Words From A Writing Superstar

“Mystery writing involves solving a puzzle, but 'high suspense' writing is a situation whereby the writer thrusts the hero/heroine into high drama.” – Iris Johansen

  

Born in St. Louis on this date in 1938, Johansen started her career in the airline industry but when she found herself bored with the romance novels she liked to read, she decided in her early 40s to try writing some herself.  Good move on her part. 

After early successes in the Romance genre, she changed direction slightly and began writing Historical Romance suspense novels in 1991 with the publication of The Wind Dancer, then settled into suspense writing with her bestselling crime fiction thriller Ugly Duckling in 1996.   A self-described “voracious” writer, she has written well over 100 books and counting.  Her 110^th, Hindsight, came out in January, and the 111^th, Chaos, is due out in September.

Writing is a family affair for Johansen.  Her son Roy is an Edgar Award-winning screenwriter and novelist and has co-written with his mom, and her daughter Tamara serves as her research assistant.  Her myriad fans say they hope she goes on indefinitely, often using the word “spellbound” to describe how she leaves them feeling.

“The greatest compliment a writer can be given is that a story and character hold a reader spellbound,” she said.  “I'm caught up in the story writing and I miss a good deal of sleep thinking about it and working out the plot points.”

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