One of the things I love the most about events such as Bouchercon and Sleuthfest is talking to authors about their work and details of the craft—because every writer has a different approach to the page. My own selfish interest in learning more about this is why I’m starting a new, semi-regular feature called “Five For Them, One for Me,” where I’ll be asking writers five questions about their work, the process, their inspirations—and one question that might make them wonder why they agreed to this. We’re kicking it off with a good one, folks.
Five for Them, One for Me: Jess Lourey
I’ve known Jess Lourey a few years now, in that loose tangential way we “know” people through social media. We finally met face-to-face in 2022 at Left Coast Crime in Albuquerque, and I’ve been fortunate enough to get to hang out with her at various events subsequent. She’s consistently one of the most delightful people in the crime fiction community—kind and generous with her time and talent, and possessing that good-spirited Midwestern sense of humor you always hear about. She also likes bourbon, which scores you massive points in my world.
Jess was best known for her “Murder by the Month” series and the “Salem’s Ciphers” thrillers until her breakout novel UNSPEAKABLE THINGS in 2020. Inspired by a true story from her hometown, UNSPEAKABLE THINGS launched Jess to the forefront of crime fiction, earning her an Edgar nomination and winning her the first of three consecutive Anthonys for best paperback original, including one this year for THE QUARRY GIRLS.
Her newest book, THE TAKEN ONES, comes out today, and it marks her return to writing a series. And as if that wasn’t enough, she’s our first “Five for Them, One for Me.”
Let’s go.
FIVE FOR THEM
1. Easy opener: Tell us about your new book, THE TAKEN ONES.
First, thank you for having me! I enjoy hanging out with you, even cyber-ly.
The Taken Ones is the first full-length novel in a new series featuring BCA cold case agent Evangeline “Van” Reed and BCA forensic scientist Harry Reed. They have an Odd Couple/Mulder and Scully vibe, and the series is best described as cold case meets urban legend.
2. Your first books were the Murder by the Month series, which were lighter and funnier than the standalone novels (UNSPEAKABLE THINGS, BLOODLINE, LITANI, THE QUARRY GIRLS) that followed. After writing an award-winning group of stand-alones, what brought you back to crafting a new series? Can you talk a little about the pleasures and challenges of writing stand-alones versus writing a series?
This new series was born when my brilliant editor at Thomas & Mercer, Jessica Tribble Wells, asked me in 2021 if I wanted to write a short story. When I tell you I'd rather go to the dentist, gynecologist, and DMV every day for a week than write a short story...truly, if anyone else had asked, I'd have said no.
But it was Jessica. If you know her, you know. So I said yes with not a thought in my head as to what I'd write. You've heard those stories of authors who sit down to write a story, and it just flows from their fingertips? I’ve always been annoyed by them, too, so imagine my surprise when that's what happened with this short story. I was poolside in Costa Rica, and out poured “Catch Her in a Lie,” the first case featuring BCA cold case agent Evangeline “Van” Reed and BCA forensic scientist Harry Steinbeck.
I loved that short story. I loved Van and Harry. But I figured that was our brief fling, and we were all moving on.
Then Jessica came back. Asked if I wanted to write a whole series featuring them. I hesitated for exactly one minute—it’s been years since I wrote a series, and the police procedural angle is outside my comfort zone—but I wanted to hang with Harry and Van again. He’s fussy, brilliant, and decent; she’s messy, intuitive, and made of steel. They're both hiding secrets. That’s my jam! So I dug in.
I was reminded both what I hate about writing a series—sewing in the backstory without slowing down the front story—and love about writing a series—building a world with cross-book depth and getting to revisit characters I love.
3. What is your writing process like? You lead workshops focused on plotting—I’ve taken one myself and it was incredibly helpful with my WIP—but what’s it look like for you to go from idea to final product? Do you give yourself strict deadlines? Do you rewrite much?
I’m so glad it was helpful! I think we’re all learning from one another in this business. I’m a very blue-collar writer. An idea dings me, either because my agent or editor makes a request or because the inspiration factory has shipped it to me, and then I sit with it to feel if it has juice.
If it does, I very quickly can’t stop thinking about it, asleep or awake, so I start outlining the story, writing two-five sentences per scene. I very generally follow the 15-step Save the Cat Writes a Novel (by Jessica Brody, highly recommend it) structure for the first draft of my outline, and that guarantees I have solid scaffolding for the story. Once I do, I build off that until I have around 80 scenes sketched out. Then I write the book.
The whole process to get a finished draft good enough to hand off to my freelance editor takes me around six months.
4. When you accepted the Anthony for Best Paperback Original recently at Bouchercon San Diego for THE QUARRY GIRLS, you mentioned your “squad” of fellow writers. As writers, we spend so much of our time in our own heads, so how important for you is your “squad”?
I’m so glad I said that out loud! I tend to black out a little when accepting awards and assume I’m just bleating like a sheep while everyone nods politely. My Squad, capital S, is everything. They are Erica Ruth Neubauer, Susie Calkins, Lori Rader-Day, and Shannon Baker, four very accomplished writers. We all text daily to check in, share funny stories, kvetch about our writing, share tips. This business is solitary, as you know, as well as so fickle, that it’s important to have the people who know you and who you can be messy with.
5. What’s a piece of advice you would give aspiring writers that you wish you’d received when you started your own writing career?
In Jane Friedman’s latest newsletter (which is free, and offers incredible info on the business as well as the craft of writing), she mentioned recently visiting Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park, and that while it’s grand at first, once you see all the beauty around it, turns out it’s kind of dull. She said her husband reminded her that that is how it can look to be a successful writer, too. You show up and do the work, day in and day out, regardless whether you feel inspired, or tired, or you think anyone will ever read it. Slow and steady wins the race (my first book came out in 2006; I didn’t break out until 2020).
ONE FOR ME
You’re a long-time Minnesotan, so I gotta know: What’s up with all the tater tot hotdish?
Tator tot hotdish is god hugging you from the inside.
THE TAKEN ONES is out today.
Shameless Self-Promotion
I've been reading Vautrin since the first issue a few years back. It's one of the best fiction magazines out, consistently thoughtful and challenging, and always holding a strong voice. Stories in its pages have been recognized by Best American Mystery and Suspense and nominated for a variety of awards, including Curtis Ippolito’s Anthony-nominated "The Estate Sale."
So I’m thrilled to say I have a story in its latest issue, out now.
I wrote “Murder Ballad” a while back as a challenge to myself. It's noir, but also a Western—more "Unforgiven" and "Deadwood" than "Rio Bravo" or "Silverado"—which meant I couldn't lean on my usual recipe of snark and violence.
(Okay, that's a bit of a lie; there is violence. But it's also a fairly sober look at a man's attempt at redemption and the question of what justice truly means.)
I'm excited to share this story with folks, and I hope y'all enjoy it and the great lineup of writers in this issue.
That’s all we’ve got for now. Thanks for coming. See you next time, and hey, let’s be careful out there.