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I would like to give a warm welcome to Kathy-Diane Leveille. She has kindly taken time out of her schedule to stop by for an interview. Miss Leveille is the author of Let the Shadows Fall Behind You.

About the book:

When Brannagh’s boyfriend, Nikki, disappears into thin air, she reluctantly returns to the east coast for a reunion of the childhood club Tuatha-de-Dananns. She hides out at her Grandmother’s cottage near the woods where her mother was murdered fifteen years ago. As Brannagh tries to solve the mystery behind Nikki’s vanishing, she is haunted by the secrets hiding the most startling disappearance of all.

Author Bio:


Kathy-Diane Leveille is a former broadcast journalist with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation who discovered the only thing more thrilling than reading a wonderful story is harnessing the power of the imagination to write one. Her short story collection Roads Unravelling was published to critical acclaim after a selection from its pages Learning to Spin was adapted to radio drama for CBC’s Summer Drama Festival. The tale Showdown at the Four Corner’s Corral was revised for the stage and performed by New City Theater in Saint John . She is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, Kiss of Death RWA and Crime Writers of Canada.




And now...onto the interview....






Bookworm: Welcome Kathy-Diane, and thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to grant me a blog interview. Please tell us a bit about yourself.




Kathy-Diane: I’m a former broadcast journalist with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. I’ve always written stories and poetry, but when I was on maternity leave with my youngest son I decided to tackle my dream of writing a novel. I had tried on a couple of occasions, but I think that was the first time I took the elements of the craft seriously. Of course, I didn’t have a clue what I was doing! I still believe that even if I had realized how extremely difficult it is, and how much there is to learn, I would have plunged in anyway. There is something inside me that needs to ‘live life on the page.’ I live on the east coast and most of my fiction is set here. There is an ethereal quality to the ocean landscape that lends perfectly to mystery, suspense and thrillers. I live with my family (husband and 2 boys) next to a lovely garden inhabited by cardinals and humming birds.





Bookworm: What inspires you to write?



Kathy-Diane: My story ideas are born from a question. For example, on spring day when I was walking along the river I spotted something floating in it that looked like a box. That aroused my curiosity. I wondered what it was, who it belonged to and who would find it. That led to the short story “Maggie’s Wake” in my first book “Roads Unravelling.” Maggie’s convinced her life is over when she spots a coffin floating down the river. Question and character go hand in hand for me.





Bookworm: In your new book, Let The Shadows Fall Behind You, you write about mysterious disappearances. How do you research for a book like this? How long did it take you to write this book?




Kathy-Diane: My imagination has always been twigged by unexplained disappearances. I’m actually starting a new blog to document them all. (I’ll post it the URL when it’s ready). Some are quirky urban legends or folklore; others defy logic and hint at paranormal phenomenon; tragically; still others when solved irrefutably indicate foul play. I think the reason these incidents catch my attention as a writer is because they are the kind of events that are life-changing. You’re following your normal day-to-day routine, business as usual, when an unexplained disappearance occurs and life, as you know, is in upheaval, and it’s impossible to return to the sure footing you took for granted. Think of the passengers on flight 815 in the TV series LOST. In reality, when I read history books or the headlines I find myself wondering about the living, breathing people behind unsolved disappearances. Some incidents appear quirky, speculative and as harmless as childhood tales around the camp fire. Then a real life headline brings shock and anger when CNN announces that the unthinkable is a horrific reality as in the Lacey Peterson case.




I started writing LET THE SHADOWS FALL BEHIND YOU on coffee breaks while I was at the hospital. I began working as a medical transcriptionist because it didn’t sap my creativity the way journalism did, and left room to pursue my dream of writing a novel. I can’t remember the initial spark for this story, but I do know I wanted to write about a woman whose lover disappears into thin air. I usually don’t do research in my initial draft too much. I start with the question or puzzle first, followed by the character, and exploring their journey as they try to solve it. I find if I start researching too soon, it can be a distraction, and an excuse not to write. Also, the story could change completely with time, and I may not even need the material I’ve researched if I do it too soon. When I know I’ve nailed the plot, I go through the novel making notes. In this case, I then contacted law enforcement, a historian and a naturalist. I find things go smoothly if I’m professionally prepared before contacting an expert. If I’ve researched on my own as much as possible at the Saint John Regional Library, and have the questions down, I don’t waste anyone’s time. I live on the east coast, but I did travel to Toronto because the reference libraries are huge, and who can resist being around all those wonderful books.




