DIY MFA Radio 229: Ratcheting Up the Suspense - Interview with P.J. Tracy
Hey there word nerds!
Today I have the pleasure of speaking with Traci Lambrecht, of the mother-daughter writing team P.J. Tracy, perhaps most well-known for their Monkeewrench thriller series.
Traci spent most of her childhood riding and showing horses, then graduated with a Russian Studies major from St. Olaf College in Minnesota. She then began writing in order to finance her propensity for travel and, much to her mother’s relief, found that writing was her true calling.
Traci and her mother P.J. wrote several books together and had a long, prolific career as a team. Sadly, P.J. passed away in December 2016, but Traci continues to write and carry on this amazing legacy.
So listen in as we chat about the newly released ninth volume in their Monkeewrench series, The Guilty Dead, and how to ratchet up suspense throughout a story to keep readers on the edge of their seats.
In this episode Traci and I discuss:
- Multiple protagonists vs. a single protagonist
- How to pull off a killer prologue.
- Creating vivid descriptions without slowing down your plot.
- How to use reading to inform your writing.
- Dealing with the “muggles” in your life.
For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/229