Interrogation Room #39: Elisa Ludwig, author of PRETTY SLY

Today marks the release of our very own Elisa Ludwig's PRETTY SLY, the sequel to her heart-pounding debut, PRETTY CROOKED, about teenage thief Willa Fox.

PRETTY SLY, called a "crackling-good adventure" by Kirkus, asks the question, "What would you do if your mom disappeared and forbade you to come after her?"

In between celebrations for her launch, Elisa bravely agreed to an interrogation about her writing process.

1) Something I'm dying to know: How did you research the terrific scene where Tre teaches Willa how to pick-pocket in PRETTY CROOKED?

Heh heh. I used a combination of my own real life experience as a pickpocket victim, some shady websites and some very cool YouTube videos—there's a great BBC series called The Real Hustle, which gave me some interesting ideas for mixing up the thieving scenes. The reality is there's a lot of criminal how-to out there for the reading, but that could be a good thing, if people use it to avoid being victimized.

2) Can readers expect to see some familiar faces in PRETTY SLY (besides Willa and Aidan)? Did you pluck any smaller roles from the first book and give them a larger presence in the second book?

Yes, the principle characters are all there, though the Glitterati only have a bit part, which turns the catty quotient in this sequel way down from the first book! I don't know that anyone has a larger presence but even the main characters in the first book are pretty mysterious and secretive, so the second book deepens our understanding of them—but also raises many new questions ...

3) How much downtime did you have between books? Was it easy or difficult to return to characters from the first book? 

I think I finished PRETTY CROOKED in February and started PRETTY SLY in May or June. Not too much time had elapsed, and I was working on copyedits and things while drafting the sequel so that helped keep everything fresh. I loved coming back to the same characters. It was so much easier to start a book in a place where I already understood my characters and their motivations. Sometimes that process alone will take a few drafts. It allowed me to focus on the increasingly more complicated plot!

4) Was your high school experience anything like the experiences of your characters? Was there a clear-cut line between the haves and have-nots?

My high school experience was only similar in that I went to a private school and, as a middle class student, was very aware of class distinctions and how students communicated their status through clothing, cars, etc. While the mean girl behavior in my high school was much more subtle, there was certainly a sense that some (but not all) of the most privileged kids "ruled the school" socially. But I was definitely more of a fringe-y character than Willa. Like the Say Anything dudes say, "by choice, man." Or so I told myself!

5) What challenges did you face in writing SLY that were different from writing CROOKED? Was anything easier the second time around?

I think the challenge with SLY was to make Willa's experience more difficult and keep turning those screws. This book has much higher stakes: she's in greater danger and she's also facing some really difficult emotional truths. The tone here shifts as a result, and keeping that in balance with Willa's bubbly personality and the lighter feel of the first book was at times tricky. On the other hand, I felt really lucky that SLY sends things in such a different direction that it truly felt like a whole new adventure to write. As I said, the characters were much easier the second time around, and I think I had a much better handle on the structure of the story from the very beginning. Also, it certainly didn't hurt that I was working with the same brilliant editors, so I always had their voice in my head when I was drafting, keeping me on course.

6) When you wrote PRETTY CROOKED, did you always know it would have a sequel, or did you envision it as a stand-alone? If you did map out the sequel early on, how much did the finished product of PRETTY SLY compare to your original plan?

I always knew it would be a trilogy. Parts of PRETTY SLY were imagined originally as part of PRETTY CROOKED (through the first leg of their road trip, basically), but as time went on it became clear that Willa's time at Valley Prep really deserved its own book. That being said, all of the key clues except maybe a couple we added in copy edits were already in the first book when it came time to write the second. The third book was much more vaguely conceived going into it, and it probably changed the most dramatically in revisions—down to the actual answer to the mystery!

7) Besides Willa's vicariously satisfying Robin Hood-esque scheme of "spreading the wealth around" at her school, there is a second, overarching mystery about Willa's mother. When you have two (or three!) separate mysteries going on, how do you keep track of each person's head space at different points of their respective time lines? 

Oh, man. That's only the tip of the iceberg with this series! It can be tough, that's for sure. I wish I was one of those people who used Post-Its or a big magic marker or something, but truthfully, I just used a lot of Kanye West all-caps-esque notes to myself in the text as I wrote. Stuff like "REMEMBER: SHE ONLY KNOWS X,Y and Z, HERE!!!" and "HOW THE HECK IS SHE GOING TO COME TO THIS CONCLUSION?!!"

