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Charlaine Harris Answers 7 Questions About Her New Book An Easy Death
After introducing us to Sookie Stackhouse and exploring the weird goings-on in Midnight, Texas, Charlaine Harris ventures into a whole new landscape in An Easy Death, a trilogy-starting weird western fantasy novel set in an alternate America reshaped by the assassination of President Roosevelt—and the existence of magic. We recently talked with her about how she imagined this strange new world, and what books are currently on her nightstand.
What inspired you to create the alternate US setting for An Easy Death?
I didn’t want to recreate the American old west. I wanted the action to take place at another time. So I worked on how to make that happen, and decided to change the course of history, to have America as we know it fractured.
Gunnie Rose is very different from Sookie Stackhouse, but it’s pretty clear they are both inspired by strong women. Were you thinking of anyone in particular as you were writing Lizbeth’s story?
Not anyone specific. I do tend to write women braver than myself. My mother and my daughter are constant inspirations in my life, and I have a group of friends who are amazing women.
Your readers are most familiar with you because of your writing about vampires and other supernatural creatures. What caused you to diverge from an overtly supernatural world into a more covert one?
I have to keep myself entertained. And changing my worlds really helps to do that.
All of your books seem to draw from a variety of genres, from mystery, to supernatural, to fantasy, to historical to romance. Which genre are you most especially drawn to, and what are some authors of that genre that you always turn to?
I started out in mystery, because that was what I read. But I didn’t like the idea of limiting myself, and I enjoy exploring other genres. So why not meld them? It’s hard to pick just a few mystery writers. I love the Golden Age writers, and I never miss a Lee Child, Leigh Perry, Robert Crais, Denise Swanson… So many others.
What kind of research did you do before writing An Easy Death? And do you have any general writing rituals that you follow?
I didn’t do a lot of research before I started An Easy Death, because I wasn’t sure what I would need. I did read about the assassination attempt on FDR, the depression, and Rasputin. The rest, I did on an as-needed basis. I’m sure I have rituals I’m not aware of, but I’m not really that quirky. I don’t write to music; I find it distracting. I can’t face a window, it has to be a wall. I work every day, and my goal is six new pages a day.
Can we expect more books set in Lizbeth Rose’s world?
Saga will be very surprised if there aren’t. I have a contract for two more, and it would be fun if there were more than that
What books are you reading now?
I just reread Thomas Perry’s The Butcher’s Boy. It’s still a great book. I also read the final Kate Daniels book by Ilona Andrews, and I’m about to read Anne Rice’s new book.
An Easy Death is available now.