Now it’s time to learn more about the authors we read. . .
Why do you write the genre that you write?
I’ve been writing thrillers lately centered around women, and I think what draws me to this genre is that women in these books end up in situations where they’re pushed to take action. Too often in society, women are encouraged to keep themselves submissive and quiet, and in thrillers, they have to do the opposite: in order to survive whatever’s going on they need to find their voice and agency. I love that.
What’s the quirkiest quirk one of your characters has?
In my latest novel, Come with Me, Onita is a woman with a lot of bad habits. To quell her cravings—be them for food, drugs, men, or alcohol—she sucks on rocks.
Tell us how you got into writing?
When I was in fourth grade, my teacher, Ms. Burns, would put a creative-writing prompt on the back wall every Monday and we’d hand this assignment in on Friday. I loved this so much and would think about it all week. For the Thanksgiving story I wrote from the point-of-view of the turkey and it was high humor, I tell you—he was in a cauldron thinking it was a bath and even wearing a shower cap. She loved it so much, she brought me to the fifth-grade class to read it. That was my first time sharing my writing with an audience, and I think I’ve been chasing that high ever since.
What jobs have you held before, during and/or after you became a writer?
I’ve cleaned dog kennels and pig pens, walked beans, worked in a used bookstore, and spent many years as a secretary, but now I’ve been a professor for 18 years at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. Truly a great job. I can’t believe I get to talk fiction writing with a room full of writers and I get paid for it.
Where do you write?
I really love to write at coffee shops and the library, and I love it even more if I have one of my writing besties with me. Shout outs to Christina Consolino, Meredith Doench, Katrina Kittle, and Sharon Short!
What is your favorite deadline snack?
Cheez-Its and Peanut M&Ms.
Who is an author you admire?
So many! You were wise to not make it “authors” plural or I might run out of internet. But if I had to narrow it to one, I’d say Curtis Sittenfeld. Her books are all across the board—she’s done straight-up literary realism, short stories, romance novels, a modern version of a classic, alternative history—but I have loved every single one. What I admire is how much she appears to follow her own interests without bowing to the market or a brand. Her brand is “awesome books” and I am here for each and every one.
What’s your favorite genre to read?
Right now, thrillers. But I’ve been feeling tugs toward quieter mysteries too.
What are you reading now?
Right now I’m listening to Pride & Prejudice, reading a physical copy of Lauren Beukes’s Bridge, and starting Holly by Stephen King on the kindle.
What is your favorite beverage to end the day?
A pale ale or water.
What is next for you?
For the last few months, I’ve had a few false starts where I’ve gotten 10-20,000 words into a project only to realize that’s not the story I want to tell. Now, I’ve rounded 60k on a novel and think this one might be a go. It’s a mess, but I’m feeling that giddy tug of falling in love where I think about it whenever we’re apart.
Where can we find you?
Thru my website erinflanagan.net, and @erinlflanagan on Twitter and Instagram.
Now to have some fun . . .
Chocolate or vanilla
vanilla
Cake or ice cream
CAKE
Fruits or vegetables
vegetables
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner
dinner for all three meals
Dining in or dining out
dining in
City life or country living
country living
Beach or mountain
mountain
Summer or winter
winter
Short story or full-length novel
novel
Extrovert or introvert
hardcore introvert
Early bird or night owl
early bird with an afternoon nap
And even more fun . . .
What’s your favorite movie?
Bridget Jones’s Diary. Do I think it’s the best movie ever made? No, but it is definitely my comfort movie.
You are stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?
A fully loaded kindle that won’t lose its charge, ice water, and my husband who is very handy and would build me a shelter.
My bio:
Erin Flanagan is the author of two short-story collections and three novels including Deer Season, winner of the 2022 Edgar for Best First Novel, and the most recent Come with Me. She is an English professor at Wright State University and a regular book reviewer for Publishers Weekly.