with Alison Gaylin
We are delighted to welcome suspense novelist Alison Gaylin to Omnimystery News today.
Alison's third book to feature missing persons investigator Brenna Spector is Stay With Me (Harper; June 2014 mass market paperback, audio and ebook formats). The first in the series, And She Was, won the 2013 Shamus Award for Best Paperback Original PI Novel.
We recently had the chance to catch up with the busy author and talk about her work.
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Omnimystery News: You've written both stand-alone and series novels. What is it you see in Brenna Spector that appeals to as a writer, bringing her back for more cases to solve?
Photo provided courtesy of
Alison Gaylin; Photo credit
Franco Vogt.
Alison Gaylin: When I first read about hyperthymesia — superior autobiographical memory — in a magazine article back in 2007, I knew I wanted to create a character who had it. To me, it seemed like both a professional asset (particularly for a PI) and a personal liability. How can you forgive and forget when you can never forget? How can you move on from any hurt when it's always fresh in your mind? How can you start a new relationship when the past is a constant companion? So that's how I came up with Brenna Spector. She's been a great series character to work with, because not only does her past experience play a role as she solves crimes — I've also been able to bring back incidental scenes from previous Brenna books, which she remembers in full. These scenes wind up taking on new meaning as they relate to the current plot.
OMN: We categorized Stay With Me as a novel of suspense. Would you agree with that description?
AG: Suspense is probably the best way to describe my books — but you can call them anything you want! I don't have a problem with labels. Someone reading a book should know what they're in for. My novels don't have any paranormal aspects to them, for instance. And I'd like readers to know that up front so that if they expect anybody to come back from the dead, they know that's not gonna happen.
OMN: How do you go about researching the plot points of your stories?
AG: For the law and order aspects of my books, there are some great police officers I consult with. Brenna's assistant Trent has terrific tech knowledge, which wouldn't be possible if it weren't for Josh Moulin, a detective who has specialized in tech crimes and who is way smarter at this stuff than I could ever hope to be. Lee Lofland has also written some great books on police procedure, and his website, The Graveyard Shift, is a terrific resource for anybody interested in crime writing.
As for hyperthymestic syndrome, I've done my research online and by reading medical journals. It's so fascinating to me that there was a temptation to lose myself in the research — read every memoir written by someone with it, every single article, etc. But I wanted to create a unique, fictional character so I had to cut myself off at some point and let my imagination take over.
OMN: Suppose the Brenna Spector novels were to be adapted for television or film. Who do you see playing the key roles?
AG: Oh, that's such a fun question! I always thought Rashida Jones would be a great Brenna. A lot of people have told me they picture Paulie or The Situation (from Jersey Shore) as Trent, but I'm not sure about those guys' acting ability …
OMN: As a bestselling author, you probably get asked for advice all the time. What do you tell aspiring writers?
AG: Everyone always says keep trying, don't let rejection get you down, etc. And while I agree with that, I also would add a caveat: Rewrite. Don't ignore criticism if it's constructive. Use it. The great thing about being a writer (as opposed to being, say, an actor or a model or an athlete) is that you can drastically change and improve the material you're putting out there. I can't make myself any taller than I am. But I know I can make my book better if I put in the work, listen to the criticism that makes sense — and revise.
OMN: What kinds of books do you read for pleasure?
AG: I love true crime, literary fiction, memoir, celebrity tell-all … pretty much everything as long as it's a good read.
OMN: What's nexts for you?
AG: I am currently working on a standalone suspense called What Remains of Me for Harper Collins, about a 17-year-old girl who commits the so-called Murder of the Century in 1980 and spends 25 years in prison — only to be suspected in another brutal murder five years after her release. The action shifts back and forth between 1980 and 2010 — very challenging, but also a lot of fun to write!
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A graduate of Northwestern University and Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, Alison Gaylin lives with her husband and daughter in upstate New York.
For more information about the author, please visit her website at AlisonGaylin.com or find her on Facebook and Twitter.
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Stay With Me
Alison Gaylin
A Brenna Spector Novel of Suspense
When the past intersects with the future … the outcome can be dangerous.
