A few years ago my editor was visiting and he said he had a great idea for a new book. Since we often work out plot details together, I was excited to hear what he had to say.
He said, “I’d like to see a story where the killer only kills in winter.”
I said, “Okay, but why does he only kill in winter?”
His reply? “I don’t know.”
I said, “Okay, but why does he only kill in winter?”
His reply? “I don’t know.”
That was his great idea?
A killer who only kills in winter?
Not a lot to go on.
Surprisingly though, just that little germ of a plot set me off, and the idea of a woman on the run from her previous life, a woman who had two teenaged daughters and needed a fresh start came to mind. I thought she should be running from the glitter and glitz and heat of Hollywood.
What if she wanted to slow down a face-paced life that was beginning to run off the rails? What if she hoped for a more “real” life and a more normal or serene lifestyle? And what if that more “real” life was really much worse and turned into a deadly nightmare in the middle off a frigid storm?
The more I thought about the idea, the more it grew on me and eventually DEEP FREEZE was born. The book was a bestseller and has now been reissued. It’s sequel, FATAL BURN will be released again as well. To top things off, AFTER SHE’S GONE, the story of Jenna’s now grown daughters, Cassie and Allie Kramer will be available at the end of the month.
I find it amazing that from that comment of my editor wanting to see a story about a killer who only murdered in winter, three books have been born. And who knows if there isn’t yet another sequel to be written?
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