Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Elizabeth S. Sullivan to talk about Purified (21 November 2014, Short on Time Books, 233 pages) a Noir Thriller.
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Hello Elizabeth and welcome to BooksChatter.
What was the inspiration for Purified?
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What was the inspiration for Purified?
"The inspiration for Purified is my love of noir, thrillers, and mysteries as a storyline to examine social justice issues, while keeping the reader entertained by a dark story with realistic elements."How much of yourself is reflected in this book, and how?
"People who know me see many aspects of my beliefs and/or personality. My passion for social justice issues, an anger at the way things are and little movement to rectify, even name them is evident. Beck is not me but as I tell my students, all writing, just by the topics chosen, reveal the something personal, autobiographical about the writer."The first thing that draws me to a book is its cover. Can you tell us about your cover for Purified - why you chose that concept and who the artist is.
"I wanted the colors on the book to symbolically represent the components of the story, black for death, red for the way and what of the murders, and white, of course, is the symbol of purity. The artist works for the publisher, Short On Time books."Why should we read Purified and what sets it apart from the rest? What makes your book unique?
"My book reads very quickly and from the 47 reviews on Amazon, Beck is a unique protagonist. She is problematic as she does not fit into a pigeon hole. She moves for the reader, sympathetic, infuriating, disturbing, and brilliant. The issues in the book are unique, or the central issue connected to the murders. I have never read a thriller like this. Few, very few people guess the ending, which is very gratifying for me and fun for readers."Can you tell us something quirky about Purified, its story and characters?
"Oldman is Beck’s last name and I named her that because of my love of Gary Oldman’s acting. He is superb, a chameleon and in some ways Beck is that. He often portrays rough, ragged and multidimensional protagonists which I think covers Beck. Rarely do we have a protagonist who is a shop lifter. I wanted to show how flawed women behave instead of the usual drunk or drug dependent detective which are typically male or male ways of acting out. "If you could / wished to turn Purified and its sequel into a movie, who would be your dream team?
"I have a manager in LA for my screenplays which I have written five of and have won awards. Purified is in script form and I am going to write a treatment for a mini-series to pitch. Jessica Chastain would be the perfect Beck. Gary Oldman, Safra. I would feel like I won the Lotto if HBO, STARZ or SHOWTIME liked the concept, oh, and the BBC. I adore Luther and Broadchurch, and many other BBC programs."What do you like to write and read about? Do you stick to a particular genre or do you like to explore different ones?
"I have written screenplays in the genres of thriller, neo noir, drama, and action adventure. I have written a fifteen year old protagonist and one who is thirteen. Only one story features a male protagonist and GUESS WHAT? In Hollywood, that is the story that has garnered the most praise and even that one over others that have female protagonist, landed me in the final round, over 3700 entrants in the Women In Film competition. There is dearth of female protagonists in the movies, not as true in fiction, not as true. "What is your writing process?
"My writing process first begins with a lot of thinking, talking things out loud, writing notes on anything, receipts, grocery lists. I try to get more formal with that process moved to a legal pad. I write some ideas of where the story ends, I need to have an idea of the ending even if I do not stick with it. I do not use a formal outline, which is very difficult in “whodunit” stories. I crave to be more disciplined, but as I also have the euphemist day job, any writing time is a gift. The music I play while I write can be any jazz, real jazz, not easy listening, rock and roll from REM to Jack White and The White Stripes, and of course, classical. Oh, and the news. The news has been instrumental in my opening scenes in Purified and the sequel."What is in store next?
"My current project is the sequel to my novel, Purified. I tried to fashion a kind of Holmes/ Moriarty relationship between the protagonist and antagonist, while the murders were solved in Purified, the relationship continues between Beck and Richard Safra. "
Purified - available NOW!
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