9) PRETTY CROOKED resolves certain plot elements perfectly, while still serving as a cliffhanger. Did you get any angry letters about the ending? Was it difficult to write a conclusion that leads directly into a new adventure?

Yes! Maybe not super-angry, but a lot of teasing and frustrating ones. My editors and I went back and forth about where to leave things, and ultimately decided on the cliffhanger, which has its old-fashioned charms. I wouldn't say it was difficult to write that ending but I maybe felt a bit guilty to do that to readers. I hope PRETTY SLY will satisfy them!

10) I love Aidan and Willa's banter, as well as Willa's friendship-chemistry with Cherise and Tre. Do you have particular techniques you draw on to keep your dialogue so sharp? 

Thank you so much! I like to read dialogue out loud (if no one else is in the house!) to get a feel for how someone might really say something. And it's definitely something I fine-tune in revision, stripping it back more and more, because most people speak much more efficiently than I actually write.

11) When is book #3 coming out?

March 2015!

Check out the trailer for PRETTY SLY, below, and then enter to win a free copy of BOTH BOOKS!




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Author Rap Sheet: Kristen Kittscher, author of THE WIG IN THE WINDOW

Something fishy is going on today... It has come to our attention that a new middle grade mystery novel, THE WIG IN THE WINDOW, was released in bookstores across the nation this morning. Preliminary investigation has revealed this summary:

Best friends and seventh graders Sophie Young and Grace Yang have made a game of spying on their neighbors. But on one of their late-night pretend stake-outs, the girls stumble across a terrifying, bloody scene at the home of their bizarre middle school counselor, Dr. Charlotte Agford (a.k.a. Dr. Awkward). At least they think they do…the truth is that Dr. Agford was just making her famous (and messy) pickled beets!

But when Dr. Agford begins acting even weirder than usual, Sophie and Grace become convinced that she’s hiding something–and they’re determined to find out what it is. Soon the girls are cracking codes, being followed by a strange blue car, and tailing strangers with unibrows and Texas accents. As their investigation heats up, the girls start to crack under the pressure. Even if Sophie and Grace uncover the truth about Agford in time, will their friendship survive?

Verrrry curious... We've tracked down the author, Kristen Kittscher, for a quick inquiry into her recent activities. Here's what we've been able to pry out of her so far: 

Kristen Kittscher was a neighborhood spy as a child but (allegedly) grew up to be an upstanding citizen, seventh grade English teacher, and writing tutor. A graduate of Brown University, she lives in Pasadena, California with her husband, Kai, and their hyperactive lab mix. The Wig in the Window is her first novel.

That's a good start, but I think we should ask her a few more questions. She's waiting in the interrogation room for us now. Don't forget to shield your eyes as we go in; those lights are blinding!

1. What inspired you to write THE WIG IN THE WINDOW? Do you have any unique experiences or interests that drove you to develop the story? 

For years, I wanted to write fiction, but I lacked the confidence. I’d dabble here and there, jotting down notes for story ideas and writing character sketches. Inevitably, though, I’d put my scribblings aside. I told myself I was not creative enough — that my seventh grade English students needed all my time and attention.

One day, though, I stumbled across a free-writing exercise based on my exploits as a middle school “spy” with my best friend in my seaside suburb of Los Angeles. It struck me: why hadn’t I ever thought of writing for kids? That tiny paragraph had all the makings of a story that would entertain the funny, precocious students I taught. I scrawled a note: “Rear Window meets (updated) Nancy Drew?”

With my students as my muses, it was so much easier to forge ahead. It’s no surprise I ended up writing a story about a kid who has so much self-doubt to overcome!

2. What is the most challenging thing about writing a mystery for young readers? What's the most rewarding part?

It's a challenge to develop mysteries that are age-appropriate but are nonetheless thrilling and high-stakes. While it's certainly possible to make mysteries about missing dogs or stolen school property seem thrilling; the kids I know crave reading about kids taking on "real" cases. Sadly, most real crime is far too sordid to use as inspiration. So, finding the right mystery to solve can really take some thinking.

I love middle grade readers' enthusiasm and sense of awe. It's such a delight to be writing for kids at that moment they are starting to take themselves more seriously and discover their own talents! In a mystery, I can really tap into that sense of wonder and wild imagination. I love that.

