On writing novels, experiencing Ireland
and drumming up suspense . . .
What do your three books coming out in 2008—The Angel, Tempting Fate and Cold Pursuit—have in common?
Carla: All three are basically a mix of romance and suspense, all three are set in the northeast and all three feature strong accomplished women who face challenges but who use all the abilities they’ve been gifted with to solve a crime.
How do you come up with your characters?
Carla: Some characters are really elusive. I learn about most by interacting with them. As they go through things, they come to life.
Were you adventuresome as a child?
Carla: I grew up in the country with three brothers and three sisters. We had a lot of land, and we were always climbing trees and jumping off the cow barn. We did a lot of exploring in the woods . . . we were allowed to roam.
What was the end result of such a childhood?
Carla: Wanderlust, a desire to roam and go places. I travel, I roam in my mind and I do what I can to indulge that restless spirit.
Were there any signs you would be a writer?
Carla: By the age of 10 or 11, I could be found up in a tree, with a pad of paper and pen, writing books. I always wanted to write books. When I was young and the weather wasn’t good, I would sit in my room
and write—though I never wanted to tell anyone. By high school, I had written several books and
some short stories.
Where did you learn to tell stories?
Carla: My family. We were all readers, and my father was a very strong storyteller—the only way we knew about his family back in Holland was through his stories.
What triggered the idea of a story centered on an Irish folktale?
Carla: Several different things. First, I grew up hearing a lot of stories, particularly in the Irish-American neighborhood where we grew up. Then one of my closest friends is also Irish-American—both of his parents are Irish—and he is such a storyteller. He has a million stories. Third, was going to Ireland and just sitting in the pubs, hearing the yarns and experiencing the natural friendliness of the people. And
finally, I read a lot and I really love folklore. There is definitely more to come along these lines.
Is there any universal theme that runs through The Angel?
Carla: One of the questions that runs through the book is: What do you tell your children and what do you keep private—and the ramifications that result from what you do or don’t tell.
Do you relate to your characters’ adventures?
Carla: For me, it is not so much living vicariously through them, as just trying to create a story that is compelling—something that I myself would be drawn into.
What is the biggest misconception about you?
Carla: That I’m a total Yankee, when my mother is from the south and my father is from The Netherlands. We live here, but we don’t go back 20 million years. And we’ve lived a lot of different places . . . and I can imagine myself in a lot of places.
Do you have a question for Carla about her books, her writing, your writing or publishing? Ask it here and get Carla's answer!
Read More 
