For your consideration: the prolific multi-genre author Elyse Salpeter. And when I say “multi-genre,” I mean it. Her Kelsey Porter series is listed as paranormal suspense, but it also can be described as a thriller; the “Flying” series of Flying to the Light and Flying to the Fire are thrillers but also touch on paranormal or supernatural themes. She has also written horror and occult short stories.
Her latest book, The Door on the Right, is a dystopian science-fiction thriller. I edited that book, and we’re working on her next book. Elyse took some time to chat with me about her writing and her plans.
Scott Bury:
Elyse, you seem like a very busy person, with a career, a family and as a long-distance runner. Marathons! I cannot imagine doing that. With all this going on, what made you decide to write and publish books?
Elyse Salpeter:
LOL, I think you’re giving me too much credit. I’ve not actually run a marathon, but I’ve done a Half Iron Man, which may be even crazier. I completed the New York 70.3 Half Ironman on September 23rd in a tropical storm: a 0.46-mile (0.74 km) swim — they shortened it from 1.2 miles due to the severity of the water — followed by a 56-mile (90.1 km) bike ride and a 13.1 mile (21 km) run — a half-marathon! It was crazy and training kept me busy all year. I’m finally breathing again and back to my books.
Scott Bury:
When did you start writing? Or have you always been a writer?
Elyse Salpeter:
I always wanted to be a writer, but my start is rather disheartening. When I was in ninth grade, I was in an honours English class. For some reason the teacher and I didn’t click. There was a moment I got back an extra credit project. I thought it would be neat for me to interview the main character of the book instead of just regurgitating a synopsis of the story. I was so proud of what I’d done. I clearly remember the teacher smiling as she walked over to me as she gave out the papers. Mine had a big, fat, red zero on it and she actually said “this was the worst piece of writing I’ve ever seen.” Can you imagine? I crumpled it up and threw it on the floor right in front of her.
I stopped any creative writing until I hit college. There was a fantasy story I made up and would tell my little cousin. Finally, I think it was my sophomore year, I said “I’m not going to let that woman stop me from writing.” And I wrote that fantasy story. Was it great at the time? No. Did it need editing? Sure. But I did it. I started learning the craft and now I’m 14 novels in and probably 30+ short stories as well.
Scott Bury:
This is the most vexing question about being a writer, at least for me, but I’ll ask it anyway: Where do your ideas come from?
Elyse Salpeter:
They just come. I know that is weird. But I don’t start writing a thing until I have an idea and they pop out of nowhere and then I start.
I’m amazed how writers can churn out a book a month. They just sit and write and the ideas flow. I have to have an idea burst into my head. My YA deaf thriller Flying to the Light started when I was looking at a group of birds pecking at seeds on the ground. I wondered if “maybe birds weren’t what we really thought they were” and so I started writing.
My horror story, The Mannequins, started from a dream about a man with his back to us, his arm resting on the shoulder of a little boy, staring down at an abandoned mansion. My YA dystopian tale, The Door on the Right, started from a dream as well about about a girl locked in a building with a bunch of orphans.
Scott Bury:
Amazing. I can rarely remember a dream.
Your books span a range of genres, but there is something unifying about them. Let’s start with your Kelsey Porter series. Where did the inspiration for that come from?
Elyse Salpeter:
Well, this series started because I actually wanted to write a novel that I thought my favourite authors would like to read themselves. I’m a huge Douglas Preston/Lincoln Child fan. I admin one of their author fan pages, I work on a yearly event for them, and they write the Aloysius Pendergast series. This series is so smartly written with so much research that I wanted to create a series of complicated work they might personally enjoy. A lofty goal.
The Kelsey Porter series is steeped in Buddhist spiritual mysteries, and each book deals with parts of Buddhism that are interwoven with all this other lore that took me a year of research for each book. BUT, the best part? Douglas Preston actually read Book #1 and gave me a glowing review on Amazon under the editorial reviews. And he promoted my book on one of his podcasts. To say I’m over the moon is an understatement.
Scott Bury:
What attracts you to the supernatural thrillers genre?
Elyse Salpeter:
I like action. I love the concept of having special powers. I love magic. I think I actually probably wish I were a superhero to do things to make the world better.
Scott Bury:
Your latest book, The Door on the Right, is dystopian science fiction. Why did you choose to write in that genre? Do you feel it’s a departure for you?
Elyse Salpeter:
I write in so many genres it seems like every new book is a departure for me. I’ve done adult supernatural thrillers, YA supernatural thrillers, horror, sci-fi, fantasy and now this dystopian sci-fi. There’s a pseudo romantic supernatural thriller I’m editing now as well. It seems nearly every book has that theme. But, there is a novel I’m also working on now that has no supernatural powers at all. This one will be a huge departure again from my norm if I can pull it off.
Scott Bury:
Do you plan to write more books in that genre?
Elyse Salpeter:
I hope so. I did leave the Door on the Right with an opening to write Book 2. But the idea has not come to me yet, so it’s just sitting there waiting.
Scott Bury:
Is there a theme or a message common to all your books, or at least some of them?
Elyse Salpeter:
I think good triumphing over evil might be a pervasive theme.
Scott Bury:
I find your writing style clear, simple and direct. Who are your author influences?
Elyse Salpeter:
I would say Stephen King and Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child have been my largest influences. Though I recently read Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, which blew me away. That book is still in my head and is frankly influencing my work in progress for that book with no supernatural elements!
Scott Bury:
What do you enjoy reading?
Elyse Salpeter:
I’m pretty eclectic. I love horror, thrillers, supernatural but also suspense. Probably my favorite book as a little girl was The Secret Garden. I like books the way I write books: crossing every genre.
Scott Bury:
What are you reading now?
Elyse Salpeter:
I just finished Dead Mountain, which is the next book in the Nora Kelly series by Preston/Child. My son is pushing me to read House of Leaves, but gosh that is such a complicated book! I like easier prose, but I’m going to give it a try. Right now, I’m reading With Teeth by Kristen Arnett.
Scott Bury:
What would you like to say to the readers now?
Elyse Salpeter:
I would like to say that I appreciate all of you. Anyone that takes the time to pick up a work from an author is a hero. We write because we have something we desperately want to get out of our heads and put to the world and hearing from readers how they feel just makes everything so much better.
So my request is that if you finish a novel, go review it. You have no idea how much that is worth to a writer.
Thank you.
Scott Bury:
Thank you, Elyse!
Elyse Salpeter has also featured my latest book, Echoes: Hawaiian Storm mystery #4, on her blog. And if you read it, you’ll have an opportunity to win some prizes!
Check out Elyse Salpeter: Musings from a “Type A Mom.”
Permalink
Thank you so very much Scott! An honor to be here.