Q&A with Author Brian Freeman
We are pleased to have this Q&A with the very popular author, Brian Freeman.
Minnesota author Brian Freeman writes psychological suspense novels featuring detectives Jonathan Stride and Serena Dial. His books have been sold in 46 countries and 16 languages and have appeared as Main Selections in the Literary Guild and the Book of the Month Club. His debut thriller, IMMORAL, won the Macavity Award for Best First Novel and was a finalist for the Edgar®, Dagger, Anthony, and Barry Awards. He just release STRIPPED, based in Las Vegas.
Brian was gracious enough to answer questions prepared by fellow suspense lover, Jeff Foster. Enjoy.
Q: How old were you when you wrote your first story—and what was it about?
A: I remember starting a novel in sixth grade when I was 10. It was about the murder of a chess grandmaster. This was back in the days of Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky and their Cold War chess match in Iceland. As I recall, I titled it CHECKMATE. Looking back, that was actually a pretty good idea—who knows, I may yet go back to that one. Of course, I’d have to remember how to play chess. Q: I noticed that you living in California but moved to Minnesota. Why?
A: I moved here more than 25 years ago, so I’m pretty much a Minnesotan at this point. I was born in Chicago, and we moved to California when I was 10. (What are the odds that my first two answers would reference a time when I was 10 years old?) I really missed the Midwest, and so I deliberately wanted to return to the Midwest for college. I met my wife down at Carleton College in Northfield, and we’ve been in Minnesota together ever since.
Q: After you finished IMMORAL, what was left undone that you had to continue the story of Detective Stride?
A: I don’t think anything was left undone, but the character of Stride seemed to have the gravitas and depth to continue in future books. Readers really respond to him. One reader called him “excruciatingly attractive.” He’s a great symbol of the Northland himself. With Stride as a core, I think I have the opportunity to explore some very different plot ideas from book to book.
Q: You have to admit, you have taken a new tangent in crime novels in STRIPPED with the character of Amanda—a transvestite detective. Can you explain how you came up with her and why it was important to the novel to include her character.
A: Amanda has some very unusual sexuality, but at heart, she’s a normal, conservative, funny, determined cop. I wanted a character who actually stood in contrast to some of the warped sexuality you can find in Las Vegas. In my books, it’s not sex that defines who’s good and who’s evil. It’s the choices you make.
Q: Are your characters based in fact or fiction?
A: Actually, all my characters are fictional. I may occasionally imbue them with characteristics or descriptions from people I know or meet, but in general, they emerge out of the recesses of my brain. I know, what does that say about my brain?
Q: Your knowledge of Las Vegas is pretty accurate. Did you spend some time wandering the streets doing characters sketches, or just have a good map and a fast Internet connection.
A: Yeah, research in Vegas is a tough job, right? Actually, I was there doing research mostly in July, when it was 118 degrees. You can barely function outside in that kind of heat. I love Las Vegas and have been there many times. You can spend only a few days, of course, before you feel like you’re getting something on you. Let’s face it, Vegas is a moral sewer. But it’s fun.
Q: Will we see more of Stride, Amanda, Serena and Cordy in future work?
A: Stride and Serena? Absolutely. They’re back in books three and four and are really the heart of the series. A lot of people have asked me to bring Amanda back, and I’ll probably do so in book five. People may be surprised at how I bring her back, though.
Q: Are you developing any other stereotype departures for future novels?
A: I hope all my novels involve departures from the stereotype! In IMMORAL, for example, it was in many ways the victim who was the most immoral character in the book. I like to have surprises in store for people, whether it’s in the characters or plot. If I’m not pushing the envelope, I’m not giving people a chance to see how far a mystery might take them.
Q: What is your families take with the initial success of IMMORAL and now STRIPPED? Do they think you work too hard? Not enough? Do they think this is easy?
A: My wife wonders why we do research in Las Vegas in July and research in Duluth in January. She thinks I’ve got that entirely backward. And you can only imagine how thrilled my mother is with titles like IMMORAL and STRIPPED.
Q: If you had a chance to ask for one insight about writing from your favorite author, who would it be and what would you ask?
A: I always loved Robert Ludlum’s books, but I’d ask him why he’s still competing with me by releasing new books years after he died.
Q: Give an aspiring author a hint of a mistake you made that they can avoid.
A: My best advice is to remember that 100 percent of unwritten books have never been published. Superglue your backside to the chair, and keep writing. And never, never, never, never give up. This business is all about persistence. I wrote five books before I ever got around to writing IMMORAL. Imagine if I’d quit before I got to that one.
Thank you, Brian.