Karen Dionne

answers the Usual Questions

Karen Dionne

"Karen Dionne is the new Michael Crichton." -- N Y Times bestselling author David Morrell

Karen Dionne writes thrillers in the short and novel form. Karen has been honored by the Michigan Humanities Council as a Humanities Scholar for her body of work as an author, writer, and as co-founder of Backspace.

Has your interaction with fans, for example, at conventions, affected your work?

It's always thrilling to meet fans in person and to hear what they did and didn't like about my books.

For instance, fans seem to have a near-universal "How could you do that?" reaction to the death of one of my characters in one of my novels (I won't get too specific so there are no spoilers!).

Even though it seems as though everyone wanted this character to live, in my mind, the character was (and still is) too damaged to go on. I'm always conscious that I'm writing for fans, especially with my newest novel, an original story based on the television series The Killing because this novel more than any other is for fans of the show, but the needs of the story always have to come first.

Is there any particular incident (a letter, a meeting, a comment that stands out?

I once met a fan who'd given my novel Freezing Point a three-star review on Amazon. Naturally, authors would rather see their books get four- and five-star reviews, but this three-star review was so articulate and perceptive and thoughtful, I really enjoyed being able to thank the reader in person for the care and attention he gave his review.

Do you have a favourite author or book (or writer or film or series) that has influenced you or that you return to?

I love everything by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, and of course since I write science thrillers, Michael Crichton was a strong influence on my work as well.

Who is the person you would most like to be trapped in a lift with? or a spaceship?

It would have to be someone who's been places and done things; a good storyteller and a great conversationalist. I can't abide meaningless chit-chat and small talk.

Who is the person you would most DISlike to be trapped in a lift with? Or a spaceship?

Someone who thinks meaningless chit-chat and small talk pass for good conversation!

What would you pack for space? (Is there a food, beverage, book, teddy bear, etc that you couldn't do without?)

Paper and pencils so I can write!

What is the most important thing you would like to get/achieve from your work?

Money and recognition. Money's essential, since it takes a year or more to write a novel, and if I'm going to invest all that time, I need to be compensated financially. But after investing all that time into writing a book, recognition for a job well done is also important!

What is the special satisfaction of your work?

I love the process of creating whole worlds from nothing but the ideas in my head. Being able to craft my characters and stories in such a way that readers are incensed at the death of a character they've come to care about is heady stuff!

submitted by Karen Dionne

16 May 2014

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Just the facts:
Born: Ohio
Resides: Detroit, Michigan
Bibliography/Awards:
The Killing: Uncommon Denominator (June 24, 2014)
Boiling Point (January 2011)
Freezing Point (October 2008)
First Thrills: High-Octane Stories From The Hottest Thriller Authors ed. by Lee Child (June 2010) - short story Calling the Shots
Freezing Point was nominated by RT Book Reviews for "Best First Mystery." Freezing Point has also been published in Germany and the Czech Republic.