BooksChatter: ℚ Stolen: Cassidy & Spenser Thrillers [4]

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Carey Baldwin to talk about Stolen (14 February 2017, Witness Impulse, 292 pages), a Psychological Thriller, book four of the Cassidy & Spenser Thrillers series.

"A shooting star ... Carey Baldwin aims high and doesn't disappoint. A compelling standalone, Stolen gratifies first-time Baldwin readers as well as fans longing to revisit beloved characters. If you like Lisa Jackson and Karen Rose, Carey Baldwin is right up your dark, twisty alley." ~New York Times Bestselling Author, Wendy Corsi Staub

|| Synopsis || Teaser: KCR Preview || The Series || Author Q&A || About the Author || Giveaway & Tour Stops ||

A very warm welcome to Carey Baldwin; thank you for joining us on BooksChatter!

What was the inspiration for Stolen?

"The inspiration for STOLEN came from several real-life cases blended together. In some of those cases, there were major problems with evidence collection as well as media misinformation and public finger pointing based on unproven assumptions and wild conjecture. What really drove me to write the book was wondering what it would be like to be at the center of all that chaos. Hence, Laura Chaucer came to life in my mind—a young woman who truly doesn’t know whether or not she’s a murderer."

How much of yourself is reflected in this book, and how?

"I definitely made use of my professional expertise as a former clinical psychologist. Laura is a psychologically complex character and Grady Webber, a psychiatrist, figures heavily in the story. But I don’t think my personality traits are generally reflected in my characters. My protagonists and my antagonists are much more interesting than I could ever hope to be."

The first thing that draws me to a book is its cover. Can you tell us about your cover for Stolen - why you chose that concept and who the artist is.

"I have been very fortunate with covers. HarperCollins has a great art department and they always do right by me. They work hard to keep me “branded” and stick to the concept I’m trying to get across to readers. I want my readers to see the cover and think: strong woman facing down evil."

Why should we read Stolen and what sets it apart from the rest?

"Not everyone should read STOLEN. It can get dark and gritty, so if that bothers you, STOLEN might not be for you. It has lighter, funnier moments and a touch of romance. If you don’t care for that, STOLEN might not be for you. But if you like dark, intense psychological thrillers with twist, turns and a bit of fun—it just might be your cup of tea."

Can you tell us something quirky about Stolen, its story and characters?

"Oh, yes. I love the question about the names. I did borrow my daughter’s middle name, Caitlin, for my female lead, and as for Special Agent Atticus Spenser here’s the thing: Spense is named after Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird and Spenser (played by Robert Urich) from the television private investigator series, Spenser for Hire. Interestingly Spenser in Spenser for Hire was named by his creator, Robert Parker, after the poet Edmund Spenser. Thus, “Spenser with an s” as the character used to say."

Who would you recommend Stolen to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"I would just warn readers that the subject matter is dark. That’s hard for some people to read."

If you could / wished to turn Stolen and the Cassidy & Spenser Thrillers series into a movie, who would be your dream team?

"I’d like to see it set in the Rockies, where it takes place. How about Jodi Foster as the director? I could go with Liam Hemsworth as Spense, and I think Dakota Johnson would be terrific as Caity. Let’s do it!"

What do you like to write and read about? Do you stick to a particular genre or do you like to explore different ones?

"For now, I’m sticking with writing mystery/thrillers. That’s mainly what I read, though I do enjoy a good love story or non-fiction book."

What is your writing process?

" I write early in the morning. It goes against my nature, but that’s when I have time, and that’s when my creative processes work best."

What is in store next?

"No hints about future developments except to say that the next book is set in Tahiti. If you’ve been following the series, you know that Spense and Caity have been trying to take a vacation for a long time, but pesky killers keep getting in the way. In this upcoming book, they definitely make it to Tahiti, but what happens once they get there is not the dream vacation they’d been planning. I’m mean like that."

And as a final quirky thing, to get to know you a little bit better... do you have a pet or something that is special to you that you could share with us?

"The latest love of my life is my puppy, Scout (Named after, you guessed it, Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird. Are you spotting a trend?) This is one of my favorite pictures of her. She is overflowing with joy."

Hello Scout! You are a gorgeous girl :-) Lots of head scratches and belly rubs to you from all of us at BooksChatter!
Casey, thank you for sharing Scout with us - that is a great picture indeed!