3. What is your writing process like?

I usually sketch a scene out roughly, like an artist might do a rough sketch of a piece before committing. It's in gibberish, really, just to get the shape and beats of it. Then I go back and fill in the details and write for real. For mysteries, I've decided outlining is essential - otherwise I can really get too meandering and lost. I desperately wish I could charge ahead with a messy first draft, but for me to enter into something I need to be fairly slow and methodical about it. If I rush, I make mistakes or don't fully take into account all the character feelings and motivations. The Wig in the Window is the first thing I've written apart from stories in my high school literary magazine, so I'm still figuring out what works for me. I hope to get faster!

4. What have been some of your favorite mysteries, real-life or fictional?

In real-life, I'm positively obsessed with the case of Amanda Knox - the American exchange student in Italy who was charged with murdering her roommate. During a dark period of procrastination years ago, I literally read all 900 pages of Italian court documents (Italian was one of my majors:-). Such a puzzling case! I've been holding off reading her new autobiography because I don't have time:-)
When it comes to mysteries for adults, I really like Kate Atkinson and Tana French. I have almost too many middle grade mystery loves to count, but I'm an especially big fan of Kirsten Miller's Kiki Strike series. In fact, it was partly what inspired me to write for the age group in the first place.


5. What is something that no one knows about you?


I'm having such a hard time thinking of something no one knows. Not much of an undercover operative, am I? I suppose not many people know I once edited documentaries about rock bands for a German music television station---or that I once worked for a trucking company?

6. What writing secret will you reveal only under the harsh glare of the interrogation room lights?

That there are no secrets! Hard work and passion for a story beats talent any day.

Well, Kristen, since you gave detailed answers and didn't withhold anything, you're free to return to your blog tour!

You can order THE WIG IN THE WINDOW here!


Still not satisfied with her responses? 

Visit Kristen's website

Check out her Facebook page

Follow her on Twitter
Have Kristen visit your school!

Check out the official trailer!

Young sleuths interview Kristen Kittscher:

Author Rap Sheet: Talia Vance, author of SPIES AND PREJUDICE

Today in the Interrogation Room, we're questioning author Talia Vance on her new book, SPIES AND PREJUDICE, which releases today! 

Berry Fields is not looking for a boyfriend. She's busy trailing cheaters and liars in her job as a private investigator, collecting evidence of the affairs she's sure all men commit. And thanks to a pepper spray incident during an eighth grade game of spin the bottle, the guys at her school are not exactly lining up to date her, either.

So when arrogant—and gorgeous—Tanner Halston rolls into town and calls her "nothing amazing," it's no loss for Berry. She'll forget him in no time. She's more concerned with the questions surfacing about her mother's death.

But why does Tanner seem to pop up everywhere in her investigation, always getting in her way? Is he trying to stop her from discovering the truth, or protecting her from an unknown threat? And why can't Berry remember to hate him when he looks into her eyes?

With a playful nod to Jane Austen, Spies and Prejudice will captivate readers as love and espionage collide.

Hmm, very interesting! I have lots of questions, but first, here's a little about our suspect:

Talia Vance is a practicing litigation attorney living in Northern California with her real life love interest, two-point-five kids, and a needy Saint Bernard named Huckleberry. Talia has been writing since she could talk, making up stories for every doll, stuffed animal and action figure she could get her hands on. She grew up hoping to write the great American novel, but her life ran more along the lines of tortured romance and fast paced thrillers, so that's what she writes.




SPIES AND PREJUDICE is billed as a spy novel with "a playful nod" to Jane Austen. What inspired this union? What challenges come with adapting (however loosely) a classic novel? 

I knew I wanted to write a story about a teenage private investigator who worked for her father’s firm.  That part of the idea came as I mined my own past for story origins.  My father has been a P.I. for decades, and I once spent a summer working for him.  Once I got the idea, Berry Fields appeared and my head and started talking to me about this boy who kept getting in her way. Berry was jaded and tough, I knew she needed an equally strong love interest, someone like a modern day Mr. Darcy.  Once I knew that Berry and Tanner’s romance would be loosely based on Elizabeth and Darcy, I modeled other characters on archetypes from Pride and Prejudice. 

One of the challenges was finding the balance of how many references to the classic I could include without deterring from Berry’s story, which was unique to her.  There were a number of compromises along the way.  A number of characters and subplots from Pride and Prejudice were not included.  Instead, I focused on a few key scenes and characters that worked with Berry and Tanner’s story.

What's the hardest thing about writing mystery/thriller for a young adult audience? What is the most rewarding thing? 

