Please join me in welcoming author Laura Griffin today to My Reading Room. Laura has the third novel in her Tracers series coming out today, Unforgivable. So check that out and check out my review coming soon, but until then, please join Laura and myself for a quick chat.
Thanks for inviting me to hang out with you in your reading room! Always fun to talk to book lovers.
I know these aren’t your first books, but how did you celebrate when you found out the Tracers series would be published?
Fun question. When I finally heard from my agent that my publisher wanted the Tracers stories, I was so elated, so I dropped everything and went out for Tex-Mex and margaritas.
How would you describe Unforgivable to others?
Unforgivable is about a very passionate woman, Mia Voss, who has devoted her life to helping put repeat, violent offenders behind bars. She’s a DNA expert, and her unique abilities have helped homicide cops and cold case detectives solve some of their very toughest cases. When Mia finds herself the target of a vicious criminal, she turns to a cop she knows for help… Ric Santos, but they have a past together, which complicates things. Unforgivable is both a mystery and a romance… my favorite kind of story!
Where did the idea for Unforgivable come from?
The first spark of the idea came when I was interviewing a cold case detective. I asked him how he prioritized the hundreds of unsolved cases in his jurisdiction, and he said that sometimes it’s a new clue that comes to light and other times it’s a family that applies pressure, year after year, so that detectives don’t forget about their loved one. I wanted to write a story about a woman who lost someone close to her and became committed to the idea of seeking justice for victims of violent crime.
How much research have you had to do for this series of books?
Each story involves different kinds of research, but I love all of it. For my current story, I’m researching SWAT teams and snipers. The next story will have parts about forensic anthropology, or bones. Every time I set out to write a new book, I like to learn about what my characters do, whether that character is a hair stylist or an FBI agent.
I read Unspeakable and have Untraceable on my TBR pile. When I read Unspeakable I was introduced to Mia and I can’t wait to read the book about her. Was she an easy heroine to write?
Mia is smart and gifted at what she does, but she isn’t your typical kick-ass law enforcement heroine. She hates guns. She doesn’t know how to fight. I enjoyed writing her because she has a certain vulnerability, but she’s also very tough.
Did you plan this book out or do you just write and see where it took you?
I had some vague ideas about what I wanted to do, but as always, the book kind of develops a direction of its own. I never plan out every detail because so much changes as I go.
Do you get time to read? What are your favorite types of books to read?
I love all types of books. At the moment I’m reading a thriller called 61 Hours by Lee Child. After that, I’m going to start a book about burial recovery training at the National Forensic Academy. And then it’s The Help by Kathryn Stockett.
What is your favorite room in your house?
My office. It’s filled with books.
What is your favorite spot to read in?
My armchair.
What is your favorite snack food?
Chocolate.
What is your favorite season?
Don’t have one.
Do you have a schedule for writing each day or do you just do it when you can?
I start in the early morning, finish up by mid-afternoon, and then sit back down at my computer in the evening.
Any book signings/conferences/public/blog appearances in the near future?
I just returned from a wonderful weekend in Dallas with a number of terrific authors, including Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love, who were my co-authors for the Deadly Promises anthology. It was fun to meet readers and sign copies of the book. I’m sure I will put another book signing on the schedule for later this winter.
Do you have a new book in the works (please tell me there is another Tracers book - I love this series)?
I am so glad to hear that! Yes, there are more. I’ve been so excited about the success of the series, and my publisher has asked me to write three more Tracers books, starting with Snapped in 2011.
Anything else you would like to say?
I should probably answer the question I get asked most by readers: Do you have to read the Tracers books in order? The answer is nope, not necessary. The characters overlap, but each suspense plot stands on its own, so feel free to dive right in!
Thanks so much for having me. I hope you enjoy Unforgivable as much as I enjoyed writing it!
About the book:
For Mia Voss, tracing killers is business. But her work just got personal.
At first, Mia thinks it is just bad luck when her already lousy day ends with a carjacking, but what seems like a random incident is followed by another sinister episode. As a DNA expert, Mia has made it her mission to put away vicious criminals, but suddenly, she has become the target of one. The only way to protect the people she loves most is to deliberately destroy her reputation and risk letting a killer walk free.
Mia is the sexiest, most intriguing woman Detective Ric Santos has ever met, and he can tell she’s lying--and that she’s scared. There was a time when Mia trusted Ric—but that was before Ric let his turbulent past get between them. Now, Mia must face her own past, as the key to catching a sadistic madman may lie within one of her long-buried cold cases. Only she can uncover the truth, but first she will have trust Ric with her secrets… and her life.
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