Can a mother's love go too far?
This is the question that inspired me to write the Maternal Instincts thriller series, my next book release. The first book, The Delivery, is coming out on February 2022. It's a twisted domestic thriller that really digs into the psychology of motherhood, marriage, and instinct. It's a slow-burn that has a feel like "The Yellow Wallpaper" thanks to the first-person narration. Book two, The Labor, actually retells the story from the husband's perspective and is free when you purchase book one (There's a link in the back of the book!). I wanted to show both sides of the story but wanted to keep their perspectives isolated. Book three, Evette, releases in June of 2022 and is a continuation of the characters....and introduces some new ones. Read on to check out the full blurb, and then let me know if this sounds like your kind of book. Stay Safe and Be True, L.A. Detwiler From USA Today Bestseller L.A. Detwiler comes a brand-new chilling domestic thriller that will hook you from page one. Evette Harding's world of maternal bliss is perfect except for one thing: there’s something wrong with her husband. John is a lawyer and loving husband by day. However, ever since the baby came, his dark habits from the past are re-emerging. Once, she was fine with playing Bonnie to his Clyde. Now, with the baby to think about, it terrifies her. As she delves into his hidden life and dangerous lies, she begins to fear for her safety. But when maternal instincts creep over the line of paranoia, will she go too far to protect her child? And in a house full of dark secrets, will she solve the most important one before it is too late? The Delivery is a dark, page-turner of a domestic thriller with a jaw-dropping twist. Read less
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Rejected.
The word in the email devastated me, and tears began to fall. The manuscript, The Diary of a Serial Killer’s Daughter, was a passion project. I became so invested in telling the story of Ruby, a girl who was very unique, a poet, and the daughter of a serial killer. Still, after hours and hours of hard work and a belief in my story, that one word shattered my confidence. When not only one but several traditional publishers turned down my book after The Widow Next Door had seen such success, an old, ugly friend started creeping in—doubt. Dream chasing often is accompanied by this fear, no matter what goals you are chasing. However, writing, in my experience, is a particularly vulnerable craft, as is any form of art. You pour your ideas, vulnerabilities, and views into your words. After those rejections, I started to wonder if my dark, twisted story was worthwhile at all. Fears and questions plagued me: Should I abandon the book? My husband, though, helped me understand that the obstacle of rejection wasn’t actually an obstacle at all; in fact, as he helped me realize, it was an opportunity for me to take charge of my dreams. I decided to do something I had never done: self-publish my book. In a way, the rejection came at a perfect time. At this point, I had written over fifteen books. I had experience with the market, with publishing, and with how to finetune my craft. I knew all of the editing and formatting tricks. I’d taught myself so many of the marketing hacks, graphic design, and blurb writing involved in the process. Most of all, I’d experienced some success with The Widow Next Door hitting the USA Today Bestseller’s list. I told myself that if I wrote a book that could do that once, I could do it again. So I trusted my gut, and I trusted my story. Was it scary as hell? Absolutely. Did I cry a few times and wonder if I could really do it? Yes. Still, I trudged on. The Diary of a Serial Killer’s Daughter came out in March of 2020—right in the middle of a global pandemic. So yes, the timing wasn’t wonderful. Still, it managed to sell thousands of copies and even win a book award. Most of all, review after review poured in from readers who understood the power of Ruby’s story, who really got the themes I tapped into, and who the story impacted in deep ways. For me, that last part is what it’s really all about. Our journey to our dreams will always be filled with obstacles, fear, and rejections. This should not stop us, however. Instead, if we let them, these rejections can strengthen our journey to our dreams and help us understand our true passions. Being rejected from traditional publishers reminded me why I wanted to write in the first place: to tell the stories on my heart. Not the stories others wanted me to tell. Not stories that were deemed commercial or watered down to meet some rigid book equation. I wanted to have the freedom to tell uncensored, sometimes dark, deep stories that touched on issues, especially about women, that many books in the genre shy away from. I wanted to illuminate real, genuine women’s issues and showcase the darkness in the world. I wanted to make readers think and not just give them a cookie-cutter story that the industry sometimes dictates. The other thing I learned that I hope you have learned, too, is that no one gets to reign in your voice or your dreams. You are the champion of your passions and of your goals. You get to decide what that looks like and what voice you share with the world. This is not to say you should ignore all experts in the industry, nor does it mean you should ignore constructive criticism. There is a fine line between confidence and cockiness, and one must learn to navigate that line in order to truly grow into the best version of themselves. However, you also cannot let experts tread on your passion, your dreams, or your future. Learn to trust your gut. If you believe in something, find a way to make it happen. Step outside of your comfort zone if you have to. Rejection is never easy or fun. We’d all love to hear nothing but “yes” and find our way to success paved in glittering, resounding assurances. However, sometimes rejection makes the final destination sweeter than we could have expected because it reveals a resilience, a dedication, and a passion we may not have even known we had. Want a free sample of The Diary of a Serial Killer's Daughter? Click here. Her son just killed a man. How far will a mother go to save her child?
