Written in partnership with Chris Gallagher
Image credit: Amy Edelman
Author Renaii West has published two well-received mysteries, Death by Chaos and The Wrong Side of the Flame. As a novelist whose reputation is rising with every book, she has much to say about her writing process.
The Research Behind the Art
Writing a novel is like doing a jigsaw puzzle; all the pieces need to be carefully moved around to form a complete picture. Renaii spends a great deal of time thinking of these pieces, such as characters, location, motivation, and execution. It is important to her that the story is easy enough to follow for the reader, so she dedicates quite a bit of time to research before sitting down at the computer. For her second novel, she interviewed her brother (who is an ER doctor) regarding drug overdose and how a malicious person might use dangerous substances on someone else without leaving a trail. She also interviewed a friend (a district attorney) regarding how a murder could appear as a simple accident at the scene of the crime, as well as the possible charges and sentencing a convicted person might receive. She even studied the arts of fire performing and whip cracking, and interviewed a person very skilled in both activities. She does sit down at the computer eventually, but the research never stops.
Creative Inspiration
Renaii has been a fan of Greek mythology since her early teens, and both her novels are somewhat inspired by the idea of famous myths in a modern setting. She tries to create as authentic a story as possible, and therefore stays in lanes that are familiar to her. Southern California attracts a variety of people with either big dreams or the need to escape, and the journeys can either be successful or tragic. Small things, too, like a day trip to a different beach or a meeting with a person from a different community, have generated ideas for characters, locations, and even plots.
Hobbies
Over the past few years, Renaii has become more and more active in ballroom dancing, especially in Tango, Rumba, and Bolero. Having participated in numerous showcases and team matches, she is now planning to enter a competition (at a very low level) next year. She likes to travel as well; Greece, Israel, and Poland are among her favorite places to visit. She is blessed with an active social life with many wonderful friends who enjoy lunches at venues with a great view, art museums, wine tasting, theatre, and tea parties. She also enjoys time with her children, who often introduce her to new series to binge. Of course, she is always doing online jigsaw puzzles and watching true crime shows.
You can find further info about Renaii and her books at her website and on her Amazon author page.
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