How A.R. Torre Sits Down & Writes
'Every Last Secret' is the unputdownable book to add to the top of your TBR stack.
Cat Winthorpe has worked hard to get what she has: a gorgeous home; social standing; and William, her successful, handsome husband. Then a friendly new couple moves into the estate next door. While cautious, a good neighbor like Cat greets them with open arms and warm hospitality.
Neena Ryder isn’t a fellow lady of leisure. A life coach with off-the-rack dresses, personal issues, and a husband who hasn’t delivered, she’s anxious to move up in the world. This beautiful new town is a step in the right direction. It’s also making Neena aware of what she doesn’t have. Namely, William. When Neena’s infatuation escalates into obsession, it’s just a matter of eliminating a few obstacles to get the life she wants. The life next door.
As Neena’s secret fixation grows, so does her friendship with Cat. But beneath their cordial interactions is a wealth of temptations, secrets, and toxic jealousy. For both women, the desire for a perfect life can turn perfectly dangerous.
Every Last Secret is perfect for fans of The Guest List by Lucy Foley and The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
We got to chat with A.R. about pacing, writing in multiple POVs, and what she needs to do before sitting down to write.
Q: Where do you like to write the most?
I have a big leather chair where I’ve written nine books. It is big enough to hold me and my laptop, plus two of my dogs. I think there’s magic in the leather.
Q: When do you like to write the most?
In a perfect world, I’d write in the afternoon. But… my world isn’t perfect. I have meetings, and family, and doctor’s appointments - so I get the most done between ten p.m. and two a.m.
Q: When it comes to drafting, do you prefer writing on a computer or freehand?
If I wrote freehand, it would take me a year to finish a novel. My typing moves much quicker than my hand. But I do pull out a pen and paper when I get creatively stuck.
Q: Are you more of a plotter or pantser?
Definitely a pantser! But I’m trying to do a better job of organizing my plot and laying out its major points before I begin to write. And I put in the time on character development and world-building in advance.
Q: Stephen King has a great line in On Writing that says “the scariest moment is always right before you start. After that, things can only get better.” That scary pre-start moment often inspires procrastination in writers. Suddenly, you have to clean your entire house, do the laundry and play Candy Crush for an hour before you can actually start writing. Is there anything you need to do before you can actually sit down and work?
Before I begin the novel, I write the book’s description, lay out the major plot points, and thoroughly build my major characters. Before each writing session, I make sure I have my laptop charger, a heating pad, a big drink and snack, and put my phone on airplane mode and unplug my router. Then I put my butt in that chair for the next 3-4 hours without moving. I remove any chance for distractions.
Q: Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what music? Is your choice of music inspired by the project you’re working on?
Ideally, I write in silence. But if I have a busy household, I’ll put on music that fits whatever scene I’m writing. I jump all over the place in terms of music genres - or use the ‘Focus’ channel of Spotify.
Q: Some writers believe you have to write every single day. Is that true of your process? How often do you write/how long for each session?
When I’m creating a first draft, I write 6 days a week, for 3-4 hours. And when I’m getting close to the end, those sessions stretch into 6-8 hours. I work better under a deadline and when I’m stressed over time.
Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d give an aspiring author?
Not to stress out over the first draft. First drafts are supposed to be messy and unorganized, with horrible writing. I’m 24 books in and my first drafts are still terrible. You’re just dumping sand into the sandbox. You can build that sandcastle in the rewrites. Don’t give up on your story because you think it’s ‘bad’. It’s supposed to be bad at this stage in the game.
Q: Where do you normally find story inspiration?
Inspiration comes mostly from real life. I listen to gossip, watch true-crime series on tv, watch movie previews and read books in the genre. A lot of times the final idea is a bit of a hodgepodge from several different sources, diced and blended into one fresh idea.
Q: Was this book always planned/plotted as dual POV? Why were you drawn to dual POV for this particular story?
Actually, the book was initially in four POVs. The first half of the book was in the two wives’ point of view, while the second half of the book was from the two husbands. In editing, we moved everything around and I rewrote the scenes to be primarily in the female voices, which ended up creating a stronger story. It was important to me to speak from both main females because I wanted the reader to understand their motivations and see them each as individuals, not just as potential villains.
Q: Did you find it easier to slip into either Neena or Cat’s voice? How did you manage to make their voices so distinct from each other?
It was definitely easier for me to speak in Cat’s voice. As far as distinctness… I like to speak aloud as I type. That helps me to capture their voices.
Q: Did you sympathize with either narrator more than the other?
Gosh, that’s a tough one. I felt sorry for Neena as a person, but I also severely disliked her. That being said, I understood why she was the way she was, so I still felt that empathy.
Q: The pacing of Every Last Secret makes this book almost impossible to put down. How do you find that rhythm while you’re drafting?
My drafts are longer-winded. I am a ruthless cutter in edits. I typically delete 15,000 - 20,000 words in edits. I like to remove anything that isn’t crucial to some aspect of the plot or character development.
Q: What’s the most challenging part of plotting and drafting a thriller with so many twists and turns?
Giving the reader enough to keep them interested without giving away too much. I need them to have the pieces without putting them all together. And writing from multiple points of view requires me to really look at which POV will have the most impact for each scene, or give the reader (or hide from the reader!) the right information.
Q: What was the last book that kept you up past bedtime?
Girl Gone Mad by Avery Bishop. Excellent book.
Grab your copy of Every Last Secret at bookshop.org, IndieBound, or Barnes and Noble. Enjoy!
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