Writing From Personal Fears to Create a Gripping Thriller by Agent/Author Tara Gonzalez and Keely Parrack and Don’t Let in the Cold and Query Critique Giveaway and IWSG Post

Happy Wednesday Everyone! Today I’m excited to have debut author Keely Parrack and her agent Tara Gonzalez here to share a fantastic post about writing a gripping thriller to celebrate the release of Keely’s YA thriller Don’t Let in the Cold. I love thrillers and am excited to read this one.

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

The storm isn't the only thing they'll have to survive.

It was supposed to be just one night in the cabin: one night for Lottie and her brand new stepsister, Jade, to try to get along. When a solar flare causes a massive blackout―no power or cell signal―Lottie knows they've got a long night ahead of them.

Then, in the dark, someone else shows up at the cabin―a stranger named Alex, claiming to be lost and needing shelter from the coming snowstorm. But later that night, Lottie spies him in the driveway talking to two mysterious men in a pickup truck, and she's sure he's lying about why he's here.

Before Lottie can find out more, a fire forces her, Jade, and Alex out into the blizzard, where they must rely on one another to get to safety―wherever that is. In the remote, freezing Tahoe wilderness, they have to survive more than just the elements. Soon it becomes clear that Alex's accomplices are hunting for all three of them, in a scheme that's gone too far and taken a chilling, deadly turn.

 

Before I get to Keely’s and Tara’s guest post, I have my IWSG Post.

Posting: The first Wednesday is officially Insecure Writer's Support Group Day.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

The awesome co-hosts this month are Kim Lajevardi, Cathrina Constantine,  Olga Godim, Michelle Wallace,  Louise - Fundy Blue and me!

Optional Question: What genre would be the worst one to tackle and why?

For me, it would be romance. I don’t feel up to tackling the increased intimacy and sex scenes I would need to right. And I think it would be hard for me to keep the pacing tight to keep readers turning the pages. I admire all my writer friends who write romances and get this all right.

Also, I want to let you know about the SCBWI-Michigan Critique Carousel opportunity this month. I’m one of the 2022 Critique Carousel Coordinators with Alicia Curley and WendyBooydeGraaff. I’m so excited to help organize it and participate in it. It’s my first time submitting anything to an agent or editor in over 15 years.

FYI the critique carousel will only be open to Michigan SCBWI members for the first week. In the event we have additional critique slots available, we may open to additional SCBWI regions/members. Keep your eye on our blog (https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com) and our site (https://michigan.scbwi.org)--Any information regarding the event will be posted there (and social channels). You can also find a FAQ I posted about it here.

Writing From Personal Fears to Create a Gripping Thriller by Keely Parrack and Tara Gonzalez

Thank you so much Natalie for inviting my brilliant agent, Tara Gonzalez, and me to chat about fear on this blog!

Writing DON’T LET IN THE COLD, had me shivering into my hoodie–there is so much snow! And I realized as someone who gets cold walking past supermarket freezers, I would not have survived this story! Then it hit me, I was actually writing from fear – not only my own fear of cold, but also from my own fearful experiences.

The initial idea from this story came from me staying at a friend’s Tahoe cabin with my then eight-year-old son. In the pitch-black night, the cabin became this huge dark place that grew extra rooms, we got freaked out by every noise and ended up sleeping on the couch rather than going to separate bedrooms in the labyrinth of downstairs!

That feeling of being watched and unsafe, made its way into the beginning of DON’T LET IN THE COLD. I think drawing from your own experiences, keeping that core emotional truth, can really help you as a writer give that same feeling of angst or fear to your readers. You don’t have to replicate the actual event, just the emotions and tension, or joy and calm – which ever emotional truth you want to resonate in your story!

Tara, I was so excited when you requested more pages from my query and I wonder what was it about this thriller YA that appealed to you most?

It was absolutely a combination of heart and intensity – I thought you did such a fabulous job of meshing the characters with a nonstop plot, and you managed to get me equally as invested with Lottie and her relationship with her stepsibling and the mysterious boy as I was on edge about the challenges they were facing physically. The perfect combination!

Another experience that made its way into DON’T LET IN THE COLD, was me stumbling along in the Blue Ridge Mountains and being so cold I cried. I was about nine. My Dad gave up on the walk and took us back to the car. I had been totally freaked out by cold, but as we drove off, I saw a black bear standing on its hind legs, right where we had been, and all my fear turned to awe!

