Why do you write the genre that you write?
When I began writing seriously with a view to publication 25 years ago, I wrote science-based technothrillers similar to what Michael Crichton wrote because these were the kind of books I liked to read. Switching to psychological suspense came about more or less by accident when I woke up in the middle of the night with the opening sentences of what became The Marsh King’s Daughter fully formed in my head. Now I believe that psychological suspense is what I should have been writing all along.

What’s the quirkiest quirk one of your characters has?
I don’t know how quirky this is, but ALL of my characters hate making small talk, as do I.

Tell us how you got into writing?
I won creative writing awards when I was in high school, but it wasn’t until my son was in high school and I was encouraging him to enter the same contests I did well in that I thought, “What about me? I used to be a good writer.” I began writing short stories to get the creative juices flowing, then wrote my first novel. That novel got me my agent, but was never published. I persevered, and now, twenty years later, here I am!

What jobs have you held before, during and/or after you became a writer?
When I first started writing my husband and I did furniture upholstery from a workshop in our home. Being self-employed was a blessing because I had the flexibility to squeeze in writing time whenever I could find it. Now I write full time, and my husband is retired. Fun fact: In all my novels, there’s a couch or a chair that needs to be reupholstered.

Where do you write?
I write my first drafts by hand in my writing studio in a beautiful piece of woods on our property that has no utilities and most importantly, no Internet. When that’s done, I edit my work on a computer in my office in our home.

What is your favorite deadline snack?
When I’m on deadline, I’m too busy writing to snack!

Who is an author you admire?
I’m a big fan of really well-written literary fiction and try to read several National Book Award nominees and winners every year to inspire me to do better with my own work. Brandon Hobson, Tea Obreht, and Colson Whitehead are a few who come to mind.

What’s your favorite genre to read?
Wilderness suspense (is that a genre?)! Some favorite books and authors who would fall into that category are Lisa Gardner’s One Step Too Far, The Tally Stick by Carl Nixon, and everything by Allen Eskins and Erika Ferencik.

What are you reading now?
Inland by Tea Obreht

What is your favorite beverage to end the day?
Aa glass of red wine and some popcorn in the evening is a lovely reward for a hard day’s work.

What is next for you?
I’m working on my third psychological suspense set in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula wilderness, and hope to be able to tell readers more about it very soon!

Where can we find you?
I’m most active on Instagram @karendionneauthor and on Facebook at karen.dionne.

Now to have some fun . . .

Chocolate or vanilla
Vanilla!

Cake or ice cream
Pie. 🙂

Fruits or vegetables
Both, and lots of them!

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner
All three!

Dining in or dining out
Dining out, though my husband is an excellent cook, so dining in is also a pleasure.

City life or country living
Country living. I live on a small lake surrounded by forest in the middle of Michigan where I spend far too much time enjoying the natural world when I should be writing.

Beach or mountain
These questions are hard! I love both, but if I have to pick one over the other, I choose beach. I organized a retreat for writers for 3 years on a private island in the Bahamas, and it’s pretty much my favorite place on earth.

Summer or winter
Summer, though I don’t mind winter. Every season has its own beauty.

Short story or full-length novel
I’d rather write a full-length novel over a short story any day!

Extrovert or introvert
Introvert. Big time. I love going to conferences and hanging out with other writers and talking shop, but at the end of the day, I’m happiest when I’m by myself.

Early bird or night owl
Early bird.

And even more fun . . .

What is your favorite movie?
I used to say Jurassic Park was my favorite movie, but since my novel The Marsh King’s Daughter has been made into a movie starring Daisy Ridley and Ben Mendelsohn (and I’ve seen it, though as of this writing it hasn’t yet been released, and I love it!), I’m pretty sure it will forever be my all-time favorite!

My bio:
Karen Dionne is the USA Today and #1 internationally bestselling author of The Marsh King’s Daughter and The Wicked Sister, both published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons in the US and in dozens of other languages. Praised by The New York Times Book Review as “subtle, brilliant, and mature,” The Marsh King’s Daughter is soon to be a major motion picture starring Daisy Ridley and Ben Mendelsohn. Learn more at karen-dionne.com.