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Gledé Browne Kabongo writes gripping, unputdownable psychological thrillers—unflinching tales of deception, secrecy, danger and family. She is the Eric Hoffer, Next Generation Indie, IPPY and National Indie Excellence award-winning author of the Fearless Series, Our Wicked Lies, Fool Me Twice, and Conspiracy of Silence.
Her obsession with suspense and diabolical characters started as a kid growing up in the Caribbean when an Australian radio drama called The Castlereagh Line hit the airwaves.
Gledé holds a master’s degree in communications, and has spoken at multiple industry events including the Boston Book Festival, Sisters in Crime (SinC) New England Crime Bake and the Women in Publishing Summit. She lives outside Boston with her husband and two sons.
ON WRITING
What themes do you explore in your books and why?
I explore universal themes such as deception, secrecy, family, courage and resilience because they are staples of the human condition, and relatable on a universal level. Those themes also appeal to me personally.
What is the most challenging or frustrating part of your artistic process?
When I got stuck, I had his horrible habit of stepping away from the manuscript for too long until I figured out how to solve the problem. I've since learned techniques to help me power through and see the story clearly.
How do you create suspense in your novels and the proverbial plot twists readers have come to expect from psychological thrillers?
When I sit down to write, I usually know what the plot twist at the end is going to be; I write out a ten-page outline that includes a few twists and turns. But it's through the writing process, revising and refining that the suspense really builds. It comes down to asking a lot of questions, maximizing both internal and external conflicts (can be a goldmine for suspense), making decisions about how to keep raising the stakes, and how to end each chapter to keep readers turning the pages.
Subplots also have their own ways of adding intrigue and suspense to the story because you never know when a seemingly harmless character might be hiding something sinister. However, the biggest source of suspense for me is character revelation. As much as I plot up front to get me started, a lot happens in the writing process.
Recently, my protagonist in A Game of Malice, my new ya thriller, revealed a dark secret which tied nicely into the main plot; the disappearance of a high school senior. I never planned for my protagonist, Lucas to have a secret. His main story goal was to find out what happened to his friend who vanished. But once that secret popped up, it added another dimension of suspense to the story.
As for twist endings, I know going in but sometimes, the story twists in another direction I didn't anticipate. In Reign of Fear, the final book of the Fearless series, I had the ending neatly tied up with a bow. But it wasn't working. When it came time to write the chapters leading up to that grand finale, I couldn't let go of the idea that's not how the story was supposed to end. I put the manuscript aside and came up with several more ideas, one of them I thought was brilliant. I even got chills. I was sure that was the twist.
Guess what? It wasn't. Then one day when I wasn't paying attention, an idea struck me that one of the supporting characters had to be part of the twist but I didn't how. When it hit me like lightning, there was absolutely no doubt that was the way the story had to conclude. The best part was it made complete sense.
What’s the best compliment you’ve received from a reader?
Sometimes I read reviews of my books, not often, but sometimes. The biggest compliments are usually the most heart-felt ones, the one-word or one-sentence zingers that bring a smile to my face. Although I write thrillers, character development is a recurring theme with readers; it's one of their favorite things about my books. That and the phrase, 'I couldn't put it down' or people writing to me to say they burned dinner, wished they didn't have to adult, couldn't wait until lunch break from work to sneak in a few more chapters or that they fed their kids pizza for dinner so they could get back to the book.
But one of the compliments that will always stick with me, it was quite humbling, was a message from a reader who referred to Autumn of Fear as “a masterpiece of a psychological thriller”. It was a jaw-dropping moment for me, and I had to take a few minutes to validate her words because my immediate reaction was, 'you gotta be kidding me'. I told her that if one of my books is adapted for the screen and I win an Oscar for Best Screenplay, I will give her a shoutout in my acceptance speech.
What are the toughest scenes to write?
Emotional scenes. As an author, it’s my job to be authentic and true to the characters without being over the top. On the other hand, I know if I’m not feeling those emotions after the scene is written, then it won’t pull readers in either. It’s a delicate balance.
Where do you find inspiration for your writing?
Inspiration can come from anywhere. For example, a conversation (my sisters-in-law have the juiciest stories), a news item, or even history. Writing a heist thriller inspired by the Gardner Museum theft is on my bucket list as an author. It's been covered extensively in the media but I relish the idea of putting my own unique spin on a story with the biggest art theft in history as the inspiration.
What thoughtful advice would you give to a new writer?
Never stop learning, whether it’s your first book or your one hundredth. Study the craft. Read a lot, in your genre and outside your genre. Success doesn’t come easily although it may seem like it does for some authors. Don’t judge yourself by another author’s highlight reel. Grow a thick skin. Whether you want to be traditionally published or go the indie route, rejection is part of the game. Rejection by publishers when seeking a contract or rejection by readers (negative reviews).
