The Suspense Writer: Smart and Witty or a Tad Crazy?

After I read Fear is Louder than Words I knew I had to invite Linda S. Glaz to Jubilee Writer. Her suspense novel kept me so engaged. The stalker remained a mystery until the last few chapters. I asked her why she loves to write suspense.

Do you have to be sassy and smart, or a bit crazy to write really good suspense?

The jury’s still out on me!

I’m the person who loves to watch/read about really bad characters that you love to hate. I know, that says something very strange about me, but I write suspense! So is that all right?

I have always enjoyed the journey of digging into a really bad character, wondering and, hopefully, making the reader wonder just what makes the crazy tick. For me, that’s an adventure. I love leaving tiny hints and trails for the reader to discover. I’m enthralled with digs into the character’s psyche. I’m one of those who wormed into Hannibal Lecter’s head to find out WHY? Why, oh, why would anyone be so disturbed?

Can you see the smile on my face right now? Thank goodness…

You see, it’s like the roller coaster. It scares the dickens out of you and then brings you safely home. A good suspense novel will do the same. It will scare you until you’re listening to every creak and groan in the house, but once finished, you’ll be safe at home again.

I love it!

Let me give you hint at a really disturbed character from my Dec. 2017 release, Blow Out the Candles and Say Good-Bye:

 

Rural Wisconsin, 1983

The little demons’ cries roused the snake that gnawed at Laura’s gut. They’d better shut up soon or she’d lose the phony smile and shut them up Laura style.

She swallowed hard to push the snake down … down … down. Back where it belonged. Laura grasped the steering wheel with tight-knuckled hands and stared into her rearview mirror. Her eye twitched, but she jerked a finger up and stopped the rhythmic pulsing.

Six girls, all aged five save the youngest at four, clung to one another in the backseat. Grasping little monkeys with fearful wide eyes and noses dripping snot all over their clothes.

She jammed a fist against her temple.

The sixth girl, Cassandra, no, Amanda, glared at Laura. Her sharp stare and crossed arms dared the snake to unwind and strike, but only Laura allowed that. Not some stupid little monster who didn’t know her place.

Laura cleared her throat and shifted her gaze to the miles of hypnotizing asphalt ahead. No brat was going to sidetrack her.

 

I like to believe that each human born has the capacity for good…or evil. I’ve seen it and wondered just what makes a person choose the other path…the dark side as it were. For most of us we all fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. Hopefully doing our best to be good, to be caring and compassionate. But what creates in a man or woman the inability to see past their own desires? THAT is what intrigues me, and that is what makes for good suspense…I hope. Since my next novel depends on it.

You need good characters who find themselves trapped. You can add that delicious taste of romance or not. Up to you. But you need to have them tormented and on track to discover the bad guys before their own lives are in jeopardy. If it’s romantic suspense, it works best if the two of them are on the path together.

I, personally, like to use multiple points of view in my suspense. I believe it lends itself to building the sense of fear. But that’s just me. You might like the more traditional POV.

Let me leave you doubting my sanity with one more snippet of our antagonist twelve years later:

…She cackled then slapped a hand over her mouth as their boring, pleading prayers filled the room.

“Please God, bring Mommy and Daddy back.”

“Why doethn’t Mommy want me anymore?”

“Di’Mommy really die, God? Why’d you let her die?”

Enough. But with melodramatic compassion, she forced a teardrop to the edge of her eye. “Poor, precious darlings. Tomorrow morning we’ll go through Minneapolis on our way out. We’ll be shopping for new toys and clothes. You can pick them out yourselves. Won’t that be fun? But first, you all have to snuggle in for the night. Warm and comfy like little bugs in a rug.” She forced her lips to curl up at the edges like a beauty queen, as if cameras captured her every move. Just like college where she’d performed each ingénue role to perfection.

She twisted back, her lips pulling tight. What was that smell? Had one of them peed her pajamas? Sick. If the brat did it again, she’d slap her into a diaper. Being upset didn’t give anyone permission to pee themselves.

Mother had taught her that.

There are rules! And rules must be obeyed!

 

You’ll have to excuse me now, it’s time for my medication. Hehehehe…

 

Linda, you are such a hoot. I love the snippets of your new book. Just creepy enough to grab my interest.  I’ve decided to invite you back Thursday to share how you build your suspense world. So, this week anyone who comments on this post or Thursday’s post will be put in a drawing for Fear is Louder Than Words.

click here to  order.

More about Linda S. Glaz

Linda is an author and agent with Hartline Literary Agency.

She’s married with three children and three grandchildren.

Having served in the Air Force at a time when it wasn’t exactly politically correct for a woman, she blazed many firsts for women in the military. She has taught karate and self-defense for thirty years and was a National instructor and referee for the largest soccer youth group in the US for twenty-five years. She isn’t afraid to try something new.

Before joining Hartline, Linda was a reviewer for online romance sites, a final proofreader for a publisher, and organized and ran two separate writers’ groups. She worked for two years as an editorial assistant to Terry Burns at Hartline.

Linda has two novellas, six short novels, one romantic suspense published, and one to release in 2017. Five more are burning a hole in her hopeful pocket.

She’s a member of ACFW, AWSA, and numerous other writers’ groups. She presents nationally each year at conferences, teas, churches, workshops, and various other venues. She’s also active on social media.

Linda loves to laugh and make other people laugh. There is definitely healing and joy in laughter.

She’s forever on the lookout for ideas that will turn into a suspenseful novel, and as an agent, is always looking for that next great blockbuster novel.

Don’t forget, comment for a chance to win a copy of Fear is Louder Than Words. And if you want to continue to follow Jubilee Writer click the button in the upper left.