Author: Lori Lacefield

 ISBN: 0977627683

The following interview was conducted by:  NORM GOLDMAN:  Editor of Bookpleasures. CLICK TO VIEW  Norm Goldman's Reviews 

To read Norm's review of The Seventh Survivor CLICK HERE

Today, Norm Goldman, Editor of Bookpleasures.com is pleased to have as out guest, Lori Lacefield, author of The Seventh Survivor. 

Good day Lori and thanks for agreeing to participate in our interview.

Norm:

Please tell our readers a little bit about your personal and professional background. When did your passion for writing begin? What kept you going?

Lori:

I’ve worked a varied career, everything from restaurant manager to financial researcher to data analyst. These days, in addition to writing, I work as a technical product support manager for a consulting firm to higher education. I’ve loved books since I can remember. My parents joke that I was easy to raise because I simply wanted to stay in my room and read. They’d knock on the door once in awhile just to make sure I was still alive. I attempted my first novel at age 14. I wanted to be the next S.E. Hinton. That didn’t work, but it planted the writing bug early on. When I hit my late twenties, the bug returned with a vengeance. Since I work full time, it’s taken sheer stubborn determination and self-discipline to keep pecking at the craft – but the thought of giving someone else that thrill I feel when I read a page-turner, that’s what really keeps me going. 

Norm:

Phillip Gerard in Writing a Book that makes a Difference states: “If you want to write a good story or novel  you need to create struggles of powerful descriptive individuals and not just issues. Through their accomplishments and travail, we very much comprehend the issues?” Do you agree with this and if so how is this compatible with your creation of Palmer Reed?

Lori:

I do agree. One thing I tried to do with Palmer, as with all of my characters, was have her face the same injustices, moral issues, and ethical dilemmas we all face in real life. I like putting ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances and seeing what they’ll do. In The Seventh Survivor, Palmer has to struggle with the fact that she was victimized and nobody did anything about it. We’ve all been there to some degree, whether we feel cheated at the car dealership or violated by the identity thief or abused by the boss who takes credit for our idea. To me, motivation is the most interesting aspect of human behavior. A person may do something that appalls someone else, but what I want to know is why did the person feel the need to do what they did at all, and why is the other person appalled by it? I really do strive to understand people. I think I do that with my characters too.

Norm:

Do I detect an underlying message in your book pertaining to our justice system?

Lori:

(Laughing) Oh yes. Of course, I didn’t want to climb on my soap box, and I hope I didn’t, but I definitely wanted to convey the conflicts I think most people feel when it comes to the process of getting and giving justice in this country. We all know of murderers and rapists who have received no punishment because of a technicality or who were released early due to overcrowded prisons. Then we also hear of the innocent people serving time for crimes they never committed or individuals who can’t find a real job because they made a mistake once and their record is ruining their chance to turn their life around. It’s odd, but one thing I worried about with this book is that readers would be bothered by the protagonist’s actions on the board, and yet, I can’t tell you how many times I get people who say “I want to be on this board!”. That tells me that injustice hits a nerve.  

Norm:

What kind of research did you do to write The Seventh Survivor?
 
Lori:

Some of the more interesting research I got to was in the use of disguises. My favorite is Palmer’s eventual disguise as Kevin, which came from a former co-worker who showed me a picture of herself at a college party. I could see a resemblance in the “man” I was looking at, but I thought the guy must have been a cousin. Turns out, it was her. Really surprised me how much she looked like a man, especially with the five o’clock shadow and bruise on her cheek.

And the examples of criminal cases to use came from actual headlines in several east Tennessee newspapers. (Truth really is stranger than fiction)

Norm:

What challenges or obstacles did you encounter while writing your book? How did you overcome these challenges?

Lori:

My biggest challenge is always finding time to write. Having a full time career outside of writing, I’ve tried dozens of different “time management” methods, but I honestly have to say I have yet to find that “one” method that truly works for me. Vacations dedicated to writing and writing retreats with other author friends are musts for me however – they allow me to concentrate on the story fully rather than for a few hours here and there and re-motivate and energize me. Perseverance is key!

