J.A. Schneider - Stalking a Possible Killer

J.A. (Joyce Anne) Schneider is a former staffer at Newsweek. Words and story ideas are always teeming in her head – “a colorful place!” she says. She’s a wife, mother, and loves thrillers and medical thrillers. Once a Liberal Arts major (French and Spanish Literature), she has become increasingly fascinated with medicine and forensic science. Decades of being married to a physician who loves explaining medical concepts and reliving his experiences means that there’ll be medical angles even in “regular” thrillers that she writes.  As our Author of the Day, Schneider tells us all about her latest book, Girl Watching You.

Please give us a short introduction to what GIRL WATCHING YOU is about.

A young woman, obsessed by a man she considers a predator, climbs a fire escape and thinks she sees a murder. Out of work actress Ava Beck, reduced to working in a West Village flower shop, starts to watch handsome, womanizing hedge funder Peter Greer, who lives near. He likes to romance his girlfriends with flowers.

Ava notices bruises on his troubled-looking date named Chloe. Concerned, she follows them after work to Chloe's studio, second floor in the rear of a brownstone. She hears them arguing, climbs up the fire escape just as Greer angrily sees her....and plunges into a world of stunning twists, murder and madness worse than any she could have imagined...

What inspired you to write about a woman who is obsessed by a man she considers a predator?

The idea came to me like a reverse-Vertigo: What if a woman saw something and investigated? I LOVED that concept – instead of the woman always being the stalked one, the victim, here you have a strong but vulnerable female who becomes concerned, initiates the action.

Tell us more about Ava Beck. What makes her tick?

Ava is alone, heartbroken over her sister Kim’s death at the hands of a big shot – a movie mogul – who convinced the cops that Kim’s fall was an accident. Ava knows better, feels revenge-obsessed…doubly so, since the movie mogul has blackballed her from acting. Rich men and their lawyers, she grieves. They really do get away with murder. She would have been a care-about-others person anyway, but her sister’s death has fired her inner vigilante. When she sees bruises on a new big shot’s date, she’s concerned, follows them, and plunges recklessly into danger.

Why did you title the book: "Girl Watching You"?

Because Ava stalks the man she thinks is a killer – and lets him know.

Why do you write thrillers? What drew you to this genre?

Lol, wonderful question. In college I was a major in French Literature, Camus & Sartre, etc., heavy stuff. I kept complaining, “Why don’t you let us read Victor Hugo? More Stendahl & action type lit? “Well, that’s not literature,” we were told. Impatient, I devoured Ira Levin’s ROSEMARY’S BABY and THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL, and was hooked. On the adrenaline, the original brilliance of Levin’s masterpieces. My tagline on BookBub reads: Adrenaline junkie who LOVES intense suspense thrillers.”

You used to write for Newsweek.  How has this influenced your writing?

Tremendously. I learned the importance of brevity. Sentences that move fast. No fluff, no padding, has to fit in the column. There was also the discipline of having to finish by – Friday, Saturday at the latest, since the magazine had to be out by Monday. There’s lots more…mainly the writers always bitching and moaning. I learned early that even describing just-happened events is hard.

Besides writing, what other secret skills do you have?

I’ve painted, and love art. I also cook healthy & believe hugely in certain antioxidants (dried cinnamon, oregano & turmeric from the supermarket, nothing fancy; google their antioxidant health benefits). What else? I love gardening…have grown rambler roses that reached the 2nd floor but they were…work. Recently designed a garden of ALL SILVER & GOLD FOLIAGE. Glows at dusk, gorgeous all growing season. Google ‘Jack Frost Brunnera,’ Hakonechloa macra aurea,’ and ‘Cornus alba elegantisima.’ I’ll attach photos below. Maybe a painting or two that I’ve done.

This book contains a lot of twists and turns. Did you plan them out before you started writing or did some of it just "happen" along the way?

Just happened. A strong, colorful character will take off like Pinocchio, you just have to follow. I also believe that the subconscious knows what it wants, and I’m terrible at making outlines. I’ve tried, it always goes off the rails.  

Girl Watching You is one of those books you can’t put down and, when you do, you’re still thinking about it. How did you maintain an atmosphere of suspense throughout?

If you feel what your characters feel – even the villains – the suspense maintains.

What was your greatest challenge when writing this book?

Writing “The End.” I miss Ava…and the other characters who will take you by surprise.

When working on a new book, what’s the first thing you do?

Get the idea. Feel excited about it. Imagine a character I love in deep trouble. Annnd we’re off…

Do you consider yourself a disciplined writer? Do you have a schedule that you stick to, or is it more in the moment?

Fairly well disciplined. Average 5-6 hours in the afternoon, must first get through the email, other stuff, clear the mind. Even so, the first hour is often…ever tried starting a car in winter? Cold motor. Finally I fall into the story.

What are you working on right now?

The next thriller. Another wonderful female lead in a small town on the coast of Connecticut.

Where can our readers discover more of your work or interact with you?

I love to hear from my readers! Email me at [email protected]  Or contact me on Facebook (my favorite) or Twitter – and follow me on Bookbub? Click upper right here, & you’ll always know about future releases > https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-a-schneider

Facebook (friends): https://www.facebook.com/joyce.schneider.142?fref=ts

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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5832782.J_A_Schneider

Website: http://jaschneiderauthor.net