One of the difficulties of writing for a young adult audience is that you have teen characters doing adult things.  In Spies and Prejudice, there are teenage spies, and so there is naturally an element of fantasy to the story.  As an author, I had to choose between trying to make the story gritty and realistic or embracing the fun, slightly fantastic side of the concept.  Spies and Prejudice was always intended to be light-hearted and fun, and so I just embraced that side of it, complete with cool spy gadgets and electronics.

What is your writing process like? Do you have any writing tricks or quirks like only writing in a special chair or while listening to certain music?

I write in long stretches of 4-8 hours on the weekends.  I have playlist for each book, which helps me get into the mood and character of the piece I’m working on.  Outlining has become an important part of my process, especially after I’ve written a first draft.  I’ll make a rough outline of the story and then use that to evaluate pacing, story and plot holes before I tackle any changes in the manuscript. 

Your other published novel, SILVER, leans more toward fantasy. What were some of the differences you encountered in writing SILVER and SPIES AND PREJUDICE? Which genre do you find more difficult?

The two books were very different for me to write not so much because of genre, but because the characters were so different.  Brianna from Silver is a character who wants to be noticed and wants to fall in love, while Berry is a character who prefers to stay in the background and is far more guarded with her heart.  The characters had very different voices and different journeys.  Where Brianna starts out weak and ends strong, Berry starts out with a chip on her shoulder and gradually learns to accept her softer side. What was surprising to me was how similar the writing process was despite the difference in genre.  As I’ve mentioned, there is an element of fantasy to writing teen spies.  And both characters had a mystery to solve that would impact them on a personal level.  Both books were also difficult in their own way, but neither was unbearably hard.  Once I understood what the main character wanted, and what obstacles stood in their way, the easier the writing flowed.

  

What is something no one knows about you?

I am addicted to Starbucks.  Okay, the people at my local Starbucks are well aware of this fact.  But my obsession with the brand is part of what gave me the idea for the energy drink in Spies and Prejudice.

Thanks, Talia! We'd like to keep you in the Interrogation Room for a little longer, but you're probably very busy celebrating your release day, so I guess we'll have to let you go now. For more information, you can:

Check out Talia's website

Follow her on Twitter

Visit her blog

Buy Spies and Prejudice!

Pssst . . . .Want to enter to win a SIGNED COPY of Spies and Prejudice?? Click on the Rafflecopter thingie below! Giveaway ends 6/19/13.
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Interrogation Room #29: Susanne Winnacker, Author of IMPOSTER

Okay, sleuths, line up behind that one-way mirror! We’ve finally tracked down IMPOSTER author Susanne Winnacker and hauled her in for questioning in the Interrogation Room. Here’s what our sources have revealed about the suspect so far:

Susanne Winnacker studied law before she became a full-time writer. She lives with her husband, a dog and three bunnies in Germany. She loves coffee (in every shape and form), traveling and animals. When she isn't writing, you can usually find her in the kitchen, experimenting with new vegan dishes. 

Susanne’s new book, IMPOSTER, will be released this May 28^th. Here are the only details she’s thus far consented to give up about her book:

Can Tessa pose as Madison . . . and stop a killer before it’s too late? 

Tessa is a Variant, able to absorb the DNA of anyone she touches and mimic their appearance. Shunned by her family, she’s spent the last two years training with the Forces with Extraordinary Abilities, a secret branch of the FBI. When a serial killer rocks a small town in Oregon, Tessa is given a mission: she must impersonate Madison, a local teen, to find the killer before he strikes again. 

Tessa hates everything about being an impostor—the stress, the danger, the deceit—but loves playing the role of a normal girl. As Madison, she finds friends, romance, and the kind of loving family she’d do anything to keep. Amid action, suspense, and a ticking clock, this super-human comes to a very human conclusion: even a girl who can look like anyone struggles the most with being herself.

Hmm, sounds intriguing… Let’s see what else Susanne has to say for herself!

Tessa faces a unique situation in that she spends most of the novel impersonating someone else. Was it challenging to continue to develop Tessa as an autonomous, complex, and sympathetic protagonist while still allowing her to believably impersonate Madison?

It wasn’t as difficult as it might seem. Tessa’s internal thoughts gave me plenty of room to show the reader her personality. There are also several scenes in the book where Tessa interacts with fellow agent Alec. In those few moments she can be herself inside and outside too.

