We asked you a few weeks ago to send in questions you would like to ask Tess, and we would pick a few and pass them along. Tess was able to answer them just after getting back from being overseas, and we've very grateful for her time. Here's what she had to say:
__________________
Hi Tess,
The ladies at Rizzles Girls are just tickled to death that you’ve agreed to answer our questions again this year. Thank you so much for being willing to take a little time for us. We’ve been gathering, and here’s what our followers would like to know.
Several of our followers said they really enjoyed Bone Garden. Are you planning to write another historical fiction piece?
A: I loved that book -- in fact, it's one of my two favorite books, but I'm afraid it didn't sell very well. Which is why I probably won't be writing another historical novel. I'm not sure the audience is there for such stories, which is a shame.
Beth (RizzoliQuotes) asked:
I'd like to know what you have planned for Jane in the future. Will you continue to humanize her or ground her a bit? Maybe show more of a contrast between living as a homicide detective and as an average, everyday woman?
A: I'm trying to show a bit of that with every book. In recent stories, I've shown her (and Gabriel's) struggles with parenthood. Regina is a stubborn kid who doesn't like to sleep, and in ICE COLD, you see the exhausted parents trying to figure out how to get their kid to bed. Jane must also struggle against Gabriel's requests for her to back down, for her own safety. And motherhood has made Jane a little more cautious, a little less likely to do dangerous things.
Shauna (dietcokebottle) asked:
Did you ever expect such a high interest or success in the series when you first began writing it? How did you come up with the idea of a detective and coroner working so closely together?
A: The partnership happened organically, through the development of the stories. Jane was introduced in THE SURGEON as a minor character who somehow took over the story. Maura was introduced as a minor character in the follow-up book, THE APPRENTICE. Their working relationship developed over time, and over the course of the next few books, until suddenly they had formed both a team and a friendship. I never imagined there would be such a long-running series, nor did I ever imagine that friendship would morph into a TV show. None of this was planned; it just happened, as it does in real life!
Liv (adm_hawthorne) asked:
How do you feel about your audience; have you seen a shift in the types of people who read your works?
A: At the beginning of my writing career, my audience was 75% female, mostly women age 40 and older. As time has gone by, I'm noticing larger numbers of younger readers, male readers, and definitely more lesbian readers. It's been wonderful seeing the audience expand, and I'm thrilled that so many have discovered Jane and Maura.
Soledad Brewster asked:
What was your inspiration for Maura?
A: Me. Really. The instant she walked on the page, I felt that she was a stand-in for my own personality, which is logical, scientific, and a bit socially awkward. I've often felt I had a touch of Asperger's syndrome, and if Maura comes across that way, then there's a reason for it. It's also why so many of the minor details about her life (what make of car she drives, which colleges she attended) is taken from my own life. Interestingly, the first time Exec Producer Janet Tamaro and I met, she instinctively knew where Maura came from -- and she also knew Maura had Asperger's.
SVURizzoli asked:
Why did you start writing?
A: I started writing at age seven because I wanted to tell stories. That's the short answer. I was already an avid reader and daydreamer, and was always making up stories to amuse myself. When I started reading the Nancy Drew mystery series, I got hooked on that genre and knew that was exactly the sort of book I would someday write.
Lucille asked:
Do you ever miss practicing medicine?
A: It's been over twenty years since I practiced medicine, so I would be dangerous at it now. While I loved the sense of being needed, of doing something vital for humanity, I found I couldn't combine that demanding work with being a mother to two young sons. So it was for personal reasons that I left the profession. Now I've been away from it so long that I wouldn't be qualified to go back.
Nittwitt227 asked:
Of all the Rizzoli & Isles books you’ve written, which is your favorite so far?
A: It's hard to choose, but I think either VANISH or BODY DOUBLE would be my favorites. Then again, there's ICE COLD which I thought was a thrill to write as well!
Cret Kid asked:
I thoroughly enjoyed the mystical aspects to The Mephisto Club and The Keepsake. Will you be bringing more of that into later works?
A: The Mephisto Society will play a role in the book I'm writing now, which takes place in the mysterious Evensong School, which was started by the society. So you will be seeing more of the society -- and Anthony Sansone.
Ice Cold was wonderful; bringing Maura out of her comfort zone. I also loved the character of Rat; and bringing back characters from The Mephisto Club and The Keepsake. You've done so again in The Silent Girl. Is it hard to integrate characters from previous stories into your newer work? Or does the interactions of the story lines make the stories easier to write, or to draw more readers to the series?
A: Some characters are naturals as recurring characters. Rat, for instance, who was so important to Maura's survival is sure to come back. And Sansone, who's so very sexy and mysterious, needs to come back again as well! But some characters experience such a dramatic arc in a single book that there's no way to gracefully have them return. Iris Fang, for instance, suffered so much in THE SILENT GIRL that I need to let her go her way in peace. I never plan big multi-book arcs for characters; these situations have to happen naturally, out of the stories themselves.
SydneyGirl1903 asked:
I also loved Ice Cold because we learned so much more about Maura and her desire to help the kid, maybe wanting to be a Mum herself? I was wondering if you will elaborate on that somehow. If Maura, too, could have a child in the books? Is Daniel Brophy going to be back at some point? Or will Maura finally find someone who will fully commit to her alone?
A: I don't believe that Maura will ever have a child of her own, but Rat will certainly take on that role in many respects. The relationship with Brophy has run its natural course, although there will still be painful encounters in the future, simply because they are bound to see each other again because of their jobs. As for romance in Maura's future, I'm not certain what lies ahead. I'll have to find out by writing the next few stories.
Tess! I love all of your R&I novels. Would you ever consider featuring Maura's neighbors more? Specifically her lesbian neighbors? They're both civil rights attorneys. I just think that's cool. It would just be really cool to see a lesbian featured. To read a story written by you about someone who could be like me :)
A: That's a really good idea, one I hadn't considered! I introduced her lesbian neighbors quite a few books ago, without planning to involve them more deeply in a future plot, but you've got me thinking...
Erin asked:
Do you have a specific writing style, i.e., do you block out certain times to just sit & write? Also, at this point, do you envision an end to the Rizzoli & Isles series, or are there still plenty of ideas/avenues for you to explore with them (hopefully so!)?
A: I generally start writing mid-morning, writing my first drafts with pen and unlined typing paper. (Yes, I'm one of those old-fashioned writers who can't compose fiction on a computer!) I try to produce about four pages a day, however long that takes. -- sometimes a few hours, sometimes all day. And I never plot out my books ahead of time, so those first drafts wander all over the place as I try to figure out the villain. As for the Jane and Maura series, I can't say I see an end to it yet, not while there's still life in these characters.
I just wanted to comment that I am thoroughly enjoying the Rizzoli & Isles series. I have loved the law since I was 6 years old (yes, 6!) ... and this series combines both of my loves: the law & medicine. Your writing is very infectious & is made that much more believable due to your medical expertise. Thank you for this fantastic series & for the inspiration that has become the TV show which has brought so many of us fans together. I hope to one day be able to meet you & express my thanks in person.
A: Thank you so much! It means a lot knowing how much you're enjoying the series!
Ems asked:
What would you like for readers to take away from your books?
A: Every book has its own theme and message. In MEPHISTO CLUB, it was an exploration of the age-old question: what is evil? Is it real or merely a philosophical concept? In THE SILENT GIRL, it's that justice is never black and white; sometimes a crime must be committed for justice to be done. And in THE BONE GARDEN, I wanted to acquaint readers with the turbulent history of medicine, and how genius -- and true scientific progress -- may go unrecognized for decades.
No comments:
Post a Comment