Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a lawyer and author. I have written five books, four of them true crime and one novel, a psychological thriller. In Broad Daylight won an Edgar Award for best True Crime, and Once Upon A Time was selected as a New York Times Notable Book. It was also made into a movie starring Brian Denehey.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Joy of Killing, a psychological thriller. The belief that somewhere inside every one of us lies a killer.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write from 7 to 11 every morning, whether I feel like it or not. I edit in the evening, and often read aloud what I’ve written that day to my wife. Her comments shift my perception slightly, which is extremely helpful.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
In Cold Blood, of course, by Truman Capote. Small Sacrifices by Ann Rule.
What are you working on now?
A new psychological thriller, entitled Mirror in the Mirror, the story of a psychologist whose patient commits murder, for which he is blamed. He leaves town and ends up working as a prison guard in a maximum security prison in Delaware, and in the end evolves into a person not that dissimilar from the inmates.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Listing on free book websites has worked quite well in the past.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write every day. Don’t be scared to throw it out and start over, time and again. Find your own voice . Don’t mimic authors you like.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You have fifteen pages to capture the reader.
What are you reading now?
“I’ll Be Gone In The Dark.”
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’d like to try writing short stories. Good short stories are extremely difficult to write, but I look forward to the challenge.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
In Cold Blood, Devil In The White City, Lincoln at Gettysburg.
Author Websites and Profiles
Harry MacLean Website