If you're a fan of dark thriller authors like Ruth Ware and Gillian Flynn, I've got a FREE short story for you to grab! This one is a fast-paced psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end. It looks at a mother's love and how far a mother will go to save her child. This is the major theme of my upcoming Maternal Instincts series, so I'm super excited to offer you a glimpse into this idea for free. This story is an ebook and a quick read, so even if life is cutting into your reading time, you can give it a try. It will also give you a chance to try out my dark, emotional writing style and see if it's your kind of read. Click here to claim your free copy, and be sure to drop a comment below and let me know what you think, The Diary of a Serial Killer's Daughter
There’s just something about reading a diary that is intriguing, at least from my perspective, especially if it's about a serial killer.
Growing up, I loved the Dear America series, which were diaries told from girls in different points throughout history. I loved feeling like I was in on a secret or really getting to know the main character. When The Diary of a Serial Killer’s Daughter first came to mind, I was nervous about the diary format. Could I pull off an entire thriller in diary style? There were a lot of challenges that I would face…but still, the idea was intriguing. For one, I haven’t read any thrillers in purely diary format. I liked the idea of doing something different. I’m always looking for a challenge in my writing, too. So even though it seemed intimidated, I decided to go for it. And I have to say, I’m happy with the final product. The diary format really gives you a different vantage point of the thriller story line. It puts you right in there, on the front line with Ruby. It also lets you see a sense of honesty that you don’t always get from the characters in a traditional book. It gives you a deep, insightful peek into the mind of a girl living in an unthinkable situation. I can’t wait to share Ruby’s diary with you and her story on March 12th. If you’re not sure if the diary format is for you, use this link to download a free sample of the first portion of the book. I want you to love it before you buy it and make sure it’s really for you. Stay Safe and Be True, L.A. Detwiler What secrets are the elderly in your life hiding?
When you look at the elderly, what do you see?
Someone fragile and frail with wrinkled, shaking hands? Someone with a longer list of things they can't do than a list of what they can? Someone near death, harmless, and washed up? In many cultures, the elderly are revered and respected...but I would argue that in American culture, the elderly are often overlooked, forgotten, and discounted. I think often about how frustrating that must be. Because behind those fading eyes and those shaking hands, there is a person with a history that they haven't necessarily forgotten. Behind that elderly person's eyes are stories, regrets, memories, fears, sorrows, rejections, and guilt. There is a lifetime of living....and a lifetime of choices. When I started writing first romance and then thriller, I was drawn to this idea. I tend to write stories centered around emotions. I want to dig into the gritty, raw feelings of life, even if they're hard to face. No, especially if they're hard to face. Aging provides a perfect backdrop to all sorts of heavy emotions. I think the second reason I wanted to write about the elderly in my thrillers is because it just seemed like an exciting idea. I know, I know....it seems like a terrible match to write a thriller about someone who is aged. Aren't thrillers supposed to feature the young, vibrant, sexy leads? For me, the answer was: not necessarily. I started thinking about the fact that darkness lurks in everyone, and that regrets and guilt probably play the loudest near the ends of our lives. Thus, I started imagining characters whose bodies perhaps were declining but their sinister minds were still intact. What would it be like to be a villain with malicious plots and desires....but a failing body? How would it feel to be trapped by physical limitations? And most of all, what secrets are harbored behind those eyes we assume are nothing but innocent? An aged person often becomes a different persona in our minds. We look at an aged person with unassuming viewpoints. We stereotype them in our heads. Elderly equals calm, frail, and sweet. Elderly equals slowing down and innocent. The elderly are paragons of morality in our minds. But I wanted to ask the question: Are they really? What secret desires, guilt, and frustrations could be lurking in an overlooked and misjudged group of the