To be successful as a writer, I believe one needs to have a knack for understanding human behaviour and what drives individuals to act in certain ways. It’s that keen insight into personality types and motivating factors that help when developing characters. However, when it comes to an understanding of my proclivity for crime, I’m at a bit of a loss. This begs the question; why crime?
Now when I say I have an appetite for crime, I’m not confessing to robbing a bank or planning a killing spree. My criminal life takes place on the pages of my books. For me, there has never been even the slightest possibility of writing a romance or even a cozy mystery. I’m not saying that romance and cozy mysteries aren’t great genres; they are, just not for me. For a story to be exciting, there has to be murder and mayhem – or at least madness. The characters have to be in peril or insane. Well, not always mad, that’s too cliché. Let’s just say bad guys have to have evil intentions, and the story has to be edgy.
To be clear, I’m not the product of criminal parents; in fact, both my mother and father were extremely law-abiding. My childhood was uneventful, but I don’t believe anyone’s first eighteen years of life can be completely humdrum. Mine was unremarkable in terms of exposure to crime. Yet, all my memories of writing stories in primary school involve trying to incorporate something creepy into every text.
As a child, I clearly remember writing a short story about a girl who becomes lost in the woods and finds herself in a terrifying scenario involving an abandoned house. I wish I still had that story as it would be fun to read what my ten-year-old self considered frightening. While the story is long gone, it does answer the question of when my fascination with the dark side began but not why. This brings me back to my original question; why crime?
If I were developing a character, I would include a childhood tragedy as a catalyst. Something heartbreaking and dark. Or, the very reason for my character’s appetite for crime would be the result of a strict upbringing by conservative parents leading to the character’s desire to shock and rebel. But since as far as I can remember, neither is the case for me, this throws up another question: do you chose your genre or does your genre chose you?
Crime chose me, this I can answer unequivocally. Reading books like Silence of the Lambs and Carrie made me realise that not only did I love this genre, but I wanted to write the sort of books I like to read. Writing about crime and what motivates a human being to hurt or kill and how these actions can impact the lives of the victims and their families, fascinates me and has done for as long as I can remember. And while I enjoy developing devious murders, it’s the victim I identify with and not the perpetrator – sigh of relief from my friends and family. ]
But why crime? I think the answer has to be escapism and the pleasure that comes for reading or writing something that gets the heart pounding. I love the thrill that comes from reading a book that has me on the edge of my seat. It’s that feeling I want to give my readers. But more than that, it’s what the readers are hungry for. It’s that unspoken agreement between writer and reader; that contract of expectation and delivery that pulled me into this genre. I know I’ve done my job when a reviewer says they were holding their breath or as one reader wrote about my novel, Backwoods Ripper: there were a few moments that had me cringing in delicious horror as chills raced up my back.
Raised in Western Australia Anna developed a love for fiction at an early age and began writing short stories in high school. Drawn to dark tales, Anna relishes writing thrillers with strong female characters. When she’s not writing, Anna enjoys reading, travelling and spending time with her husband, two children and their dogs.
When schoolteacher Jackie Winter inherits her beloved aunt’s house, she discovers that her close relative had been keeping a terrible secret.
As Jackie is drawn into her aunt’s past, all that was certain begins to fray. But she is destined to not experience this alone. Someone is watching her every move.
Then, there is a murder near the house. A cruel killing. Suddenly Jackie finds herself in the frame.
Trying to keep one step ahead of the police, Jackie turns her attention once more to the past, now certain there’s a link between her aunt’s secrets and the shadowy figure that plagues not only her days but also her nightmares.
Meghan: Hi, Anna. Welcome welcome. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Anna Willett: I love my home life. I’m married to a man I met when we were both in high school and we have two adult children still living at home as well as two German Shepherds who spend a great deal of time relaxing on the couch. It sounds chaotic and it is – but in a good way.
Meghan: What are five things most people don’t know about you?
Meghan: What’s a book you really enjoyed that others wouldn’t expect you to have liked?
Anna Willett: Gone with the Wind. While it’s not my usual sort of read, I love it and have read it more than once. The writing is flawless and the characters are unforgettable.
Meghan: What made you decide you want to write? When did you begin writing?
Anna Willett: It’s something I’ve always known I wanted to do but never took seriously until about seven years ago. At the time, I’d had double knee surgery and after reading my stock pile of books, I decided to take the plunge and start a novel.
Meghan: Do you have a special place you like to write?
Anna Willett: I have a small desk under a window in our mostly unused sitting room. It’s quite a peaceful space where my dogs can watch me write.
Meghan: Do you have any quirks or processes that you go through when you write?
Anna Willett: No real quirks but I do have a process. When I get an idea for a new book, I start a new document and make a list of everything about the book that I know so far. Over the next few weeks, I’ll fill in a few more details. When I have a clear picture of the plot, I outline the main characters and the first few chapters. I really don’t need more than a brief plan and I’m ready to go.
Meghan: Is there anything about writing you find most challenging?
Anna Willett: The first chapter always comes easily but the next ten thousand words takes the longest to write. In that first part of the book, it’s as though I’m getting to know my characters and that takes time. Once I hit forty thousand words, I’m usually flying along.
Meghan: What’s the most satisfying thing you’ve written so far?
Anna Willett: My first published novel, Backwoods Ripper. When it was finished, the story was everything I’d hoped to achieve and the first publisher I sent it to, accepted it and offered me a contract.
Meghan: What books have most inspired you? Who are some authors that have inspired your writing style?
Anna Willett: As an avid reader, it’s difficult to name one, but many authors have inspired me. The Silence of the Lambs is one of my favourite books, I’m in awe of Thomas Harris’ talent as a writer. I’m also influenced by great writers like John Steinbeck and Stephen King. I’ve read everything Karin Slaughter has written, she’s an amazing talent.
Meghan: What do you think makes a good story?
Anna Willett: The perfect amalgamation of story and characters; one without the other doesn’t work. A story can be original and have all the elements of a fascinating tale, but with wooden or even worse, clichéd characters, it’s never going to grab me. I suppose that’s why writing a book is so challenging; all the necessary ingredients have to be present or it’s never going to appeal to readers.
Meghan: What does it take for you to love a character? How do you utilize that when creating your characters?
Anna Willett: I enjoy, and try to create characters that are authentic and flawed. It’s not enough for a character to make certain choices or act in a specific way, there has to be enough back story and thought process to make a character’s choices believable if not wise. I also like characters that have a sense of humor, even in the midst of danger or crisis and these are the things I endeavor to bring to the characters I create.
Meghan: Which, of all your characters, do you think is the most like you?
Anna Willett: I don’t know if any one character is like me, but they all have a sense of humor and an understanding of the absurd. During some of the most difficult times in my life, I fall back on my dark and quirky sense of humor to lighten the mood or just give everyone the chance to take a breath, that’s what I give my protagonists.
Meghan: Are you turned off by a bad cover? To what degree were you involved in creating your book covers?
Anna Willett: I’m not so much turned off by certain covers but I do make judgments based on the images.
My publisher comes up with the covers and while they have the final say, I’m included in the process. Usually I’m presented with five or six images and asked for my feedback. Of my nine novels, my favourite is the latest cover for, The Woman Behind Her. There’s something evocative about the image and I adore the colours.
Meghan: What have you learned creating your books?
Anna Willett: So many things! I feel like I’ve taken a seven year master class in all things related to the business of creating books. And, every time I think I know all there is, I learn something new. One thing I do understand is the importance of interacting with my readers. While writing is a solitary pursuit, authors and readers are more connected now because of social media and so it’s never been more important to share with readers. It’s also never been a better time for writer’s to get to know their fans. So, I’m learning more and more about newsletters, fine tuning my website and discovering new ways to connect with fans of my genre.
Meghan: What has been the hardest scene for you to write so far?
Anna Willett: This answer goes back to what I’ve learned about creating books; if an author doesn’t like writing a scene, it will be evident in the work. That might not be true for everyone, but it is for me. If something makes me too uncomfortable, I won’t write it. I do this not because I’m a quitter, but because I want my readers to enjoy each scene as much as I enjoyed creating it.
Meghan: What makes your books different from others out there in this genre?
Anna Willett: One thing I never shy away from writing is the gritty stuff – the fear and the grim reality of violence. I also like to develop a sense of claustrophobia in certain scenes and stories. I like to think the thrillers I create have a harsh and creepy edge that you wouldn’t normally expect in this genre.
Meghan: How important is the book title, how hard is it to choose the best one, and how did you choose yours (of course, with no spoilers)?
Anna Willett: The title is extremely important as it tempts the reader to go further – to discover more. My titles are the result of a collaborative effort with my publisher having the final say. We often go back and forth with ideas until something amazing happens. With my latest book, The Woman Behind Her, I explained to my publisher the direction I wanted the title to take and from there, the perfect title was born.
Meghan: What makes you feel more fulfilled: Writing a novel or writing a short story?
Anna Willett: With a short story, you have to weave a compelling tale in maybe twenty pages. There’s an art to achieving something that’s satisfying to both the writer and the reader in so few words. While it’s definitely fulfilling to wrap a story up so perfectly that it can be told in twenty pages, I love the feeling that comes with finishing a full-length novel. It usually takes me between three and five months to write a novel and when it’s complete, it feels wonderful. It’s like coming to the end of a long journey where you’ve created something from nothing. If the book is any good, it’s a fantastic feeling.
Meghan: Tell us a little bit about your books, your target audience, and what you would like readers to take away from your stories.
Anna Willett: My books are thrillers that tip over into horror. Not in a supernatural way (not yet, but at some point soon). My stories are all set in Western Australia, a little known part of the world, but a place I consider to be the perfect setting for strange and dangerous happenings. Perth, the capital city, is the most isolated city in the world and so it is both a beautiful and dangerous local. If you want to know more about the forests, bush land, beaches and small towns, you’ll have to read my books.
I write about ordinary people and put them in extraordinary situations. My main characters are usually strong yet flawed women and my villains are complex and unexpected.
My target audience is anyone who comes willingly to a story and opens their mind to the possibility of being entertained, surprised and a little bit scared. I want readers to close my books feeling they got what the blurb promised.
Meghan: Can you tell us about some of the deleted scenes/stuff that got left out of your work?
Anna Willett: In my best-selling thriller, Unwelcome Guests, I removed two chapters. One chapter contained a surprising piece of information on the very last page and the other some background on how two characters formed a relationship.
Meghan: What is in your “trunk”?
Anna Willett: I have a complete novel; supernatural horror. In my humble opinion, I think it’s pretty good but I don’t know when I’ll do something with it.
Meghan: What can we expect from you in the future?
Anna Willett: I’m at the halfway point on a new book; the third in the Lucy Hush series. This one is set in the small coastal community of Savage Bay, a strange little bay where no one is what they seem to be and danger lurks everywhere including under the floorboards.
Meghan: Where can we find you?
Anna Willett: I love hearing from readers so please feel free to drop me a line via email. Or check out my website.
Raised in Western Australia Anna developed a love for fiction at an early age and began writing short stories in high school. Drawn to dark tales, Anna relishes writing thrillers with strong female characters. When she’s not writing, Anna enjoys reading, travelling and spending time with her husband, two children and their dogs.
When schoolteacher Jackie Winter inherits her beloved aunt’s house, she discovers that her close relative had been keeping a terrible secret.
As Jackie is drawn into her aunt’s past, all that was certain begins to fray. But she is destined to not experience this alone. Someone is watching her every move.
Then, there is a murder near the house. A cruel killing. Suddenly Jackie finds herself in the frame.
Trying to keep one step ahead of the police, Jackie turns her attention once more to the past, now certain there’s a link between her aunt’s secrets and the shadowy figure that plagues not only her days but also her nightmares.
Meghan's Haunted House of Books 