Now it’s time to learn more about the authors we read. . .

Why do you write the genre that you write?
I write thrillers because I love to read thrillers. The reason is in the name of the genre. I can’t get enough of the pulse-pounding excitement, the rollercoaster ups and downs, and the life-and-death conflicts in which my characters have to rise to the occasion to save themselves, their families, or their community, against great odds… or die trying.

What’s the quirkiest quirk one of your characters has?
Ferd Bismuth, the sweet, awkward, lovestruck neighbor of Dr. Jo Beckett in the Beckett novels, has a Capuchin monkey named Mr. Peebles… who he takes to Star Trek themed Halloween parties and who engages in constant shenanigans.

How did you come up with your pseudonym?
Meg Gardiner is my maiden name. When I was first published, I planned to write as Meg Gardiner Shreve, but my editor suggested that I avoid confusion with Anita Shreve.

Tell us how you got into writing?
Passion, along with panic at the thought of not doing it, plus determination and stubborn persistence. I always wrote, and always wanted to write fiction. I just kept going at it until I was good enough to get a novel published.

What jobs have you held before, during and/or after you became a writer?
Lawyer; full-time mom to three kids under five; Lecturer in the Writing Program at the University of California Santa Barbara.

Where do you write?
In an office in my Austin home, looking out at live oaks.

What is your favorite deadline snack?
Double Dark Chocolate Milanos.

Who is an author you admire?
Sara Paretsky. She has led the way for so many of us, especially women looking for role models as writers.

What’s your favorite genre to read?
Thriller!!

What are you reading now?
Fantasy, actually—Foundryside by Edgar winner Robert Jackson Bennett.

What is your favorite beverage to end the day?
Hot chocolate.

What is next for you?
A new stand alone novel!

Where can we find you?
Facebook: MegGardinerBooks, Instagram: @MegGardiner1, Twitter/X: @MegGardiner1, and my website: MegGardiner.com.

Now to have some fun . . .

Chocolate or vanilla
Chocolate!!!

Cake or ice cream
Ice cream

Fruits or vegetables
Vegetables

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner
Breakfast

Dining in or dining out
Dining out

City life or country living
City life

Beach or mountain
Mountain

Summer or winter
Winter

Short story or full-length novel
Novel

Extrovert or introvert
Introvert

Early bird or night owl
Early bird

And even more fun . . .

What’s your favorite movie?
Heat

You are stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?
A solar-powered e-reader loaded with a library of great books; a soft pillow; a mirror to signal passing ships and planes for rescue.

My bio:
Meg Gardiner is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of sixteen novels. Her thrillers have won the Edgar Award and been summer reading picks by The Today Show and O, the Oprah magazine. In August 2022 Heat 2, co-authored with Michael Mann, debuted at #1 on the New York Times best seller list. A former lawyer, two-time president of Mystery Writers of America, and three-time Jeopardy! champion, Meg lives in Austin, Texas.