Norm:

Have you had any downfalls or negative experiences working with a publisher/agent, such as rejection letters? If so, how did you handle it?

Lori:

Like everyone else, I have a stack of rejection letters. In my early writing, they bothered me, but now I just recycle them. (Yawn, see if I can get a one-shot into the wastebasket!) I’m now preparing myself for the first bad review. I know it will come – how many writers don’t get skewered by at least one or two reviewers per book? As far as publishers, I only have experience with Capital Crime Press, and they have been terrific.  

Norm:

What in your estimate are the principle elements of a good crime novel?

Lori:

I think crime fiction is like most fiction in that it needs a protagonist readers can identify with, a unique, engaging story, and a  formidable, and yet human, villain. It sounds so easy doesn’t it? And yet, it isn’t. All stories have been told in some form; the key is to find something that will make it unique – a new twist. Speaking of twists, it’s harder and harder to come up with a savvy ending that surprises and delights. I think unlike some people, mystery readers ARE the sharpest knives in the drawer!   

Norm:

When writing The Seventh Survivor, did you ever have it in the back of your mind that you could turn it into a movie or television project?

Lori:

Not too much while writing the novel, although by the time I finished it I thought it would be a good project for television. I could easily see it as a movie-of-the-week or project for Lifetime or other cable network. I’m not sure it would be considered high-concept enough for a feature film, but I could be wrong.  

Norm:

Marjoram Swall is a real handful. How did you approach writing this character? Did you plan her out or did she evolve as you wrote the book?

Lori:

I think Marjoram is the most interesting character in the book because while she is involved in some very questionable situations, I think most people can relate to her motivation for actions. I completed a background sketch for her just like the other characters before starting the writing process, but she truly evolved as I wrote. It was one of those cases of a character taking over and coming to life on the page.

Norm:

Many writers want to be published, but not everyone is cut out for a writer's life. What are some signs that perhaps someone is not cut out to be a writer and should try to do something else for a living?

Lori:

If a person lacks self-discipline, then they are going to struggle as a writer. They might like the idea of being a writer, but making oneself sit down and get those words on the page whether the muse is present or not, then revise, revise, and revise some more, can be difficult. Also, if someone expects overnight success and lots of money, I’d say don’t get into the game. They are likely to be disappointed. It can be done, but usually the “overnight successes” come after years of diligently studying the craft, attending conferences, and spending hours upon hours in front of the computer. Also, I know many writers don’t want to hear it, but to succeed these days, writers have to be willing to go out and promote. The way publishing is now, with just a few houses and less and less available promotion dollars, writers have to learn to treat this as a business - meaning they have created a product and now they need to figure out how to sell it. It’s a cruel irony that the opposite of a Writer personality type in Myers-Briggs is Promoter – many writers are introverts who like isolation and find crowds of people draining on their energy. But it’s a fear that must be overcome these days. 

Norm:

You include some very detailed dialogues in The Seventh Survivor. Where did that dialogue come from?

Lori:

 I write dialogue by simply imagining myself as each of those characters. Then I go in and adjust the language to fit the character’s personality. Word choice is crucial in dialogue.

Norm:

What is next for Lori Lacefield and is there anything else you wish to add that we have not covered.

Lori:

I’ve started on my second novel, 99 Truths, which is about a novice FBI agent who must uncover the one lie in a series of 100 statements made by a serial killer in order to solve the crime. The theme in this one is deception. I plan to make it a series starring agent Frankie Johnson. In addition to the new novel, I’ll be promoting The Seventh Survivor this autumn. For more information about tour dates and signings, readers can go to my WEB SITE

Thanks Norm for contacting me and much success in Bookpleasures.com! 

Thanks once again and good luck in all of your future endeavors.