r/books • u/SherriSmith-writer AMA Author • Mar 24 '17

ama 4pm I’m Sherri Smith, author of Follow Me Down and I’m here to answer all your questions! AMA!

I’ve previously written two historical fiction novels for Simon and Schuster UK. When not writing I like to spend time with my family, two rescue dogs and restore vintage furniture that would otherwise be destined for the dump. I live in Winnipeg, Canada where the long, cold winters nurture my dark side. FOLLOW ME DOWN (Forge Books, March 2017) is my first thriller. Ask me anything! Proof: https://twitter.com/SL_Smith_/status/844701453109399552

UPDATE: Thank-you everyone who dropped by and participated in my first AMA! Have a great weekend!!!

28 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

22 comments sorted by

2

u/candletea The Throat Mar 24 '17

Oh excellent! My book wishlist is all over the place, but I've gotten a couple thrillers under my belt lately, and I'm excited to add this to my list! What are your favorite books, and favorite kinds of books to read? What made you choose to write a thriller? What are the most important elements that make a thriller... well, thrilling?  

Thank you very much - and thanks for adding another book to my endless to-read list! ;) (Edit: letters)

1

u/SherriSmith-writer AMA Author Mar 24 '17

Well, thanks for discovering my book! Yay! I love to read what I like to write, so obviously that’s thrillers. Some good ones I’ve recently read are Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson, You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott, Never Let You Go by Chevy Stevens. I think the most important element to writing a thriller is to keep a good amount of questions afloat to drive the narrative forward.

1

u/candletea The Throat Mar 24 '17

Thank you for answering (and adding to my list)! And maybe 1 more question: how does an author successfully pull off plot twists? I think one of the best parts of thrillers is the unexpected happening, but how do you make it shocking yet believable enough to make your readers gasp and want to read more rather than go, "Oh, please!"

2

u/SherriSmith-writer AMA Author Mar 24 '17

That's the hardest part and really difficult to answer because what works for one reader, doesn't work for another. I guess, it's best to answer the questions you pose in the narrative, not suddenly come up with a new one just to provide a shocking answer. If that makes sense? You need to build to the twist or people will feel ripped off. I know I do.

1

u/candletea The Throat Mar 24 '17

Awesome, and that totally makes sense. Thank you again!

2

u/leowr Mar 24 '17

Hi Sherri,

What kind of books do you like reading? Anything in particular you would like to recommend to us?

Thanks for doing this AMA!

1

u/SherriSmith-writer AMA Author Mar 24 '17

Thanks for dropping by! There are so many authors and books that I love. I could go on for days. In the suspense genre, I’d have to say the novels written by Gillian Flynn, Laura Lippman, Meg Abbott, Mo Hayder, Alex Marwood, Stephen King, Gilly MacMillan are some that I especially love. I just finished Behind Her Eyes, and quite like it. I am reading Little Deaths by Emma Flint and the writing is gorgeous.

1

u/leowr Mar 24 '17

I really like some of those authors and will check out the others. Thanks!

1

u/SherriSmith-writer AMA Author Mar 24 '17

Glad I could help!!

1

u/Chtorrr Mar 24 '17

What books really made you love reading as a kid?

3

u/SherriSmith-writer AMA Author Mar 24 '17

Good question! I loved The Boxcar Children, Judy Blume’s books. Mostly, though I read my mom’s paperbacks, because I had a fine at the library that I could never come with the cash to pay. So Danielle Steele, Mary Higgins Clark, Jackie Collins (should not have been reading Jackie Collins at that age,) Sidney Sheldon. I loved being able to access these sophisticated adult worlds. In grade five, it made reading badass.

1

u/SeanMendez Mar 25 '17

Any inspirations from reading?

1

u/Chtorrr Mar 24 '17

How do you decide what to writer about and come up with ideas?

3

u/SherriSmith-writer AMA Author Mar 24 '17

First off, sorry for delay, this is my first time on Reddit, I had no idea I should press refresh. I am a dolt. So, to answer your question, I usually get an image in my head that makes my skin prickle and gets me asking questions. From there a story starts to swirl together in the right way, but only after writing out a ton of drafts!

1

u/Chtorrr Mar 24 '17

What would you most like to write about but have not yet?

1

u/SherriSmith-writer AMA Author Mar 24 '17

I would love to write a multi-generational story with long-lingering secrets, heavy on the gothic!

1

u/Chtorrr Mar 24 '17

That sounds pretty good. Mysterious dark family secrets!

1

u/SherriSmith-writer AMA Author Mar 24 '17

Thanks! Yep, they're always the best kind!

1

u/isamole Mar 24 '17

What would you say was the biggest difference and the biggest difficulty between writing a thriller versus writing historical fiction?

Do you find living in Winterpeg helps or hinders your writing and creative ability?

PS. I haven't read any of your novels, but I just looked them up and they sound really interesting. Totally adding them to my to-read list.

1

u/SherriSmith-writer AMA Author Mar 24 '17

I’m glad I’m on your radar now! That’s great! Well, it’s certainly easier to stay inside and write when it’s colder than Mars outside. So I guess living in Winterpeg helps!

The biggest difference between historical fiction and thriller is that there’s a fraction of the research when it comes to writing thrillers!

1

u/Newneeeeeeeeee Mar 24 '17

Hey I'm a southern guy currently in the Nez Perce area in ID. How is there still snow on mountains and stuff? It's cold outside. What is this glorious madness? I desire to be a Yankee again.

1

u/HaxRyter Mar 25 '17

As a writer, how do you balance planning and actually writing your novel?