I’m thrilled to welcome Tara Laskowski to the blog. She’s a friend, sort of neighbor, an amazing writer, and person. If you ever get a chance to be on a panel with her or hear her on one, jump on it! We are celebrating the release of her latest book The Weekend Retreat.
Name (s) Tara Laskowski
Genre(s) suspense/thriller
What drew you to the genre you write?
I like the creepy. But I don’t want to write super violent things. I like the subtle things that scare us. The creaks, the bumps, the flash of a shadow we can’t quite find. The unexplained stuff that gives us shivers.
What sets your book apart from what is out there?
This is a tough question! The Weekend Retreat is kind of along the lines of the “locked-room-style” thrillers, where a small group of people get trapped somewhere and bad things happen. A lot of these seem to be set on islands, or on top of wintery mountains. But in visiting wineries—and always losing cell service as we loop our way up small remote roads—it occurred to me that a winery would be a great place for this locked-room style book. Cell service is spotty, sometimes only one road provides access in and out, there are lots of places to hide… So that’s what I did!
Also, the ‘research’ involved in writing a book in which the characters drink copious amounts of wine was VERY difficult, as you can imagine.
What are you currently writing?
I’m currently working on my fourth standalone novel of suspense. I’ve just started it, so everything is new and fun and the possibilities are endless! But soon I will be at that stage where I question everything about it and run into all the roadblocks and plot problems. So I should enjoy this stage while it lasts, right?
Do you write a series or standalones? Why?
I write standalones. I guess I don’t really know why exactly, that’s just what I do. I think there’s something exciting about starting new with a whole new set of characters and situation, though the world-building and character development is so hard!
What are you reading right now?
Right now I’m bingeing a lot of wintery suspense books like Shiver by Allie Reynolds. Maybe it’s because we’re hitting prime cold weather season and I like to be inside with my sweaters and my fireplace and a warm bourbon while characters run around outside in the snow dodging killers and making trouble.
What is your favorite deadline snack?
I’m always scrounging around in the kitchen for salty things. Tortilla chips with salsa, kettle chips, popcorn. I’m hungry typing this!
Do you have a favorite quote or life motto?
Whenever I get in my ‘comparing myself to others’ mood, I try to remind myself that every writer has a different journey.
Favorite writing space?
I’m boring. I like my office. It’s a cluttered mess, but it’s all my favorite stuff. And I have a space heater. And candles. And it’s as quiet as I want it to be. And occasionally, my cats will nose their way in and beg to be picked up.
What do you see when you look up from writing?
Bookshelves. Creepy dolls. And beautiful, tall, swaying trees in my backyard.
Readers: What gives you the creeps?
Bio:
TARA LASKOWSKI is the author of the suspense novels The Mother Next Door and One Night Gone, which won the Agatha Award, Macavity Award, and the Anthony Award. Her third novel The Weekend Retreat will be published in December 2023. She also wrote two short story collections, Modern Manners for Your Inner Demons and Bystanders. She has won the Agatha Award and Thriller Award for her short fiction and was the longtime editor of the online flash fiction journal SmokeLong Quarterly. She lives in Virginia with her husband, crime writer Art Taylor, and their son Dashiell.
Follow her on Instagram @TaraLWrites
Newsletter: https://taralaskowski.substack.com/
Welcome, Tara! I love your thought about how every writer has a different journey – so true. And the winery setting – perfect! I discovered in my own research this fall that vineyard workers use some very lethal tools…
What gives me the creeps?
Have you heard of the republican party? ‘Nuff said.
But if you are looking for a more playful answer, since I have no interest in the horror genre at all, it would be pretty easy to creep me out with stuff like that.
Congratulations, Tara! You and I better not go on a writing retreat together. We’ll be fighting over the salty snacks. LOL
OR we will know the best things to bring!
Guess total quiet creeps me out because even if not watching or listening there is either the TV or radio on from the time my feet hit the floor in the morning and leave it at night. Everything might be going to pot health wise, but my hearing is exceptional. When it’s quiet, I seem to hear “everything” and with some noise it all disappears to where I can concentrate on what I’m doing.
As for books, sci-fi and fantasy creep me out. Just not my thing. Guess my imagination is more to the “normal” side. 🙂
“The Weekend Retreat” sounds amazing and I’ve added it to my TBR list and can’t wait for the opportunity to read and review it.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Welcome Tara and congrats on your upcoming book release. Anything horror-like gives me the creep.
Welcome Tara! I was not familiar with your books, but now I am 🙂 I am intrigued by the subject of your thrillers, so I will definitely read your books. I mostly read cozies, but a thriller once in a while does it for me. I don’t often get “the creeps”, but I am a light sleeper and I live in the mountains. Sometimes animals roaming around our home make sounds that wake me up, and I get “the creeps” until I can determine if it is an “animal animal”, or a “human animal” 🙂 Thanks for sharing your gift of writing with us. Merry Christmas y’all!!! Luis at ole dot travel
Welcome back, Tara! I can’t wait to read The Weekend Retreat. Everything gives me the creeps!
Welcome, Tara! A retreat at a vineyard sounds like an amazing setting and situation. Just thinking about what creeps me out gives me the shivers, so I’m not going to describe anything–but mostly it’s images.
Congrats on your new release!
Being in a dark room gives me the creeps. I usually fall asleep with my tv on all night and if it shuts off, I wake up immediately.
Thanks, all! I hope your holiday season isn’t too creepy! What creeps me out? Honestly, most everything. But one weird fear I have for sure is walking in tall grass. I’m convinced there are snakes or bitey bugs or worse just waiting to attack me. Shudder.