Q&A with Liz Lazarus

  

 

Liz Lazarus is the author of the new novel Dawn Before Darkness. Her other novels include Shades of Silence. She is also a consultant and a business owner, and she's based in Atlanta and in Bozeman, Montana. 

 

Q: What inspired you to write Dawn Before Darkness, and how did you create your character Dawn?

A: Two things inspired this novel.

 

First, I had a friend who had a terrible experience with a stalker, so I wanted to fictionalize part of her story. In addition to hearing her ordeal, I posted on social media asking for anyone who was willing to share her experience with a stalker. I ended up talking to 10 women and a compilation of their stories created my supervillain.

 

Also, as I was writing the novel, I was undergoing a lengthy and costly battle for guardianship of my mom, first against a family member and then a total stranger. I wanted to expose how broken the probate court system is regarding guardianships and conservatorships of the elderly.

Q: Can you say more about how you researched the novel?

 

A: I researched the novel by interviewing people—women who had stalkers, my friend who was a vet tech for those stories, another friend who is a police detective. And, as noted above, I was living through a lengthy court battle for guardianship of my mom. The legal part of the book is maddening and almost unbelievable—except that I lived it.

Q: How would you describe the relationship between Dawn and her mother, Marie?

A: Dawn is very protective of her mom, Marie, partially because Marie’s health is failing, especially her eyesight, but also because she was widowed in the last year. I wanted to portray what happens to many children. Over time, we go from being the cared for to the caretaker of our parents.

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

A: Before I begin writing, I have to know the beginning that draws the reader in, the main characters and the twist ending, so yes, I knew how the story would end. I keep a massive spreadsheet to plot my chapters, events, any loose ends I need to resolve and how I want the reader to feel at the end of the chapter.

Q: What are you working on now?

A: I have an idea for a fifth book and a vague outline. That’s how these things get started. Each book has a color theme, and this next one will be green—for money and greed. I’m already thinking about titles that fall in line with the alliteration I’ve used for my previous novels and am very open to your ideas!

Q: Anything else we should know?

A: Information about my books can be found on www.lizlazarus.com. There, you can download free sample chapters and listen to the first few minutes of the audiobook. And, if you like the book, please do post a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. My novels are known to entertain while they educate, and this one is a real cautionary tale. Thanks!

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb