Write Life Wednesday an Interview with Marian Lanouette author of All the Deadly Lies
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I know the Jake Carrington thriller series taken you as a writer on an interesting
journey from self-publishing to traditional with finding a home at Kensington. Tell
us Scribbler’s a bit about that journey.
Thanks, Bobbi. It’s been fun. When I finished All the Deadly Lies (back then
it was if I Fail) I was lucky enough to snag a publisher. This one was a small
press out of Canada. The company was in the early stages of development,
and me a new author didn’t know what to expect. As I’ve learned, it’s the
author’s responsibility to market herself to make the book a success. After
three years with that publisher, I took my rights back and had success in the
self-pub field. I got lucky when Kensington took me and my series on in 2017.
It was a big wonderful surprise to learn they wanted the first two books that
had already been published. With their guidance I’ve added new content, new
endings and punch up of the action. So I hope readers who love series will like
its new direction as I do.
How did you connect with your editor at Kensington?
I met Michaela Hamilton at the K-9 Mission Charity Gala in Boston. The
author Leo J. Maloney (who I highly recommend you read. He’s a fellow MA
resident), who is also my friend, sat me with his editor Michaela and his agent
Doug Grad. It was a fun night for a great cause. For me it was also my lucky
night to be able to socialize with Michaela and Doug as well as networking.
Is Jake Carrington based on a real detective or is he wholly created out of your
imagination?
Wholly based on fiction—he just popped into my head one day and wouldn’t
leave. In fact I working on my first book, Loss of Power (which is still in first
draft stages) when Jake said write me, write me, write me. So I wrote him.
Where did the first inkling for the idea of Jake Carrington come from?
As I said, I was working in my dining room, staring out at the woods, when
Jake’s picture and story started running in my head like a movie. I sat back
and watched it developed. After about an hour, I started typing the first three
chapters than an outline, and my excitement built with the character. I knew
the moment I finished the third chapter that Jake was a series and not a single
novel.
Where you write suspense, crime based stories, have you spent much time with real
police/detectives?
I know a lot of cops, and love listening to their stories. A friend of mine’s
father was a cop in Brooklyn, and another married one. Both would recount
interesting encounters that I ate up.
Have you ever sat in on a criminal case in court?
I was called in for two murder trials, but never sat on the jury. At the time my
health had interfered.
Do you write any other genre apart from Romantic suspense?
I write contemporary romance as Merry Holly, and straight up thrillers as in
Jake’s story, and yet to be published (lol, finished) romantic suspense. I’m
hoping to finish A Stone Cold Christmas before August to have published for
the holidays. It’s a romantic suspense novel. If I finish Jake’s fourth book by
my May deadline—I’ll jump on the suspense one. I’ve edited the first three in
2017/2018 and I’m writing the fourth in 2018, and marketing for release day,
and social media-ing to promote. It’s a crazy schedule, but I love writing and
what it entails.
Is there a secondary character in this series that you feel deserves his own story?
The third book which comes out in December 2018 is Louie Romanelli’s story.
He’s Jake’s partner and I love him and his wife, and their relationship. Louie
is old world Italian. It’s been fun to write him.
Are you an intense, detailed outliner or more of a go with a nugget of an idea and
write by the seat of your pants?
LOL, I call myself a pantser/plotter. As I said most stories and characters
come to in a form of a movie in my head. After I let them run their course, I
write three chapters to capture the flavor of the story and the voice of the
main character. Then I plot, and then I replot in the middle of the story
because most times it takes a turn and I follow it.
What is your writing process like; do you write to a specific daily word count? Do
you write longhand or directly onto a computer program? Do you do deep
research before you ever write the opening sentence?
I have a schedule, as if I’m heading to an office. I get up shower, eat, than sit
to write for three hours. Depending on the book and the deadline I adjust my
purposed word count. Most days I shoot for 2,500 to 5,000 words. I research
what I know I need up front, than add to it as questions pop up.
Would you share an excerpt from All The Deadly Lies?
Sure, I hope you enjoy it.
All the Deadly Lies
Chapter 1
“Sergeant, in my office, please.” Captain Shamus McGuire stood at attention in his doorway, all
six-feet- four inches of him. His steel-gray hair cut to military precision focused one’s attention
on his matching gray eyes.
Homicide Sergeant Jake Carrington of the Wilkesbury Police Department looked across his
joined desk to his partner, and lifelong friend Louie Romanelli and shrugged. Louie threw him a
questioning look as he adjusted his tie and started to rise from his chair.
“Just Jake, Louie,” the captain said as he turned into his office.
Jake picked up their latest case file to update the captain and walked in to join McGuire.
“Take a seat, Jake.” The captain pointed to one of the two institutional-gray ones in front of his
desk. He took off his glasses and massaged his forehead.
