Hollie Overton is the author of the novel The Runaway. She also has written the novels The Walls and Baby Doll. In addition, she is a TV writer and producer. She lives in Los Angeles.
Q: How did you come up with the idea for The Runaway, and
for your characters Becca and Ash?
A: When I set out to write my third novel, I knew I
wanted to write a mother/daughter story. Being adopted, I'm interested in
families that aren't blood related so that's how they came to life.
I've also been trying to have a baby, and a lot of Becca's
experiences and struggles were informed by my own.
My decision to make Becca a therapist seemed like it would
have a lot of built in conflict, especially if she were dealing with a troubled
teenager.
Ash was a product of a lot of research I did about homeless
street kids. She's such a survivor and I really love her, even though she makes
some pretty terrible decisions in the book.
Q: You note that you had to do research on a variety of
topics to write the novel. How did you do your research, and did you learn
anything that especially surprised you?
I researched a lot about the homeless and L.A. and how they
survive and the ways in which the system fails them.
I knew that in order to properly portray the work Becca does
as well as the police investigation that makes up a lot of the book, I'd have
to talk to experts.
I was so lucky to find a psychologist who worked with the
LAPD and did the job Becca did for over eight years. He read the entire book
and answered hundreds of emails.
I also was fortunate enough to have several police officers
I turned to. One was from L.A. and one was a friend from high school and their
input was invaluable. I really don't think I could have written a book without
their help.
Q: Do you usually know how your novels will end, or do you
make many changes along the way?
A: As a TV writer, it's drilled into your head that you need
to outline. I'm a stickler for that. But when I wrote my first book, I sort of
winged it and figured out the ending halfway through.
It would be a much easier process if I was a bit more of a
plotter and it's something I may attempt with Book 4, but I'm also a big fan of
doing whatever works for you. The process is the process and as long as
you're getting to the end of your story, it doesn't really matter how you do
it.
Q: How important is setting to you in your writing?
A: It's interesting because in my first book, Baby Doll, I
set it in a small town in Pennsylvania but it wasn't an important part of the
story.
The book ended up doing quite well and sold in a lot of
countries and I think it's partly because it felt like those events could have
happened in any small town. But it wasn't a calculated choice. It was the right
choice for the book.
That changed with my next two books. The Walls was set in
Houston and The Runaway was obviously L.A. Those cities have a great deal
of personality so I knew once I picked the setting, it would end up being
pivotal to the storytelling.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I just wrapped the second season as a writer/producer on
Tell Me A Story for CBS-All-Access. I'm currently developing several TV
projects of my own, and I'm working on my fourth novel. I'm also teaching TV
writing at Script Anatomy, an L.A.-based TV writing company.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: If anyone wants to follow my writing journey, or see what
I'm working on next they can visit my website or my
instagram @hollieoverton
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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