In DON’T LET IN THE COLD this became the memory Lottie has of being so cold and crying and her dad ordering her back to the car and leaving her there. (Slight spoiler!) Also bears! In my childhood seeing the bear made me incredibly happy, in Lottie’s survival experience it was a little more alarming, but still kind of magical!

So Tara, you live in Florida, and I confess I am kind of terrified of Alligators, what are your biggest fears? And does seeing them appear in your slush pile make you more or less excited to read them?

Hah! My biggest rational fears and my biggest irrational fears are definitely on a different level – I think with my #1 rational fear (being afraid of elevators is TOTALLY rational), I’d be incredibly anxious reading it. But irrational fears? Bring it on, I’d be super excited to read it, in a fun scared way.

My other fears are fire and sharks! I guess that last fear along with alligators and crocodiles is really a fear of being eaten alive!

I live in California, so fear of fire and being ready to evacuate, has become a terrifying reality for me. And surprise! it’s found its way into my next thriller YA. I wonder if writing is my therapy!

I always want my characters to succeed and come out stronger – I put them in these terrifying situations but want them to win and overcome that fear, using their intelligence, will power, or being forced to team up with others to survive, found family style­ – one of my favorite troupes! I hope it leaves the readers feeling empowered too – and so I think in YA and kidslit in general it’s so important to have that sense of hope at the end. To go through that journey and come out stronger the other side.

So write what you know doesn’t necessary mean literally, but also means write using personal experiences that gives your work emotional truth. This makes it more meaningful and significant to the reader as it brings authenticity and emotion, and that makes for more a gripping thriller

Tara what are your favorite thriller tropes, and what elements do you look for in thrillers and mysteries? What would you love to see in your submissions pile?

I think in terms of mysteries, I love to be surprised, but not TOO surprised – I want however it unfolds to be something that was there all along, inbetween the lines, not something that was pulled out at the last minute. In thrillers, I look for true intensity – whether it’s high stakes, nonstop like DON’T LET IN THE COLD, or more of a psychological thriller, I want to feel like I’m on the edge of my seat.

I think that shows in thriller movies too – my favorite Last Train to Busan, (there I go with being eaten alive again) and Jaws – yes, I am terrified of sharks – but I also love them! Watch for a YA deep water thriller soon – this is a joke, probably! (do it!!!)

Lastly on the fear of writing itself! Sometimes, especially when I start a new story, I wonder if this idea is big enough. Can I do it justice? Am I a good enough writer to get all of what’s in my head onto the page? I do believe if your project scares you in some way while also making you excited – writing through that fear can create some of your best work, whatever genre you’re writing in. It’s when we are challenged, that we rise to the occasion! So go ahead, face that fear, write down your demons, and come out stronger on the other side!

Links:

Keely Parrack, YA and PB author

Website: http://keelyparrack.com

Insta: @keelyinkster

Twitter @keelyinkster

Tara Gonzalez, Agent at Erin Murphy Literary Agency

Websites:

Tara Gonzalez agent: https://www.taragonzalez.com/

Erin Murphy Literary Agency: https://emliterary.com/

Insta: @ taratgonzalez

Twitter: @taratgonzalez

Giveaway Details

Keely has generously offered a signed paperback of Don’t let in the Cold and Tara has offered a query critique for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment by September 24th. If you do not want to be included in the critique giveaway, please let me know in the comments. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog and/or follow me on Twitter or Keely or Tara on their social media sites, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. The book giveaway is U.S. and Canada and the query critique giveaways is International. 

Upcoming Interviews and Guest Posts

Monday, September 12th, I have an agent spotlight interview with Sarah Fink and a query critique giveaway 

Tuesday, September 16th, I'm participating in the Falling Into Leaves Giveaway Hop 

Monday, September 19th, I have a guest post by debut author Stacy Knockowitz and a giveaway of her MG historical MG historical The Prince of Steel Pier

Wednesday, September 21st, I have an agent spotlight interview with Jazmia Young and a query critique giveaway

Monday, September 26th, I'm reviewing Alba Dobb's MG historical The Other Side of the River and doing an ARC giveaway

Hope to see you on Monday!