Though Jake preferred to stand, he took the less beat-up seat on the right. The room was a
monument to the man, all spit and polish. Sparse furnishing with a few awards and medals hung
on the walls. Paperwork in precise piles, a picture of his family, the standard computer and
phone were all he had on his desk. McGuire’s appearance and stance spoke of his military
background and warned his cops he took no crap from them. It wasn’t like him to stall but that’s
exactly what he was doing at the moment. McGuire turned his smoky eyes on him. Jake went on
alert. Something was up, something big.
“Captain?” Instincts had Jake bracing for what came next.
“Spaulding’s coming up for parole again. And this time he’s requesting a DNA test before he
comes before the board.” Jake’s stomach curdled. McGuire continued, “He’s also requesting the
DNA samples from your sister’s crime scene be tested against his sample.”
“What bullshit, Shamus.”
Jake jumped up, roamed the office. His mouth went dry. Deep down he was afraid the old
samples somehow wouldn’t match and would set Eva’s killer free. This new development would
split his attention. What could Spaulding gain from this maneuver? To catch a killer, you had to
get inside his head. Did Spaulding assume the system would release him if he got a new trial?
He looked out the window and studied the downtown area as he ran every scenario through his
mind. This was his town, though imperfect as it was. He and Eva had been born here of
immigrant parents. Its one-hundred- thousand residents depended on him and those who had
come before him to protect it.
Outside of his tour of military duty overseas he didn’t venture far from it, a good city, though
down on its luck since all the manufacturing jobs went overseas. Wilkesbury recently had the
distinguished honor to be named one of the top five saddest rust belt cities. And it’s the one that
was farthest south of the belt. In its glory days, nothing could touch Wilkesbury. Most of the
crime in the city came from the twenty percent of the Wilkesburians living under the national
poverty level. The city had its mix of people, businesses, homeless, shoppers and kids. More kids
claimed the downtown area since UConn had put a branch right across the street from the station.
Today some of the kids wore shorts to celebrate the hot weather. Last week it was in the forties.
Today the temperatures hit the seventies. New England, you gotta love it, he thought.
Clearing his mind, he focused on The Palace Marquee. Next month Johnny Mathis would be
here for two days. He thought it a monument to the citizens of Wilkesbury when private citizens
and businesses raised the money to save the Palace. It had been closed for eighteen years. The
last performer had been Tony Bennett in nineteen eighty-seven. Bennett had opened the newly
restored theater in two thousand four and it was still going strong. Jake loved the old theater. It
brought back good memories from his childhood. The grand old theater done in the tradition of
the Met was a step back in time. Since it had been refurbished it drew some big name performers
and plays. It’s about time we got something decent in the downtown area, he thought. Murders
were down in recent years but overall crime continued. Eva’s death was the reason he became a
cop instead of going on to play pro ball after college.
Turning from the window, he walked back to stand in front of Shamus’s desk. “I’m sorry I didn’t
hear the last part,” Jake said.
“The sperm gathered at the time of the autopsy was preserved, and with new technology he has
the right to ask for the testing.”
“When will it happen? I want to be there through the whole process from collection to testing to
make sure there aren’t any switch-ups.” What a way to start a Monday.
Who would you cast as Jake Carrington to play the movie role?
Matthew Morrison fits the Jake’s description in the book. I think he’d do him
well. I also like Jason Statham as well.
What one piece of advice would you give to an aspiring writer?
Learn the craft. In 2009 I got that piece of advice from an editor at a large
publishing house out of New York, after naively I sent out my first draft to
over twenty agents and editors. I took her advice, and joined classes both
online and at conferences, and seminars, and more important, I joined several
writing groups which offer up some fantastic classes, and it’s also a great way
to network with like-minded writers.
What are your non-writing hobbies if any?
I don’t do it anymore since my heart surgery but I loved to snowboard and
roller blade. I knit and I read, mostly read and walk. There’s nothing like a
great book to sweep you away into another world, or environment. And I like
to travel and hang with friends.
Where to buy All the Deadly Lies
Publisher Kensington/Lyrical: http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/book.aspx/35575
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Lies- Jake-Carrington- Thriller-
ebook/dp/B06VXQBR8B/
Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/all-the- deadly-lies- marian-
lanouette/1125814921?ean=9781516104758
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/all-the- deadly-lies
Apple/Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/all-the- deadly-lies/id1252337028?mt=11
Google: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=9781516104758&c=books
Bio: Marian Lanouette
A self-described tough blonde from Brooklyn, Marian Lanouette grew up as one of ten children.
As far back as she could remember Marian loved to read. She was especially intrigued by the
Daily News crime reports. Tragically, someone she knew was murdered. The killer never found.
Her Jake Carrington thriller are inspired by her admiration for police work, her experience in
working a crematorium, and her desire to write books where good prevails, even in the darkest
times. Marian lives in New England with her husband.
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