QUESTIONS FROM READERS

Lisa Gardner, Bookreporter.com's featured Suspense/Thriller Author for June, answers readers' questions about her inspiration for THE KILLING HOUR and about the writing and research processes in general. Be sure to check back as this is an ongoing feature.

ejh0110@aol.com: You seem to be writing at an amazing clip! What is inspiring all this productivity? Readers love it but how do you maintain your creative energy?

Lisa Gardner: I read a lot! There is nothing like a good story to inspire another good story. I also hang out with interesting people. That always helps.

Ljcf@aol.com: Was there a local story that started Lisa Gardner on this intricate plot [THE KILLING HOUR]?

Lisa Gardner: There was no local story that inspired THE KILLING HOUR. As an avid outdoorswoman who lives in the mountains, however, I had plenty of sources of inspiration.

Greenwoodsinn@aol.com: Did Lisa Gardner write this book during a heat wave?

Lisa Gardner: I didn't write the book during a heat wave, but I researched it during a heat wave in Virginia. The intense physical discomfort of hiking in the intense heat and humidity was nearly unbearable. And then I thought, oh, I gotta use this in the book!

vouten@charter.net: How do you get into the head of someone like Ennunzio? Can you write faster? Just kidding --- certainly don't want to take away from the quality of your books by rushing them. Do you have more characters with different storylines floating around in your head?

Lisa Gardner: As a writer, I enjoy the villain's point of view. It gives you a chance to live on the dark side-vicariously, of course. I do a lot of research on criminals and criminology. The psychology of why people commit acts of violence and what might stop people from committing violent acts fascinates me.

In terms of story ideas, I try to stay one book ahead. So while I'm writing one novel, I'll be already brainstorming the next.

MLWReader@aol.com: I would like to ask Ms. Gardner about Dr. Ennunzio 's specialty in forensic linguistics. My son is working on his Ph.D. in applied linguistics in Tokyo, at the same time that he is teaching English at the university level. I asked him about this field, and he was only slightly familiar with it, thinking it was rather new and untried. Is this accurate? Where did Ms. Gardner hear of this specialty, and is it commonly used as a resource in law enforcement here in the Unites States?

Lisa Gardner: I watched a show on forensic linguistics on the Discovery Channel one night. Then I searched the web and found a variety of organizations specializing in the field. Forensic linguistics is an increasingly important avenue of investigation here in the United States, particularly given the new emphasis on combating terrorism.

MargotTC@aol.com: Do you ever have nightmares about the plot of one of your books as you are writing it?

Lisa Gardner: No.

Boneymoma@aol.com: When can we expect another book?

Lisa Gardner: I am already at work on my next novel, though I don't yet have a title. This book involves a police sniper, a deadly shooting, and a woman with way too many secrets. Look for it spring of 2005.

DDorjath@liquidcontainer.com: 1) Where do you get ideas for the basic plot lines in your books? 2) Are the protagonists in your books based on real personalities, people you know or have read about, or are they completely fictional in nature? 3) How do you write? In other words do you set a goal for yourself each day, write at certain times etc.? What is the process of writing like?

Lisa Gardner: I get a lot of book ideas from true crime. I read voraciously, as well as watch many of the forensic shows on the Discovery Channel and The Learning Channel. Real life is definitely stranger than fiction.

My protagonists are largely fictional, though my FBI agents have been influenced by John Douglas.

I approach my craft as my job, so I'm at the computer first thing in the morning. I generally focus on one scene at a time. I might draft a scene one day, then refine it over the next few days before moving on to the next scene. I try to write two to three scenes a week.

catmcw@aol.com: Your evocation of place is so strong but what I like best is the strength of character you build into the female agents in your books. Have you encountered real life prototypes who have inspired the female agents you write so well?

Lisa Gardner: I am a "character-based" writer in that the characters in my novel almost always come to me first. Then I have to come up with a plot challenging enough for these people running around in my head. I haven't based my female FBI agents on any one person in particular, though I have been very impressed by all the female FBI agents I've met. I also come from a family of very strong women. My grandmother was a schoolteacher, but I like to think she could give Hannibal Lector a run for his money any day.

mich.owl@verizon.net: When researching for a book, how much time, effort, and money do you put into it? I was impressed that you spent time at the academy to research. Do you set limits for yourself or just go by a feeling that you have enough information? Sounds like a wonderful adventure!

Lisa Gardner: Researching novels is one of my favorite stages of the writing process, so I spend a good three months interviewing experts, visiting locations, etc., to help flesh out my ideas. I definitely treat research as an adventure. I may start with some ideas for a book, but then in the course of researching flip everything on its head as I learn new and exciting things. Overall, I have found law enforcement personnel to be extremely helpful. People enjoy talking about their jobs, and they're intrigued to be approached by a writer. And oh, the stories they can tell! There is nothing better than to simply chat with your local detective for an hour or two. There are really some crazy crimes and criminals out there!

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