
MB: No Escape is set in Austin, Texas and I took great pains to keep the story true to the real location. I spent weeks on Google Maps looking at locations in and around the city and I flew to Austin and spent several days there touring around. Jo lives in Hyde Park and I had a great fun driving around trying to find "Jo's House."
OMN: What is the best advice you've received as an author?
MB: Best advice? Write every day. Even if it's for a few minutes, if you can write every day your skills not only improve but you don't lose the thread of the story. I know that's a big commitment but it's become second nature for me now. I advise aspiring writers to do the same. And if they can't write every day, it's important not to take long breaks between writing sessions. It's so much harder to get back into the work if you've put it aside for a long time.
OMN: What kind of feedback do you most enjoy hearing from readers?
MB: When a reader tells me they couldn't put my book down and it kept them up way past their bedtime or they forgot to cook dinner, I know I've done my job.
OMN: Play the part of a casting director for a film adaptation of No Escape.
MB: For several books I did a collage of images so that I could set the characters firmly in my mind. For No Escape I didn't have a particular person in mind, though I knew Jo was a red head and Brody was well over six feet tall. But if I had to choose, I'd love to see Jessica Chastain and Liev Schreiber play the parts of Jo and Brody.
OMN: What kinds of books did you read when you were young?
MB: I loved Nancy Drew mysteries and I reread The Secret Garden several times. I always loved a mystery, so I guess it's no surprise my novels all have a mystery or a crime at their center.
OMN: And what do you read now for pleasure?
MB: I read whatever catches my eye. I love history, fantasy and science fiction. I also love reading cookbooks.
OMN: Do you have any favorite series characters?
MB: Tony Hillerman's Jim Chee was a favorite for years. Great character.
OMN: Where might we find you when you're not writing?
MB: I love to cook. I love to bake. In fact, when I'm stuck on a plot point, I head to the kitchen and start pulling out pots and pans. I also love working out. I'm at the gym five or six days a week and really enjoy lifting weight. I also have two miniature dachshunds, Buddy and Bella, who keep me pretty busy.
OMN: Give us a Top 5 list on any subject.
MB: Top 5 places you should visit: Paris, Manhattan, Austin, Charleston and Munich.
OMN: We've been to all five! What's next for you?
MB: My next book is You're Not Safe which will be out in April 2014. After that — more thrillers! I'm addicted.
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A Richmond native whose family roots run as deep as the nation's, Mary Burton has lived there for most of her life. She graduated from Virginia's Hollins University and had a career in marketing before deciding to write full time. Her first manuscript, a historical romance, was published in 2000.
She is a member of Thriller Writers of America, Mystery Writers of America, Romance Writers of America and Sisters in Crime, for which she is president of the Central Virginia chapter. She travels often for signings, speaking engagements and other appearances. She is a frequent speaker regarding writing and genre fiction, and continues to present her "Unraveling Romantic Suspense" workshop and her day-long program "Writing Your Book … The First Step."
For more information about the author and her work, please visit her website at MaryBurton.com or find her on Facebook and Twitter.
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No Escape
Mary Burton
A "Texas Rangers" Romantic Thriller
Even behind bars, serial killer Harvey Day Smith exudes menace. Psychologist Jolene Granger has agreed to hear his dying confession, vowing not to let the monster inside her head. And Harvey has secrets to share — about bodies that were never found, and about the apprentice who is continuing his grisly work …
He buries his victims alive the way his mentor Harvey did, relishing their final screams as the earth rains down. And as one last gift to the only father he knew, he'll make the most perfect kill of all.
Everything about this investigation is unnerving Jo, from Harvey's fascination with her to the fact that she's working alongside Texas Ranger Brody Winchester, her ex-husband. Harvey's protégé is growing bolder and more vicious every day. And soon the trail of shallow graves will lead them to the last place Jo expected, and to the most terrifying truth of all …
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