A. J. Banner is the author of The Poison Garden: Publishers Weekly calls my new novel, The Poison Garden, an “impressive psychological thriller. My previous novels include After Nightfall, The Twilight Wife (a USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestseller), and The Good Neighbor, which was the #1 Kindle bestseller for 34 days. I live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband and six rescued cats.
Welcome Author A. J. Banner
Could you share something about yourself?
Like Elise in The Poison Garden, I live in a house surrounded by forest in Washington State. Unlike Elise, I have no reason to suspect the motives of those closest to me. I’m happily married. My husband and I are slaves to our cats, and we feed a variety of birds and other wildlife in the garden. Also, I recently started collecting vintage typewriters. I enjoy writing some scenes on my favorite manual machine, a Royal Quiet De Luxe circa 1952.
What do you love doing when you are not writing?
I love looking for vintage typewriters! I also enjoy walking in the fresh air, swimming, reading, and taking nature photographs with my Canon SX530HS.
What type of books do you love reading or who is your favorite author?
I have many favorite authors in a variety of genres! I enjoy reading general fiction, literary fiction, magic realism, middle grade novels, memoirs, suspense, science fiction, and more. I love Elizabeth Berg, Susan Wiggs, Margaret Atwood, Anjali Sachdeva (amazing short stories), Robert Cormier, Polly Horvath, Daphne du Maurier, and many other authors whose books crowd my shelves!
Inspiration behind The Poison Garden
What inspired you to write The Poison Garden?
In college, I knew a sociopath, a narcissist who lacked a conscience and steamrolled over others’ lives. I think some incarnation of that diabolical person keeps popping up in my books! But I also pictured a beautiful, lush garden on a remote island, and somehow I combined the two concepts into a twisty plot that coalesced through six drafts of the manuscript.
How long did it take you to complete your book?
Probably about eighteen months, including major revisions. I carved out many scenes that didn’t advance the plot, streamlining the book to about 200 pages.
How hard did you work to get here?
I’ve been writing for many years. I took classes, read books, and I started out writing feature articles for local newspapers, company profiles for coffee table history books, and short stories for various literary journals before I wrote my first novel. The Poison Garden is my fourth novel in the “psychological thriller” category. A writer’s life is a long haul, full of ups and downs.
What is the message (theme or takeaway) would you want readers to embrace in your story?
My goal in writing The Poison Garden was to keep the reader entertained, turning the pages, immersed in the story. I didn’t write with a particular message or theme in mind. I believe themes emerge naturally from the story itself, from the way events play out and the decisions each character makes. I’ll leave the interpretation of theme up to the discerning reader!
What scene or memory brought you joy with writing?
I have a vivid memory of taking my toy typewriter out into the grass on a warm summer day, in Manitoba, Canada, where I lived for much of my childhood. While the other kids were playing elsewhere, I typed mystery stories! It was always my dream to be a writer!
What advice would you give to anyone wanting to become a writer?
Read a lot. Write every day. Learn the craft. Take classes, read books about writing. Find a mentor to read your work and offer editorial feedback. Keep a journal. Take notes. Be prepared to fail. The career of a writer is unpredictable, a constant roller coaster ride.
Connect with A. J. Banner
Readers, A. J. Banner would love to hear from you. You can connect with her here.
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