In Mood for a Thriller

February 15, 2019

|

Helena Smrcek

Shari Lapena, a Canadian novelist, living in Toronto, is the internationally bestselling author of The Couple Next Door, A Stranger in the House and An Unwanted Guest.

 

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena is a domestic thriller that will keep you wishing you hand nothing on your calendar for the next three days unless you speed-read for fun.

The stakes are high –a missing baby. We meet a wife questioning her sanity, and a husband determined to save his family, as Shari takes us on an emotional journey filled with fear, anxiety and deep loss.

I not only find Shari’s fiction gripping but also enjoy reading about her own story of becoming a bestselling author. It is inspiring, encouraging and perhaps an even a little challenging.

In an interview with Kate Newton, she shares with surprising honesty:

“I think every writer has an avid interest in psychology. I didn’t study it formally, but I’ve done a lot of reading on my own. And I watch what’s going on around me, and I talk to people. I’m a sharer—I tend to be fairly honest about how I’m feeling, I don’t hide difficult things...I think I might have tapped into my own feelings there. I had many miscarriages before I had a live baby, so I remember feeling the way Anne felt when well-meaning friends brought their babies around and I had just lost mine.”

She told Goodreads about her struggles to become an author:

“I find with a lot of writers, we just kind of shuffle from thing to thing because we really want to be writers. Until we actually settle down to become writers, we're just kind of trying on other things. I worked full-time for many years, and then I had a baby; I wanted to stay home with him. He would nap in the afternoons. I always wanted to be a writer, and I thought, "I finally have the time—I'm just going to write a novel." I sat down and just started without any kind of plan, and I came up with Things Go Flying. I was doing it all in secret. My husband knew I was writing this book, but no one else. Once I got started, I never had trouble selling books or getting agents. But my literary books themselves didn't sell well. Literary fiction in Canada is kind of a tough go unless you're one of the really big names.”

She continues:

“My process seems almost different with every book. With Stranger, I had a much harder time because everybody was watching. [Couple] had done really well, I was on contract, I only had a year to get the book done, I wasn't used to working with lots of editors. I had that difficult-second-book thing they say you get when you've had a book that's a hit. It took me a while to get over it. But once I got into it, I was able to work without a plan and go where it needed to go. Then I had to go back and rework the beginning quite a lot.”

I love the result, hours of entertainment for the readers. Can't wait for the next one. 

I Love When Dreams Come True

February 11, 2019

|

Helena Smrcek

Reading and interview with one of the new best-selling authors, Alice Feeney, recalling her memories of being a little girl, scribbling on pieces of paper, and folding them into books; well it made me smile. 

Feeney's journey toward her dream is inspiring. Working for the BBC, while secretly learning the craft of fiction, struggling with rejections, yet determined to make it; it almost sounds like a modern fairy tale. 

Sometimes I Lie is a captivating thriller that kept me guessing. I loved the many twists and turns, as I couldn't decide whom to trust and whom to dislike. Interesting setting, bold exploration of human psyche, scary moments that kept me going. This novel was a fun ride. 

The announcement of the production of limited series based on this book is just a cherry on the sundae. I am looking forward to the spring release of I Know Who You Are, now available for pre-order.  

Label It

July 31, 2018

|

Helena Smrcek

This gardening season I committed to labeling. I took a roll of white plastic gardening tags out of a storage cupboard and armed myself with a Sharpie. There would be no guessing if I should push a tomato cage around the thriving little plants or opt for tall poles.

Same went for peppers. No more predictions if the fruit would be sweet or spicy. During my past gardening endeavours, even simple peas presented an enigma. Once the first leaves showed up, they all looked the same, and gone was any memory of which row was Sugar Snap and which would need shelling.

As I diligently scribbled the correct names carefully copied of the seed packets I thought of my sister-in-law. Not only she has the chutzpa to run a business, be an awesome wife to my brother, and a hockey mom to two skating fanatics, but she also possesses a certain brand of rationale that I often lack.

Over the years I have been carefully observing her no-nonsense approach to life, business, and family. Where I would ponder, discuss and sometimes explode, overwhelmed with emotions, she labels things. Calmly.

Don’t misunderstand me. When our kids reach an important milestone, her eyes tear up, as she truly feels the moment, and appreciates the blessings in our lives. I watched her many times, at the edge of an arena bench, as her boys played for gold; she lived every second of the game. But even though we have known each other for over two decades she still astonishes me from time to time by uttering the simplest truths.

This one time we talked about something my daughter did for a friend, and my sister-in-law simply stated. “But that’s her. She cares for everyone.” Although I knew that, I never bothered to put a label on it, and somehow that short declaration gave the situation the validity it deserved. Once she simply stunned me with, “he adores you, and would do anything for you,” statement pertaining to my husband. It stuck with me, and I think of it often, realizing that for the trees, I sometimes miss the forest. 

me to accept the reality. A truly freeing experience.

As I pressed the tags into the soil, my mind wondered to God. He too labels things, to make our lives simpler. He calls things by their true name, things like love, forgiveness, and even sin, regardless of our rationale, current political correctness or social trend. I find great freedom in that, for often, things are not what they seem, but a correct label helps us see them for what they truly are.

Choose Joy

March 1, 2018

|

Helena Smrcek

Over the years I have developed a survival strategy. As soon as the glitter of Christmas finds it’s spot back in our basement, I drag up our suitcases and pack for a getaway. Unfortunately, one week in the sun puts only a slight dent in the winter drab, and the older I get, the harder the seemingly endless days of winter are.

 So, when one of our neighbors invited me to an annual meeting of her horticultural society I jumped at the opportunity. That is, I upped my daily dose of Advil, and gingerly walked to my car, trying to ignore the yet another bad back episode.

Greeted by vivid potted plants, and a room full of gardeners, my spirit perked up. The first speaker shared her vast knowledge of soil. My heart swelled. During the coffee break I loaded my plate with home baked goodies, and reminiscent about our long-ago church get togethers. Then I chatted up everyone at my table and silently thanked God for pulling me out of my despair. These were kindred souls. 

 Finding my neighbor just before lunch wasn’t an easy task, but we did connect and had a great talk. She was kind enough not to ask about my sock-knitting project she helped me to start in early January but mentioned that she had a special daylily that I need to see later in the year.

The rest of the afternoon was hallmarked by perennial advice and raised bed presentation. As I listened, I suddenly found myself unwinding. The accumulated stress of the dreaded winter, combined with the absurdities of current news, the worries about our business, retirement, kids’ future, the cold weather pains and aches, and the simple daily stresses, collectively drained me.

I needed to get better. As retail therapy has been hailed as an instant cure for the blues, I purchased a hand-crafted bird house, and a giant hydrangea, before I left the event. On the way home, I realized I must get my joy back, find the lost creative spark, and reclaim the missing positive outlook on life. Enough of this defeatist attitude.

It took another week, a few visits to my chiropractor, and a good chat with a friend, but I took out my Easter decorations, and finally made it to church. Standing next to my daughter, who continually keeps conquering the stereotypes of the lost millennials, we sang the new, and the old; then listened to the pastor walk us thru the history of The Book.

I realized God protected His Word through time, kings and regimes, disasters and plagues, through wars and revolutions, so that we can read the Bible during these turbulent times of the 21st century. His Word is filled with timeless truth, eternal principals and ever-lasting blessings. Gratitude and quiet joy filled my heart. He is on His throne, His eyes upon us, only a prayer away. Therefore, I choose joy, regardless of the newsfeed, the rain, and my dog-chewed gardening gloves.