First it was Trixie Beldon mysteries, then Nancy Drew and the Hardy boys that got me hooked on mystery and suspense. Soon I was devouring Agatha Christie books. But when I found Mary Higgins Clark’s Where are the Children, I was hooked. Once I finished her first book, I waited impatiently until the next one came out, inhaling story after story, fascinated with the intricate way she could weave all her characters into plots that rarely went in directions I could guess.
My first suspense story was written in a college creative writing class where the teacher, a local author, said my story showed promise, but my characters were flat. At the time, I remember feeling devastated. But a few years later, I found the story in a box in my closet, and when I read it, I realized my teacher was completely right. As a naïve young writer, I realized that I had no idea how to write the characters I had chosen.
So I went back to the first three Mary Higgins Clark books and read them not as a reader, but as a writer. I made copious amounts of notes and used a character interview exercise I found in a craft book at the library to see how my favorite author sculpted all these unique individuals that appeared in her books.
More writing courses followed until I decided to attempt to pen my first suspense/thriller. I attended an online writing conference where participants were invited to pitch their book ideas to a couple of small presses. To my surprise, after my fifteen minute pitch session, I got a request for the full manuscript, eventually leading to having them accept it for publication.
Sadly, Mary Higgins Clark passed away on January 31, 2020 at the age of ninety-two. I can’t say I wasn’t sad or disappointed. Although I had read many other suspense novelist’s work by this point, to me, no one compared to the woman who inspired me to write my first book.
Recently, I stumbled upon author Freida McFadden when I got an Amazon notification that suggested books in the suspense/thriller genre based on my past purchases. So I preordered The Crash, and I was not disappointed. Her storytelling and her characters immersed me into their world from the first page, but it was her twists, and the way she wound everything together to the shocking ending that urged me to order more of her books. I have now read Never Lie and am about 35 pages from the end of Want to Know a Secret? I certainly didn’t guess the ending of Never Lie. For me, it was a jaw dropping conclusion. I suspect I won’t be correct in guessing the ending of Want to Know a Secret? either.
As I finish the final revision on my second suspense/thriller, and prepare to query agents for representation, I have a new Mary to inspire me. Thanks, Freida.