Interview with Hank Phillippi Ryan

What is the title of your newest book? How many books have you published?
My new book is The Murder List, a psychological standalone. And it is my eleventh published novel.

And the eleventh book I have written! Sometimes I cannot believe it.

How did you develop your character and choose your location?
That is such a great question. The location creates itself out of the story, and the characters creates themselves out of the story. It’s hard to describe, but I begin with a compelling plot, and then I see who I need to tell that story in the best way, and where it might take place.

In The Murder List, my goal was to show matter what side a lawyer is on, defense or prosecution, they think they are the good guy. But that can’t be true, right? So how does a person decide whether to be the one who defends the accused? Or prosecute them? And what does it mean to be good? So in The Murder List, a brilliant and devoted criminal defense attorney and a tough and ruthless prosecutor—who hate each other--think they are battling for the legal and moral soul of a promising young law student. (That’s what they think they’re doing, at least.)

So The Murder List takes place in Boston, and in the Boston suburbs. Yes, I know that well, after being a journalist here for so many years, it’s fun for me to use it fictionally, with places that people might have visited, or might not even know about. Or recognize when they come visit! I always “see” my books when I’m in certain locations—and sometimes it’s hard to remember I made them up.

What do you enjoy about the author’s lifestyle? What do you not enjoy?
Oh my goodness, most of the time it is a complete joy. I have been a television reporter for 43 years now, and I’m still on the air at Boston’s Channel 7. That lifestyle is stressful, relentless, competitive, and incredibly rewarding. But rarely are the deadlines my own (or farther away than a few weeks) and breaking news does not always cooperate with my own personal schedule.

So as an author, I completely embrace the idea I can wake up when I want to, have coffee and read the paper, and then write write write write write, in sweat pants and no makeup (!) without having to make sure I get everything on video, and without having to stick to the facts. And I can work for 8 hours in a row without stopping if I want to. Or…not.

What I do not enjoy are the days I sit here looking at my computer, knowing I have a crushing book deadline, and not one word emerges, let alone the story. But finally, now, I have learned to embrace the panic, and know that after the panic, the answer always comes.

So far.

Do you model your character after yourself or any one you know?
Model my character after myself? No. I really don’t. My characters are completely fiction. Yes, many of the characters are reporters, or lawyers, or criminals, many of whom I know. But part of the fun, if you call it fun, is to watch a fictional character emerge out of my imagination. I am often surprised, and, in the end, always delighted.

How do you get yourself out of a writing rut?
A writing rut? I can’t afford to be in a writing rut. I have learned after all these years of television that you can’t be perfect every day. Some days you simply have to allow yourself to be terrible. I have plenty of those! But I know I can always fix my pages later. So instead of thinking about a rut, which sometimes can make you seize up and be terrified, I just allow myself to write something hideous, laughing all the way, knowing it is not set in stone.

If your books were made into a movie, who would you want to play the lead character?
Oh, what a fun question. I know that in Trust Me, Mercer should be Tea Leoni and Taylor Swift should be Ashlyn. Those are perfect parts for them! Cat and mouse—but which is which? Rachel North in The Murder List is more difficult… even choosing an actor for her may give away too much. But DA Martha Gardiner could be Emma Thompson. And Jack? Jeremy Northam, maybe, with a little bit of gray hair.

Who is your favorite author?
My favorite author? Yikes. Shakespeare. Tom Wolfe, Edith Wharton, Stephen King, Hunter Thompson, Mark Helprin, Agatha Christie.

If you could invite five people – living or dead – to a dinner party, who would they be?
Dinner party! This is so difficult, and I am so hyper-analytical that I can never figure this out. You’d want the dinner party to be fun, right? So good conversationalists? But the people who are most intriguing might not want to chitchat. Stephen Sondheim. Stephen King. Steven Spielberg. I see a theme :-) How about those three, plus Shakespeare, because he was probably fun. And Edith Wharton. And Anthony Horowitz. That’s a lot of men. How about adding Agatha Christie! Yes! Because someone will have to cancel because of their busy schedule, right? So whichever five show up.

If you could not be an author, what would like to do as a career?
Oh, I love this. A florist? Or maybe just a flower arranger. And a reader. A flower arranging reader. Could I make a living from that? And I’d adore to be a book editor, even though I know it is not one bit glamorous and it’s incredibly stressful. Still. Bring it on. I’d also love to be a lawyer, but maybe I’ll simply stick with that in fiction.