QUESTIONS FROM READERS

Stephen White, Bookreporter.com's featured suspense author for February, answers readers' questions about his books and characters.

GERBAM@aol.com: Revenge is a "big" topic. The "eye for an eye" theme is a paradoxical notion at best and one not often visited in our culture. What made you decide to make this the theme of your latest book?

Stephen White: My original idea was to do something different in regard to the death penalty. As that basic idea evolved over the years, the muddy place where vengeance --- reprisal --- fits into our system of justice seemed to come into sharper and sharper focus for me. At some point I realized it was going to be at the heart of my story.

OLTLFREAK@aol.com: What made you become a writer? If you were trying to get a reader to read your book, what would you tell them makes your books different than the rest?

Stephen White: The truth? I wasn't one of those people who felt that if I couldn't write I would never be fulfilled. While writing my first novel I was actually surprised at how much I enjoyed the process of writing fiction.

What makes my books different? That's a tough one. I write thrillers, and I like to think that I write thrillers that take readers along on a thoughtful ride. In the end, it's all about readers. They're the ones who get to make the determination of how different, or appealing, my books actually are.

RTex57@aol.com: Is the DNA evidence/knife part of THE BEST REVENGE based on a real case?

Stephen White: The DNA situation in THE BEST REVENGE is, like the rest of the story, a total fabrication.

SBanton343@aol.com: You have a large stable of wonderful secondary characters. Maybe there is a future book based on Boca?

Stephen White: You never know. In my mind there are no "minor" characters. I love finding something memorable to help the reader frame every character they run into in my books. Boca is a great example, and if I have a place for him in a future story, you can be sure I won't hesitate to bring him back.

READER COMMENTS

Ella480@aol.com
I have read all of Stephen White's novels, and I continue to admire his skills as an author as well as a psychologist. As a school psychologist myself, if I ever needed to consult someone, I'd choose Dr. White! Preferably without a murder close by!