population? What sinister capabilities could they still be hiding? And, above all, how would the fact that no one would suspect an elderly person of something evil and malevolent play into the story? These were the reasons I wrote my debut thriller novel, The Widow Next Door, the way I did. I've had some reviewers comment that the tale was too depressing because of the age of the protagonist. Others found it boring to follow an elderly woman's point of view in a thriller. I get that. It's not typical. It's not expected, and it may not even be desired by some. But I also know this is the story I felt compelled to tell because it was the story that spoke to me. The widow isn't the typical thriller protagonist--and I'm more than okay with that. Because I think the tale she tells can open our eyes to the way we look at aging and to the way we look at our own physical demise. Her story forces us to tap into our darkest, deepest versions of ourselves and ask: When I'm older, what regrets will haunt me? And what parts of my true self will perhaps unearth themselves? It's a question terrifying in its own right, and its a question I was happy to explore. What do you think? Do you think the elderly can house dark secrets? Do you think a thriller can feature an elderly protagonist? Let me know in the comments. Stay Safe and Be True, L.A. Detwiler
L. A. Detwiler is an English teacher and a thriller author with Avon Books, HarperCollins UK. Her debut novel, The Widow Next Door, is available now. Be sure to click the button below to connect with her on Facebook and learn more about her upcoming novels, appearances, and more.
Where thriller book ideas come from
So many people ask where my ideas come from. For The Widow Next Door, the answer is: in our whirlpool tub.
I know. I know. Sorry for the imagery. But my husband and I were relaxing one weekend in our huge whirlpool tub (in all honesty, it's what sold me on our house). I was talking about how I loved the romance genre but wanted to step outside of it and write something different. With romance, I typically started with characters and the story came from there. I wanted to write something more complex, more plot-centered, and more twisted. I wanted to write a book with layers of meaning that could be unpacked with each read through. I've always been fascinated by the elderly in my writing because there's just so much complexity there. It's an emotionally heavy time of life, and I usually explore that in my romances in some aspect. My husband, however, threw out the idea to explore the elderly in a horror/thriller. The main idea was simple: an old, lonely woman looking out a window. However, the tale quickly took me on a very dark, very twisted path as I explored her character, her regrets, and the secrets she harbored. I learned that day to never underestimate your abilities....and that sometimes the bathtub can lead to new paths in life. So it is true what they say--writing inspiration can happen anywhere. You just have to have your eyes open...and sometimes, you just have to leave the hot water on for a while. Stay Safe and Be True, L.A. Detwiler Are you a fan of eerie, twisty thrillers?
Thank you so much for joining me here! For those of you new to the space, I am a thriller author with Avon Books/HarperCollins UK and a high school teacher in Pennsylvania. My debut novel, The Widow Next Door, released in ebook format in November and in paperback on January 24th. It's a slow-burning, super eerie novel about the secrets we harbour and the evil in us all. It's been rocking the Amazon UK charts in horror since it's release, and I'm so thankful that the widow's story is reaching so many new readers.
The Widow Next Door will always hold a special place in my writer heart because it's the book that showed me who I really am as a writer. However, I'm also super excited about book two that will be releasing later this year. It's another eerie, twisty tale full of dark reality, secrets, and a whole lot of deaths. It challenged me as a writer in new ways, and I can't wait to tell you all more about it in the coming months. Dark realism. Emotion so deep, you'll feel like you're there. Harsh truths others shy away from. These are my goals with my thriller writing. These are my focal points. Thanks again for joining me to talk all things creepy and real. I'd love to learn more about you! Tell me a little bit about you in the comments and feel free to list your favorite thriller. I'd love to hear from you. Also be sure to connect with me on Facebook, where I share a whole lot about my author journey. Stay Safe and Be True, L.A. Detwiler 5 Reasons I Absolutely Love and Recommend 'Bird Box'
Bird Box.