On your website, you describe IMPOSTOR as "X-men meets the Zodiac Killer" (which seems wholly appropriate). Did you find it challenging to avoid plot holes or inconsistencies associated with the characters' Variations? Was it hard to find ways to keep things difficult for your characters?

It wasn’t very difficult to remember which character had which Variation. Somehow it was part of them in my mind. Of course there was the matter of potentially making it too easy for characters because of their Variations, but Tessa is facing so many struggles that can’t be solved by any kind of Variation that I never had to figure out a way to make it more difficult for her. I actually love “torturing” my characters so it was fun to figure out a plot that made Tessa’s life (and the lives of the other agents) hell.

If you could have any Variation, which would you choose and why? Which would you be least pleased to have?

My favorite Variation to have would be some kind of healing Variation. That would allow me to help others, and especially the people I love. Least favorite: That’s a tough one. Sometimes I think mind reading. On the one hand it could be fun to find out what other people think of you, but on the other hand it could turn life into a very lonely place. If you always know what people really think of you, it’ll make relationships much harder.

Can you tell us a little about the process of developing Tessa's character, and where, if anywhere, you drew your inspiration from?

Tessa’s identity struggles are a result of her unhappy upbringing. She’s longing for a loving family. That is something each of us can relate to, I guess. I was raised by a single mom and only met my father for the first time when I was eleven. I always longed for a good relationship to my father, so I guess a part of Tessa’s feelings have been inspired by my own. As for Tessa’s confusion about who she wants to be; that’s probably something many of us experience as a teen while we try to figure out what we want to do in the future and what kind of person we want to be.

I really had no clue who the killer was until the bitter end! How were you able to maintain so many suspects without prematurely giving away the real culprit or making an innocent person sound too suspicious?

I think that is the absolutely hardest thing about writing a mystery/thriller. I have to admit that it was also the part I had to tweak quite a bit in revisions. As for adding clues throughout the book: I think people are always looking for suspicious behavior in others when bad things happen. Even small things that wouldn’t have drawn our attention suddenly seem threatening or suspicious. So I didn’t have to add “big clues”. Sometimes the small details have the same effect.

Looks like you have us set up for some sequels (at least I hope so)! Can you reveal anything about Tessa's future missions?

There will be at least one sequel. I can’t say much about what happens to Tessa in book 2, except that it has something to do with the revelation at the end of book 1.

What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of writing mystery/thriller for a YA audience?

As I mentioned above: keeping the killer a secret until the very end. I think the only difference between a YA and an adult audience is that teens prefer fast-paced books, so I was always looking for a way to keep the pace up without it reading rushed.

You live in Germany! Do you think there is any German influence in your storytelling? Your last novel, THE OTHER LIFE, was published in German -- did you have any part in the translation?

It’s hard for me to determine if my writing style shows that I have German influences. But since I love cooking, I’m always trying to include some kind of German food in my books! I didn’t translate The Other Life, but I was allowed to read it after the translator was done and to make corrections.

What writing secret will you reveal only under the harsh light of this interrogation room?

I can’t write first thing in the morning. I have to shower, walk the dog, drink coffee/match latte, and check emails and facebook/twitter/pinterest/goodreads first. I know all the social networking sites take too much time but I just can’t stop myself!

Thanks, Susanne, you’ve been very cooperative. Now that we have all the information we needed, you’re free to go. But we’ll be scouring IMPOSTER for further evidence on May 28^th!

In the meantime, check out Susanne's blog, like her page on Facebook, or follow her on Twitter! Best of all: order her book!

Interview by Dani Forshay

Author Rap Sheet: Margaux Froley, Author of ESCAPE THEORY

Today we're bringing in new author Margaux Froley for questioning concerning the March 12th release of her first book, Escape Theory!

Margaux Froley grew up in Santa Barbara, California, and attended not one, but two boarding schools during her high school years in California and Oxford, England. She studied film at University of Southern California, and has worked for such television networks as: TLC, CMT, Travel, MTV, and the CW. She currently lives in Los Angeles and still loves Nutter Butters. Escape Theory is her first novel.

The first of the Keaton School Novels, Escape Theory takes us inside the mind of the school's first peer counselor, Devon Mackintosh. What happens when her first crush at school commits suicide? Devon has to use her counseling sessions with those closest to her crush, Hutch, to figure out why he would do such a thing. But what if she discovers so much more lying under the surface of the Keaton School?

