Guest Star: April Henry!

Time for another guest star! This week it's April Henry, co-author of the bestselling mystery novel, FACE OF BETRAYAL.

Face of Betrayal
Thomas Nelson Books
April 7, 2009
ISBN: 978-1595547057
Author's Website

"A sizzling political thriller… The seamless plot offers a plethora of twists and turns." - Publisher's Weekly

When 17-year-old Senate page Katie Converse goes missing on her Christmas break near her parents' white Victorian home in Portland, Ore., law enforcement and the media go into overdrive in a search for clues. Three friends at the pinnacle of their respective careers--Allison Pierce, a federal prosecutor; Cassidy Shaw, a crime reporter; and Nicole Hedges, an FBI special agent--soon discover that Katie wasn't the picture of innocence painted by her parents. Did Katie run away to escape their stifling demands? Was she having an affair with the senator who sponsored her as a page? Has she been kidnapped? Is she the victim of a serial killer?

And here's a special interview with me and the author:

1. How do you come up with the names for your characters?

For my teen books, I keep a list of kids at my daughter’s school, because kids these days are certainly not named Debbie, Nancy, or Lisa. I write down unusual names I hear and like. For this adult mystery series, it was hard to find good names for the three main characters. Originally, they were called Allison, Jacqueline, and Cassidy, but Allison and Jacqueline were too similar. We finally settled on Allison, Nicole, and Cassidy.

2. What's your favorite part about the publishing process? Your least favorite part?

I like thinking of new plot twists and turns. Beginnings are fun. There are so many possibilities. Really detailed editorial letters are hard. I have to psych myself up to act on them.

3. When you got that first phone call announcing your had sold a novel, how did you react? How did you celebrate? If you've sold more than one novel, do you have a celebration ritual for subsequent sales?

I’m not very good at celebrating or relaxing. When I got my first contract, a group of friends broke out a bottle of champagne, and that was wonderful. And quitting my day job a year ago was the best celebration ever. Sometimes I’ll let myself take a day or two to relax and read one of the hundreds of books I keep meaning to read “someday.” But I feel at loose ends if I’m not writing.

4. Desert Island time. You can bring one person and one "thing." What would you bring?

My husband and a satellite phone for when we need to be rescued.

5. Since becoming a writer, what's the most glamorous thing you've ever done?

I’ve had my face made up for a TV appearance. TV studios are dinky and drab. But on camera I looked great. It’s all about illusions, baby!

6. What line or section of your novel are you most proud of? Is there a story behind it? Or a reason why you like it so much?

There’s a section where a runner finds a body part. We had written that scene, but then I started thinking we needed a new scene with him, even though he is just a walk-on character. So we worked on another scene where he realizes that he needs to take the body part out of the woods with him (for reasons that might be spoilers). It was fun to write about his dawning horror.

Visit April Henry's website here! Or pick up a copy of Face of Betrayal here!