Q&A with Lynn Slaughter

 

 

 

Lynn Slaughter is the author of the new young adult novel Missing Mom. Her other books include the novel Missed Cue. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky.

 

Q: What inspired you to write Missing Mom, and how did you create your character Noelle?

 

A: I’ve always been fascinated by stories about missing persons. Noelle’s dilemma especially resonated with me because of my close relationship to my stepmother who married my dad when I was 12.

 

Having never had a mother in my life, I was beyond thrilled to acquire one! I know that if she’d gone missing, like Noelle, I would have gone to any lengths to try to find her.  

 

In addition, Noelle is passionate about ballet, and as a former dancer, I identify with her love of dance. Her romance with Ravi, a fellow dancer, was also inspired in part by my own life. I met my husband in a dance company and have wonderful memories of the years we spent dancing together.

 

Threaded throughout Noelle’s story is the story of Savannah, a young woman nearly 20 years earlier whose romance with a boyfriend she marries right after high school turns out to be connected to Noelle’s investigation.

 

Savannah’s story was in part inspired by a high school friend who became involved with and married an extremely possessive young man. In our naivety, we actually thought his behavior was romantic and indicated his undying devotion. We didn’t recognize the warning signs of potential abuse, and indeed, his behavior escalated into full-blown physical and emotional abuse.

 

Q: Did you know how the novel would end before you started writing it, or did you make many changes along the way?

 

A: I actually did know how the novel would end before I started writing it.

Q: Did you need to do any research to write the book, and if so, did you learn anything that especially surprised you?

 

A: I drew mostly on my own experiences as a dancer to flesh out Noelle’s character.

 

As for Savannah’s experience, I drew on research I had done for my first book, Teen Rape, a nonfiction book for the education market. I recall how surprised I was to learn about the pervasiveness of teen dating violence. Teens often don’t have the knowledge or experience to clearly distinguish between what constitutes a healthy versus unhealthy relationship.

 

Q: What do you hope readers take away from the story?

 

A: I hope that readers will be inspired by Noelle’s resilience and her ability to move forward in her life despite experiencing major losses and challenges.

 

In Savannah’s case, I hope readers will appreciate the importance of recognizing the warning signs of unhealthy and potentially dangerous romantic relationships.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I’m currently working on a sequel to my debut adult mystery, Missed Cue, which features the same homicide detective, Caitlin O’Connor.

 

In Death in the End Zone, Caitlin investigates the murders of two star football players whose bodies are discovered in a compromising position in the end zone of their high school’s football field.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: I’m so grateful to you, Deborah, for your interest in interviewing me about Missing Mom. I’m also very thankful to have found a fulfilling second career as a writer after many decades as a dancer and dance educator.

 

As an author who published my first novel at age 65, I’m a strong believer that it’s never too late to become a writer!

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb