Interview of Kimberly Derting (VO)

Kimberly Derting has kindly accepted to answer to my questions for the French release of The Body Finder in August 14th.

1/ The Body Finder will finally release in August 14th in France, are you happy to know that your book will be translated in French?

I get so excited when my books are released in other countries (and I’m absolutely thrilled that it’s coming out in France!). I had the pleasure of visiting Paris last year for the first time and it immediately became one of my favorite places in the world! I’m just sad that I can’t be there in person to celebrate the launch.   

2/ Jay is the perfect romantic guy, I love him! We have only one scene from his point of view in The Body Finder. Why didn’t you write more of it?

There were actually more Jay point-of-view scenes in the original version, but my editor asked me to cut them (and this one too). But I put up a fight to keep that scene in the book. Ultimately, we agreed to let it stay because I thought it was necessary to see what he was thinking in that moment when he realizes Violet is missing. I’d love to write a short story from Jay’s point-of-view one day, because he really is a fun character to write!

3/ Chelsea and Claire are very entertaining and I often laughed thanks to them. Did you have as much fun to write them as we readers to read them?

Chelsea is one of my favorite characters to write, mostly because of her “say it like it is” personality. The scenes where she starts bantering with Claire and Jules, are some of the ones I spend the most time on because I want to get them just right. They’re the scenes that remind me the most of hanging out with my friends from high school, but also of watching my children and their closest friends when they’re together. 

4/ I love how Violet’s family supports her. Did you already imagine how would you feel if your daughter has Vi’s ability?

That was exactly how I looked at the situation when I started writing the book. I considered what kind of parent I would want to be if my daughter had an ability like Violet’s. I hope I would be sympathetic to her unique situation, allow her to mature and grow like a normal teen, all while trying to keep her out of danger as much as possible.  On the other hand, I may have just locked her in her room until she was 25 ;)

5/ The chapters from the murderer’s point of view are quite scary. How did you think about them and how do you write them?

I’m not sure I gave it much more thought than, “It would be really cool if we could get a glimpse into what the killer was thinking,” and once I started writing those scenes, I fell in love with the serial killer’s point-of-view. (And, yes, I realize that makes me sound all kinds of sick and twisted!) But while I was writing the book, I definitely worried that those scenes would be considered too disturbing for young adult readers, so there were far fewer of them in the first draft.  When I got the note from my editor saying, “we want more of these!” I was thrilled.

6/ Do you prefer the thriller aspect or the romantic one in your book?

I have to admit, I started out meaning to write primarily a thriller. Jay (and the romantic angle) was never meant to play such a HUGE role in the Body Finder books; he was just the best friend Violet was going to start having feelings for. But the more I wrote his character, the more I liked him, so his role kept expanding.  Fortunately for Violet, my crush on him, and my love for kissing scenes, made him a major character!

7/ The Body Finder series has 4 books but the ending of Dead Silence remains open. Do you think you will continue the series?

I have talked openly about this on my blog, but I’ve posted it on a private page to avoid spoilers for readers who haven’t finished the series. Let’s just say there are no plans to continue the Body Finder series at the moment, but I’m a never-say-never kind of person. And I’m definitely not opposed to writing more books from another character’s point of view.

8/ In the second book, Desires of the dead, we will meet Rafe, a mysterious guy… Can you talk about him?

We only meet Rafe briefly in the second book, but already you get the sense that he’s a bit...tortured. Readers have been divided in their feelings for Rafe as the series has gone on. Personally, I love him—I think he needs a big, warm hug! But I’m always a little amused by some of the comments I read about Rafe (and a love triangle that could possibly...maybe (I’ll never tell!)...be brewing).  Let’s just say that there are a lot of Team Jay fans out there!

9/ The Body Finder and The Pledge have paranormal elements. Why do you like to write supernatural stories?

Magic, the paranormal, and the supernatural all allow us to safely explore the darker sides of human nature with no limitations. We can slip into the worlds—either real or imagined—that are far more dangerous, and have higher stakes than our own to get a taste of the kinds of choices and sacrifices these characters have to make. Plus, it’s just plain fun. I mean, who wouldn’t want to understand every language they’d ever heard like the main character in The Pledge. (I would probably pass on the “body finding” ability, though!)

10/ What are your last reads?

Recently I’ve read WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE by Maria Semple, THE STORYTELLER by Jodi Picoult, and ICONS by Margaret Stohl, which I HIGHLY recommend to everyone! I also just picked up GAMEBOARD OF THE GODS by Richelle Mead, which I can’t wait to dive into.

Thank you so much Kimberly!