Where did you get your inspiration to write Escape Theory? Do you have any unique experiences or background that drove you to develop this story?

I've always wanted to write a boarding school book. One, because it's always been a world that I've been intrigued by. And two, because I went to two different boarding schools and have a decent amount of interesting stories to bring to that world. It was my editor, Dan Ehrenhaft, who wanted to set a mystery in boarding school. With that as a kickoff, and the desire to have some sort of love story in this world, we landed on the world of Escape Theory. I have never been a peer counselor, but I was a psychology geek in high school and have always thought therapists were fascinating characters. Having a teen therapist felt like a very fun set-up for a character. 

What was the most challenging thing about writing a mystery for the YA market? What was the most rewarding?

Mystery in general, I think, is tough because audiences are so smart these days. I've never written a mystery, so I was very concerned about making sure my reader couldn't solve my mystery by page 10. The most rewarding part has been that I somewhat succeed in making the mystery work. Even my mystery-buff friends say they didn't know my killer until they were at least 80% done. So that was a huge relief. The thing about mysteries that I've really fallen in love with is the challenge to keep the reader guessing and turning the pages. It's absolutely a challenge, but when it works and people describe my book as a "page-turner," I feel like I did my job well. 

What is your writing process like?

I'm pretty strict with my writing schedule when I'm really in the nitty-gritty of writing pages. I start by 10, don't check emails until 1. Take a lunch break, and try to go from 2-6. But before that phase, I outline pretty extensively, from writing free-form character bios to writing up color-coded grids of story and clues, and what I reveal when. I try to make sure all the heavy-lifting is done, story-wise, so that when I start writing pages I really have a clear direction in mind. At that point, who knows...the characters will probably do something that ends up de-railing that outline. But, I know it's a balance between planning the book I'm going to write, and then letting the book I actually end up writing emerge. My final product pretty much never ends up being the same as the outline I started with, but without that outline, I would have never gotten those words on the page. I've heard writers, and even teachers complain about outlining because they say it makes them feel too penned in. I know everyone has their own process, but I am a HUGE proponent of outlines. Without that basic roadmap, guaranteed I would end up with a meandering storyline, and HUGE amounts of rewriting to do. And I like to solve as many story/character problems as I can upfront, so when I am writing my second and third drafts I am really improving my story and enriching my characters, vs. trying to salvage my story from an overwritten jumble. 


Do you have any writing quirks like listening to the same song while you write or only writing in a specific place?

I used to never be able to write at home. I always had to be in a coffee shop or a library. But, I've turned a corner and can only write at home these days. I need to be able to talk to myself, wear pajamas until 5pm, etc. It isn't always a pretty process, I can tell you that. I also have to make a playlist for each project. Spotify is amazing for that. I can find music that I know influences my characters, music from a specific era, all of that helps me write better.

What is something that nobody knows about you?

I have a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. I got it when I was 30. It took me almost 7 years to get there.  Learning Tae Kwon Do was a great spiritual experience even though I'm a very goal-oriented "I must attain this NOW!" kind of person. When I was younger I gave up on a lot of sports or hobbies because I wasn't immediately good at them. I don't have a lot of patience for being bad at something. But I equate martial arts to writing...both are disciplines that are defined by the effort you put in. You're never done, you're never the best, but all you can do is show up and do the work. I find that both humbling and inspiring, but it also got me to stop thinking of things as black and white/ win vs. lose. With writing, I am always getting better. As long as I show up and do the work, I'm improving...even on days when I write complete crap or take my story in a terrible direction. I remind myself to trust that writing is a craft, a discipline, and is more about me showing up to the desk, or my dojo, than it is worrying about the end result. I'm a big fan of Bruce Lee. His quote "Be Like Water" is pretty much my personal motto. (I'm still working up the courage to get that as a tattoo.) 

What advice would you give to young writers hoping to one day become published mystery authors? 

Just keep going. Embrace the crappy drafts because I find it's always easier to improve upon crap than it is to improve upon nothing. And just have faith. As long as you're writing, you're getting better. But, you have to keep showing up and generating material. As writers, as our own mini-businesses, our only commodity is our material. So put the time in wherever you can, even it means writing for 45 min during your lunch hour, or showing up to work earlier in the mornings so you can squeeze in an extra hour at the top of the day. No one will ever know how brilliant you are if you aren't getting the work done. 

Watch the Escape Theory trailer here!

Learn more about Margaux Froley on her website, check out her tumblr, or follow her on Twitter.