Interview with Lori Rader-Day

What is the title of your newest book? How many books have you published?

My fourth novel is Under a Dark Sky, the story of Eden Wallace, a young widow who finds in her husband’s effects a reservation to stay at the guest house at a dark sky park, where people go to stargaze. Despite the fear of the dark she’s developed since he died, she keeps that reservation, only to find six strangers also staying at the guest house. Before she can leave, one of them is killed, and so she’s a suspect, drawn into the investigation. Someone called it And Then There Were None crossed with The Big Chill, and that’s pretty close, if The Big Chill was mostly Millennials.

(Editor's note: Lori won the Anthony for the Best Paperback Original at Bouchercon for The Day I Died.)

How did you develop your character and choose your location?
For Under a Dark Sky, the location came first. I heard about dark sky parks and had to find out more. This location seemed so fraught with potential—a place set up to be dark? Perfect location for a murder mystery. The character came second for this book. I wanted to write about something that scares me, so I chose to write about a young widow. I couldn’t get a handle on the character until one day when I realized her name was Eden. I started researching the Headlands International Dark Sky Park in Michigan, which I used as the model for my park, and discovered their guest house’s reservations were a little hard to figure out. Once I imagined Eden going to the park to be alone and being stuck with a group of friends with their own agenda and in-fighting, I began to write. Eden developed as I wrote. I never know everything about a character when I start. If I did, I don’t know if I’d want to write about them.

What is a day in the life of an author like? Do you write a certain number of words, do you write in the morning or evening? 

I write about 2000 words a day more days than not. Sometimes I don’t write at all, especially when I’m launching a book (like right now, as I’m typing this in a hotel room in Indianapolis). I’d rather be writing, but the job isn’t just writing. There’s a lot of extra work involved, and it’s easy to get that work done and never get to the blank page. But if I’m there doing 1000-2000 words more days than not, that’s not a bad way to get a book written. I used to have to be much more strict with myself because the only time of day I could write was during my lunch hours. I have more flexibility at the moment. I usually do email and promotions stuff in the morning and then write after lunch, sometimes after dinner if that’s the only time I have left. Right now, I’m touring for the book, so a day in my life is primarily spent in my car.

Do you belong to a writers group or are you in touch with other writers? How does that help your writing?
I’m not in a writers group at the moment, but I am in touch with many other writers through Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and International Thriller Writers. Chicago is also a great place to meet writers of all kinds. Writing is a lone pursuit up to a point, but it doesn’t have to be lonely. Having friends who are also writers is great for when you need to commiserate or celebrate. Other writers get what you’re going through better than anyone else.

Do you model your character after yourself or any one you know?
Eden isn’t based on myself or anyone I know. That’s not to say that I never sneak in autobiographical touches here and there (especially in my earlier books) but Under a Dark Sky is probably the novel that is least based on my life, the most purely fictional character and situation.

If your books were made into a movie, who would you want to play the lead character?
I think Reese Witherspoon should option all my books and sort out the roles she wants. She could rock Eden Wallace. Or Charlize Theron. Or Kristen Bell, just because I love her.

Who is your favorite author?
If I only had to pick one, it would be Agatha Christie. But I’m also a fan of Shirley Jackson, Daphne du Maurier, and other classic mystery authors. I also read widely and am always up for a new novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, TC Boyle, Michael Chabon, Tana French, Megan Abbott, Susan Orlean, Lou Berney, Kelly Link, Laura Lippman, and Annie Proulx.

How do you keep track of character details from book to book so they are consistent?
I don’t write a series, so I get to start over each book with whatever character I need, whatever traits they develop as I write. I keep track of details I need to note or use later in a separate word document. Ideas, reminders, specific character details I need to work into the whole novel...it all goes in the notes document. I also keep a notebook with me for each novel, and notes can go there if I’m away from the laptop.

If you could not be an author, what would like to do as a career?

I make a pretty good communications officer for not-for-profits...that’s what I did for twenty years while I launched my fiction-writing career.