Having said all that though, I don’t write FACTION. No matter how much research I do, I’m just using it to legitimize and enhance a story that is pure FICTION. It sprang out of my imagination and nowhere else. That’s the thrill of being a writer! I always put in the disclaimer that any mistakes are solely my own and not those experts kind enough to answer my questions.






Bookworm: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?




Kathy-Diane: I hope you enjoy LET THE SHADOWS FALL as much as I enjoyed writing it. At heart, this is a book about the power of friendship. When Brannagh returns home for a childhood reunion of the Tuatha-De-Danaans, despite Nikki’s vanishing, she finally confronts the past she’s been running away from. Nothing can change the past, but friends hold the power to transform the future. Drop by my web site and let me know what you think. I always love to hear from readers: http://kathy-dianeleveille.com





Bookworm:Who are your favorite authors and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

Kathy-Diane: My husband and I love reading Harlen Coban because of his skilled plotting, and the challenge of trying to figure out who-dun-it. When I can keep guessing right to the end of the book, I’m your reader for life. I love novels that are intricate and unusual like the British Queen of Suspense Patricia Highsmith. (You may recognize her novel that was adapted to the motion picture “The Incredible Mr. Ripley”). I’ve read every book I can find by Nicci French, a British husband and wife team, who pen psychological thrillers because the plots are believable, the prose clean and poetic (an extremely difficult balance to achieve in genre); and the protagonists are smart, funny, sympathetic and real.





Bookworm: Do you have any advice for other writers?




Kathy-Diane: Join as many writers’ organizations and attend as many conferences as you can afford. Network, network, network. Even if you are a card-carrying introvert like me, you will connect with people in passing, in line at the wine bar or on the elevator. I started interviewing many of the generous authors I’ve met on the road to publication once a week on my blog, and always ask for a tip on how debut novelists can survive in today’s publishing world. It’s my security blanket! It’s nice to connect with friends when you’re heading into new territory. Most writers are big-hearted and willing to offer advice if time permits, and if approached in a professional manner. Never stop learning! That’s the unending challenge of writing. You complete one goal and another looms on the horizon. By the way, Shadows Fall N Friends interviews are every Thursday at http://lettheshadowsfallbehindyou.blogspot.com. For a schedule of who is up when, drop me a line at shadowsfall@kathy-dianeleveille.com





Bookworm: Last but not least, if you were stranded on a deserted island, and were allowed to bring 3 items with you, what would they be?



Kathy-Diane:

I’m going to assume that my desert island has water and fruit trees; landscape from which I could build a shelter, start a fire and fashion weapons for fishing/hunting/protection. I could rip down medium-size branches to weave into a shelter, and find razor-edged rocks or shells to carve weapons and shavings to start a fire in the Girl-Guide tradition. Once I got the fire going, I’d have to figure how to sustain it, but I’m sure like Tom Hanks in Cast Away, I’d manage. That means I can choose the three most important things outside of food, shelter and water. ONE: A box of pencils already sharpened. TWO: A box of note pads. THREE: The Narnia Series by C. S. Lewis in a plastic baggie.





The hardest thing to decide here was which book to put in that baggie. I settled on this one because it was a childhood favourite. It would be familiar and comforting. The theme is spiritually uplifting, Aslan is a gentle warrior/saviour. The powerful magic/fantasy in the writing would provide a huge distraction and escape from the pressures of surviving day to day. But most of all, the book is about my favourite topic: unexplained disappearances. Whoever steps into the magical wardrobe seemingly vanishes into thin air. You know, when I come to think about it, maybe that’s where my fascination began!



Naida, thank you so much for inviting me to be your guest and meeting all your readers. Let me know what you think of Let the Shadows Fall Behind You at shadowsfall@kathy-dianeleveille.com. I’d love to hear from you.
Happy Reading !

Kathy-Diane

http://kathy-dianeleveille.com




Bookworm: Thank you so much for stopping by Kathy, it's been a pleasure! I really need to read The Narnia Series, they sound like a fun selection to bring if stuck on a deserted island :) Let the Shadows Fall Behind You sounds like a great book, especially since it deals with a mysterious vanishing. It's always interesting to learn more about the author behind the book!