Two words that, when put together these days, can stir either unstoppable praise or sniveling, complaining, and disgust. Love it or hate it, the Netflix original has taken the world by storm. But is it worth your time? I watched Bird Box over winter break (I'm a teacher by day), and I'll say this: I didn't regret one second of that time. I know that there are plenty of critics who have called Bird Box boring, bland, overdone, and unoriginal. However, for the two hours I watched, I was sold on the brilliance of the story line. Check out my Top 5 reasons I adored this film and will be checking out the book. Then, tell me in the comments what side you are on: #probirdbox or #antibirdbox. 1. The beginning had me hooked with questions
In the first few minutes of the movie, so many questions arose. Who are the children? Why do they have to be quiet? Where are they going? And what in the living hell are they doing with a box of birds?
I was hooked from the first few minutes, the tension and suspense of the scene set well. The movie technically begins in medias res, with us trying to figure out how the heck Sandra's character ended up in this position on the river. I loved that the movie played with chronology to keep you guessing. I also loved the whole setup of one adult being in charge of two children alone. It added to the terror. 2. Sandra Bullock was a kick-ass protagonist
I'll go ahead and say it: I'm not Sandra Bullock's biggest fan.
I have never been crazy about the movies she's been in. I'm not sure what it is. But this movie changed my mind. She did an amazing job at playing a kick-ass woman who found the will to survive in an apocalyptic world. I also really appreciated that Malorie wasn't painted as the typical woman. Pregnant at the very beginning of the story, she does not actually want to be a mother. The movie says a lot about mothering and the mothering instinct. It is her lack of a desire to be a mother and her somewhat cold nature towards the idea of children that allows the movie to unfold as it does. I found her character to be realistic and easy to relate to. She is not the perfect hero in an apocalyptic world. She shows us that sometimes life puts you in a predicament and you have no choice but to rise to the challenge. I appreciated that. 3. It had the feel of A Quiet Place but with less plot holes
This may be an unpopular opinion, but I was not a fan of A Quiet Place. The premise was amazing, but I was just left with too many questions. Also, I felt there were way too many plot holes and issues with the story and details.
Bird Box certainly had that silent, tense feeling of A Quiet Place. The idea of living in a world without one of your sense is terrifying, and I liked putting myself in the characters' shoes and thinking about how hard life would be. However, Bird Box did a much better job at explaining all of the plot holes. Any time I thought of a specific question, the movie answered. I really felt like every detail went together, and the entire conflict made sense. Nothing felt out of the realm of possibility, which is something I look for in horror/thriller. The story did a good job, in short, of helping me suspend disbelief along with the characters. 4. I love that the flashbacks answered so many questions
I liked that the movie chose to use so many flashbacks. I thought it was interesting to piece together Malorie's story through the flashbacks. They were perfectly spaced so the movie wasn't boring (despite what some critics are saying). I thought the flashbacks also helped take some of the edge of and give me a second to breathe...which was needed as the movie went on.
It also made Malorie feel more human. You understand exactly who she was and what she lost in this new world....and also what she gained. 5. The ending was well-planned
This will be spoiler-free, so feel free to read on even if you haven't yet watched.
I thought the ending of the movie made complete sense and gave a satisfying ending to this dark, twisted tale. I hadn't really thought about the ending and didn't expect what happened. Some critics argue the ending was weak, but I disagree. If you haven't seen the movie, be sure to check it out on Netflix and then let me know what you thought in the comments.
L.A. Detwiler is a thriller author with Avon Books, a division of HarperCollins UK. Her debut novel, The Widow Next Door, is available wherever books are sold. To learn more about her, visit her on Facebook.
A year ago, I was getting ready to turn 30...and not quite sure what the new year had in store for me. In fact, I was terrified to make the shift out of my 20s.
I had accomplished a lot of big dreams (getting my books published, writing stories that reached all sorts of readers). Still, looking at 30 was terrifying. Where would life go? And what was next? One year ago, I was also feeling a little lost in the writing world. I'd told the stories I wanted to tell in romance. I was in a rut, and I wasn't sure why I was feeling frustrated. I knew I wanted to write something different, something plot-heavy. I just wasn't sure if I could. My husband encouraged me to chase those crazy dreams. He helped me talk through my fears. He helped me find my thriller writing voice. I'm so thankful he did because now, in a few short days, the story that started as a pipe dream will be in the hands of readers everywhere with a publisher beyond my wildest dreams. Last year, if you would have told me my debut thriller would be releasing with Avon Books, HarperCollins, I would have never believed you. I would have never believed that my 30th year would take me to new dreams, ones I never even dared to dream for myself. Most of all, I would have never believed that the creepy widow who was haunting my thoughts would be in a book called The Widow Next Door, would hit the USA Today Bestseller's list. So much can change in a year, yet some things stay the same. My love for the man who pushes me when I'm too afraid to chase my goals, who supports me and pulls me up when I fall down, who teaches me to dream big, is still as strong as ever. Thank you to everyone who has held my hand, listened to my fears, and pre-ordered The Widow Next Door as I step into this big, new venture. Thank you to all of those who gave the creepy widow from Bristol Lane a chance. And thank you to my husband, my biggest cheerleader. I love you, forever. Stay Safe and Be True, L.A. Detwiler With the cooler temperatures and the falling leaves, it's a perfect time to grab a scarier read. If you're looking for a new psychological thriller to add to your to be read stack, check out some of my favorite suggestions below. These books are all sure to keep you guessing, keep you interested, and keep you tucked under your blanket until the last page is read. Do you have any other thrillers you think are must-reads for fall of 2018? Comment below with the books you think everyone should have on their list. 1. Ruth Ware's In a Dark, Dark WoodI'm a huge fan of all things Ruth Ware, but this is probably my favorite. I adore the whole premise of a group gathering for a bachelorette party--and things going very, very wrong. This is a thriller that will keep you guessing. I always love Ware's female protagonists because they feel very real, complex, and mysterious. 2. Gillian Flynn's Sharp ObjectsFans of Gone Girl will love this dark, haunting story. Sharp Objects gets you inside the mind of a woman with a troubled past. When she returns to her hometown to report on some sickening murders, thinks will begin to unravel. I loved all of the psychological aspects of this book. It's definitely one that will keep you guessing. 3. Shari Lapena The Couple Next DoorIf you need a super quick weekend read that packs a punch, The Couple Next Door is your next read. Shari Lapena does a great job at keeping you guessing, and the twists are well-planned and shocking. I loved the back-and-forth feel of the mystery in this novel, and the overall premise was creepy. I will definitely be checking out more of her books. 4. Liane Moriarty Big Little LiesLiane Moriarty doesn't usually come to mind as a thriller writer, but Big Little Lies definitely has a lot of suspense set against the uppercrust of women's society. An elite group of private school mothers find themselves wrapped up in a warped mystery when someone shows up dead at a fundraiser. This one will keep you guessing. I loved all the female drama worked in, and I loved how it shows you that no matter how glamorous someone is, there can be so much going on behind closed doors. The HBO series starring Reese Witherspoon is also a must-watch when you finish reading. 5. C.L. Taylor The MissingThe Missing was my first C.L. Taylor book, and I loved the emotion she packs into her works. This is a story about the disappearance of a son, but it's about so much more, too. This book really explores the family dynamic when tragedy strikes and will keep you guessing the whole way through. I loved following the characters as their lives unraveled. I found it easy to empathize with the protagonist and to put myself in her shoes. This is a definite page-turner with so many deep themes running through it.
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L.A. DetwilerUSA TODAY Bestselling Thriller author with Avon Books (HarperCollins), The Widow Next Door, The Diary of a Serial Killer's Daughter, and other creepy thriller books Categories
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